Every Last Kiss

I closed my eyes and leaned against his chest as though the weight of the world was on my shoulders.Because, well… it sort of was.

“I can’t,”I murmured.“Hasani, please.Just trust me.I can’t tell you.But if I need help, you’ll be the first person that I come to.Okay?”

Pleading was evident in my voice and Hasani heard it.He paused for a moment, completely silent before he sighed a long drawn-out sigh.

“Alright, love.I won’t continue to pester you.”He stroked my back softly in resignation and I sighed in relief.

“And Hasani… please don’t mention this to Antony.Cleopatra would kill me.”

Not necessarily.But Ahmose would- and I couldn’t say that. Hasani stayed silent, but I felt him nod reluctantly.

“Thank you,”I whispered.

I sat curled up on his lap, enjoying his touch on my back for a few more minutes before I stood up and sifted through my wardrobe for a clean day-shift to wear.I pulled an identical clean shift out and tossed it on my bed and suddenly Hasani was behind me, pulling my tunic over my head.

I melted into his arms, enjoying the smooth, velvety feel of my skin pressed directly against his.He groaned and bent his head to crush my lips against his, his hands running lightly across my back and down my hips.I kissed him solidly for a moment before reluctantly stepping away from his warmth and out of his embrace.

“I wish that I could stay, but there is something I must do for the queen,”I murmured as I picked up my clean shift, avoiding eye contact.

I was afraid I might lose my resolve if I stared into his dark eyes.  I could lie, but my eyes could not. He nodded and took the shift from my hands.

The filmy, almost transparent material looked too delicate for him to handle with his large, masculine hands but he smoothly pulled it over my head and skillfully secured the looped scarf of my belt.

When he finished tying it, he pulled me to him by the edges of the scarf, looking down into my eyes seriously.

“Send for me if you need me, Charmian.No matter what the situation might be.”His face was stern, concerned and unbearably handsome all at once.

I swallowed hard, feeling the knot begin to form again.I nodded silently and turned my back to him as I picked up my hairbrush.As I quickly twisted my hair into another simple knot, I tried to lighten the conversation.

“Will I see you at dinner this evening, my lord?”

He allowed me to change the subject and smiled at me patiently.

“Just try to avoid it, my lady, and see what happens.”

He grinned lightly at me and I smiled back.Lord, I loved this man. His smile was as bright as the sun.

“Alright, I shall see you then.”

I rose on my tip-toes and kissed him squarely on the mouth, inhaling his earthy scent as I did.

“I love you, Hasani.”

“As I love you, my sweet.”His eyes were scorching me again, so I turned my back and quietly walked away, leaving him in my chambers alone.

I had no sooner stepped into the hallway when I literally bumped into a serving girl from the main floor.She looked up in surprise, her black hair tied up into a white scarf.

“My lady… you have a message.”

She pushed a small piece of rolled papyrus into my hands and turned to leave.

“Wait…who left this?”I questioned urgently.

She noticed my tone and turned back to me, her face instantly anxious as though she was afraid she would be in trouble.

“I’m so sorry, my lady.I know not.A boy brought it for his master.”She waited with her head bowed for me to reprimand her, but of course I didn’t.It wasn’t her fault.She had no idea there was a madman on the loose.

“It’s okay.Thank you,”I murmured dismissively and she turned once again, walking rapidly away from me before I could change my mind.

My hands were shaking and I didn’t know why.It was a piece of paper.Unless it had somehow been dipped in poison or wrapped around a scorpion, it couldn’t hurt me.I gritted my teeth and unrolled it quickly.

Two words were scrawled in bold black ink.

The Lighthouse.

In confusion, I thought about Alexandria’s magnificent lighthouse, the Pharos.It was a landmark… in fact, it would later be classified as one of the seven wonders of the ancient world because for centuries it had remained the tallest man-made structure in the world.

It seemed to rise hauntingly out of the sea, situated on the small Pharos island, just off the coast of Alexandria.The building itself was magnificent, its base a perfect square made from white stone blocks with sixteen arch-ways carved on each of the four sides. A giant statue of a triton was posted at each of the four corners.

But it was the octagonal tower that rose majestically almost 500 feet into the air that travelers first saw when they sailed into the Alexandrian harbor.During the day, a giant mirror reflected the sun as a beacon for sailors, drawing them in from far out at sea. Massive fires were burned all night for the same reason.As a crowning touch, a magnificent statue of Poseidon, god of the sea and storms, stood at the top of the tower watching over the harbor.

It seemed humorous to me that I had once called Derek my Poseidon. I had known nothing.He was just a gangly boy on a high school swim team who paled sharply in comparison to the fierceness of the fabled Poseidon’s face.

A mighty god of the sea, Egyptians believed that Poseidon held their lives in his hands as they sailed on his oceans. They fervently prayed to him and brought him bountiful offerings to the base of the lighthouse before they embarked on any journey on his waters.

