Soul and Shadow (21 page)

Message from the Author

Dear Reader:

I am so happy to have had your company on this journey. I hope that you enjoyed visiting Ancient Egypt at the height of its power and prosperity. We stopped by temples and festivals and saw the grandeur of this great civilization. But the people we met, despite their different beliefs and ways of life, were as familiar as the modern day characters who shared this story. For what reaches across the years are universal emotions: love, hate, jealousy, greed, sorrow and kindness. These bind us together as human beings throughout all of time.

Thank you for coming with me. This was our adventure and it could not have taken place without you! I sincerely hope that we will see each other again in the near future. As a matter of fact, I happen to know that Lily has gotten herself mixed up with a Druid, a witch, and a new group of friends who will challenge and change her. There
'
s no rest for the psychic! And though Lily
'
s love life may be in limbo, new relationships beckon Katy and Stephen. As for Cleocatra...well, who can ever tell what she
'
ll get up to?

A book is the easiest way to travel anywhere you want to go. If you would care to explore new destinations with me, I promise to let you have the window seat.

Gratefully yours,

Susan Jane

Glossary:

Amisi: (Ah-mee-see)—
'
flower.
'
Amisihathor, the flower of Hathor, a songstress in the temple of Dendera.

Amun-Ra: the sun god, creator of life.

Bastet: cat goddess linked with Hathor.

Hathor: goddess of love, beauty, women, and music. Worshipped in her temple at Dendera in Upper Egypt.

Horus: sky god, consort of Hathor, closely identified with kingship. Worshipped in his temple at Edfu and at Dendera.

Kahotep: (Kah-ho-tep)—
'
peaceful essence.
'
Chief scribe in the temple of Dendera.

Kamenwati: (Kah-men-wah-tee)—
'
dark rebel.
'
Scribe in the temple of Edfu, later in Dendera. Husband to Amisihathor.

Kepi: (Kep-ee)—
'
tempest.
'
A dancer in the temple of Dendera.

Meretsankh: (Merit-sawnk)—
'
beloved life.
'
Child in the town of Dendera.

Sister: a term of affection used by all Egyptians

And now a sneak preview of...

Fire and Shadow

Chapter One

"You have
got
to be kidding."

I stared hard at my friend Katy. Her fair, elfin face was alive with excitement, and her blue eyes sparkled. Inwardly, I sighed. I knew that she wasn't going to be happy until the druid told our fortunes.

"Come on, Lily." She dragged me towards the tent. "It'll be
fun
. I can't make up my mind whether to go out with McKenzie or not. And you—well, you need all the advice you can get. I'll even pay. What have you got to lose?"

I read the wooden sign with disdain. "Caliman, High Priest, Sees Through The Veils of Time Into Your Future. Yeah, right. His name is probably Joe and he works at Dunkin' Donuts. Katy, really."

"Don't be such a killjoy," my best friend replied. "I saw Caliman earlier, and he's cute. The only other choice is Madame Rosa, and I don't think she's a real Gypsy. Her jewelry is all wrong."

Before I could argue with this irrefutable logic, a white-robed figure emerged from the tent and stood watching us approach. "Look!" Katy said with a smile. "It's like he sensed our presence. This will be great!"

I shrugged and gave up. I had let myself be talked into attending this Celtic Faire. Katy, a specialist in Arthurian Studies, was in her glory. We had just followed Merlin all through Camelot and sat next to Guinevere at a joust. Unlike every other scholar I knew, Katy did not mind the historical inaccuracies, but simply enjoyed herself.

I, too, had been having a good time. The fair was colorful and diverting, the characters oozed charm, and reality was held cheerfully at bay. But the druid was different. This whole fortune shtick made me uneasy. However, I felt it would be rude to back out now. Katy had me firmly in tow and Caliman was waiting.

"Ladies," he said when we stood before him. "Have you come to look through time? Be prepared, for such forces are not to be taken lightly." He squinted at me in what seemed like an accusation.

Katy was right, he
was
attractive. He had perfect features with a strong jaw that kept him from looking too feminine, and his eyes were so clear it was like staring into a blue winter sky. A little shiver went through me. I turned my face away.

"We are ready, Caliman," Katy said. "Show us the secrets of the future."

Oh brother, Katy
, I thought.

The druid nodded. "You may enter."

The inside of the tent had panels painted with oak trees, mistletoe hanging from their boughs. With the sun shut out, light came from flickering candles in which the branches seemed to move. A carved stump with a rounded top served as a table and Caliman motioned us into chairs around it. Then he sat down and took up a deck of cards.

