Part 3: Destined Paths-Daughter, You Returned

Elicia:

“Here Kitten. Your phone has been vibrating non-stop.” Remembering their smiling faces as Elias handed me my phone, swiping up as the fiery images of my childhood home flickered across the screen.

The fire eating away at the wrap-around porch as the firefighters fought against the high-pressured hoses blasting away at the flames as they whirled and spiraled through the hazy skies of billowing smoke. Shivering against the raging surge of heat that ripped through my body, feeling my heart shattering as each second ticked by in slow-motion.

“DAD GET OUT OF HERE!” Closing my eyes, clenching to my phone as the thumping heat burst through my body, crying out in heavy sobs as everything rushed away in a blinding blanket of fiery white.

“Home, sweet child.” Her majestic voice spoke to me as my feet stepped down into the warm gritty earth, looking around as the swirling white energy faded away in soft wisps of smoky tendrils.

The eerie silence washed away with the chaotic rustling of bodies, stepping back as the bustling crowds swarmed around me smiling, laughing brightly as they weaved in and out of the glistening store fronts. Stopping a smiling couple carrying cups of sweet richness.

“Excuse me, where am I?” Pointing to the massive mall that I appeared in when I was just standing in the solarium at the castle with the guys and Desmond.
“la tujid legha ingelizia. (No English)” The young man spoke with his rich tan flesh glistening against the sunshine beaming through the massive skylights in the grand architectural designed ceiling.

“atzari ayn anna? (My apologies, where am I)” Placing my hand to my thundering chest, realizing I was still dressed in my t-shirt and sweats as the young man smiled softly at my confusion.

“mol misre al-qahira. (Mall of Egypt, Cairo)” Nodding to him, scanning over the store fronts, seeing the beautiful fabrics of one particular store. Waving to the young couple in ‘Thank you’ keeping my head down as my bare feet thudded softly against the polished tile flooring.

Smelling the rich fabrics as my eyes scanned over the mannequins dressed in elegant Abayas’.

“hill ley an asaadke? (Can I help you)” A young woman dressed in a deep blue Abayas approached me with a curious gaze as her dark brown eyes scanned over my disheveled appearance.

“les ledi mahfadhtille wilkin anna bahaja elly alandmaj. huthe maloumati al-musrafiyya. (I don't have my wallet, but I need to blend in. Here's my bank info.)” Pulling up my banking app to show her I have the money to cover the costs, but I couldn’t tell her I just magically appeared here out-of-nowhere.

Her eyes snapped to me stunned as she spoke quickly to the lady at the counter, motioning for me to follow her in the back.

Noticing my phone was fixing to die.

Need to find a phone charging station and some food, feeling my belly grumbling with the soft fluttering snaps of ‘feed me mommy’.

“My English little, you have likes?” She struggled to form the words with a soft smile as the other lady appeared with bottled water and a pair of black slipper shoes with gold threading along the arch.

“Simple but elegant.” Nodding to the lady, sipping gingerly against the fresh coolness as my stomach swirled with fluttering knots. Placing my hand to my stomach to calm it as the ladies shared curious glances back and forth.

“With child?” She pointed softly, nodding to them as they motioned for me to sit on the cream leather bench.

The ladies quickly attended to me, dressing me in a simple black Abayas that paired nicely with the black slipper shoes as they helped me with my hair. Thankfully the bank manager I spoke with understood my situation and confirmed my purchase by phone, saying my ‘Goodbyes’ to the nice ladies, searching for the nearest food vendor.

Studying the map as the loud chatter faded away in waves, sensing something heavy in the air as my eyes scanned over the crowd disguised by the hijab. Frozen in place as Bain strolled through the crowd on his phone, his ambered orbs glistening against the sunshine that filtered through the skylights.

What are you doing here?

Stepping out from behind the map board as a group of laughing women passed by, blending in perfectly as Bain looked around with a slight tick in his jaw. Lowering my head enough as the group walked past his halted pose, looking back enough to see him sniffing the air.

