Misplaced (124 page)

Afte
r
a
fe
w
moments
,
sh
e
w
alke
d
t
o
th
e
be
d
an
d
brushed
back
the
hair
plastered
against
V
ictoria’s
forehead.
“When
I
try
t
o
sleep
,
I
realiz
e
ho
w
muc
h
ther
e
i
s
t
o
lear
n
an
d
ho
w
littl
e
time
I
ha
v
e
left.
Besides,
one
of
us
should
al
w
ays
keep
w
atch
now.”
Lookin
g
V
ictori
a
dea
d
i
n
th
e
e
y
e
,
sh
e
continued
,
“
Y
o
u
know
as
w
ell
as
I
that
Mieley
is
set
to
finish Elias’s
terrible
work.
W
e
should
ha
v
e
gi
v
en
him
the
b
racelet
when
w
e
had
t
he
chance.
I
hoped
you
might
sleep
a
while
longer,
but
now
that
you
are
a
w
ake,
w
e should lea
v
e.”

Chapte
r
Forty-five
Kha
r
a

Re
d
mu
d
clun
g
t
o
th
e
Jee
p
i
n
thick
,
shagg
y
chunks,
especially around the wheel
w
ells. The dark oli
v
e exterior
w
as
no
w
w
ell-camouflage
d
an
d
Khar
a
though
t
i
t
resemble
d
the
mythical
buffalo far
more
than
it
did
any
contri
v
ance
of
man.
V
ictori
a
insiste
d
o
n
leavin
g
i
t
i
n a
w
ell-conceale
d
lo
t
no
t
far
from Old Town
P
laza.

“What are you doing now?” she demanded, a deep furrow showing
on
her
brow
as
she
squinted
against
the
late
afternoon sun.

“I
f
yo
u
w
eren’
t
suc
h
a
n
impiou
s
creature
,
you
’
d
know.
A
prope
r
pilgri
m
w
ear
s
nothin
g
o
n
hi
s
fee
t
whe
n
enterin
g a
sacre
d
place.
”
Khar
a
place
d
he
r
sock
s
insid
e
he
r
boot
s
and
tucked them under her arm.

“Who said anything about a sacred place?”

“Don’
t
b
e
stubborn
.
D
o
yo
u
w
an
t
t
o
spoi
l
ou
r
chance
s
fo
r
finding
a miracle?”

V
ictori
a
leane
d
agains
t
th
e
Jee
p
an
d
crosse
d
he
r
arms.
“Look
,
ther
e
ar
e
thing
s
e
v
e
n
th
e
faithfu
l
don’
t
d
o
an
y
more,
and
w
alking
around
barefoot
is
one
of
them.
It’s
considered—”

“Lo
w
ly?
But
it
demonstrates
a
certain
humility,
does
it
not?
And
those
are
your
religious
teachings,
aren’t
they?
Y
ou
would
know this if you e
v
er
w
ent to Mass—“

“So,
now
w
e
’
re
pilgrims?”
V
ictoria
wondered
aloud.
“
W
ell,
I
suppose
it
sounds
better
than
fugiti
v
es…and
definitely
better
tha
n
criminals.
”
Sh
e
tor
e
a
t
th
e
lace
s
o
f
he
r
hikin
g
boot
s
and
stripped
them
off,
flinging
them
o
v
er
her
shoulder.
“
All
right.
Where to?”

“W
e
will
follow
the
Camino
Real
to
its
end.
Nandor
said
a
miracle would a
w
ait us there.”

V
ictori
a
sai
d
nothin
g
fo
r a
fe
w
moments
.
The
n
she
demanded, “Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Y
ou
’
re not arguing.”

“Wh
y
woul
d a
mer
e
morta
l
argu
e
wit
h
th
e
earthly
embodiment
of
Hathor
and
Isis,
the
Queen
of
the
T
wo
Lands,
and the Divine Daughter of Ra?”

“Exactly.”

I
t
w
a
s
goo
d
t
o
hea
r
V
ictoria’
s
rapie
r
tongu
e
again
.
The
y
w
alked
along
the
winding
street,
admiring
the
soft
corners
of
th
e
mu
d
w
all
s
an
d
th
e
gate
s
wit
h
peelin
g
blu
e
paint
,
which
w
ere draped with pink blossoms.

Ho
w
sof
t
th
e
sole
s
o
f
Khara’
s
fee
t
ha
d
become
!
E
v
ery
pebble
and
pine
needle
w
as
an
enemy,
and
she
made
a
game
o
f
avoidin
g
them
.
Th
e
smel
l
o
f
burn
t
suga
r
w
aftin
g
throug
h
the
lazy afternoon air
w
as s
w
eet enough to fill
her empty stomach.
T
h
e
so
le
m
n
pro
c
e
ss
io
n
o
f
th
e
faithfu
l
tha
t
s
h
e
ha
d
co
n
j
ured
i
n
he
r
imagination—pilgrim
s
dresse
d
i
n
whit
e
linen—
w
as
nowhere in sight.

V
ictoria
explained
that
the
buildings
had
been
built
by
the
Spaniard
s
i
n
th
e
se
v
enteent
h
century
,
makin
g
the
m
som
e
o
f
the
oldest structures in the country.

“
A
t only four hundred
y
ears? Hah!”

One
more
turn
down
a
winding
street
brought
them
to
the
P
laza.
A
t
one
end,
the
porch
of
the
P
alace
of
the
Go
v
ernors
w
as lined
wit
h
wome
n
enticin
g
shopper
s
t
o
tray
s
lade
n
with
turquois
e
an
d
sil
v
er
.
A
fe
w
wor
e
blac
k
v
el
v
e
t
tunics
,
wide,
c
ol
o
rfu
l
s
kirt
s
,
an
d
kno
t
t
e
d
hai
r
tha
t
V
ictori
a
explaine
d
w
as
traditional dress for Na
v
ajo women.

“Go
ahead,
shred
your
feet
if
you
like,
but
I’m
putting
my
boots
back
on.”
V
ictoria
dusted
off
the
bottoms
of
her
feet
and
slipped
into
her
socks.
“
W
e
’
re
going
to
need
to
find
a
place
to
sta
y
befor
e
i
t
get
s
an
y
later
.
I
hop
e
there’
s
somethin
g
w
e
can
afford.”