Sands of Abydos

Chapter 6: Milly

The two couples dined and danced by the pyramids. At the stroke of midnight, they lifted their champagne glasses in a toast to the upcoming year, and when Neal kissed Sara, she wished she could make time stand still.

El and Peter went to their room afterward, but Neal made no move to leave. The band would continue to play for another hour. They swirled to the sounds of Elton John and the Beatles. She'd never danced with Neal before. Yet another talent he'd kept hidden. Before the night was over, would she be able to discover other talents he'd concealed?

"How's the whiplash?" she asked during a break in the music. They'd drifted over to the far side of the terrace, away from the band and the revelers. The pyramids rose behind them in the night sky. Neal still had his arm around her waist. The slinky fabric of her gown felt gossamer-thin under his fingers.

He smiled sheepishly. "I've been a little preoccupied. Haven't even noticed it."

"You see, I told you it'd go away."

His hand slid down to her hip and he drew her close to him. "I'm glad you didn't give up on me."

"That's not happening. Haven't you learned by now I'm crazy about you?" She cupped her hands around the back of his neck and tilted his head down to kiss him.

It hadn't been necessary to ask him about the whiplash, although she wanted to hear him confirm it. She could tell that he was much more at ease. Over Christmas, he'd been lost in his head. That wasn't a problem now. When they broke free, she said, "I think traveling through wormholes is good for you."

He started to laugh.

"I'm serious," she insisted. "Think about it. We know something in wormholes heals wounds. Perhaps you were left with a trace amount of gravity wave distortion from Tirelia, and you needed to return to a wormhole to be healed."

"Or perhaps it was all the skin changing I went through—merging with a child, turning into an Egyptian, pretending to be Horus. I may be growing accustomed to switching skins." He drew back and gazed at her questioningly. "But I'm less sure than ever which skin is my true one. Can you accept the uncertainty?"

She pulled him back toward her. "Of course, I can. No matter what happens, you're human too, and I intend to make sure you remember that."

"I'm counting on that," he murmured and kissed her again, this time much more thoroughly. "Henry saw us skating together on campus. He asked me if we were an item. I didn't answer him, but I assume you wouldn't mind?"

"Moving from fake girlfriend to an item? I'll take that as progress. But if we're officially an item, I'll be more demanding."

He cocked a challenging eyebrow. "In what way?"

"The next time you go through a wormhole, you're taking your fellow item with you. Wherever you go, I want to be there with you."

"I'd love that as well." The band resumed playing and they began swaying to the music.

"I think it's our destiny to wander around ruins in an evening gown and tux," she declared. As long as she was daydreaming, she might as well go all out.

"How will you manage the demands of your job?"

"They don't begin to compare," she scoffed. "I'll finish this assignment but then I plan to return to Arkham even if they ask me to stay on."

"Nigel will be devastated."

"He'll survive." She bit her tongue from saying more. There was no need to upset Neal by telling him about her boss. She was sick and tired of Nigel hitting on her. She'd checked around and discovered he didn't treat the other women like he did her. Did he think she was a naive American who was an easy mark? Fortunately, it was nothing she couldn't handle. The job was an important one, not only for her career but also for their group. She'd held him off by pretending to be interested but shy. Her contract was up on the first of March. By then, her part for the exposé should be completed, and she could return to her job in Arkham with a clear conscience.