In the boundless yellow sand, I walked forward blankly.

I don't know which direction I should choose, I don't even know the feeling of direction anymore.

Then suddenly the sand under my feet turned into quicksand, and my body was as heavy as a stone, sinking downward, swallowed up by the quicksand, and I couldn't breathe. Whether the eyes are open or closed, they all see a blood-like red color.

They were all dead, a lot of blood on my hands, hot, sticky, smelly, nauseous......

Unas.

Tasha.

Hassan.

And also......

I woke up in a cold sweat.

The field of vision was dim, and the light of the copper lamp outside the gauze curtain shone through the curtain, and I raised my hand, my fingers were smooth and smooth, white and clean.

No blood...... No.

But the feeling of being buried in the sand and being buried in a sea of blood is so real and vivid. I rubbed my hands together vigorously, trying to get rid of the feeling that remained in my dreams. But the skin has been rubbed red and painful, and the feeling is still like a maggot attached to the bone, firm and distinct.

I glanced at the bed, there were two pillows, but ...... The other half of the bed was empty.

Immorton was not there.

While he was there, I could sleep soundly, but he went to Sinai, where the Canaanites and Assyrians were on the move.

How long has he been gone? Three days, or five days? My mind was in a state of confusion at this time, and I couldn't remember clearly...... Maybe not that long.

In his absence, I can't sleep soundly, even if I cook the herbs no matter how strong they are.

I wiped my face and pulled the strand of yarn over my shoulders.

It was still late at night, and it was still a long time before dawn.

I turned my hand back and tested the temperature of my forehead with the back of my hand.

It's not hot. Although I feel that there is a dark fire in the body, it is slowly burning, and the internal organs seem to be ignited, and the burning is very slow, and the body may be burned into ashes one by one......

Yes, that's a delusion.

My body temperature is not high, and even my forehead is cooler than the back of my hand. But I still feel a burning pain in my body, which can't be dissipated and can't be driven away.

When I got out of bed, the palace maids outside heard it, and the two female officials walked in lightly, bowing down to listen to the order.

When I turn my head and can't see my face clearly, I still have a delusion. Nothing seems to have happened, nothing has changed, Yari is alive, Tasha is still alive.

But in a trance it was only for a moment, and I whispered, "I'm thirsty." ”

One of them bowed down, and the other, still meek and humb, remained where he was.

They were former palace maids, but now they have become female officials......

This is the case at any time, everywhere, the old goes and the new comes on the spent. Maybe one day I will be wiped out from here too, and then, there will be a new ruler of Egypt.

I sat leaning over the stone railing by the terrace, and the wine was brought to me, and it looked clear in a golden cup.

Alan took a sip of the golden cup and waited for a moment before presenting it to me.

I didn't ask them to do it, but it was the unwritten rules and regulations of the palace.

She brought the wine, so she was responsible for it. If the wine is poisonous, then she will die first.

This is where even a sip of water can kill you. It was so before, it is now, and it will not change in the future.

It was also served with a sweet cake cut into cubes, which must have been filled with a lot of coconut milk, and the cake was baked just right, and the aroma was overflowing.

I picked up a piece and gently blew off the frosting, but I didn't want to eat it.

I have no appetite, it always has been. Immorton only drinks water, and I haven't seen him eat in a long time. It seems that food is no longer a necessity to keep him alive. My appetite has also been bad, and from the time I returned to Memphis until now, Imorton has always said that I eat too little, and even the cats and birds in the palace eat more than me.

Yes, I'm motivated to stuff something into my mouth and swallow it while Imorton is around. But I felt that those things were not like food at all, but like stones, falling heavily in the stomach, as if they could not be digested, so abrupt and hard. Even then, it was unsuccessful, and the forced feeding was painful, and if I had tried to eat more, I would have vomited it all.

There was speculation in the palace that I might be pregnant—but that was impossible.

Immorton and I will not have children.

The medical officer has come to see it, and there is nothing he can do about it. He asked me when I started doing this, and he wanted to find the cause, and I said, I don't remember.

Actually, I remember.

It was after Tasha died...... I didn't cry at that time. Even, I drank water and ate dry food calmly. I have to keep my strength and run for my life, and I must reach Upper Egypt to take revenge...... I must take revenge!

There was blood on the dry food, so I broke it open and threw it away without eating, but I could still smell the strong smell of blood.

I felt like I was swallowing the lives of several of them in one bite. Of Hassan, of Unas, of Tasha...... They are all dead, dying for me, and I am still alive.

I remember the way Tarsha was picked on the tip of the spear, I remember the way Unas was still holding on to several arrows and still not falling, and Hasan, and countless others...... I felt like a vampire who had survived by sucking their life force.

I pointed in the direction of the corner of the hall: "Fetch the gold box from my dressing table." ”

Alan walked briskly, came back with the gold box, knelt down in front of me, and offered it to me.

There were no great jewels in the box, just a few letters, the top one from the bedtime. I've seen it and know what it's on.

But I still want to revisit it.

Immorton's handwriting is handsome, and the hieroglyphs in monk's style have a dashing force that wants to break through the paper.

"Isis

We have reached the Copper Mountain. It was much more inhospitable than Memphis, and much more inhospitable than most of Egypt's, and the sun burned on the mines, as if it were about to melt the sand. But at night it's very cold, and the howling wind seems to carry away everything that has temperature.

The Assyrians have not moved, we have broken down the nest of two sand thieves, and if they have colluded, they should have been alert by now, or should have acted in the next two days. I've set up my defenses, and from what I've gotten their leader, they're not a very clever man, and I think sometimes it's easy to guess where smart people are going. The more simple-minded a person is, the harder it is for you to guess when he will attack.

You okay? I miss you so much. Eat more and drink less, you know? I'll inquire about your maid when I get back.

The moonlight at this moment is beautiful, and I wish we were together and appreciating the moonlight.

Love you, Immorton."

I read the letter several times, and I was able to recite every word on it.

Allen, they are quietly guarding on the side, I don't sleep, and naturally they can't sleep either. Immorton's letter should have been written last night, and now what is he doing? Are you looking at the moonlight? The cool breeze blows from the direction of the sea, such calm, such sadness.