The Cursed Pharaoh's Bride

Chapter XXV

Carolina

The wind violently blows through the few remaining leaves on the near bare trees. I shiver as I feel the cold breeze press against the skin of my face and neck, my curls chaotically whipping around. Why did I forget to put on a jacket? 

I’m pulled out of my thoughts when I hear the sound of a crow screeching. It’s not until I look up at the raven bird perched on one of the bare branches of a tree that I notice this is the same park where Cohen had attacked me. 

I stiffen as I notice crows slowly start to fill the trees, one by one. I turn around slowly—I’m completely surrounded. I take a cautious step back. That step proves to be my undoing as I find myself stepping on twig, snapping it in half. The sound is enough to provoke the crows. They fly off the trees and start circling me. I can feel the birds diving towards me, just barely brushing up against me. They’re so close that I feel overcrowded. I then feel the ground escape from beneath my feet. It’s as if the flock of crows are carrying me away. 

Just as suddenly they swarmed me, they stop. The crows disperse leaving me high above dark murky water just off the coast; the Hudson River. I feel my stomach drop as I plummet to my doom into the water. I squeeze my eyes shut as I wait in anticipation for the pain that comes with my landing. 

Except, it doesn’t come. I open my eyes and find myself on steady, cement ground. I can still feel the cold breeze from the Hudson. I scan the area around to find various cargo containers surrounding me. I’m boxed in. I take a second to take a breath. At least I’m safe. 

I suddenly feel some small, hard particles that are being carried by the wind hit my cheek. I wipe off the strange substance from my face to inspect it. They’re small black grains. ...Black...sand?

The sand starts pouring over from the sides of the cargo containers. It pools around my ankles, then my knees, then my hips and soon my shoulders. It’s not until the sand is up to my neck that I hear Cohen’s voice echo in the wind. 

“He’s never going to find you.” 

That’s the last thing I hear before the black sand engulfs me completely. 

I suck in a panicked breath as my head shoots up from my notebook. I frantically glance around. I soon calm down when I find that I’m in my lecture, which seems to have just ended seeing how everyone is putting their books away and heading towards the exit. 

I turn to Charles who’s looking at me with a brow raised. “Looks like someone had a crazy dream,” he says. 

“You can say that,” I respond shakily. I’ve been having this dream every night for the past three days. I catch Charles peering over at my open dream notebook and I quickly shut it. I put the rest of my things into my book bag and rush out of class, Charles at my heels. 

“What was that notebook you fell asleep on?” I hear him ask behind me. 

“It’s nothing,” I respond as I try to stay a step ahead of him, maneuvering through the crowd. 

“If it’s nothing, why don’t you tell me what it is?” He pries. 

“Because it’s personal, obviously,” I snap back. 

I feel his large hand wrap around my arm and he tugs me outside the building towards a less busy part of the sidewalk. “Okay, you don’t have to spill any details,” he starts cautiously, “I just thought it was weird that I see you reading that notebook, falling asleep on it and then waking up in a cold sweat. Are you okay? Have you been getting sleep?” 

I give Charles a questioning look. My eyebrows shoot up in surprise. “I didn’t think you cared,” I mumble.

Charles shifts uncomfortably, clearing his throat. “I don’t,” he says stiffly, “I’m just doing my job as your body guard.” I can’t stop a small smile from crawling onto my face. 

“Thanks,” I say.

“Yeah, whatever,” Charles says while looking away from me. “Well since everything’s fine, we should start heading back home. The pharaoh will be picking you up soon and you have to get ready.”

Before he can start walking off, I tug on his arm, pulling him back slightly. “I’ll tell you about the notebook but you can’t laugh,” I say as I fall into step with him. Charles nods before giving me a look as if urging me to continue. “I’ve been having a lot of crazy dreams lately so I’ve been writing them down in this notebook.”

An obnoxious smirk forms on Charles’ face. “That’s so cute. Someone has a dream journal,” he teases. 

I smacked his chest playfully. “I told you not to laugh,” I whine. 

“I’m not laughing, I’m making fun of you,” he replies with a chuckle. 

Just before we can make it to Charles’ car, we’re stopped by the sound of someone calling my name. We turn to find Jay. 

“Jay!” I greet while flashing him a smile. “I haven’t heard from you in a while. What are you doing here? How’s it going?”