"Here in the sacred grove, we can unlock the mysteries of the universe. The oracle will speak to us through these cards. Hold them in your hands, and think about the questions you want answered."

Katy reached out eagerly. I watched, half-amused and half-irritated, as she clutched the cards to her heart, then gave them back to Caliman. He laid them out on the table in five rows of five, and studied them solemnly.

"I see that you are facing a decision. It seems to involve a man. Should you trust him?" He was silent for a moment. "The cards tell us if you wish to take the risk, no harm will come of it, and there is a chance it can lead to great happiness." Caliman looked at Katy's smiling face. "Does this make sense to you?"

"Oh, yes!" Katy beamed. "What else do they say? I really want to know if the project I'm working on will be a success."

I knew Katy was referring to her long-running mystery novel, a story that featured her boss at the University thinly disguised as a medieval woman. It was her dream to have it published some day, and she had finally gotten to the point where it was sufficiently edited and ready for submission.

Caliman turned over another card. "Ah! This symbolizes creativity. This configuration is a very auspicious sign. If you discipline yourself to finish this work on time, you cannot fail."

Katy clapped as if he'd just promised her a Pulitzer Prize. She paused, however, when the druid cautioned, "But wait. You must be careful. I see a woman who is jealous and would envy your success. I see instability and bitterness. A web of lies and deceit."

"That's right!" Katy said. "Webster! She's my boss. She wouldn't be happy if she read my book, that's for sure."

"No," Caliman agreed. "She must not know of your plans. Move as quickly as possible, and all will be well."

As Katy continued to play into Caliman's hands, and he continued to make vague pronouncements, my mind started to drift...

I was jolted by my friend's voice. "Lily! Take the cards! It's your turn!"

I blinked as the deck was pressed into my palm.

"Think," the druid said. "Concentrate on what you need to kno
w, and the answers will come."

Oh, if only it were that easy. Images flashed through my mind―gray eyes filled with intensity and gentleness, a necklace at the throat of a young Egyptian woman, sand swirling in the desert heat, and my mother, unable to acce
pt the knowledge of what she had done. As if to rid myself of the unwanted memories, I thrust the deck into Caliman's hands.

A startled look came over his face. For a moment, he seemed to be in pain. His fingers trembled a little as he laid out the cards.

"There is a storm in your mind. You have...
traveled
a long way to find the blue flower. You hoped it would bring you peace. And so it did. For awhile. But the cost was more than you ever imagined."

He hesitated. "Now guilt overshadows your love. You are separated from what you hold most dear. You will go nowhere on this road you have chosen. Once you have met the Other, you cannot escape. Your only hope lies in acceptance. You must listen to the voice within." He raised his eyes to mine.

A spark seemed to fly between us. I couldn't open my mouth, couldn't move.

Katy stared at us. "Lily, isn't that amazing?"

More like terrifying.

I rose from the table. I had to get out of there. Katy followed me, with an explanation to Caliman that I didn't even hear. I strode away from the tent as if it were on fire.

Minutes later, Katy caught up with me by an anachronistic refreshment stand selling fried dough. "Can you believe that, Lily? He really does seem to have some kind of power."

"Katy, that's nothing but nonsense. These people are professionals. They're trained to pick up on every signal you give, and they know their psychology. They're reading you like a book.

If they make some inspired guesses, so what? Are you going to remember the ones that were wrong? Of course not. Your mind will filter those out, and only the one or two that come true will stick with you."

I could hear my voice rising in exasperation. "Honestly, people need to have more common sense. Haven't you ever read Carl Sagan? He talked about the world slipping back into the dark ages. Sometimes I wonder..."

Katy pursed her lips. "Hmm, I believe I do have a copy of
The Demon-Haunted World
. My favorite chapter is the one about the woman who solved a mystery by re-experiencing an ancient Egyptian woman's life. She had dreams and visions and discovered amazing things. Carl tried his best, but he couldn't quite explain that."

I gave her a distressed look, and Katy's tone softened. "I know how hard the past few months have been for you. You've lived through a Gothic novel and still managed to stay sane, which says a lot for how strong you are. I couldn't admire you more. But do you really think it's best to pretend that nothing supernatural ever happened? Answers can't always come from traditional sources. If you want to truly understand your experience, you may have to explore other avenues."

"You mean like Caliman?" I snapped. "No thanks. I'm doing exactly what I need to do with Dr. Carson. I'll put my trust in a qualified physician who knows what he's talking about, thank you."

