Tomb of the Mechanical Pharaoh

Chapter 21

Hawk felt the energy of his ka flowing through him, his hands were warm and his fingertips tingled slightly. What did Tori say? Feel the energy around your fingertips ignite and then push it outward. "Ahat!" he said, watching the fireball ignite directly in front of him. It was gone in an instant, leaving Hawk seeing spots. I think I'm getting better. He could call up the fire easily enough now, but directing it was still a problem. Although I should probably quit before I set the room on fire.

He looked at the bed on the floor, as he pulled off his shirt. Not even a wash basin anywhere around. Mrs. Shenouda was like many of the country Christians who believed in an austere lifestyle. Hawk stopped himself. He had grown up in a tipi, traveling from one place to another, with only what he and his people could carry. Now here he was looking at a mattress on the floor which his boyhood self would have considered luxurious. "Am I really becoming Egyptian?" he asked himself.

"That wouldn't be so bad, Hawk." He turned around to see Tori leaning in the doorway. She was staring at him. Hawk glanced down at his chest and saw she was staring at the Sun Dance scars. That had been ages ago. So much had happened lately, he had forgotten they were there. He turned away just slightly to keep them in shadow. "I didn't mean to disturb you," Tori said, looking back up at his face.

"Ain't nothing," Hawk said. "You need something?"

Tori stepped in and looked around before sitting on the bed. "Nili, Lissa and I are in the same room, at least they will be when they get back from the temple."

Hawk could not help but smile. "Supposed to bunk with Mr. Crocodile, but seems I have the room to myself."

Tori smiled as she moved closer to Hawk. "Two rooms all to ourselves."

"So the Khairataw..." Hawk said, trying to change the subject.

Tori sighed. "The fact that they have noticed us is worrying," she said.

"Why now?" Hawk asked.

"They've likely been watching the whole time," Tori said. "It's just... There may be something that the Professor found that has their attention now."

"The spells in that tomb?"

"They have to take the possibly seriously," Tori said. She got up off the bed and approached Hawk. "Please be careful. Sakhmit will protect me, but you are a foreigner, you—"

"So I'm the foreigner after all," Hawk said.

"I didn't mean it like that..." Tori said, putting her hand on his chest. Hawk put his hand over hers and their eyes met.

"I've been in Egypt long enough to feel Egyptian, but I am Lakota, even if I find myself forgetting the language," Hawk said. "I honestly don't know what I am, sometimes."

"You know the story of Sinuhe, yes?" she said.

Hawk nodded. "I've heard it. After the assassination of Amenemhet, he fled to Syria."

"He was guided there by the gods," Tori said. "He lived as a man of Canaan. His sons grew into powerful chiefs. But through it all Sinuhe never forgot what he was. Be Egyptian, Hawk, but never forget what you are."

"That's all I can be, I suppose," Hawk said.

Tori was staring at the scars on is chest again. "What battle...?" she started.

"Ain't no battle, it was the Wiwanyag Wicipi, the Gazing-at-the-Sun Dance," Hawk said, recalling the ceremony. "It was to celebrate our victory at the battle of the Greasy Grass. I chose to pierce, ask the gods to help gain control over this power that I have."

"And they brought you here," Tori said, gently touching the scars. "Like Sinuhe."

Before Hawk knew it they were kissing. He did not know if Tori had initiated it or he did, but it did not matter. Their lips met and Hawk put his arms around her. After a moment, Tori pulled away.

"I..." Hawk started, but Tori had unfastened her dress and let it fall to the floor. As she stood nude in front of him, Hawk could not help but gaze upon her. Her body was toned from years of training and she had multiple tiny diamond marks tattooed from across her stomach and in sweeping patterns all around her torso and down her thighs that ended in tattoos of the god Bes. Seeing him admiring her, Tori smiled. it was the smile of a girl when she notices a boy she liked watching her.

Hawk fumbled with his pants and then smiled back as he put his hands on her hips and pulled her close. Their kissing resumed as they made their way to the bed.