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She smiled as her gaze traveled around the room.

“As you know, we’re introducing Folashade to the world tomorrow and then sending her on tour so that she will be able to receive the admiration and understanding she never really received in all her years as queen and pharaoh.

It’s what we wanted, and she deserves it.

But you’re the only ones I really wanted to bring here to share Folashade’s unveiling.

” She wrinkled her nose. “Practically everyone on the planet has heard about what they think happened in Shafira, thanks to the media. That’s why they’re so curious to come and see the mask and perhaps have a story to tell their relatives and neighbors.

But you’re the people who struggled and worked to help bring the queen out to the world, and eventually back to Shafira where she can lie in state.

I was just the sculptor who listened and tried to understand what she was trying to say.

” She paused. “But my part wasn’t easy, either.

Because of all the lies Zakira and his ancestors were telling through the centuries, I had to filter and study to try to find out the truth about Folashade.

I still don’t know it all, but I’ll keep trying.

” She chuckled ruefully. “But you’re probably getting impatient.

I brought you here to let you get a glimpse of the great queen, and here I keep talking and won’t shut up.

” She was moving toward the silken sheet at the top of the reconstruction.

“Though I should tell you one more thing. When I first asked Zakira why all his ancestors who were members in the council of priests of the court couldn’t stand her when the reigning pharaoh insisted on making her his wife, one of the reasons he gave was that she was plain as a post, and no one understood why he didn’t choose someone more presentable.

Of course that was a criticism Zakira agreed with, but then he wasn’t a very discerning individual.

So I took the time and let Folashade tell me what she thought. ”

Michael was jumping to his feet and rushing forward to help her fold up the cover sheet. He was grinning at her as he murmured, “No ugly duckling?”

She smiled back at him. “Just a late bloomer.” She let him take the folded sheet and stepped aside and gestured toward the golden mask of the sarcophagus and announced, “Folashade.”

Dominic inhaled sharply as his gaze traveled over the beautifully carved features of the reconstruction.

“My God. It’s perfect.” He took Celine’s hand and squeezed it.

“I didn’t know what to expect, but this is spectacular.

” Folashade was sitting on a throne, and the mask was done in shimmering gold from the crown on her head, past her shoulders, and down to her waist, where the gold texture became draped and soft as it fell to her feet.

Every detail of the body and face appeared alive and ready to step out of the sarcophagus at any moment.

The face was totally riveting. The eyes were large, full deep-green emeralds, and slightly slanted at the corners.

Her features were not perfect, but they reflected pride, kindness, intelligence, and humor.

And yet there was also a touch of sternness and weariness that must have been the price of a life as full of tumult as hers had been.

“Power,” Celine whispered. Her gaze flew to Eve. “That’s what you saw in her. It’s there in every line of her face. That’s what Zakira and that council of priests couldn’t understand.”

Eve nodded. “Or maybe they did understand and were afraid of it. Zakira said that Hadabam, the pharaoh she married, had always been a bit sickly as a child. Folashade was a threat.” She added, “And continued to be until the day she died. I’d bet that the council finally found a way to assassinate her, and when she realized she was dying she didn’t want her son to also be a victim.

So she arranged to send him to a place the council wouldn’t be able to find him.

Greece and Macedonia were mentioned, but the council never succeeded in locating him.

” She smiled at Dominic. “You’ve always liked challenges.

Could I persuade you to try to find out what happened to him? ”

“Tough proposition after four thousand years.” He smiled back at her. “But very interesting.”

“I thought you’d think so. Did he go and find an adventure of his own?

Or perhaps he’d had enough of fighting the people who had killed his mother and was looking for a different life.

She had made it easy for him by arranging with her friends and supporters to make sure she disappeared from Shafira and was hidden away in the mountains, where she was given her final rites.

No one was able to find her tomb for over four thousand years until Zakira managed to do it very recently with the help of a stolen gold mine and Ezra Caldwell, a criminal we were all happy to dispatch.

” She turned back to look at the sculpture and mask.

“But our work isn’t quite over. Now we have to protect what we’ve created and give Folashade what she lost. Alex Dominic has assigned one of his crack units to furnish the security for the palace and heliport for the people who want to visit her.

