We drove west for several hours, and as Amon passed the time sleeping, I quietly questioned Dr. Hassan, trying to discover what he knew about the ceremony and what would happen to Amon. He said he didn’t know much more than I did, though I got the impression that he was holding back some information.
Sometime before dawn Dr. Hassan pulled the car off the road and drove behind some brush. “We must continue from here on foot,” he announced.
“How far is it?” I asked.
“A few miles through the desert.”
“I don’t think she can walk a few miles,” Amon countered.
“Perhaps she can wait in the car,” the doctor suggested.
“No, she will remain at my side.”
“Can we go by sandstorm?” I asked.
“No. To transport the three of us would require too much energy.” Amon stared at a nearby dune for a moment and then said, “I have an idea.”
Stretching out his hand, he murmured softly, and the dunes in front of us began to shift. Grains of sand twisted and writhed, and suddenly three horses burst from the dunes in a blast of shimmering powder. They approached us, nodding their heads and blowing steam from their nostrils.
“They’re…they’re gorgeous!” I exclaimed as Amon beckoned me closer. The horses were the color of the sand, and they glittered as if little flecks of minerals were mixed into their coats. Their tails and manes were flaxen cream-colored, several shades lighter than their coats. Their large eyes sparkled like polished amber gemstones, and their hooves looked like they had been dipped in gold glitter. “Where did they come from?”
Amon stroked the neck of the mare and asked, “Do you remember the story I told you about Nebu, the golden stallion of the desert?”
“Yes.”
“These are from his herd.”
“You mean Horus eventually found him?”
“Not exactly. It was more like Nebu found Horus. They formed a bond, and whenever Horus, or in this case, a son of Egypt, has need, Nebu will send his sons and daughters to help.” Amon backed up. “You will ride the mare. Let me give you a boost.”
Grabbing hold of my waist, Amon lifted me high enough so that I could throw my injured leg over the horse’s back. Once seated, I started to panic. “I’ve ridden only a couple of times before, and never bareback. What if I fall off?”
“Hold tight to the mane,” Amon admonished. “She will not let you fall.”
Threading my fingers through the silky strands, I leaned over to whisper into the mare’s ear, “I’ll try not to rock the boat too much. You’re in charge. I’m just along for the ride.”
The mare responded with a shake of her head and a musical neigh as she took a few steps closer to Amon’s horse, a handsome stallion a few hands taller than my mare.
“Are you ready?” Amon asked.
When I nodded, he turned to the doctor. “Ready, Dr. Hassan?”
“Yes, yes.” The Egyptologist waved his hand as he settled on the back of his horse.
“Then please lead the way, Doctor,” Amon encouraged.
At a hearty “Ha!” from Dr. Hassan, his horse leapt forward and ours followed. Though they walked, it was a fast walk that occasionally turned into a trot, which was a bit jarring on my backside but for the most part was comfortable.
I noticed that something jutted up from the dunes in the distance, making black shadows against the night sky. “Is that where we’re headed?” I asked Dr. Hassan as my horse trotted closer to his.
“Yes. That is the oasis at the base of those mountains. We must get there before sunrise.”
“What happens at sunrise?”
“The stones will show us the path, but only at a precise time.”
Encouraged by Dr. Hassan, the horses moved a bit more quickly. The sky was lightening, and I could tell by the way Dr. Hassan kept glancing at the horizon that he was worried. Tall palm trees swayed in the predawn darkness, their heavy leaves rustling in the breeze. Suddenly, a larger animal cried out, its hooting echoed by others, and soon the desert was full of sound.
“What is it?” I cried.
“Baboons!” Amon shouted over the din. “They greet the dawn with howls.”
I grimaced. “I think I prefer the morning song of birds. Are they dangerous?”