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SHAFIRA PROVINCE, AFRICA

TWO WEEKS LATER

H i, Mom.” Michael ran into the workroom and gave her a quick hug.

“Dad just called and told me to tell you that he’d finished up with that conference at Bon Jaka that Dominic had set up with all those governors and politicians who were trying to set up this village as some kind of glorified theme park. ”

“The people here have a strong sense of who they are. They won’t let that happen, even if Folashade puts them on the map.

We already have a twenty-four-city tour lined up for the sarcophagus and treasure.

And now that the gold mine that Zakira stole has been recovered, the country is wealthier than it has ever been. ”

“Well, Dad says that this meeting was the last one, and now we can forget about them and think about packing up and going home.”

“That sounds wonderful.” Eve drew him a little closer. “I imagine you’ve been thinking about leaving here since the night you and your dad showed up and rescued me. You’ve gone through so much lately.”

“No more than you did,” he looked up at her and said.

“It was okay because we were together. I think Dad had it worse than either of us, but he’s been happier here now that he knows we’re both safe and he could keep busy making sure that everything about this village is going in the right direction. ”

She chuckled. “You know your father very well. He can’t stand chaos, and being busy is important to all of us.” Her smile faded as her gaze went to the golden sarcophagus across the room. “And having a proper ending to a noble and worthwhile life is also important.”

He was silent for a long moment. “You’re not finished with Folashade,” he finally said quietly. “Or perhaps she’s not finished with you?”

How wise he was to be able to read her this well.

“Maybe a little of both.” She turned to look at him.

“But I’ll never be finished with you, Michael.

So if you want me to leave right away and go back to the Lake Cottage, I’ll do it.

I’ll arrange to take care of doing the final work on Folashade later. ”

“Later…” He moved across the room to stand beside the sarcophagus.

“You know, the longer we worked on her, the more I got to like her.” He paused.

“But she’s already had to wait a long time, Mom.

That doesn’t seem right. Couldn’t it be that she was waiting for you?

You told me how clever she was.” He added, “Perhaps you were the only one she wanted. I’m certain I would have waited for you.

” He turned away from the sarcophagus. “So it would be wrong to leave now. I’ll talk to Dad and make sure it’s okay with him and we’ll work it out so you can bring Folashade to her final home here after the tour.

I’ll work with you and maybe I can help Dad, too, if he’ll let me learn how to make this village into the place Folashade wanted it to be.

” He was smiling as he walked back toward Eve. “Does that sound like a good plan?”

“It sounds like a wonderful plan.” She could feel her eyes sting with tears as she looked at him. “I can hardly wait for it all to begin. Who knows? Maybe it was you our queen was waiting for!”

SHAFIRA

NINE MONTHS LATER

ONE DAY BEFORE THE GRAND OPENING OF THE FOLASHADE TOUR IN ALEXANDRIA, EGYPT

“I just heard from Dominic,” Joe said as he joined Eve on the veranda of the palace. “He should be landing the helicopter at the heliport in another fifteen minutes or so.”

“Tell me about it,” she said dryly. “Michael just told me the same thing and then ran down to the heliport to meet them. He’s very excited.

” She frowned. “I’ve been wondering if we were right to keep him isolated all these months while we were finishing the exhibit?

He seemed very happy but it was really a working vacation for him between helping me with the sculpture and you with overseeing the tour logistics.

It was nothing like the holidays his friends in Scotland are having. ”

Joe chuckled. “Isolated? Are you joking? Michael would be bored to death if he couldn’t learn at least one new thing every single day.

Shafira gave him about a hundred more lessons than that, and he was always asking for more.

” He slipped his arm about her waist. “And we did pretty well striking a balance ourselves if I do say so.”

“You mean you did.” She laid her head on his shoulder.

“You took over and cleared the decks for me to finish Folashade. Maybe I should ask you if I should have turned those tour details over to you when you were still busy coordinating the distribution of the silver bullet cure-all medication halfway across the world.”

“Yes, you most certainly should have,” he said firmly. “Do you think I’d let Michael get all the praise around here for his brilliance and ingenuity? I have to have proof when I tell everyone that he takes after his old man.”

“He certainly does.” She kissed him. “Now go and meet our guests and bring them here to the palace.”

