Chapter 5

Morning sunlight poured through the curtains as I woke earlier than usual.

For some reason, I couldn't stop thinking about the whisper I had heard the previous night.

"Maritza..."

I had searched the room twice before finally convincing myself it had only been my imagination.

Maybe I had spent too much time reading about Pharaoh Kharef that my mind was simply exhausted.

Either way, I refused to let it ruin today because today I was finally visiting the Valley of the Kings.

After breakfast, Leo drove us west across the Nile.

The farther we traveled, the quieter everything became. The lively streets of Luxor disappeared behind us, replaced by endless golden cliffs sculpted by centuries of desert winds.

"This place feels different," I said softly.

"It does," Ayesha replied. "The ancient Egyptians believed the west was the land of the dead. That's why nearly all the royal tombs were built here."

I stared out the window.

Thousands of years ago… Pharaohs, queens, priests, and nobles had walked these very paths but now only silence remained.

When we arrived, the valley stretched before us beneath an endless blue sky.

The barren mountains looked almost lifeless yet beneath them rested dozens of royal tombs with one guarded secret that was older than most civilizations.

"It's incredible," I whispered in amaze.

Leo smiled. "Ready to meet the kings?"

"I've been ready since I was twelve." I nodded my head in excitement.

The first tomb welcomed us with narrow corridors leading deep beneath the earth. Colorful paintings still covered the walls telling the scenes of gods welcoming the dead into the afterlife. Stars painted across blue ceilings and hieroglyphs flowing endlessly across every surface.

I moved slowly, afraid that even breathing too loudly might disturb the ancient silence.

"It feels sacred," I murmured.

"It is," Ayesha answered as she smiled wider. "These walls have survived more than three thousand years."

I gently traced the air a few inches away from one of the paintings, careful not to touch it. "They're so beautiful."

After visiting several tombs, we stopped outside beneath a shaded resting area.

Tourists chatted excitedly while drinking bottled water while I remained unusually quiet; because I am still thinking and wondering.

Ayesha noticed. "You're looking for something."

"I don't know what. But I feel..." I searched for the words. "...like something is missing."

Leo laughed. "Maybe because you've been hoping to find Kharef's tomb."

I smiled sheepishly at him. "Maybe."

Ayesha sat beside me. "You know… There are hundreds of unexplored chambers beneath these mountains."

"Really?"

She nodded. "Archaeologists are still making discoveries every few years.” 

I raise my eyebrow “But none belong to Kharef?"

She shook her head. "Nothing. It's as though history erased him."

Before I could respond, an elderly archaeologist walking past overheard us and he stopped.

"Are you interested in Pharaoh Kharef?" He asked me.

His English carried a gentle Egyptian accent.

"Very much," I admitted with a small smile at him.

The old man studied me for several seconds. "You have chosen an impossible king."

"What do you mean?" I quickly asked.

He sighed, "I have searched for his tomb for thirty-four years."

His weathered hand rested against the walking stick he carried.

"My father searched before me. My grandfather searched before him."

I see…

"And none of you found it?"

He smiled sadly and looked toward the towering cliffs surrounding the valley. "Not even a single stone. Some believe the tomb never existed while others believe it lies beneath a mountain no one has dared excavate."

"And what do you believe?" I asked.

The archaeologist's eyes grew distant. "I believe… The tomb is waiting."

Waiting… 

The word echoed strangely inside my mind. "For whom?"

He looked directly at me. "For the one it was built to receive."

Before I could ask another question, another researcher called his name and he excused himself politely and walked away.

Leo watched him disappear and walk to me. "He has dedicated his entire life to finding Kharef. I almost feel sorry for him."

"So do I." I murmur while stare at him.

Still… Something about the conversation unsettled me.

***

That afternoon, our final stop was a small archaeological research center located near the edge of the valley.

Unlike the tourist areas, this building housed newly discovered artifacts that had not yet been placed inside museums.

Most visitors skipped it entirely but I loved it immediately; rows of pottery fragments, broken statues, ancient jewelry and half-translated papyrus scrolls. It’s like history is still waiting to be understood.

As I wandered through the exhibition, one display caught my attention.

Unlike the others, it was protected behind reinforced glass. Inside rested a simple gold ring engraved with a scarab and the symbol of the rising sun.

The information plaque read:

Recovered from an unidentified royal burial site.

Estimated age: Over 3,000 years.

Believed to belong to the royal House of Khepri.

House of Khepri?!

My heartbeat quickened as I read it because it was Kharef's royal house.

Without thinking, I stepped closer and the scarab pendant around my neck suddenly became warm and became hotter.

Then the lights flickered and a sharp ringing filled my ears as the room around me blurred.

For the briefest moment… I saw something impossible.

The empty exhibition vanished and in its place stood a magnificent throne room illuminated by hundreds of blazing torches and golden banners fluttered from towering pillars.

Warriors in bronze armor knelt upon polished stone floors.

And upon an enormous throne… Sat a man with broad shoulders, long black hair and golden eyes.

His presence alone commanded absolute authority.

He slowly lifted his head and their eyes met.

Mine…

His… Across thousands of years.

The vision disappeared as quickly as it had come and I stumbled backward.

"Miss Maritza!" Ayesha caught my arm before I could fall. "Are you alright?"

I blinked rapidly and noticed the exhibition hall had returned.

Tourists continued walking around as though nothing had happened.

"I..." My breathing became uneven. "I think my blood sugar dropped."

Leo immediately handed me a bottle of water. "Sit down, miss."

I nodded weakly.

No… That hadn't been my imagination.

The man… He had looked directly at me as if… He had known exactly who I was.

What is happening to me?

***

That evening…

Back in her hotel room, Maritza couldn't sleep. She stood on the balcony overlooking the silent Nile with the scarab pendant resting against her chest.

Below, the river flowed peacefully beneath the moonlight.

Then, she opened the book about Kharef one last time and see a folded note slipped from between the pages.

She frowned. "I've never seen this before."

It wasn't part of the book but it was a handwritten invitation.

–

Exclusive Archaeological Tour

Private Access

A Newly Discovered Sealed Tomb of Valley of the Kings

Tomorrow Morning

Attendance by Invitation Only

–

At the bottom was a handwritten sentence.

"History is waiting to meet you."

Maritza stared at the invitation carefully because she had no memory of placing it inside the book.

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