Gene of Isis

an electric jug. A desk, a chair, a light and a bunk bed were supplied.

‘We’ve had worse accommodation,’ I commented to Andre, who smiled in agreement.

‘They’ve spared no expense to keep the team happy,’ he confirmed. ‘The mess tent is even air-conditioned! In the midday hours, not even the shade of this tent will offer much solace. The good news is that the food is excellent. Come,’ he motioned to the door, ‘try it out for yourself.’

I looked back to the bunk with a mournful groan of indecision.

‘I could have the cook bring something over?’ Andre let me off the hook.

‘Could you?’ I smiled in appreciation. ‘I really don’t think I’m up for a big social evening. Better to wait for when my brain is functioning again.’ I gave my eyes a rub.

‘No problem.’ Andre headed for the exit flap and then hesitated. ‘What about a small social evening?’

I served him a look indicating a negative answer. ‘I’m afraid I’ve met someone I’m rather taken with.’ I thought of Albray and grinned. I’d use him as an alibi to solve this little problem.

‘But your lover is not with you, so—’

‘I’m not like you, Andre.’ I shook my head and, thankfully, he conceded defeat.

‘If you change your mind…’

‘You’ll be the first to know,’ I assured him with a wave, and closed the tent flap behind him. ‘Ah…rest.’ I avoided my bed only long enough to use the loo, whereupon my weary body got familiar with my sleeping arrangement.

I awoke to find my tent doing a jig. The clattering of the metal supports stirred me from my slumber, but the base of the structure seemed to be holding up against the wind well enough. I rolled off my bed and crawled over to unzip the tent flap to see how bad the storm was—I didn’t even get a chance to look outside before my lap filled with sand. I quickly refastened the zip.

My stomach rumbled. I hadn’t stayed awake long enough to eat anything, and my eyes went to the desk to discover a tray of food had been delivered as I slept. ‘You really can be an angel at times, Andre.’

There were two large bottles of water, fresh bread, some white meat that tasted like chicken, a salad in a small sealed container, dried fruit, nuts and a small carton of long-life milk that was sitting in a little bowl of water, which might have been ice many hours ago.

It was daylight outside, thus it seemed apparent that I had slept through the afternoon and all night! Some light penetrated the tent, but due to the raging sandstorm it was barely enough to see my hand in front of me. I switched on my desk light to dig out my little electric jug, adapter, tea bags and sugar which travelled everywhere with me. I noted that Andre recalled my habit and sent along the milk.

While the kettle boiled, I opened my bags to get myself sorted out. ‘Now, what to do first?’ I gathered my wits and decided I needed Albray. I retrieved the stone from my pocket and summoned him forth.

What have you done? He flew into a rage the second he was present. I should have known better than to come here with an amateur…didn’t you feel me trying to get your attention’!

I was confused for a second. ‘Do you mean the itching?’

Albray rolled his eyes and nodded. And now you have given the key to the enemy!

‘The enemy?’ He’d lost me again. ‘Who is—’

Molier! he hollered over my query. I should have known he’d be involved in this excavation.

‘How could you know about Molier, when you’ve been dead for eight hundred years?’ I reasoned.

Do you want to guess who sealed my fate all those years ago? he challenged, the anger radiating from him.

I shook my head, able to think of only one answer, but it was impossible. ‘Christian Molier?’

Exactly right. Albray backed off to pace out his frustration.

‘I’m very sorry, Albray, but how was I supposed to know? Surely, you are mistaken about—’

Haven’t you read about Molier in Miss Granville’s journal yet?

‘No, I haven’t—’

You mean you haven’t even reached Paris yet?

I understood that he was talking about Paris in Ashlee’s tale. ‘I was disturbed just as Ashlee was fleeing Devere’s chateau for Paris.’

Then for god’s sake, read, Albray suggested, so that you at least have some idea of who and what you’re dealing with.

I really wasn’t used to being treated like an idiot and I wasn’t about to start appreciating it now. ‘Well, if you had just told me what the hell was going on when I asked you, then I would have known, wouldn’t I?’

Albray’s dark eyes shot back to me, but his rage calmed quickly to a more reasonable level. Forgive me, Miss Montrose, it is not my intention to insult you. It is for your own protection that I recommend that you try to comprehend who and what you really are, and Ashlee is a far greater authority than I. That is why I beseech you to please read her account of the facts.

‘All right,’ I agreed, being more disposed now that he’d moderated his tone of voice. ‘I shall read on.’

Thank you. Albray ventured a smile.

‘Would you like to stay while I read?’ I inquired politely, secretly hoping for a yes.