Born of Shadow - Book 1 (complete)

Chapter 34

If you are enjoying this story and want to know when the latest chapter is up, follow me on Wattpad. I update Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays!

_________________

They sat in the SUV staring at each other in shock.

“What I don’t get is why the one man was healed and the other was mutilated like that,” Liam said. “Why was it only his eyes? Why didn’t his face get scorched? It was almost like his eyes were burned with laser-like precision. But how is that even possible? And why did he keep looking out the window if he couldn’t see?”

“I don’t know,” Kami said, shuddering and shaking her head. “It’s awful.”

“Clearly he’s nervous about something,” Samuel said. “Maybe he expected someone, or something, to come.”

“What do we do now?” Liam asked.

“I don’t know,” Yasmin said. “We visited every place I thought Gedo might be.”

Haji, who had been silent to this point, spoke up.

“Someone needs to know, about the shadow creatures, about the jar, about all of this. Someone with the power to fight it.”

Yasmin’s face brightened.

“I know. We should speak with Hassan Ramzi. He is the antiquities minister and a close friend of Gedo's. Gedo may have contacted him, but even if not, it would be important to make sure he is aware of what is going on. He has important connections.”

As they drove to the ministry building, Haji told them about the district of Zamalek, a hotspot for expatriates and the wealthy with many mansions and even palaces. As they crossed a bridge over the Nile River onto Gezira Island, Kami almost felt like she was entering another country. It was upscale and modern, with streets lined with exclusive boutiques, high-end restaurants, art galleries, and museums. According to Haji, the Gezirah Palace was now the central part of the Cairo Marriott Hotel, with its rooftop having an open-air theater facing the Nile. There were quiet neighborhoods too, with elegant homes and stately trees that proudly stretched their limbs. It was a stark contrast after visiting Jemal Ibrahim’s hideout.

They pulled in front of the ministry building that housed Ramzi’s office.

“I don’t believe it!” Yasmin gasped as she stepped out. She shielded her eyes for a better look at something. “After everything we've been through, he's here!”

“What?” Kami asked, looking in the same direction.

“Gedo! Gedo’s on the steps in front of the ministry building!”

Kami looked at the man Yasmin was pointing at. Gedo had a full head of dark hair with streaks of silver and wore wrinkled khaki trousers and a blue shirt rolled back to expose his hairy forearms. His shirt was drenched in sweat. He had scruff on his face and looked as if he hadn’t slept for days. It made it a little harder to recognize him, but she couldn’t mistake those fierce eyebrows and that scowl. Gedo was checking his watch.

Kami swallowed hard and followed the others. She was about to meet the man that had separated her family from her Egyptian relatives. She felt fluttery in her stomach. She  wondered how he was going to explain why he hadn’t been at the airport.

“Gedo, where have you been? One of those shadow creatures stole your artifacts from the library. The security was a joke. Where’s Neina?” Yasmin asked.

“Who are all these people?” Gedo asked Yasmin gruffly, eyeing the group warily.

“These people are helping me search for you and Neina. This is Samuel Towers, his nephew Chris, Liam, Haji, and Kami.”