At least let us say thank you to him or her, then.
No, his ident.i.ty is confidential. Enjoy it. Now stay by me, and well avoid all the tourists. No one will bother you.
Chisisi gave them a mini tour on the way to the restaurant, pointing out certain pieces of art and explaining their significance. The restaurant was as grand as the rest of the hotel, complete with high arches, beautifully painted screens, and lanterns that cast a golden glow over the restaurant. Chisisi led them to a secluded booth with crimson velvet draperies surrounding three sides of it.
Valerie and Thai didnt even have to order. Chisisi oversaw the entire meal, selecting each dish personally. Most of them were exotic. Valerie had never tasted food so delicious, her tongue reveling in the many-flavored delicacies. Her favorite was a delicate mint tea that made her tongue tingle, and something Chisisi called bamia, which was a vegetable that tasted sweet and sour at the same time. Sometime during the feast, they heard the lilting sounds of a flute and the low percussion of a drum, adding to the enchantment.
Cyrus, Valerie, and Thai talked excitedly, discussing their theories about who had sent Venu to attack Valerie. They barely noticed the curious looks of the other patrons of the restaurant until Chisisi stopped by their table. It would be wise to keep your conversation quiet. You never know who might be listening, he warned.
After dinner, Thai and Valerie were exhausted and stuffed. Totally satisfied, they let Chisisi lead them back to their room. For some reason, he did not lead them back through the breathtaking lobby to the elevators that would take them to their room. Instead, he led them to the end of the hallway to the emergency staircase.
Thirteen flights of stairs? Youve got to be kidding me. Why dont we take the elevator? Thai asked.
You are less likely to be noticed if you take the stairs. We have many guests tonight, and all of their intentions may not be honorable. I must insist.
Thai started to contradict him, but Valerie jumped in before he could speak. Thank you so much, Chisisi. Good night, she said.
Be vigilant, young ones, he replied, and watched them from below until they made it, exhausted, to their floor.
Thai collapsed, out of breath, on the sofa. He was already asleep by the time Valerie tugged off her shoes. After she grabbed a blanket to cover him up, she thought how different he looked tonight. Not anxious and controlling, but happy and peaceful. Sleep well, O Protector. Tomorrow is a big day, she whispered with a smile.
Valerie went into the enormous bedroom and snuggled into the middle of the king-size bed.
Sweet dreams for your last night on Earth, Val, Cyrus whispered in her ear.
Night, Cy. See you tomorrow, she murmured before falling asleep.
Chapter 10.
Valerie awoke later in the night to the sounds of mumbled conversation coming from the balcony. She a.s.sumed that Cyrus and Thai were talking, but when she looked out at the balcony from the living room, she saw that Thai was alone. Behind him, the moonlight turned the sand and pyramids silver, deepening the mystery that surrounded them. Valerie heard him chuckle and say something softly.
Thai looked up and saw that Valerie was awake. He jumped slightly, as if she had startled him. She joined him on the balcony and stared out at the view.
You doing okay? Thai asked.
Yeah. Im nervous, but Im ready to go to the Globe. I wish you were coming with me, she said, and blood rushed to her cheeks. She hoped he couldnt see her blush in the darkness. But maybe you have people you wouldnt want to leave behind.
Yeah, thats part of it. Im close with my brothers and sisters"there are six of us. And since Im the oldest, my parents rely on me to help take care of them.
That explains why youre used to giving orders, Valerie teased, nudging him slightly. But how did you ever become involved with the Conjurors in the first place?
Thai hesitated, and then replied, I never thought I would want to tell my story to anyone"its too weird. But now that Ive gotten to know you, I"ve changed my mind. I think you have the right to know.
I didnt mean to pry. You dont owe me anything. Weve helped each other. I couldnt have made it this far without you.
I want to tell you, Thai said earnestly, and she nodded. I was born in a small town in Vietnam where most people knew each other. Growing up, I did well for myself. Ive got a talent for sports, and always did well in school. I was even accepted early admission into an American college with a full scholarship. Thats where my parents think I am now. Theyre so proud, he said with a wistful shake of his head, and Valerie could see how deeply he missed them. She felt a pang of envy for his big family who loved him, missed him, and depended on him. If he left Earth, theyd never forget him.
But a month before I was supposed to leave, I started to feel really sick. I had a fever all the time, and my entire body was achy. The weirdest thing was that I kept hearing these strange sounds inside my head. I didnt know what was happening to me, and I was terrified. I didnt want my parents or anyone to find out because they would stop me from going to college. So I hid what was happening. I kept hoping that maybe it was some kind of weird virus that eventually Id fight off. Some days seemed almost normal and I would convince myself that I was getting better.
