Page 24

DIN

D in draped his arm over his face as the harsh Cairo sunlight shone right into his eyes through the latticework screens.

He'd been awake for over an hour or maybe even more, content to lie still and watch Fenella sleep.

Her dark hair was spread across the pillow, looking like spilled ink, and her expression was peaceful and relaxed, a rare occurrence during sleep.

She still had nightmares, probably about her captivity in the hands of that monster that they still kept alive in the dungeon for whatever reason.

They'd already pumped him for the information he could give, and Max was being super-secretive about the reason they were keeping the demon alive.

Din had his suspicions, though.

Now that it had become known that the Brotherhood was employing a chemist to enhance a select group of fighters with drugs, the fake doctor's action seemed to make more sense. They had wondered where he'd gotten the special drugs he'd used on Fenella and Kyra, and now the mystery was solved.

The question was how he'd kept that information from Toven, and if he had kept that back, chances were he had hidden other things as well.

In a way, it was good news because if compulsion didn't work to loosen his tongue, Din could think of other methods that would be much more satisfying to him and Max.

They could take turns beating the crap out of the devil's spawn.

Fenella stirred, burrowing deeper into the pillow, and just like that, all of the negative thoughts that had been swirling in his head were banished.

Din smiled.

His sexy bartender was decidedly not a morning person, but it was time to get up. They had plans today, and as much as he'd like to let her sleep until noon, that wasn't an option.

Shifting closer, he breathed in the scent of her hair, different than her usual floral shampoo.

Kalugal had outfitted the house with top luxury brands of everything, and Fenella had cooed with pleasure when she discovered the display in the bathroom.

In some things, she was very easy to please. In others, well, she required patience and finesse.

He pressed a gentle kiss to her temple. "Time to wake up, mo ghràdh ," he murmured against her skin.

She made a sound that might have been a protest and pulled the covers up over her head.

"Come now," he coaxed, tugging the blanket down enough to expose her face. "We have ancient mysteries to solve, remember? Lost immortals to find?"

"Ancient mysteries can wait," she mumbled, eyes still firmly closed. "Sleep now. Mystery later."

He chuckled, trailing kisses along her jaw. "What happened to my adventurous Fenella? The one who couldn't wait to explore Cairo?"

"She's sleeping. Leave a message."

"I have a better idea." He captured her lips in a proper kiss, soft and sweet, the kind that usually made her melt against him.

Her eyes fluttered open, hazy and unfocused. "That's cheating," she accused, but her lips curved in a smile.

"All is fair in love and mystery," he said, helping himself to another kiss.

"Pretty sure that's not how the saying goes." She kissed him back, her arms coming up to wrap around his neck.

For several long moments, they traded sweet, lazy kisses until a knock at the door rudely interrupted them.

"Breakfast in thirty minutes," Joseph's voice sounded through the door.

"Go away," Fenella said.

Din gasped. "You can't talk to him like that," he whispered.

She rolled her eyes. "Why not?"

There was a long moment of silence on the other side of the door, and Din imagined Joseph opening and closing his mouth, trying to come up with a proper reply to the rude guest.

"Professor Gunter asks that everyone be seated around the table at nine sharp."

"We'll be there," Din called back before Fenella had a chance to insult the poor guy again.

She groaned, flopping back against the pillows. "Do we have to? Can't we just stay here and let everyone else chase down the figurines? They can bring them here, and I'll do the reading after I'm properly rested."

"And miss all the sightseeing? Besides, you'd never forgive yourself if they found something important without you." He climbed out of bed, padding toward the bathroom.

"Ugh, you are right," she muttered, but he heard the rustle of sheets that meant she was getting up. "I want to see Cairo. Do you think we'll get to tour the pyramids today?"

"Not likely." He paused with the toothpaste in hand. "I'm sure Kalugal has the whole day planned out."

Precisely at nine o'clock, he and Fenella entered the dining room to find most of the group already assembled.

Kalugal sat at the head of the table, looking every inch the distinguished professor in his crisp white shirt, a kerchief tied around his neck, and khaki pants.

Little Darius sat in his highchair, chewing enthusiastically on a piece of pita.

"Good morning," Kalugal said cheerfully. "Please join us. I trust you slept well?"

