Sands In The Darkest Night

Escape

~I see you, I do. Please don't push me away. I know it hurts, I'm hurting too, because when you're in pain, I'm also in pain.~ Jesus Christ.

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The next morning, Akhenaten went back to his chambers to see her, but to his surprise...she wasn't there.

His hand twitched-someone was going to die that day.

He questioned his guards he'd placed outside his private chambers to protect her-they were none the wiser.

In one swift movement, Akhenaten slit both their throats.

They both fell dead at his feet.

She was the most important thing to him, they were supposed to protect her, to keep her safe, but she was nowhere to be found.

He closed his eyes and tried to locate her-but he couldn't.

He let out a breath, his heart felt like it was being squeezed and he felt suffocated.

"Aria." He whispered her name hand tightening around his sword, his breath coming out unevenly.

'Where are you?'

•••

*The night before.*

Aria slept soundly on Akhenaten's bed. As he'd instructed her, she'd eaten but she couldn't eat much.

She didn't have the appetite.

In the middle of the night, she was woken by someone.

Thinking it was Akhenaten, Aria tensed up.

"Relax, I'm not here to hurt you." She heard a quiet feminine voice say above her.

Immediately, she opened her eyes and looked up at the intruder.

Said person removed their headscarf and Aria's eyes widened to see her-it was the Royal Princess-Pharaoh's goddaughter, the one who accompanied Akhenaten on all his travels.

Aria was stunned by the woman's beauty.

The torch-lit reflected off her spotless skin and Aria couldn't help but acknowledge.

"You're Israeli." Aria breathe.

"Yes, and I know you are too." Aria noticed she didn't sit on Akhenaten's bed.

She merely stood and eyed the bed.

"He's had countless women on this bed. But you're the only one to last the next day."

'Was that fact supposed to make her feel any less filthy?'

"I'm sorry. I'm Ahmes, I'm Akhenaten's-" Aria noticed she paused.

Ahmes exhaled.

"I'm his best friend." She said finally.

"I know him better than anyone and trust me when I say, your life's in danger." She said.

Aria's eyes widened with fear.

"He's obsessed with you Aria, you don't know how dangerous he is." She continued.

Aria gulped.