Katy would not let it go. "But he
knew
, Lily. Caliman knew. About Amisihathor and Kent and your mother—"

"Yes, let's not forget my mother. She's struggling for her sanity now, and one of us has to stay grounded in reality. I don't want to hear another word about magic, mysticism, Caliman or Kent."

I blinked back the sudden tears in my eyes. The thought of Kent turned my heart inside out. It had been my choice to separate from the man I loved, but the choice was born of necessity, not desire. He was in England, divided from me not only by miles, but a whole host of complications.

Katy hugged me. "I'm sorry. We won't talk about it anymore right now. Let's get some fried dough. There's nothing like an authentic Celtic treat to warm the heart and clog the arteries."

"No, thanks. I've had enough for one day. I'll wait here for you."

I sat down on a wooden bench while she blended into the long line. I was watching her retreating figure when I was startled by a voice speaking my name. The white-robed Caliman stood in front of me. He had left his air of gravitas in the tent, and in fact was looking very uncomfortable.

He cleared his throat before speaking. "I had the feeling that I scared you in there. I just wanted to say I'm sorry."

"What's your real name?" I demanded.

He smiled. "Caliman is my real name. My parents are big jazz fans and my dad idolizes Caliman Handley. But I just go by Cal. Cal Jones."

"So, Cal," I asked in a casual voice, "where did you come up with all that stuff? It certainly sounded impressive. '
Once you have met the Other you cannot escape.
' Very dramatic."

He looked uneasy. "Well, it's supposed to be entertaining, you know. People like to hear about themselves. Makes them feel important, and it doesn't do any harm. I don't dwell on anything negative. I don't usually feel—"

"What?" I prompted when he didn't finish his sentence.

"Anything so...profound." There was another silence while he struggled for words. "You see, I don't just make it all up. I get impressions. When I talk to people. Now I'm not saying I see deeply into their souls. But I do get a sense of what they're thinking of. Or wishing for. I pick out something positive to tell them. I've never had an experience like
this
before."

He must have realized how much like a pick-up line that sounded, because he blushed. "I'm afraid I sound like an idiot to you. All I wanted to say was that I didn't mean to be upsetting. When you come across another sensitive, it can be quite a shock."

I stood up. "There's no need to worry about me. I don't believe in any of this mumbo-jumbo, I'm not upset, and I'm going to meet my friend now. Goodbye."

"So," he said as I turned on my heel, "there is no gray-eyed Englishman, no Egyptian ghost, no mother who causes you so much pain? I'm glad. I truly am. Because I would not wish suffering on anyone. Especially a good soul like yours."

"What do you know about my soul?" I spun around and glared at him. "I don't know how you found out about my personal life, but it's none of your business. I want you to leave me alone. Now!"

"Lily," he said in a gentle voice. "I only know because you told me. How else? I've never met you, and I couldn't tell you would come here today. I read it all in your thoughts. Your emotions are very powerful, crackling like live wires. I felt them. And I think you know that, and it frightened you. I'm sorry."

His sympathy seemed genuine, and he was right. I
was
frightened. I had to lay that devil down and be rid of Caliman once and for all.

"If you're actually psychic," I said with defiance, "then prove it. Read my mind right now."

Caliman smiled. "I'm not sure I want to do that. I have a feeling you'd be picturing what I could do with my cards."

I was in no mood for humor. "Come on. I'll concentrate, and you tell me what I'm thinking. Or do you need your smoke and mirrors to make it all work?"

"No," he said, eyeing me. "I only need a physical link. Like you had with that lotus blossom necklace."

A deer in the headlights would have had nothing on me. I stood frozen, almost unable to breathe. How could he possibly know that the jewelry of a girl dead over three thousand years had forged a bond crossing time and space? A bond I had spent months trying to forget, to deny. It may have freed Amisihathor, but Caliman was right. It had cost me more than I ever imagined.

He gave me a moment to collect myself. "Would you mind if I took your hand? I don't want to get too personal, but it's standard procedure for readings. I can just use my fingertips if you'd be comfortable with it."

I almost laughed. He was proposing to look into my soul and was worried if a touch would be too personal. Silently, unwilling but unable to stop myself, I reached out. Caliman laid his fingers lightly across mine. A frisson went through me and I closed my eyes.

A memory surfaced, summoned from the depths of my subconscious. Sitting in an auditorium with my father, watching a high school production of the Nutcracker. It was like looking through a door into fairyland. I was five years old, and the performers seemed like magical creatures from another world. The flowing tutus, the satin slippers, the color and sparkle and grace.