"Yeah. This is all there is, I am the light of one who lives after death."
"Sorceress," said the pharaoh, "what could this mean?"
"I don't know. It could mean many things."
"Your majesty, may we have some time to work on this?" requested Sinbad.
The pharaoh nodded, "please inform me as soon as you have solved it."
The crew stood up and nodded. They bowed to the pharaoh. Hales led them out of the palace and into the carriages. They left for the inn.
When they reached Maeve said, "I have to go to the den."
"Where?"
"Mike's headquarters." Answered Talia. "Are you sure you want to go alone?"
"Talia, I spent a year over there. I am positive I want to go alone."
"But Maeve things are not as good now." said Talia.
"I was 17 when I joined Mike's gang, trust me, at that age, it was much worse, especially if you were working with someone like Shady Mike." She looked at Sinbad for leave.
"We'll come with you." He said.
"No, his minions don't know me, they'll take you all has a threat."
"Then I'll come with you. " he asserted.
"I am not sure."
"Maeve, if this den is as bad, I don't think you should go alone."
"Sinbad, there are many things I have to do alone. Why don't you work on the riddle? Don't worry about me…I'll be fine."
"Lass…" started Doubar.
"You know," Maeve snapped, "I know the place better than you do. I can take care of myself. I wish you wouldn't treat like this fragile little doll. I can take care of myself." The others kept quiet. They all knew that, when Maeve lost her cool, it was a bad idea to argue with her with her.
"Fine, " Sinbad said glumly.
Hales who was watching this said, "Maevey, I have to see Mike myself, I'll come with you."
"There." Said Maeve sarcastically, "are you happy now, captain?"
Sinbad made a face at her; she made one at him back. Doubar and the others chuckled. Sinbad stated sharply, "we'll work on the riddle, you better be back here in two hours."
"You don't have to tell me what to do." She snarled.
"I am your captain. I can order you anytime I want."
"And I am bad tempered," she said," I can set you ablaze anytime I want."
"Brazen hussy!"
"Stubborn Rover!"
"Witch!"
"Dumb beast!"
"Will you two quit it already!" interrupted Doubar. The others sighed. Their conversation was taking serious turns.
Hales just laughed, "come on, Maeve, we best be going now. Don't worry captain, I'll bring her back in two hours."
Maeve scowled at Hales and Sinbad; Sinbad scowled at Maeve. They both stomped off in opposite directions. The crew laughed and followed Sinbad, while Hales went after Maeve.
Maeve stomped through the dingy streets. Hales hurried to walk by her side. "Who does he think he is?" she growled, "Mr. I-am-the-captain-and-you-do-what-I-tell-you. Sometimes I wonder if he has any brain in that head of his. Or is it just all that hot air consisting of his chivalry and ego."
Hales just laughed, he said, "but you like working with him, don't you?"
"That is not the point."
"Isn't it?"
Maeve frowned at Hales, "Maybe just a wee bit, but not the entire point."
Hales laughed knowingly. Maeve chose to ignore it as she went through the familiar alleyways. They entered the red light area of Cairo. This was were Mike usually worked.
"I don't see why Mike doesn't find a better place to have his den." She commented as she noticed that she was being stared at.
"You know child," said Hales, "I never understood how you could manage going alone to these places. It was never safe."
"That's why I had this, Hales." She patted the hilt of her broadsword. Dermott screeched overhead, she added, "and I also had Dermott."
Hales smiled then he sobered up and said, "I heard about what happened to the sorcerer Dim Dim. "
"You did?"
"I met him once, when we were very young. I never remembered him, until you mentioned him."
"How did you know about what happened?"
"I learned it when the news spread about Turok's death. As sorcerers we know about such things."
"I see."
"He was a nice man to you."
"A father. That is what he was," she said sadly, "I miss him very much."
"You will meet him again."
"I hope so."
"You will."
Maeve smiled and squeezed Hales' hand. The older man smiled. They walked up to the cheap tavern. The minute they walked in, every man gave Maeve dirty looks, but when they saw Hales, they looked away. Maeve shook her head and walked right through the tavern, to the staircase. There were a bunch of rogues standing guard there. They blocked her.
She said calmly, "I have come to see Shady Mike. Either you let me in, or go and tell him that I am here."
