“Relax,” Max whispered, stretching his legs out in front of her and pulling her even closer if such a thing was possible. “You’ve been doing very well, but I know you’re tired. Sleep for a while. I’ll wake you if there’s a reason to.”
She wanted to protest, to assure him she wasn’t tired at all, but that would be a blatant lie. She didn’t think she’d ever been this exhausted in her life, and there were still weeks left of their journey.
Sighing deeply, she stared up at him through the dim light, brushing her fingertips through the days’ growth of beard on hisusually clean-shaven face. She missed the handsome ruggedness of his features but found herself beguiled by this new version of him as well. A few strands of silver threaded the gold, but it did not make him look old. It made him even more rugged and handsome in her eyes.
“Thank you,” she told him softly, brushing her lips lingeringly against his and then pressing her head once more against his chest. “I always feel safe when I’m with you.”
He hugged her tightly in response, and she burrowed against him, thinking how much easier she would have fallen asleep all these nights on the trail if only she’d been able to share her bed with him. But she had no time to think more about it, because even though the wind sounded like a herd of demons circling their makeshift tent, she almost immediately drifted off.
She wasn’t certain how long she slept, but when she woke, the wind had stopped, and the Bedouins were no longer under the canvas with them. She could hear them moving around outside, probably assessing the damage.
“Did you sleep well?” Max asked, stretching as she moved away from him. She hoped he hadn’t been uncomfortable.
“Yes,” she said, meaning it. She felt wholly rested for the first time since they’d left Cairo.
“Sometimes a little nap makes everything better,” he said with a grin. “I think I may have drifted off for a while myself.”
“Good,” she murmured, running a hand over her face, which was covered with grit. She was surprised she’d managed to sleep at all with so much sand choking the air. “How long was I out?”
“I’d say an hour or so,” he told her, standing as best he could under the canvas and pulling her outside.
The wind had died, but it had left the world changed: the route ahead bore little resemblance to what it had before. “How are our supplies?” she asked Amir.
“Not too much damage,” he assured her. “In ten minutes, we’ll be underway again.”
“Thank you,” she told him, relieved. As much as she’d appreciated the break, she wanted to make it to their predetermined campsite still tonight. She didn’t think she could handle any significant delays that meant more days trekking through the desert.
“Are you all right?” Max asked her, his voice low enough so that no one else could hear. “We can stop here for the night if you want.”
She shook her head stubbornly. “No, I can continue. Ineedto continue. We have to get to the oasis before the new moon.”
“You amaze me,” he said with a smile. “I’m so proud of you.”
Her heart swelled with something she hesitated to put a name to. His praise meant more to her than any of those stuffy old men back in London she’d wanted so badly to impress ever could. “Thank you,” she said simply, feeling as though she could go hours more on the strength of his words alone.
As promised, they were soon on their way again, and the rest of the afternoon was not nearly as difficult for her, thanks to the rest she’d gotten. A few hours later, they reached their destination. They made camp at the base of a limestone outcrop, the only landmark for miles. Amir prepared a simple meal—dried dates, chickpeas, a handful of black olives—while Max and the rest of the men set about pitching the tents. Eden excused herself to inspect the rocks.
If she was correct, these rocks were one of the markers she’d been looking for. In fact, if she didn’t find what she was looking for here, she might be forced to admit she’d been wrong about all of it.
Dusk arrived dramatically. The sun dropped, the world turned dark, and the desert floor cooled enough that the camels’ breath showed white in the air. She’d never get used to thetemperature swings. At this time of year, the days were hot, but the nights could be quite cold.
Alone on the ridge, she ran her hands over the fossil-studded stone, tracing the memory of an ancient seabed. She thought of the scroll, hidden safely in her trunk, and the message it contained: a litany of symbols, so much older than Rome or even Memphis. If the translation was correct, it meant the labyrinth they sought was real—and that it had never been breached. Not even by the grave-robbers who haunted every worthwhile site from Alexandria to Luxor.
“Careful,” Max called from below, his voice cutting through her reverie. “The rock is brittle. One bad step and you’ll be a fossil yourself.”
She didn’t dignify that with a reply. Instead, she watched the stars emerge—at first just a few, then in wild profusion. She let herself linger, counted the constellations, and recited their old Egyptian names under her breath. It soothed her.
When she finally descended to camp, a fire snapped merrily, warding off some of the chill. She sat down beside Max on a thick rug and accepted her plate of food from Amir.
“Did you find anything?” Max asked softly, giving her a sideways glance. “Are we on the right track?”
“I didn’t find any new clues, but I didn’t find anything that would make me think it isn’t the right place either.” She sighed and took a bite of chickpeas, chewing slowly as she stared up at the outcropping. Washing it down with a swig of lukewarm water, she nodded, trying to infuse more confidence than she felt into her voice. “We’re going the right way. I can feel it in my heart.”
He held her gaze for a long moment but did not scoff. “The only way to find out is to keep going.”
Relief filled her, and she leaned her head against his shoulder, needing more of the comfort she’d felt earlier. The factthat he trusted her instincts, that he was ready to continue, even though she had no proof, made her happier than she could say. It was worth all the discomfort and exhaustion to have him believe in her.
Gathering her courage, she leaned into him even more and lowered her voice. “I’m having such a hard time sleeping. But when I’m with you, like this afternoon, it’s so much easier. Do you think we could share a tent from now on? Just for... comfort and warmth?”