Therefore, the lighthouse was as much a beautiful temple to Poseidon as it was a functional piece of safety equipment.Eerily haunting at night, it earned its place on the list of Seven Ancient Wonders.Even Julius Caesar, who was well-accustomed to the archeological magnificence of Rome, commented on its beauty when he first arrived on the shores of Egypt. I felt a rush of regret that it had not survived the passage of time.Archeologists would only recover its toppled stones from the floor of Alexandria’s Eastern Harbor in the early 1990’s.

But it was still intact right now.And it appeared that Pothinus was waiting there for me. I quickly rushed through several plans of action- and unfortunately, none seemed to end well for me.But one thing was obvious.I couldn’t go there right now.I would stand out like a sore thumb in the daylight.

There was only one way onto Pharos Island from the mainland, a small causeway called the Heptastadion.Only sailors, travelers and servants of the lighthouse could be found walking on it.My presence would certainly be noticed…particularly now, with the impending battle with Rome approaching.

If I was seen traveling to the harbor, it would likely be interpreted that I was arranging a journey for Cleopatra.Because of the timing, her people would wonder if she was abandoning them.I couldn’t let that happen…there would be riots.

I would have to go to the island to meet Pothinus after dinner this evening. Under the cover of night. I gulped hard, knowing that I would somehow have to get through another banquet trying to avoid Hasani’s concern, without giving anything away. Being Charmian was certainly complicated.

Cleopatra would need to know this latest turn of events.I was sure that she was waiting breathlessly for me to return from the temple… little did she know that I had never even left.I sighed heavily as I turned and trudged toward her royal chambers with the crumpled message clutched in my hand.

As I walked past an open window, the warm breeze tickled my face, bringing with it a whisper.

Charmian.

The hiss of the whisper  startled me and I spun around, seeing nothing but the golden opulence of the empty hallway.

Charmian.

I rushed to the window and stared down.Annen stood partially concealed on the lower walkway of the palace, staring calmly up at me.The wind blew his dark robes around him, making him look like ahuman tornado.I sprinted for the nearest door.

As I emerged on the lower level, I glanced around and saw no one.I would be alone with the priest.Marching up tohim, I held my hand out.

“Give it to me,”I commanded.“It’s mine.You had no right to take it.”

He smiled, the action making him seem scarier than ever as his lips stretched wide and thin over his jagged teeth.

“I only desired your attention, dear Charmian.”

“And you have received it,”I answered.“Now give me my bloodstone.”

Before I even registered movement, my bloodstone was in my hand.I closed my fingers around it and clenched it tight.

“Annen, I don’t appreciate any of this.I realize that you think you know things about the Order… but I believe that you are mistaken—“

He interrupted curtly.“We’ll need to discuss that at a later date, my lady.I apologize, but there are more pressing matters to attend to currently.I wanted you to have your bloodstone when you meet Pothinus at the lighthouse this night. You will need it.”

“How did you know… You know what?Never mind.That’s not important.What can you tell me about Pothinus?Something tells me that you were involved in his presence here.”

“And I was.”His pleased expression showed no sign whatsoever of remorse.“Bringing you here with your bloodstone opened a portal that will remain open until you leave. I used the opportunity to make this a learning experience for you.I bent time just a little bit more… and brought Pothinus to our little party.You need to see that changing history won’t really change anything at all.”

I stared at him in disgust.

“You have no idea what you have done, priest.Pothinus has kidnapped Iras.She has nothing to do with your stupid plot and doesn’t deserve to be harmed by that fat eunuch. If he harms even one hair on her head, I swear to god that I will make you a eunuch as well.”

Annen cluckedmy threats away.

“It matters not, Charmian.She will be dead in a week, one way or another.But you…you cannot be harmed by him.I cannot allow that.That would ruin everything.”

“What do you mean by that?”I demanded.

But it was too late.No sooner had the words left my mouth before he disappeared into thin air yet again and I was left standing alone in the hallway, talking to myself.

CHAPTER TEN

Cleopatra was already in a panic when I arrived in her rooms.

“Charmian, all is lost.”

She was wringing her hands and distress practically dripped from her face.Adrenaline instantly burst through me in reaction.

“What is it, my queen?Has Pothinus…”

“No, no.Not that cur.”She turned her frantic gaze toward me.

“I have come to terms with what you told me.My whole life is lost, Charmian.It is lost.”

She collapsed into a heap on the floor and began rocking with her eyes closed.Her alarm was contagious and my heart pounded hard against my sternum as I watched her composure disintegrate.

I rushed across the room and knelt in front of her.

“Cleopatra,”I started firmly, grasping her arms.“You have to pull yourself together.We cannot do what we must unless you are calm and clear-headed. You are a queen, your highness.You have been bred to make difficult decisions.All is not lost.It’s only a matter of perspective.”