Takmet sat up. “Stop!” he yelled.

Don’t you like watching me play with her heartstrings? You have been causing her the same kind of pain.

“That’s not true. Leave her alone!” He pushed Rei away and stood.

I think I might just break the spell for the enjoyment of seeing your reaction, Yakumi said mysteriously. Tweak…

Sasaki yelled in agony as she leaned against Hotep. He held her, preventing her from squirming and potentially hurting herself.

“If you dare such a thing I’ll--,” Takmet began, expression deadly.

You’ll what?

Sasaki screamed again, but cut if off quickly. Sweat sparkled all over her body.

You can’t do anything to me from where you are.

“What’s wrong with her?” Hotep asked urgently.

“Yakumi,” Rei growled.

“I’m warning you! Release her!” Takmet yelled.

Yakumi’s laughter strangely complimented Sasaki’s screaming.

“Make her stop!” Sasaki gasped, fists clenched over her heart. “Make her stop!!” she cried loudly. Her tears flowed freely down her pained face. “Takmet! Please!” she screamed as the pain flared again.

Her scream pierced Takmet’s heart like a double-edged sword. He went to her and knelt beside her. He looked at Hotep gravely. “Hold her,” he instructed his friend.

What are you up to, Takmet? Do you think you can prevent me form doing any more harm? At the last word Sasaki’s wail went up again and Takmet cringed.

Ami and Chloe were in tears, having dismounted their camels and watching their friend be attacked by some unseen force. Mandi was on the brink of crying.

“What’s wrong with her?” Ami cried. “DO something!” Mandi held Ami back form running into the middle of the scene. Mandi and Chloe gave Takmet worried looks.

He only sent the same look back to them. Takmet focused back on the suffering Sasaki and slowly put his hands on hers. Immediately the spell reacted, causing the three of them, Hotep included, to be assaulted by strong electrical forces. Sasaki was suffering enough already, so did not feel the extra discomfort as Takmet and Hotep did.

“Mighty Ra! This is what you have been going through?” Hotep rasped, the force of the spell almost overpowering him.

Takmet closed his eyes, ignoring the pain, gathering energy from deep within himself. His hand began to glow. The light grew until Takmet, with one thrust, forced the substance into Sasaki’s chest. It went through her hands, into her, then exploded outward with earth-shaking force. The girls shielded themselves from the sand that flew caused by Takmet’s spell.

The light died. Sasaki was panting heavily, face dripping with sweat. She was no longer screaming.

Takmet wiped his forehead of his own sweat and sighed. “Looks like it worked.” He waited for a comeback from Yakumi, but he heard none. Takmet had apparently knocked Yakumi out cold.

“We better get moving,” Takmet said, out of breath. “We have to get to Nezbek’s as soon as possible.” He struggled to stand and finally was on his feet, but he collapsed as soon as he stood erect. Rei appeared next to him and kept him from falling.

“Are you okay?” she asked softly. “You need to rest.”

“But we can’t stop. Yakumi will recover and come back more determined.” Takmet tried to keep himself standing, but he gave up and leaned heavily on Rei.

“You’re riding with me. You can’t sit up by yourself,” Rei said with undeniable authority.

Takmet did not have the strength to protest.

Rei helped Takmet to a camel. He managed to get up into a riding position as Rei glanced back at Hotep who was rising, Sasaki in his arms. Hotep looked a little ragged after his experience.

Rei called to him. “She can’t ride by herself. Take care of her.”

Hotep nodded. He glanced down at Sasaki. She was still breathing heavily, but Hotep was glad to see that it was evening out. Her eyes were closed in concentration, fighting the urge to cry any more. Sasaki’s heart throbbed form all of the stress.

Ami had been released by Mandi and ran over to Hotep. Chloe and Mandi followed her. Ami’s expression was very distressed when she asked Hotep, “Will she be okay?”

Hotep forced a smile. “She’ll be fine. Sasaki is one tough girl. Don’t worry.”

“Are you sure?” Chloe asked.

Rei called back to her instead. “She’ll be fine. Trust me. Get back on your camels. We’re moving out. Luckily there isn’t much farther to go.” Rei grabbed the reins of the camel behind her and spurred her mount to its feet.