"There's a price for that." Said one looking her up and down.
Maeve smiled coldly, "if you don't let me in, there will be."
The men chuckled, "I like spirited women, come on sweet lips…why don't you give us a little fling here." he reached his hand to touch her. She caught it, and said, "a fling is what you want," she twisted his arm and flipped him over, making him land hard on his back, "a fling is what you'll get."
Everyone in the tavern went dead silent. Duraid came down when he heard the thud.
"What the hell is…Lynn! What are you doing here?"
"I came here to see you," she said, "but I had a little obstruction. It is cleared now."
Duraid laughed, "still as agile, I see. Come on up!"
Maeve smiled her I'm warning you smile at the rogues and went up the stairs. Hales followed her, shaking his head.
They went up to Mike's room. He was sitting there staring out the window. Bacheet was there too. When she came in Mike smiled brightly, "Fireball! How are you?" He came up to her and gave her a hug. Maeve returned it and smiled.
"Well, have you found anything?" he asked when they all sat down.
"Another riddle." She answered.
"What happened?" asked Bacheet.
"It's a long story, not worth telling; what is important is the riddle."
"What's it like?"
"I am the light of the one who lives after death."
"That's it?"
Maeve nodded.
"What does he mean by that?" asked Mike.
"The light of one who lives after death…could he mean the soul?" asked Bacheet.
"No…it wouldn't make sense. What would you associate with the soul?"
"Why don't we discuss this with that scientist friend of yours." Suggested Bacheet, "he seems to be very logical and smart."
Maeve smiled, "Firouz is very intelligent."
Mike didn't like this. Her affection to the crew, and more so towards Sinbad. Although he knew she wouldn't stay here, he badly wanted her to be as far as possible from the blue eyed sailor. However, he could not deny that the crew proved more of help than he expected them to be.
It was early evening when Bacheet and Maeve went back to the inn. Mike and Duraid went to take care of some 'business'. Hales went back to his temple. When they reached the inn, they found Doubar, Rongar, Firouz and Talia playing a game of cards.
"Where's the mighty captain?" asked Maeve.
"He said he was going to take a nap." Answered Doubar with a smile.
"Have you figured anything out as yet?"
"A little…" said Firouz.
"Wait… I'll go get Sinbad," said Maeve. They giggled a bit. Maeve glared at them and went up to his room.
She did not bother knocking. Sinbad was in the process of getting dressed. He had just put on his breeches when she walked in.
"Maeve!" he exclaimed. Maeve's heart skipped a beat when she saw him like that. She shut the door behind her and locked it. She walked over to Sinbad and said, "what have you been doing in my absence?"
He grinned, and suddenly, he pushed her onto the bed. She was surprised when he climbed over her, straddling her waist. He put his arms around her and started nibbling on her neck. She squealed with laughter. He giggled, when she tried to get away from him, and started tickling her senseless.
"Sin-bad…stop…that!" she said in the midst of laughs.
"I take it that I am forgiven for being a dumb beast…" he said.
She smiled seductively, put her arms around his neck, and said, "you still have to apologize."
"With pleasure!" he grinned, and brought his face down to hers, he traced her lips with his tongue, and then slid it into her mouth. She pressed him even more (if that was possible) onto her. She dug her fingers through his soft hair, and deepened the kiss, till it began to hurt. He devoured her lips, exploring every corner of her warm mouth. He had to break it when they were breathless. She was gasping for air, he tried to get off her, but she cupped his face and pulled him to her. He relented happily, and started teasing her body with his fingers, as he kissed her with his mouth. She moaned softly, he smiled against her lips as his fingers began playing with the laces of her vest. She suddenly broke it.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
"They're waiting for us." She whispered trying to gain her breath
"Let them wait." He kissed her again.
"Sinbad" she mumbled against his lips, "what if they come up?"
"I don't care." He mumbled back, as he shut her up by deepening the kiss.
"Well in that case…" she paused in thought, "okay!" and she responded with equal passion.
They lay like that for sometime, kissing each other. Their passionate kiss gradually turned into soft and sweet ones. Finally, they both needed space, so they reluctantly let go of each other. Sinbad took a deep breath as he got off her and completed his dressing. Maeve straightened her dress, and made sure her hair was okay.