Shit! He knows my scent.

Remembering the guys saying something about masking scents, looking around at the stores in passing when a firm hand grabbed my arm. Yanked backward as his musky scent swirled around me.

“No-where to hide.” His husky voice growl whispered next to my face as his muscular fingers dug angrily into my bicep.

“That’s what you think.” Slamming my elbow back into his sternum, kicking firmly to his ankle as his fingers released their grip allowing me to swing around, slamming my palm into his nose as my feet carried me through the crowds of people.

Think! Think! Where can I go? Where can I go? Scanning the massive structure when something clicked in my head.

“Home!” I shouted in my head, taking two more steps before I appeared inside a massive temple of stone and hieroglyphics. Whipping around in shock, scanning the structure as a gasping cough echoed behind.

“Azqa.” His husky voice spoke in shock, twisting around to face a short man dressed in a white thobe with matching ghutra and black egal ropes as his piercing blue eyes stared at me with a deep sadness.

“Daughter, you returned.” He rushed to me clasping his hands together as his white linen robe fluttered behind him in his rushed strides.

Sliding down the scarf covering my face as his rushed footsteps halted abruptly, staring at me like he had seen a ghost.

“I-I’m sorry. Your eyes reminded me of my daughter, Azqa.” His soft smile faltering as the sadness returned to his blue eyes, feeling a gentle hurt in my heart for this man as he turned away to walk back towards the two men standing at the stone entrance.

“Excuse me sir, but where am I? I don’t remember how I got here.” Looking around the grand temple as the man turned around with a confused expression.

“Dendera. This is the ‘Temple of Hathor’ my dear child.” Covering my mouth in shock as his piercing blue eyes opened in shock, pointing out with a shaky finger.

“Y-your eyes dear child. They’re glowing. W-Who are you?” Stepping back as his short stature squared-off as he approached with a firm stride.

“E-Elicia. Elicia Nightshade.” Groaning silently that I used the guys’ last name like that, but I don’t know this man and I sure the hell won’t give him my ‘real’ last name. His piercing blue eyes gleaming brightly as his lips tilted into an uneasy smirk.

“fe al-badaya tzaug abni ma aben am naichede walan huthe fattah asada. anna malaoun bespep khatayai! (First my son mated to a Nightshade's cousin, now this girl too. I'm cursed for my sins!)” Grinning at his rant as his tanned hands waved through the air in a dramatic tantrum of Arabic.

“assef lank car bahadheh altreqah wilkin desmond ouailteh hem anas latfa jadda. (Sorry you feel that way, but Desmond and his family are very nice people.)” Sliding the hijab down as my ombre locks tumbled out from under the material, shaking them out with a quick flick of my head as his blue eyes examined me closer.

“I have no issue with Desmond, it’s that fairy cousin of his, Randi Amans-Nightshade, that is my issue. My only son, heir to my fortunes is his mate.” Clenching my jaw tightly against the venom that laced his tone as he spoke about Randi and his mate.

Hang on one second! His son is mated to Randi, does that mean…

“Rex is your son? That means you’re the ‘Sultan’… You know how much bullshit you have put your son through with your one-sided, condescending reprimands. Rex is one of the most upbeat, genuine, kind-hearted people I have ever met, and he loves Randi with every fiber in his body. I’m proud to call him family, along with every person in the extended family. You may not agree with your sons way of life, but it is who he is and that is what makes him so special in my eyes.” Stalking up to his short stature as his blue eyes swirled with amusement, pointing my finger at him with a swirling rage creeping up my spine.

Of all the people in this desert, it had to be this guy. Now I see what Rex and Randi always bitched about, his blatant lack of empathy.

“Young lady, I don’t who you are or what your are, but you have the most unique personality to match the swirling eyes of an ‘oracle’. Do you know who your mother was?” My jaw flopped open at his strange temperament, narrowing my eyes at his bright smile.

He knows about the ‘oracle’. Who is this guy?