[◈] Curse of the High Priestess

2 | 3 ⌋ Reunion I

Cairo

The time spent apart felt like agony, but Nadia did her best to focus on her children and her job as the curator of the museum. After everything that's happened, she decided her family should have Malik remain with the medjai so she can help keep an eye on the city. That decision was hanging by an ominous thread, but she pushed through. 

It had been nearly a week since she'd seen her husband, but the nightmare began two hours after she'd been summoned to their campsite. Nadia felt her heart stop as she witnessed Malik in a near-death state.

He'd been stabbed and bruised in various places, making him lose enough blood to become comatose. She landed on his chest, begging him to wake up but he didn't. Instead, she listened to his heart, begging god for his survival. "He arrived late in the night, tied to a horse," Ardeth explained, "it seems he hadn't eaten or drank anything in days."

"It was those people, wasn't it?" Nadia watched her husband through the hospital window while the nurses and such cleaned his wounds. "Those diggers - just like before."

"Nadia-"

"Malik almost lost his life, Ardeth," Nadia's eyes burned with tears, "I deserve to claim vengeance."

Ardeth pulled his sister into an embrace, allowing her tears to water his scarf. She wasn't the only one hit by this tragedy since he'd agreed to send Malik, along with a few others, to gather information. He felt the blame in his hand like a black stone, ready to drag him under the waters of the Nile. The consequences became hard to live with, but that's his job as chieftain. 

"Nadia, there's one more thing," he pulled away from his younger sister and opened his palm. Nadia fell to her knees, acid rising in her throat. 

Hasina's bloodied necklace hung in his hand. The string had been ripped and the stone partially missing. The gold, tainted by scarlet, lost its shine to darkness despite the sun reigning over them. The siblings knew how much that necklace meant to Hasina, so the message hit a place no one understood. 

"I thought... she said..." Nadia struggled to find her words while staring at the necklace. Hazily, Nadia took the necklace in her hand, looking between her husband and the stone, "how long had she been missing?" Her thoughts flashed quickly. "Wait, does Rick know?" 

"It's unclear, but they sent a message - one intended for us," he looked at Malik, "and for them," he looked at the necklace. 

"If that's what they did to Malik, imagine what they did to Hasina - Ardeth, we have to find them!" Nadia grabbed his hand, "We have to go warn Rick and the others! Who knows what else these people are capable of - they murdered our people! Do we even know what they're after?"

"Aamir arrived with Malik, barely clinging to life, but he managed to tell us what we need to know," Ardeth sighed. "They intend to revive Imhotep-"

"No."

"-and relive what occurred all those years ago-"

"No, please." Nadia looked at her husband.

"-they intend to win, no matter what it takes." Ardeth stood next to his sister; her eyes became hazy as the fear coursed through her veins, making her cold. "I'll be leaving shortly." 

Nadia tightened her grip on his hand, Hasina's necklace hanging in between. There was so much going on that she didn't want to comprehend, but something within her spoke of terrible things that hadn't happened yet. She looked at Ardeth, "save them and bring her home. I'll take care of things here. Once you arrive, send word and I'll gather the other chiefs." 

"Thank you, sister." One last embrace and he disappeared into the outside world. Nadia held her sapphire stone in her hand, praying her sister was alive and well. "I just hope you make it there safely, Ardeth. I don't know what I'd do if I lost you, too."