Then one night, I fell asleep and was having these crazy dreams. The sound of crying woke me up. I looked around, but I couldnt see anyone in my room or outside. And then my whole body started convulsing, and I realized that the crying was coming from me. I have never been so confused, and terrified, in my entire life. It was as if my body wasnt under my own control, like there was something foreign was inside me, trying to break out. Thai paused, then continued. Now, Valerie, I need you to stay calm, or youll freak him out.
Before she could ask what he meant, Thai closed his eyes. His entire body shuddered, and when he opened his eyes, she saw they had changed from dark brown to a soft gold. Thai had disappeared inside of himself, and the owner of these wide eyes blinked at her with wide-eyed confusion.
Then he spoke, and his voice sounded subtly different from Thais"more gravelly, like it hadnt been used in awhile. W-w-who are you?
Um, nice to meet you. Im Valerie, she replied, trying to keep the shock out of her voice. A shudder pa.s.sed through Thais body again, and when he opened his eyes, she saw that the Thai she knew had returned. She breathed a sigh of relief as he examined her face. Then he nodded, as if he was satisfied that she wasnt going to start screaming.
His name is Tan. The night I got so sick, a Conjuror named Midnight appeared out of nowhere, and after explaining about magic and the Globe, she described what was happening to me. Im an amoebiate. What Im going through are processes called mitosis and cytokinesis. Basically, Im splitting into two people. Im making an exact copy of myself, like an amoeba. First, all of Tans genes are created inside of me, which is what is happening now. Right now were sharing my body, and sometimes he takes me over, like you just saw. But in a couple years, h.e.l.l physically split apart from me, and well have two separate bodies.
There are a couple of others like me on the Globe, but no one on Earth for a pretty long time. When were fully separated, Tan will have the exact same genes as me"like a clone.
Valerie shook her head in amazement. Whats it like when he takes over?
Thai gave her a small smile. Weirder than anything you can imagine. Its like being paralyzed inside my own body, which is really scary. But it takes a lot of energy for him to completely take over, so he doesnt do it very often. When his genes are completely copied, well physically separate into two people.
Will that hurt? she asked hesitantly.
A fleeting look fear crossed Thais face that he tried to hide. Yes. But its quick"the physical separation only takes a couple of hours. h.e.l.l look exactly like me, and h.e.l.l probably act a lot like me, too. The separation isnt the part the worries me the most, anyway. Until that day, as he gets stronger, h.e.l.l be able to take control of the body we share, and it will be hard to hide what we are. Well have to live apart from everyone. Not even my family will be with me. I cant imagine being totally alone for months, Thai said, and Valerie understood the dread in his eyes. She knew how empty and desperate being alone could make you feel.
Then you should both come with me to the Globe! You could always come back and visit your family.
We cant. At this stage, the Conjurors dont know if Tan would survive the trip. And I could never let anything happen to him, Thai said, and Valerie heard the tenderness in his voice, almost like a father for his son.
You care about him a lot, she said.
Yeah. At first I hated what was happening to me, but Im growing to like him. He seems more like a person every day. One whos even more scared than I am of everything thats happening.
Can I talk to, um, Tan?
Not right now. He doesnt have the energy to take over again.
Where will you go when he starts being able to take over your body more?
The Conjurors found a place for me in some remote part of South America.
That sounds so lonely.
It will only be for a year or two.
Ill visit you both"all the time.
Thai smiled and then yawned. Im counting on that. Now that Tans resting, Im going to try to get some sleep. And Valerie? Thanks.
For what?
For not freaking out about this. Youre the first person Ive told. It feels good not to be by myself in all this.
I know what its like to carry a secret alone, Thai. Im glad that neither of us has to do that anymore. Night.
Chapter 11.
The next day, Valerie and Thai decided to explore the Giza Plateau, where they could go inside the three huge pyramids that they could see from the window of their hotel room, as well as see the Sphinx, a giant statue that was half-lion, half-man.
As they were about to leave, Thai paused. Hey, Tan. You have something to say?
H-h-hi, Tans gravelly voice said with obvious effort. Valerie almost jumped in surprise.
Your eyes didnt change!
Yeah, that happens sometimes. It takes less effort for him just to speak without taking over completely, Thai explained.
It was going to be strange talking to two people in one body. It would take some getting used to. She took a deep breath. Hi, Tan. Do you want to see inside the pyramids? she asked.
Y-yes. Thai told me a l-l-lot about them.
Valerie smiled. Youll have to tell me what youve learned. Its all new to me.
Ready to go? Thai asked, in control of his voice again.
Definitely, she said eagerly, excited to visit the site that would launch her to the Globe that night. Chisisi was waiting at the entrance of the hotel as they left.
Good morning to you both.
Morning, Chisisi, Valerie replied.
I caution you to stay alert today, young ones, he added.
Thanks, we will, she said, waving goodbye.
Once they were out of his earshot, Thai whispered, Who does Chisisi think he is, calling me young? Im a grown man!
Not much fun being treated like a kid, huh? she said with a little snicker. But Chisisis cool. Hes looking out for us.