"I did." Fenella sat on the chair that Din pulled out for her. "The mattress is heavenly. Can we get the brand for the village homes?" She scrunched her nose. "On second thought, maybe that's not a good idea. No one will want to get out of bed."

"I slept like the dead." Max loaded his plate with eggs and beans. "Which is appropriate, given where we're going today."

Kyra elbowed him. "Don't be morbid at breakfast."

"How is stating facts morbid? We are literally going to search for someone who's been presumed dead for five thousand years."

"But he is not dead," Fenella said. "I thought you were referring to the pyramids." She turned to Kalugal. "Will we have time to visit them today?"

"Not today," Kalugal said, "First, we find Esag, and if there is any time left, we can go sightseeing. And on the topic of Esag, I have good news. The Clan Mother responded to my message about the figurine."

Everyone's attention sharpened, and even Darius stopped chewing and looked expectantly at his father.

"What did she say?" Jasmine prompted when Kalugal took too long to respond, overdoing the dramatic effect.

"The figurine is of Tula, Wonder's younger sister, as she appeared five thousand years ago." His expression grew somber. "We know that she's alive because she's my mother's lady-in-waiting, stuck with her in my father's harem on the Doomers' island."

A heavy silence fell over the table. Din had heard about Areana, Annani's sister, Kalugal and Lokan's mother, and Navuh's mate, who chose to remain trapped in that fortress of an island with her abhorrent truelove mate. Her friend Tula declined freedom as well, opting to stay by Areana's side.

For a long time it had been a secret, but eventually, most clan members had learned about Areana's whereabouts and how she'd been found thanks to Carol's incredible bravery.

"Does Wonder know about the figurine?" Max asked.

"The Clan Mother didn't share that information with me.

" Kalugal picked up his coffee cup. "But I'm sure she has told Wonder about Esag and Tula.

She did not recognize the mark, but that does not negate Esag being the creator of Tula's figurine.

It's obvious that the same artist created the figurines of Wonder, Annani, and Tula, and based on the impossible memories embedded in one of them, the artist has the gift of foresight. "

"Esag," Fenella said. "It can't be anyone else."

"I agree," Kalugal said. "Which brings me to today's plans.

The dealer who sold the Tula figurine has a shop in Khan el-Khalili, the old bazaar in historic Cairo.

It's a tourist area, which I'm sure you will all enjoy.

Surprisingly, it's also where authentic pieces can be found at bargain prices.

" He chuckled. "It occurred to me that the vendors conspire to place a valuable artifact in one of the stores occasionally, so when the story spreads, it lures hordes of tourists to buy counterfeits at outrageous prices. "

Din nodded. "It's easy to swindle people who don't know what to look for."

Kalugal nodded. "Fortunately, I know exactly what to look for.

My people heard about a figurine in a private collection that seemed promising, but when they requested a picture and forwarded it to me, I realized right away that the piece was not only done in a completely different style but also wasn't worth even a fraction of the price the dealer was asking for. "

"Good for you," Max said. "When do you want to leave?"

"As soon as we are done with breakfast and the security briefing." Kalugal turned to his wife. "What are your plans, darling? Do you want to join us on the scavenger hunt?"

She shook her head. "I'll sit this one out. The markets are dangerous, and our sweet little Darius is still human, still vulnerable."

Kalugal cast her an adoring look. "You are so wise, my mate. I'll leave my two men with you."

"I prefer that you have them protecting you and your group. The regular security people are enough to keep me and Darius safe in the house."

He leaned over and took her hand. "When I'm not around to protect you, I worry. Having my men watch over you and our son eases my mind."

"I know. But what about you?" She waved a hand over everyone gathered. "I'm safe in the house, but you are going out there. You need the protection more than I do."

Kalugal grinned. "We will be perfectly safe. With me, Max, Din, Ell-rom, and a human security detail, no one will get close enough to breathe the wrong way at us."

She nodded, casting him a loving smile. "I didn't know that you were taking some of the security team with you. Now I'm not worried."

Pouting, he put a hand over his chest. "You wound me, my love. Am I not enough to protect everyone?"

With his compulsion ability, he probably was.

Max cleared his throat. "At this rate, we will never leave."

"Right." Kalugal turned back to the group, lifting his hand. "I'll have Ahmed brief you on security protocols for the market."