“You’re not coming with me?”

She shook her head. “I want to straighten up the anteroom and get our queen prepared to receive her subjects. You have to admit that the reconstruction is unusual, and everyone might find it… unexpected.”

“You’re not nervous? It’s magnificent and maybe the best thing you’ve ever done.”

“No, I’m not nervous. I’ve created what I saw… and felt. That’s all I could do. She wouldn’t let me do anything else. I’m just eager to share it.”

She turned and headed back into the palace.

Celine was the first person Eve saw ten minutes later.

“Hi, Eve.” She waved at her as she crested the hill and then hurried toward the veranda of the palace where Eve was waiting.

“I thought I’d leave the guys to poke along behind me to talk construction and diplomacy and all those other things that men get so serious about.

Joe was asking Dominic all kinds of technical questions about weapons and the guard unit he assigned here.

I’ve seen more guards since we reached the heliport than I did when we took over the village from Caldwell and Zakira.

And even Michael was busy playing with Cira and talking to Jane.

He said he hadn’t seen either of them since he’d been working here with you and Joe.

” She’d reached the veranda now and gave Eve a hug.

“And besides, I wanted to get a few moments alone with you after Joe said something about you being a little nervous about the great unveiling.”

“He shouldn’t have mentioned that when I definitely told him I wasn’t nervous.

” She smiled. “And you have no right to scoff about men being so serious about any given subjects when you weren’t even sure that you’d be able to make it here today because you’re so in demand as a surgeon that they’re standing in line to get your services.

How did you manage to rearrange your schedule? ”

“Dominic,” she said simply. “He knew it was important to me, and as usual he pulled strings and reached out to all the right people until he got what he wanted. Before I realized what had happened, we were on our way.”

“Yes, that sounds like Dominic,” Eve said. “I’m glad you were able to come. It was important that you be here.”

Celine frowned. “I wouldn’t have missed it. I would have found a way. But it was strange that Joe thought you might be upset. I was worried that it might have had something to do with the fact you’d gotten all that damn pressure to use my face on the mask.”

Eve shook her head. “I can only tell you what I told Joe. I created what I saw and what I felt. I sincerely hope you like what I’ve done, Celine, but I somehow feel that Folashade would probably approve.”

“Then that’s good enough for me,” Celine said gently. “Who am I to dispute the queen?”

“I hope no one,” Eve said. “Since we’ve all gone to such trouble to make her happy.” She saw Joe, Michael, Jane, and Dominic coming down the hill now and waved at them, but she was frowning as she turned to gaze searchingly down to the fountain at the center of the village. “I wonder where she—”

“I’m here.” Kontara stepped out of the foyer of the palace. “I went in the back way and put some hors d’oeuvres in the fridge. Though I’d just as soon stay in the kitchen.” She scowled. “I don’t know why you invited me here for the big day, Eve. You know it’s not my cup of tea.”

“Dammit, because you’re an important part of it.” Celine was running across the veranda to hug her. “Now stop being so crabby and say you’re glad to see me.”

“Don’t be pushy. You see that I talk to you on the phone every week,” Kontara said. “I’m a busy woman. I don’t have time to go to palaces for fancy social occasions.”

“Just one occasion,” Eve said patiently. “And you can spare the time from your busy schedule.” She glanced at Celine. “The only way we could get her to stay here was to put her in charge of the five-star restaurant Joe is opening next week in the hotel area of the village.”

“Wonderful,” Celine said. “Control and artistry. Just your things, Kontara.”

Eve chuckled. “Celine, take her inside to catch up and don’t let her escape while I whisk everyone else into the anteroom and get this show on the road.”

“As you command.” Celine linked arms with Kontara and pulled her into the palace. “Come on, let’s obey Eve. This is a big day for her, and we want everything to work out.”

“I’m not arguing. Well, not much.” Kontara wasn’t looking at her. “It’s a big day for me, too.” She paused. “I’ve… missed you.”

“Hey, me too,” Celine said quietly. “And when we perceive a problem, we work on it. So that’s what we’ll have to do…”

“Thank you all for coming,” Eve said quietly as she stepped in the front of the crowded anteroom filled mostly with family and friends.