Gene of Isis

just wanted to die.

‘Sorry. I didn’t want to wake you.’ Andre finished sliding my breakfast tray onto my desk. ‘You sounded like you were having too much fun asleep,’ he chuckled.

I felt my cheeks burn with embarrassment. ‘Really? I don’t remember anything erotic.’ This wasn’t a lie—it was just a kiss that I didn’t even get to finish. So why could I not wipe the smile off my face?

‘He’s a lucky man, this new boyfriend of yours.’ Andre clearly didn’t believe my drawing-a-blank routine. ‘What did you say his name was?’

‘Albray,’ I informed, as I searched for a second name to give him. ‘Devere.’ That would do.

‘Albray Devere?’ He sounded most surprised. ‘That is a legendary name in France.’

‘Really? Why?’

‘Albray Devere was a famous thirteenth-century knight who came to the aid of the Cathars at the besieged fort of Montsegur.’

‘Did he die there?’ I asked. If he did, it certainly wasn’t my Albray…anyway, the name was just a fabrication.

‘Apparently not.’ Andre was enjoying filling me in for a change. ‘It is said that he aided two women to escape from the fortress the night before it was to be handed over to the crusaders who fought for the church. It is said that the women were carrying holy relics, which they speedily delivered to places of safekeeping.’

‘What kind of relics?’

Andre shrugged. ‘Some say they carried the genealogical charts of the Royal House of Judah, which had been stolen from the Roman authorities before they had the chance to destroy them. Other accounts say it was the Holy Grail, or the Ark of the Covenant, that was whisked away from Montsegur that night.’

Why was it that every intrigue in history seemed to lead back to the Holy Grail? ‘Well, obviously I am not dating that Albray Devere,’ I posed in jest. ‘Thanks for the tale nonetheless. I guess I’d better hit the books.’ I stood and scratched my head.

‘I’m off to Sharm el-Sheikh to meet up with our delivery of mysterious powder,’ Andre advised, and I snapped out of my daze. ‘I’ll be back early tomorrow. Do you need anything from civilisation?’

I shook my head. ‘I came well prepared, but thanks all the same, and have fun.’ I gave him a wave as he departed.

‘And if you have any trouble—’

‘I won’t have any trouble with Akbar,’ I assured, waving him to go and stop worrying. ‘I’ll be just fine…believe me.’

I was very excited to be returning to Ashlee’s world today—I could study and be with Albray at the same time.

Yes, I was obsessed, and even more so since my dream last night. His presence hung over me—a sweet blessing that made me smile each time I acknowledged its existence. ‘If only it had been real.’ I found myself drifting back into Albray’s enfolding arms, instead of finding my place in the text. ‘If I can at least touch him in my dreams I must be content with that, for it is far better than not at all.’ However, it was not truly Albray in my dreams, just my ideal of him and what I’d like him to say or do. ‘But I have never had so fine a dream before,’ I argued with myself, and then panicked. ‘What if it never happens again?’

I reached for my tea. The argument was too distressing, so I gave up on it. ‘Now,’ I inhaled deeply and out again, ‘where was I?’

I had come to the end of Susan Devere’s account of the incident at the Arsenal Library, and the tale resumed with Ashlee fleeing Paris.

LESSON 12

PROMISES FROM THE TRAVEL JOURNALS OF MRS ASHLEE DEVERE

I had no idea what my plan was. Travelling as I was, a noble lady, made me too damned easy to track, although I had enough money to pay the coach to take us all the way to the Mediterranean.

‘Our guise is betraying us.’ I finally voiced my concerns to Nanny, who’d been silent beside me whilst I thought through our best route to the Sinai.

What did I tell you in the beginning? Albray appeared on the seat opposite me; I had not dismissed him, nor would I unless he specifically requested it.

‘What does your spirit friend say about our situation?’ Nanny asked, without so much as glancing up from her knitting.

Albray and myself were stunned. ‘Do you see him, Nanny?’

Nanny shook her head. ‘I’ve heard you speaking with someone from time to time.’ She glanced around the carriage. ‘I didn’t realise it was a he, however,’ she said in a tone of disapproval. ‘Still, I don’t suppose he can do you too much harm, such as he is.’

I laughed, as did Albray. ‘Dear Nanny.’ I kissed her cheek and then sat back to answer her question. ‘Albray thinks we should travel a bit more incognito.’

‘If he is talking about becoming peasants that would be easier said than done,’ Nanny scoffed. ‘Poor people travel by cheap and dangerous means, and I’ll not have you placed in harm’s way.’

Miss Granville, you are already in harm’s way, Albray explained, and I’m afraid you are going to have little choice in your change of circumstance as Chiara would like to claim her favour now.

‘Now?’ I was surprised. ‘But we are nowhere near Italy.’