Jay gives me a wary smile as I see him glance at Charles. “I’m fine, and I was stopping by the school to meet up with an old friend. How have you been?” 

I can’t help but notice Jay looks strange. Apart from the fact that he looks uneasy, he kind of gives off a strange aura. I notice his dark hair is shorter, indicating he probably got a haircut. His skin looks a bit paler than I remember and his face looks a bit thin. Maybe he’s stressed. Midterms have been piling up and before we know it, we’ll be at finals week. 

“I’ve been okay,” I reply. I feel Charles’ hand rest on the small of my back as he leans closer to me. 

“Weren’t you on that trip with us to Egypt this past summer?” Jay asks as he nods towards Charles. 

I feel Charles stiffen. He presses his hand a bit more firmly into my back. “Yeah, that’s me. Good to see you again,” he says far too politely. He’s flashing Jay a sickly sweet fake smile. 

Jay looks between us. “Are you two together?”

I let out a humorless laugh. “If by together you mean just friends,  then yes. Turns out Charles goes to Hunter, too,” I bite out through clenched teeth while also giving Charles a dirty look. He reluctantly pulls his hand away but he stays close to me. 

Jay seems to let out a sigh of relief before giving me a small smile. “Well, it’s good to see you two again,” he replies. He seems like he’s about to walk away before he turns to me again. 

“Actually, I was wondering if maybe we can hang out again. I feel bad that I fell asleep on your coach after that movie. Maybe we can do lunch or something,” he offers. 

I have to keep myself from cringing at the memory of that awful night. I can’t help but feel guilty that Jay got wrapped up into all this mummy supernatural stuff. “I’d like that,” I respond. “Just text me when you’re free and maybe we can meet up soon.” 

Jay gives me a nod and one last good bye before heading in the direction of the college. Charles and I head towards his car. 

“Don’t you think meeting up with that guy again is a mistake?” He asks once he pulled out of his parking spot. 

“Well, I’m wearing the ring now so it’s not like Cohen can find me and attack us again,” I assure. 

“It’s not just that,” Charles grunts, “He has this strange magical residue in his aura.” 

“What does that mean?”

Charles rolled his eyes. “Have you been reading that grimoire?” 

“I’m getting through it!” I snap. “It’s a long book.”

“You should try getting through it faster,” he grumbles under his breath, though I definitely heard him. He continues. “Anyways, a non magic user can acquire a magical residue in their aura if they spend time around someone who uses magic or if they have been put under a spell.” 

“You think he’s still under the effects of Elijah’s magic?” I ask. 

“It’s the only thing that makes sense. And for him to not realize the events of that night were real, the pharaoh’s magic would have to still be in effect, at least a little bit,” he explains. 

A thought crosses my mind. “Cohen is a magic user and he works with Jay at his lab,” I add. 

Charles’ grip on the wheel tightens. “All the more reason for you to not meet up with that kid,” he says. 

“Yeah, but Cohen has so many people working in his lab. I don’t think he’ll reveal himself to them or Jay. It would be a risky move. And I don’t plan on going to Columbia again where he works. I’m not stupid,” I protest. 

“Cohen doesn’t have to reveal himself to anyone. If this Jay guy learns any important details about you, Charles will find a way to smooth talk it out of him and then he’ll find you again. We can’t afford that. If you know what’s best for you, you won’t meet up with this kid,” he lectures. 

“Look at you sounding like my father or something. You almost sound as bad as Elijah. Who are you to tell me who I can and can’t meet up with,” I scoff. 

Charles gives me a dirty look. I cross my arms as I lean back into my seat in defeat. 

“Okay, okay, you are right,” I grumble. “Dealing with this is just annoying and stressful and restricting.” 

“This is only until we can locate the Dark Sand Society and take them all out. Or until you and the pharaoh consummate your marriage—whichever comes first,” Charles tries to reassure. 

I let out a sarcastic snort. “So in other words I’m gonna have to deal with this for a while,” I reply. 

“That’s up to you,” Charles says. 

He pulls up to my apartment building. Just as I get out of the car, I notice a raven bird perched on the fire escape of the building across the street from mine. A crow. 

I must be staring at it for too long because Charles pulls on my arm, asking me if everything is okay. “I’m fine,” I brush off as I let him lead me up to my apartment.