I know. I wish he would tell us who his employer is. Maybe he would know more about Venu.
Valerie shrugged. She didnt want to dwell on the battle at Stonehenge. It was her last day on Earth, and she wanted to relish every second. The Giza Plateau was a ten-minute walk from their hotel, and she stared as the pyramids grew even larger the closer they came.
After getting their tickets, she hurried over to the base of the Great Pyramid, Thai trailing behind her. As she stood in line waiting to enter, she looked up at the thousands of golden brown stones that made up the Great Pyramid. It towered above her, hundreds of feet high, its ragged edges standing out in sharp relief against the cloudless blue sky. So what do you know about this place?
I know it was the first of the pyramids built here. A pharaoh named Khufu had it built a long, long time ago"around 2500 BC, I think. It was supposed to be where he would be buried when he died, but they never found his body inside, Thai said.
They reached the entrance to the pyramid, and Valerie squinted, staring into the dark opening and trying to see what was in store for them. The second she stepped inside, an oppressive, humid heat hit her like a punch in the face and instantly made her start to sweat. The hall was dark and narrow, and she wondered if the s.p.a.ce around her was shrinking and would soon crush her. A bead of sweat trickled down her back, making the hair on her neck rise. As they walked deeper into the heart of the pyramid, the same vibrating hum of magic that she felt at Stonehenge returned. It was so strong that it almost overwhelmed her.
Its d-dark. I dont like it, Tans gravelly voice said.
Dont worry, buddy, well be out of this hall soon, Thai said quietly.
The halls split off in different directions, like a maze. An instinct steered Valerie away from the stream of people who were heading up the biggest of the pa.s.sageways. This way, she whispered, leading Thai and Tan down a smaller hall that looked vaguely familiar as she recalled the images that had flashed through her mind at Stonehenge. The ceiling of the pa.s.sageway was so low that they had to hunch over, and she felt as if the tight s.p.a.ce was squeezing her. She panicked that she had taken the wrong path and they would be lost inside the pyramid forever, doomed to search in the darkness for a way out.
She breathed a sigh of relief when they reached the end of the hall and entered an empty room with a vaulted ceiling. The vibrating was even stronger in here.
Its b-b-buzzing in here, Tan said quietly.
You can feel it, too? Im glad its not just me, Valerie replied.
This must be the Queens Chamber, Thai said, looking around the room with interest. No one knows for sure what this room was for. Some people think it was supposed to be where they would put the pharaohs body when he died, but they changed their minds and built the bigger room above us for the body instead.
Valerie walked around the room, running her hands along the surface of the walls and marveling at the way the stones were perfectly cut and joined together. She knew that the entire pyramid had been built by hand, each stone shaped by a person, not a machine. She couldnt imagine how they had accomplished it.
Its near here"the room that will launch me into s.p.a.ce tonight.
I w-w-want to s-see it! Tan said.
Sorry, Tan, but I dont think theres a way to get to it from here. Ill have to start at the Sphinx and somehow find my way back here. Must be a tunnel, she explained, and goose b.u.mps rose on her arms at the thought of traveling through a dark tunnel beneath the ancient monuments.
That makes sense. Otherwise someone would have found the entrance in here, I guess, Thai said, his voice filled with curiosity and excitement. Lots of people have thought that the Great Pyramid and the Sphinx are connected, but no one has been able to prove it.
I have this feeling from what I saw in my vision at Stonehenge that this whole place is a maze of tunnels that no ones ever seen before, she said, shutting her eyes and trying to remember the images that had flickered through her mind.
L-l-look! I dont like her, Tan said, lifting Thais arm to point down the dark hall that led out of the Queens Chamber.
Valerie squinted and saw a flash of dark red that stood out against the neutral stones. Seconds later, a woman glided down the hall and entered the room. When she stepped into the dim yellow light inside the chamber, all of the heat drained from Valeries body. Sanguina. She stared right into Valeries eyes and her mouth stretched in a soulless smile of triumph.
Found you, she said, and the sound of her voice made Valeries stomach clench painfully. Thai stepped protectively in front of her.
Get away from us, Valerie said in a wavering voice. But Sanguina glided closer and closer, and Valerie knew that they would soon be cornered in the small s.p.a.ce. Run, she whispered to Thai. She cant touch us; shes projecting.
A part of her mind wondered why knowing that Sanguina couldnt hurt them didnt bring her more comfort. She decided to follow her instincts and sprinted past her enemy. Thai was right behind her. He didnt need to ask why they were running"the danger surrounding the woman was so strong they could almost touch it.
They were only halfway down the low, narrow hallway when Sanguina appeared in front of them a few yards away, out of thin air. They stopped short, and Thai yanked Valeries hand so that she was behind him. The damp heat inside the pyramid was closing around her, smothering her.
What do you want? Thai demanded.