"So!" said Sinbad, once they were ready.
"So." She said.
"We better go down."
"Yeah…Bacheet is there too."
"And Mike?"
"He had some unfinished business, so he isn't here."
She did not miss the glint of happiness in his eye when she said that.
He took her hand and led her out of the room.
When they came down, he let go of her hand. The others were chuckling at them.
"Little brother!" said Doubar, "where have you been?"
The others started giggling.
"Yeah…" said Firouz, "what were you two doing up there?"
Maeve and Sinbad's face flushed bright red. They sat down next to each other. Sinbad took Maeve's hand in his own, under the table.
Maeve lied, "Sinbad took 10 minutes just to open the door. Some sleeper you are."
The others chuckled. Only when the couple glared at them did they shut up.
"Now that we have had our fun," started Sinbad, "have you thought of anything?"
"Well…when he says the I am the light of the one who lives after death, I'd assume he'd be talking about the soul." Said Bacheet.
"You know, " said Firouz, "I bet it has something to do with a god or a goddess. I mean, so far, everything Taita has led us to was in some way related to a God, his shrine and temple."
"You have a point there."
"What I don't understand, "said Talia, "why the hell did Taita leave us a riddle at the point of the fiery eye if it was the wrong answer?"
"He's making us run a wild goose chase." Said Sinbad, "I think he anticipated that we would think it was the stone. So he gave us a vague riddle there so we could go to another wrong answer."
"Thus he makes us run around in circles," said Maeve, "buying himself more time on learning how to control the pearl."
"Maeve," asked Sinbad, "is there a specific time that we have to find the pearl in?"
"The island of Philae appears once in every 3 years. It appears from the month of the solstice, till three weeks after it. "
"We have only a four days left." Said Bacheet.
"We have to find it fast. Once the island disappears, if the pearl isn't on it, the island is destroyed, the pearl being out of the protection means, the weather switches will occur more frequently than everyday."
"What if Taita learns how to control it?" asked Sinbad.
"He can't…it can't be controlled there is no spell, no medium through which he can. He cannot even make a spell."
"Are you sure?"
"Sinbad, if that pearl could be controlled, Turok or any other sorcerer would have gotten their hands on it ages ago."
Sinbad understood her logic. Firouz who had been thinking all this while said, "Bacheet, what god would you associate with souls?"
"Umm… Anubis god of embalming, Osiris, god and judge of death…"
"Osiris…" repeated Maeve. "Wait a minute, wasn't Osiris resurrected after his death?"
"Yeah…that's why he became the god of death."
"The one who lives after death…" echoed Maeve.
"He could be talking about Osiris." Said Firouz.
"No…" said Maeve, "He says, I am the light of the one who lives after death."
"Okay…" said Sinbad, "what is the light?"
"What would be your light Sinbad? Theoretically speaking…" Maeve asked him.
You would be, he said mischievously in his mind.
She heard and blushed slightly.
"Wait a minute." Said Firouz, "We generally associate our offspring to be out light!"
"That's it!" Maeve and Bacheet exclaimed. Maeve added, "Firouz you are a genius!" she kissed the surprised inventor on the cheek. She explained, "Horus, was the god of light and goodness, but more than a god he was the king of the earth. He was also the son of Osiris, the one who lives after death."
"By Allah!" exclaimed Doubar, "she's right, it could be the son."
"It must be…" said Bacheet.
So where is Horus' temple? Signed Rongar.
"He doesn't have a temple close to Cairo." Said Bacheet, "but he does have his pyramid."
"Are you saying we have to go to the pyramid of Horus?" said Maeve.
"Fascinating!" exclaimed Firouz, "a look inside the tomb of Horus."
"Tomb?" Echoed Doubar, "did you say tomb?"
"What else is a pyramid?" asked Firouz.
"Are you sure we have to go to the pyramid?" asked Doubar concerned.
"Oh come on Doubar!" said Talia, "don't be such a baby! It'll be fun!"
"We'll have to talk to Mike and Hales first." Said Bacheet, "Hales, especially, it isn't proper to violate a tomb."
"Tomb?" Was all Doubar said.
When We Were Thieves - Part 13
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