Trial of Anubis

٢٠: ZIARA

   She felt dirty.

      He looked at her like a meal and he'd been starved for weeks. His Wadjet raked down her body as if trying to memorise her features.

       Ziara had to centre herself quickly before she caved into the urge for violence. She exhaled a long breath, "I'm going to see Mariette, and I really hope he fires you."

        Again, his eyes became glassy and he sat heavily on the couch in silence.

        "I need to go to the museum; I don't trust leaving Patrick here in case Waset comes snooping. . .but we can't bind him either," Ziara bit her lip. "There are markets down the street, it would be too public for him to try anything."

      "Sounds good to me, could grab a feed," Nathanial jerked his chin at Anuka. "Let's go Mummy Man."

       They divvied up between the archive search and babysitting Carn. Anuka, Isfet and Nathanial agreed on guarding him whilst Wraith, Lacy and Elijah accompanied her to the museum.

      To avoid Mariette's wrath further, Ziara changed into her usual business suit which she wore to press meetings and executive deals with her father. It was a thin white linen blouse with cuffed sleeves and a tight pencil skirt which hugged just below her knees. The only western portion were the accent of cream coloured heels and immediately looked out of place amidst the working class of Luxor.

        In her tote she carried her more comfortable clothes in case she needed to quickly change.

       Elijah wore a pair of khaki shorts and a similar button-up to Wraith and sneakers. He raised an eyebrow at her as they exited the apartment, "Am I missing something?"

       "Etiquette," Ziara quipped.

       As she stepped down the last flight of stairs to the exit of the block, a group of children and their parents from the floor above gawked at the remnants of broken stone, scorch marks and debris. Wraith's severed arm had melted into a pile of clay and the blood had been covered with a new dusting of desert sand. There were no police or military blocking off the complex, only curious residents.

       "Do you think Luxor will have the resources?" Lacy tossed a rose-coloured shawl over her hair as they entered the main street.

      "I'm hoping, but if not, I have a hunch that the curator might help. He's an idol of mine," Ziara ducked by cattle drivers shuttling their heard through the gutter and hailed a taxi.

       She stood awkwardly at the seats in front of Luxor Museum, grimacing at the woman in the ticket booth. She'd been rejected twice for not having her pass and the woman wouldn't take any form of identification to prove who Ziara was. She pinched her brows together as the seller fanned herself with a brochure which had Ziara and Harry's faces on it.

       Ziara slammed her hands against the desk, "Ziara Massit, Mr Massit's daughter. I have an important meeting with the curator, Doctor Mariette."

       Sighing heavily, the woman held up a finger for her to wait. Ziara chewed at her bottom lip as more tourists gathered for admission. She listened intently when the woman started speaking Arabic, supposedly to Mariette. After a few moments and a roll of her eyes the woman said, "Go through."

       Ziara nodded her head in thanks and gestured for Wraith and the others to follow but were stopped by the gate.

       "They have to pay," she said.

       "No, they're with me," Ziara narrowed her eyes.

      "Pay," the woman challenged.