The lights drifted over her skin, trembling and waving before fading away, only to be replaced by another splash of color. In the pitch dark of the tomb, the effect was mesmerizing. Akhet didn’t notice.
Her eyes were on the glyphs that cast the light, a wall of characters that shone on and off in a pattern only she could discern.
"How long are you going to watch them?"
Akhet didn’t flinch at the sudden voice from the darkness. The fact that she could hear Sefet approaching was a mere courtesy.
"I… don’t know." Her voice was faint, her eyes still fixed on the glyphs. "How long has it been?"
"Three hours."
Sefet received no response, no indication Akhet had even heard her, for a very long time. Finally, “I felt something. A disturbance. I saw something in my crystal.”
"Something here in your brother’s tomb?" Sefet didn’t bother to hide the disbelief in her voice. "You built it yourself. You set the traps, created the wards– it would take someone truly powerful to break in. Don’t you think you would have seen some sign of them by now? After three hours?"
Akhet tilted her head, furrowed her brow. She opened her mouth, and no words came out.
Sefet was ready to shake her. “Do you want him to be disturbed?”
"No." Akhet’s face crumpled into a look of horror and revulsion. "Oh, no. Oh, by all the gods, no."
"Then I’ll see to it that he’s not." Sefet took Akhet by the elbow and gave a gentle tug. "You’ve seen no sign of intruders yet? I’ll keep watch the rest of the night, just to be sure."
"Oh." Akhet allowed her friend to lead her out of the tomb, back towards the palace. "Oh, Sefet. Thank you."
"You can thank me by getting some rest." She let go of Akhet’s arm when they’d left the tomb, and watched until she’d reached the steps.
Akhet watched as Sefet turned back into the darkness of the tomb, and felt no relief. She’d long since forgotten the difference between hope and fear.
Her eyes were on the glyphs that cast the light, a wall of characters that shone on and off in a pattern only she could discern.
"How long are you going to watch them?"
Akhet didn’t flinch at the sudden voice from the darkness. The fact that she could hear Sefet approaching was a mere courtesy.
"I… don’t know." Her voice was faint, her eyes still fixed on the glyphs. "How long has it been?"
"Three hours."
Sefet received no response, no indication Akhet had even heard her, for a very long time. Finally, “I felt something. A disturbance. I saw something in my crystal.”
"Something here in your brother’s tomb?" Sefet didn’t bother to hide the disbelief in her voice. "You built it yourself. You set the traps, created the wards– it would take someone truly powerful to break in. Don’t you think you would have seen some sign of them by now? After three hours?"
Akhet tilted her head, furrowed her brow. She opened her mouth, and no words came out.
Sefet was ready to shake her. “Do you want him to be disturbed?”
"No." Akhet’s face crumpled into a look of horror and revulsion. "Oh, no. Oh, by all the gods, no."
"Then I’ll see to it that he’s not." Sefet took Akhet by the elbow and gave a gentle tug. "You’ve seen no sign of intruders yet? I’ll keep watch the rest of the night, just to be sure."
"Oh." Akhet allowed her friend to lead her out of the tomb, back towards the palace. "Oh, Sefet. Thank you."
"You can thank me by getting some rest." She let go of Akhet’s arm when they’d left the tomb, and watched until she’d reached the steps.
Akhet watched as Sefet turned back into the darkness of the tomb, and felt no relief. She’d long since forgotten the difference between hope and fear.