That’s not enough. We wanted to make it a welcoming place to celebrate her return.

All the major tour companies have made Shafira a stop on their African tours.

Fine restaurants, libraries, and the mazes and waterfalls that protected her will be available so that everyone can walk and enjoy the beauty and forget the nightmare.

Kontara will be in charge of that portion of the exhibit.

” She grinned. “And heaven help anyone who gets in her way.”

“Amen,” Celine said. “It sounds like you and Joe have done a terrific job, Eve.” She was still gazing at the gold mask in fascination. “That’s a wonderful sculpture. I feel as if I actually know her.”

“I’m glad you feel like that.” Eve’s eyes were twinkling.

“Because I was feeling the same way when I was working on it. It wasn’t quite…

finished.” She was quickly unfolding the bottom part of the silk sheet covering the sarcophagus as she spoke.

“And neither was her story. I had no way to show the devotion of the people who had risked their lives to whisk her out of the palace and found her a place where the priests’ council could no longer touch or steal from her.

” She looked at Celine and then at Kontara sitting next to her.

“But she made sure her story continued, and I found a way to honor them.” She whisked the silk sheet off the bottom of the sarcophagus to reveal the two figures seated on the floor beside the throne where Folashade reigned supreme.

They were both in gold chest armor, and yet both were obviously women.

“Oh, my God.” Celine’s gaze was on the face of the sculpture of a dark-haired woman closer to her. “It’s me?” Then her gaze flew to the other figure, whom she noticed had a long, thick red braid over one shoulder. “Kontara?”

“Say you didn’t do that to me?” Kontara asked. “Please, can you change it, Eve?”

“Yes, but I won’t do it,” Eve said. “You were the one who brought Michael to Joe and saved them both. You’re perfect for the sculpture.

” She winked as she added, “And you’ll get used to people asking you if you posed for it.

You were actually harder to do than Celine.

I almost had her memorized by the time I started working on her face.

” She turned back to Celine. “I think you were still a little worried about me giving your face to the queen. But I realized that wouldn’t be right.

Zakira had it all wrong when he chose you to represent Folashade in his ghastly little scenario to make himself richer.

You weren’t a queen who was a trophy wife, you were a warrior.

So is Kontara. That’s what I made you. I created loyal guards to keep her safe.

Because that’s what you are, and that’s the instinct that leads you into the darkest nights.

” She smiled at both of them. “Will you let her keep the guards that she knows will watch over her?”

“You told me you thought the queen approved,” Celine said slowly. “How can we say no? I’m proud to be any part of your work, Eve.”

Kontara nodded reluctantly. “Unless you find someone else you can substitute. I want it known I’m only a part-time guard.

” She smiled. “But I’m a full-time cook.

So if you’re finished with this presentation, I’ll escape to the kitchen and put out the hors d’oeuvres I brought.

You’re not the only one who’s an artist.”

Everyone in the room was laughing as Eve nodded and made a shooing motion and the guests started drifting toward the dining area.

Eve lingered behind, her gaze on Folashade in her magnificent mask and the two guards in armor kneeling beside the throne looking up at her.

Had she gotten all the expressions right?

Had she caught the love and the loyalty and all the other more subtle emotions that had been present in the queen’s expression?

She’d thought so when she’d finished the work.

But it was difficult to finish any of her sculptures.

Perhaps because they were all still alive to her.

However, she could see no flaws… for now.

She took a step closer to the sarcophagus. “I think it all went well today. They were all very impressed by you. We’re doing the best we can. Just as you did all those many centuries ago. That’s all we can ask of each other, isn’t it?”

The overhead lights were glittering on the polished golden mask and catching in the tiny creases on those cheeks that Eve had so carefully formed and the fine delicate veins in the whites of her eyes she had spent weeks perfecting so that she’d appear absolutely alive and natural in every detail.

Eve said softly, “I really hope you enjoy your tour, Folashade. But I believe you might enjoy coming back here even more after all the excitement and glory are over and we can finally welcome you home. What do you think?”

Was it a trick of the light on that shimmering golden face? Because, for the briefest instant, it seemed as if Folashade might be smiling…