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“Come on.” Roarke led me into the water, its balmy temperature adding to the magic.
“Don’t we need to worry about him?” I pointed back to the jaguar, noticing my clothes had shifted to a one-piece bathing suit covered in large green leaves.
Roarke pulled me close, bringing us almost nose to nose. “Milly, when you’re with me, you don’t need to worry about a thing.” His eyes sparked, and the sexy timbre of his voice had me dipping my head, peering into the water as I tried to hide my blushing cheeks.
Trails of silver glided over the water whenever we moved. I waded in farther, realizing there were no fish or other dangers to be seen. Diving beneath the surface, I relished in the freedom and wonder Roarke’s magic had to offer. Emerging behind the waterfall, I leaned back against the stone cliff.
Lush ferns, vines of ivy, and twisting branches lined either side, allowing flowers to spread their beauty all the way down to the water’s edge. I swam to the nearest bloom and buried my nose in its glossy petals. “These are amazing,” I declared when Roarke’s head broke the surface a few feet away.
“I’m glad you like them, but there are more wonders to be seen whenever you’re ready.”
I leaned back, allowing myself to float atop the water. The sheer beauty of this place and its utter peacefulness made me never want to leave. “Can’t we stay a bit longer?” I asked, my eyes glued to his.
Roarke’s jaw twitched, meaning he was giving his answer some serious thought. “We could, but there’s so much I want to show you.”
Righting myself, I doggy-paddled in front of him, wondering what those other things could be. “Do you mean there’s more to see here, or are we going somewhere else?”
Roarke smiled and swam closer. “Milly, we can go wherever you want. You only have to think of a place.”
“Okay. Um…” I stammered. With the world—the universe really—at our disposal, all the choices became overwhelming. “I don’t really know. Maybe we could go back to the pyramids you showed me before?”
With a sexy grin pulling at his lips, the Weaver waved his hand again, instantly depositing us right in front of the sphinx.
I looked down, my clothing already adjusted to suit the climate, and stared back up in awe. The ancient half man-half lion was larger in person than I ever imagined. With the pyramids looming in the distance, the scene was so surreal. “I can’t believe I’m actually here. I’ve wanted to visit for so long. Maybe raid some tombs, discover an ancient pharaoh, or better yet… find the hidden spell book of a long-dead priest.” My nerves buzzed, excitement firing along every vein.
“That sounds like quite the adventure. Where do you want to start?” Roarke reached for my hand again, and the buzzing increased.
I looked out across the desert, half expecting a flashing arrow to point the way. But only the dry land of the ancient world lay before us, heaving as if it were breathing and waiting to see what we would do.
I summoned my courage, then, following my instincts, pulled Roarke forward and ran between the paws of the sphinx. A large inscribed granite slab stood at its base, solid against its chest. It was at least twelve feet tall and seven feet wide, covered in pictures and hieroglyphs.
“Do you know what it says?” I asked.
Roarke smiled and flicked his hand toward the stone, transforming the inscription into English for me to read.
“Year I, third month of the first season, day 19, under the Majesty of Horus, the Mighty Bull, begetting radiance, (the Favourite) of the Two Goddesses, enduring in Kingship like Atum, the Golden Horus, Mighty of Sword, repelling the Nine Bows; the King of Upper and Lower Egypt, Men-kheperu-Ra, the Son of Ra, Thothmes IV, Shining in Diadems; beloved of (Amon), given life, stability and dominion, like Ra, forever…”
I looked up and down the rest of the twelve-foot tablet. “Wow. This is a lot.”
Roarke laughed. “It definitely is. But I’ll make it easy. A young prince fell asleep at the base of the sphinx’s head and had a vision in which the sphinx promised to make him the ruler of Egypt if he cleared the sand from the rest of its body. He did so, and the rest is history. This epigraphic stele has stood between the paws of the sphinx ever since, telling his story. It was erected in 1401 BC and is called the Dream Stele.”
The Dream Stele? I looked back at the granite slab, enamored now for a completely different reason. I wondered if the Weaver and his magic had anything to do with the prince’s vision.
Roarke chuckled. “I know what you’re thinking, but this was way before my time.”
I cocked my hip, crossing my arms over my chest. “But admit it… With your magic, you have the ability to affect people’s dreams. You’re not just watching, are you?”
Roarke dipped his head, his smile shifting like the sands beneath our feet. “Yes. Weavers do have the ability to affect people’s dreams. Perhaps to show them something they needed to see or help guide them toward a decision they’re struggling to make.” His eyes held mine. “But that doesn’t mean that I do that. As you know, there are rules to a Weaver’s magic, most automatically imposed by the title we carry, but some are placed by the individual themselves. And that is one of mine. I do not use my magic to alter people’s dreams.”
I stood still, staring at the stele, and prayed he was telling the truth.