The other girls reluctantly climbed back onto their camels. Hotep carefully sat Sasaki on the camel then quickly mounted himself so she could lean back on him. Sasaki was still trying to level out her breathing. To Hotep she was looking a little better.

Mandi grasped the reins of the other rider-less camel and led him on beside her as the group began moving.

******************************************************

Their targeted city was not far at all. Within twenty minutes the group stepped into the outskirts and they dismounted, leaving their rides with a stable boy eager for extra cash. By this time Sasaki was able to walk though still slightly out of breath. Takmet had slept every single one of those twenty minutes and felt only slightly better.

They entered the center of the city, thankfully not receiving any more attention than that given to casual travelers. Hotep asked for directions to Nezbek’s home and was rewarded immediately. The party followed these instructions until they reached the modest house where Nezbek supposedly lived. Takmet knocked on the door.

A young man a few years older than Takmet answered the door. “Yes?” he asked. The man was tall and thin, yet slightly muscular. His long black hair framed his face, calling attention to his light blue eyes.

Takmet was surprised for a moment. Blue eyes were very rare. “Are you Nezbek?” he asked.

“Who wants to know?” the blue-eyed man asked. He studied the small party in front of his door, noting that the women outnumbered the men. He also sensed that these women were not the every day variety. He could not pinpoint what was out of place.

“My name is Takmet. Marton sent us, hoping that you could help in some way.” Takmet introduced himself, assuming that this was really Nezbek being cautious.

“Marton?” the man blinked, surprised. “Then you may indeed call me Nezbek.”

Just then Sasaki doubled over where she stood and cut her reflexive yell short. Takmet turned to see Hotep holding her up and Chloe, Mandi, and Rei staring expectantly at him.

“Damn it, Yakumi,” Takmet said out loud. He turned back to Nezbek. “Please, she needs your help.”

Nezbek gazed at the afflicted girl for only a second. “Bring her in.” Nezbek stepped back and opened the door wider to let the travelers in.

When Sasaki passed through the doorway the wrenching in her chest disappeared. Her breathing had become ragged again and she was almost to the point of sinking to her knees.

Nezbek closed the door after her and quickly took Sasaki’s arm. He helped her to a bed in the next room. “Lay here, princess.” Sasaki tried to reply to the address he gave her, but Nezbek silenced her, placing a finger over her lips. “How I know is not important.” He smiled as she lay down, a wary look on her face.

Nezbek returned to the other room. “What did you want me to do for Kheris?”

Every pair of eyes focused on Nezbek. He knew who Sasaki really was.

“How did you know?” Hotep asked. Takmet remained silent, wondering what kind of talents this man really had.

“Let’s just say I’m a spirit reader of sorts. When I was young I visited the palace once or twice to visit Marton. I met the princess on those occasions, though she would probably not remember; she was so much younger than I. Her soul is different from any others I have encountered in my lifetime. I never forgot what it felt like.” Nezbek’s eyes focused on Takmet. “With the exception of you. Extraordinary that two of you should arrive at my door, don’t you think?” Nezbek grinned slyly.

Takmet bristled at the blue-eyed man’s astuteness. Nezbek knew much more than he let on. Hotep sensed trouble between the two men if they stayed too long.

Nezbek walked past Takmet to a small table with a washbasin. He grabbed a cloth and wet it liberally, saying as he did so, “I see you don’t like me already. Takmet. Pity. I find you very interesting. Now at least I know the gods haven’t totally abandoned us.” Takmet stiffened at the reference to himself and Sasaki. The rest of the group, except for Rei, did not understand Nezbek’s comment. “I won’t say anymore. Don’t worry. Why is it that you are here?”

passed Takmet again and into the next room. Takmet spoke after him. “I would think you’d be able to tell me.”

Nezbek carefully placed the wet rag on Sasaki’s forehead, grinning at Takmet’s attitude. “I don’t know everything,” Nezbek replied. “Takmet was it?” Nezbek turned to look through the doorway at the young man. “Your lady’s spirit has been badly assaulted by and outside force. This is serious. I simply need to know what happened and what you want me to do to help her.”

Hotep watched the tense exchange between the two men. Actually the tenseness was radiating only from Takmet’s side. Hotep saw that Nezbek was good at playing mind games, so he appointed himself to be the one to call Takmet’s attention back to the problem and not the growing rivalry.

