Blood of Egypt (Witch Fairy Book 8) by Bonnie Lamer Read Free Book Online Page A

us.  I agree, though.  We should get out of here.  We can grab a taxi if we hurry.”  He may be overly optimistic about no one paying attention to us, but getting out of here is definitely a good idea.
     

 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter 12
     
    We’re able to slip into the crowd of scared tourists just as the police screech to a halt and exit their cars.  Snaking our way through the calmer mass of bodies, we grab the last taxi at the taxi stand and all pile in.  We’re far too curious about each other to go our separate ways now.
     
    “Zamalek, please.” the guy says to the driver as the taxi begins to move forward.  “We’re not staying far from here.  We can go there.  I’m Josh, by the way.”  He holds his hand out to Kallen who is seated next to him. 
     
    Kallen grasps his hand firmly like guys do.  “Kallen, and this is Xandra.”  I reach around Kallen and shake his hand.
     
    “I’m Eliana,” she says with a wave.  The way we’re squished in the back seat it would be too awkward to try to shake hands.
     
    That’s about all we feel comfortable saying at the moment as what just happened settles in our minds.  From the curiosity on Kallen’s face, I don’t think he recognizes Eliana’s magic and considering that he’s met an amazing amount of magical creatures, that’s saying a lot.  Also, the taxi driver seems to have a very good grasp of the English language as well as speaking fluent Arabic.  Which Kallen speaks as well.  I forgot that he’s multilingual.  But since the driver can understand us, we keep our mouths shut about magic.
     
    We ride in silence for about ten minutes.  I’m fine with that as I marvel at the fact that I’m back in my realm and in Egypt.  When the Nile comes into sight, I’m practically giddy.  I can’t believe I’m really here!
     
    I am a little surprised though when we cross a bridge onto an island in the middle of the Nile river.  When I say island, I mean small city.  We drive past an opera house and several embassies.  I don’t recognize the flags for all of them.  “Where are we?” I ask.
     
    “We’re on the island of Zamalek,” Eliana says.  “We’re staying in a house here.  Some friends of ours are on a business trip and they asked us to housesit.  We usually live on campus.”
     
    I nod and continue to look out the window at the beautiful buildings.  When we reach a residential area, the streets are lined with trees.  The houses are about as big as the embassies we passed.  They’re huge with immaculate, green yards and western style architecture.  This is not at all what I expected from Cairo.
     
    “They live in one of these homes?” I ask.  As soon as the words fall out of my mouth, the taxi comes to a stop in front of a two storied, tan brick home.  The architecture is Tudor, emphasizing the effect the British once had in Egypt.  The house isn’t quite as large as Isla’s, but it’s certainly magnificent. 
     
    “The commute to campus isn’t great, but it’s worth it,” Josh says, pulling out cash to give the driver.
     
    “Here, let me pay,” I say, scrambling for the money I brought.
     
    Josh grins and shakes his head.  “Nope, I already got it.”
     
    I nod in acquiescence.  That gives me a moment to think about what he said about the commute to campus.  College.  I feel a pang in my heart.  I spent my whole childhood planning on going to college.  Not only was I going to get an education, it was going to be my escape from the lonely mountain I grew up on.  I got off the mountain, but it doesn’t look like college is in my future any time soon. 
     
    Kallen must notice the change in my mood because he puts his arm around my shoulder.  “Someday,” he says quietly.  I look up at him in surprise.  I didn’t realize he knew how much I wanted to further my education.
     
    Eliana opens the door and steps aside so we can enter.  The inside of the house is just