her bathing area and closet. Afterwards Khara followed her up a narrow staircase to a small upper story where they passed a room completely lined with bound manuscripts. At the end of the short hallway, they stopped in front of a door.
“Your bathroom. Towels are under the sink.”
Khara instantly understood the purpose of the throne-like chair, its surface smooth and white, but raised her eyebrows at the empty vat nearby. “And that?”
“A bathtub.” Victoria turned knobs that caused both hot and cold water to come forth. “I’ll bet you’d like to freshen up a bit. Take your time; I’ll be downstairs.” She smiled and pulled the door closed.
A few minutes later Khara emerged. With her face washed and damp hair smoothed away from her face, she felt better.
“I hope you don’t mind sleeping on the couch,” Victoria offered, “I converted the guest room years ago so I could have more space for my books. Wine?” She handed Khara a glass goblet. Seemingly, this woman’s wealth had no limit. “Come, I’ve saved the best part for last.” Victoria led her onto a balcony just large enough for a heavily padded chair that could have accommodated a small family.
“Indian summer; best weather of the year. The sunsets are spectacular before the cold weather sets in. Look at the way the fuchsia goes gray,” Victoria observed, pointing to the sky.
“I probably ought to follow my uncle’s advice—stop renting and buy a proper house.” She took a long drink. “But my work keeps me so busy…”
A fleeting shadow of sadness darkened Victoria’s eyes. In her, Khara sensed something familiar, and for a time she forgot the horror of the last days.
Night fell quickly, and they went inside. Victoria removed her shoes and stretched out on the sofa while Khara contemplated how to tell a story she herself could not comprehend.
“As I told you,” she asserted with some hesitation, “I am Egyptian.” Her mind racing, she asked, “Do you know of Egypt?”
“Of course.” Victoria’s smile reassured her. “One of the greatest civilizations.”
Hearing this, Khara’s shoulders began to shake as she sobbed her relief.
“Did I say something wrong?”
Khara shook her head. “No, it’s only that…forgive me. The last days have been an ever-worsening nightmare.”
“Then the coyote was right. You were taken against your will.” Victoria set her drink down and leaned forward. “It’s all right; you can tell me.”
“There were strange lights and sounds. I could not move.”
“You were probably drugged. Kidnapping is big business on the border. Young women are snatched off the street, sometimes even from the safety of their homes, and sold as sex slaves. Most are never seen or heard from again. You were very lucky, Khara.”
“If only what I experienced could be explained so easily.” She took a deep breath. “I am the eldest daughter of Pepy II, Pharaoh of Upper and Lower Egypt.” Khara held her head high.
Victoria raised an eyebrow. “Really? Go on.”
“Two days ago, at my coronation ceremony, my father—” “Wait, wouldn’t that make you some sort of princess?”
Khara lowered her head. “It does. That is why I must return. As quickly as possible.”
“Who else have you told this story?”
“Only you.”
“Let’s keep it that way for now,” Victoria cautioned and then fell silent, a hint of a smile playing on her lips. It was an expression Khara knew well; it was the same one she had given Nandor when he told her he had witnessed winged fish flying over the ocean, or great lizards that changed their colors whenever they wished.
“You don’t believe me.”
“Let’s just say that in my line of work I hear lots of stories, but yours is definitely a first.”
Khara rubbed the cuff through her dress. “There is no explanation for why I am here. How is it that I’m able to understand you?”
“Isn’t it my turn to ask questions? Look, sometimes it takes a while for
“Your bathroom. Towels are under the sink.”
Khara instantly understood the purpose of the throne-like chair, its surface smooth and white, but raised her eyebrows at the empty vat nearby. “And that?”
“A bathtub.” Victoria turned knobs that caused both hot and cold water to come forth. “I’ll bet you’d like to freshen up a bit. Take your time; I’ll be downstairs.” She smiled and pulled the door closed.
A few minutes later Khara emerged. With her face washed and damp hair smoothed away from her face, she felt better.
“I hope you don’t mind sleeping on the couch,” Victoria offered, “I converted the guest room years ago so I could have more space for my books. Wine?” She handed Khara a glass goblet. Seemingly, this woman’s wealth had no limit. “Come, I’ve saved the best part for last.” Victoria led her onto a balcony just large enough for a heavily padded chair that could have accommodated a small family.
“Indian summer; best weather of the year. The sunsets are spectacular before the cold weather sets in. Look at the way the fuchsia goes gray,” Victoria observed, pointing to the sky.
“I probably ought to follow my uncle’s advice—stop renting and buy a proper house.” She took a long drink. “But my work keeps me so busy…”
A fleeting shadow of sadness darkened Victoria’s eyes. In her, Khara sensed something familiar, and for a time she forgot the horror of the last days.
Night fell quickly, and they went inside. Victoria removed her shoes and stretched out on the sofa while Khara contemplated how to tell a story she herself could not comprehend.
“As I told you,” she asserted with some hesitation, “I am Egyptian.” Her mind racing, she asked, “Do you know of Egypt?”
“Of course.” Victoria’s smile reassured her. “One of the greatest civilizations.”
Hearing this, Khara’s shoulders began to shake as she sobbed her relief.
“Did I say something wrong?”
Khara shook her head. “No, it’s only that…forgive me. The last days have been an ever-worsening nightmare.”
“Then the coyote was right. You were taken against your will.” Victoria set her drink down and leaned forward. “It’s all right; you can tell me.”
“There were strange lights and sounds. I could not move.”
“You were probably drugged. Kidnapping is big business on the border. Young women are snatched off the street, sometimes even from the safety of their homes, and sold as sex slaves. Most are never seen or heard from again. You were very lucky, Khara.”
“If only what I experienced could be explained so easily.” She took a deep breath. “I am the eldest daughter of Pepy II, Pharaoh of Upper and Lower Egypt.” Khara held her head high.
Victoria raised an eyebrow. “Really? Go on.”
“Two days ago, at my coronation ceremony, my father—” “Wait, wouldn’t that make you some sort of princess?”
Khara lowered her head. “It does. That is why I must return. As quickly as possible.”
“Who else have you told this story?”
“Only you.”
“Let’s keep it that way for now,” Victoria cautioned and then fell silent, a hint of a smile playing on her lips. It was an expression Khara knew well; it was the same one she had given Nandor when he told her he had witnessed winged fish flying over the ocean, or great lizards that changed their colors whenever they wished.
“You don’t believe me.”
“Let’s just say that in my line of work I hear lots of stories, but yours is definitely a first.”
Khara rubbed the cuff through her dress. “There is no explanation for why I am here. How is it that I’m able to understand you?”
“Isn’t it my turn to ask questions? Look, sometimes it takes a while for
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