“Tell him already, Takmet. Just because he’s not your type doesn’t mean Sasaki has to suffer for it.”

“Well said,” Nezbek praised him, eyes remaining on Takmet.

Takmet realized what was happening when Hotep brought him out of his self-centered thoughts.

Nezbek walked into the main room and took a chair. “You can take as long as you want in telling me the problem,” Nezbek said with a tad of sarcasm. “All the worse for the princess, but no evil can enter here. Whatever was attacking her can no longer do so as long as she stays in these walls.”

Takmet sat on another one of the chairs in the room. Rei, Mandi, Chloe, and Hotep leaned against the wall while Ami took a seat on the floor.

Takmet thought a moment, deciding where to begin.

“The reason we are here is so you can dismantle a certain spell. Marton told Sasaki and I that you would be a better candidate for help that he.”

“Sasaki? The princess?” Nezbek cringed. “Doesn’t suit her, does it?”

Takmet shook his head. “I agree, but that’s the only name she has known for the past fifteen years. She grew up in the future: much farther into the future than we can comprehend. A spell was cast on her to prevent her from becoming too close to me in the event that she was ever returned to her home. I don’t understand the whole picture quite yet, but what I know is that this spell is what allows Yakumi to attack her and control her life energy, and partially my own.” Takmet turned to rest his eyes on Sasaki in the next room. “Despite the spell I fell in love with her.”

Nezbek knew that he was telling the truth. He could sense it even when he had brushed the edges of their spirits. It radiated like warm from the sun.

Rei spoke up. “Look at me, Nezbek. What do you see?”

Nezbek focused on the woman who spoke. “A genie. How unusual for you to accompany a group of humans so casually,” he commented, eyebrows raised in slight surprise.

“The you know what powers I possess, even though I am relatively young. I couldn’t break the spell itself. I believe I dispersed all of the protective spells, but the main one was far too intricate for me. It’s tied tightly to her life force.”

“I see.”

“The fate of Egypt also rest on this trip that we made to see you. You have heard something like this, I’d imagine.”

“I know the legend, yes.”

Takmet let Rei explain what had happened since she and Nezbek seemed to be on the same level of understanding. There was something almost familiar about Nezbek, but he couldn’t place it.

Rei continued. “The princess was attacked in the past half an hour by the entity that calls herself Yakumi. She created the curse and can control it at will as we witnessed. Had we stayed outside any longer she would most certainly have been killed.”

“I don’t doubt it,” Nezbek said quietly. “Well, her energy levels aren’t declining any further. She is fine for the moment.”

“Can you break the connection between the spell and her life force?” Takmet asked after a silence.

Nezbek pondered a moment, reflecting on the spells and damage he had sensed upon Sasaki entering his home. He nodded. “It will take several hours. It must be very intricate if a genie couldn’t break it.” He paused, looking back at Sasaki. “I will try for her sake. But first she needs to recover some of her strength. If I touch any of the threads connecting her life force and the spell that have been overly strained, they may snap. Once one does the others would be sure to follow. She needs a little time before I dare something so involved.”

Takmet nodded. He sighed and leaned against the wall.

“You are not exactly at your best,” Nezbek observed.

“What’s that supposed to mean?’ Takmet looked at the man, his voice taking a tone of mild offense.

“I only mean that you would be more sensitive to people’s feelings of you were well rested. You have an extraordinary power that the princess has not obtained yet.” Nezbek got up and grabbed a wineskin hanging from the wall. He tossed it to Takmet. “Help yourself to water and rest. All of you.” He turned toward another empty doorway that led to another small room. “I would rather not be disturbed if at all possible.” With that he entered the room and shut the curtain.

Takmet sighed, passing the wineskin to the girls first. “What a character.”

Hotep smiled. “He doesn’t seem too bad to me.” Takmet shot him a glare. “Okay, okay. He’s bad.” Hotep held his hands up innocently.

Ami had fallen asleep in the middle of all the talk, and Chloe was about to follow their example. Mandi sat down on the floor next to them and Hotep grabbed the chair Nezbek had sat in. Rei floated in the air comfortably. Soon all of them were asleep, all save Nezbek, who was readying himself for one of the most difficult things he would ever attempt in his life.