Misplaced (139 page)

“I
wondered
if
you
would
e
v
er
disclose
why
the
‘E’
volume
o
f
th
e
encyclopedi
a
i
n
you
r
apartmen
t
w
a
s
con
v
eniently
m
i
ss
ing
,
an
d
wh
y
y
o
u
g
o
t
s
o
nerv
o
u
s
whe
n I
w
at
c
he
d
the
BBC.
”
He
r
voic
e
qui
v
ere
d
slightl
y
i
n
th
e
cold
,
whic
h
ha
d
settled
in
so quickly
after
the
sunset.
“I
know
how
troubled
you
ar
e
tha
t
Ben’
s
decre
e
wil
l
com
e
t
o
pass
.
Wha
t
doe
s
i
t
matter i
f
histor
y
remember
s
me?
”
Sh
e
presse
d
a
finge
r
t
o
V
ictoria’s
lips.
“Don’t.
I
know
you
can
conjure
an
argument
faster
than
a
crocodil
e
ca
n
sna
p
it
s
jaws
,
bu
t
jus
t
once
,
le
t
m
e
finish
.
A
s
much
as you ha
v
e tried to protect me from the truth,
I’
v
e seen it all.
E
gypt,
barely
learning
to
w
alk
at
the
ti
m
e
o
f
my
c
oronation;
the glory
and
strength
attained during
the
rise
of
Seti
and
Ramses the Great.”

For
the
first
time,
V
ictoria
saw
her
look
self-conscious.
“
Y
ou
trie
d
t
o
shiel
d
m
e
fro
m
th
e
kno
w
ledg
e
tha
t
e
v
entually
,
our
golden age comes to an end. I admit that I
w
as inconsolable at
first
.
Luckily
,
wit
h
yo
u
al
w
ay
s
working
,
I
ha
d
tim
e
t
o
collect
mysel
f
befor
e
yo
u
returned
. I
kno
w
yo
u
di
d
thos
e
thing
s
in
consideratio
n
o
f
m
y
feelings,
”
sh
e
sai
d
quietly
,
he
r
e
y
e
s
soft,
“and
for
that,
a
thousand
y
ears
are
not
enough
to
repay
the
gift of your friendship.”

A
n
elusi
v
e
smil
e
crosse
d
V
ictoria’
s
lips
.
“
An
d
y
e
t
yo
u
too
k
it
upon yourself to find
out any
w
ay.”

“Di
d
yo
u
expec
t
tha
t a
singl
e
missin
g
boo
k
woul
d
stop
me? After
all,
this
is
the
age
of
information.
I
saw
it
again
and again—in
Greece, in Japan. This empire is also ripe for such a
fall
.
Al
l
th
e
sign
s
ar
e
ther
e
i
f
yo
u
ha
v
e
th
e
courag
e
t
o
look
.
I
ha
v
e
accepte
d
tha
t
ther
e
i
s
a
cycl
e
t
o
history
.
Th
e
po
w
erfu
l
must
gro
w
w
ea
k
s
o a
ne
w
po
w
e
r
ca
n
emerge
.
Thoug
h
i
t
i
s a
bitter
lesson,
it
has
only
convinced
me
that
my
time
here
has
been
for a reason.”

“I know.
Y
ou
are the reason Egypt became the superpo
w
er of
the
ancient
world.
Nandor
said
something
like
that
the
night in the wickiup, but I couldn’t remember until now.”

“Nandor visited you?”

“Y
ou might not belie
v
e this, but he told me that I
w
as your
onl
y
hope
.
O
f
course
, I
alread
y
kne
w
that,
”
V
ictori
a
related
smugly.

“There it is again, that look of self-satisfaction.”

“W
e’
v
e gotten
this far, ha
v
en’t
w
e?”

“And
if
the
gods
are
willing,
tomorrow
our
journey
will
be
complete
.
Becaus
e
o
f
you
,
V
ictori
a
Barrón
,
th
e
ligh
t
o
f
Egypt
will shine fore
v
er. I do not expect that change will come easily.
Bu
t
i
n
time
,
smal
l
step
s
wil
l
tur
n
int
o
bigge
r
ones
,
an
d
the
world will become what it is today.”

“Y
ou say that as if it’s a good thing.”

“Fo
r
th
e
mos
t
part
,
i
t
seem
s
t
o
be.
”
Khar
a
w
a
s
quie
t
for
a
lon
g
tim
e
befor
e
sh
e
suddenl
y
blurted
,
“Com
e
wit
h
me
tomorrow.”

“Are you nuts?”
V
ictoria exclaimed. “Why
w
ait
thousands
of
y
ears
for
a
better
world?
W
ith
my authority
and your conviction,
w
e
’
ll change the world. Be my advisor,” she urged, pausing for a moment, “and friend. Think of the meaning your life will ha
v
e.”

“Who says it’s meaningless now?”

“I
a
m
no
t
suggestin
g
that
,
bu
t
wil
l
th
e
significanc
e
o
f
it
outli
v
e
yo
u
fo
r
thousand
s
o
f
y
ears
?
I
thin
k
not,
”
sh
e
proclaime
d imperiously. “Now turn around and let me finish
braiding.”