Chaya awoke with a start, her breath coming in shallow bursts. The soft morning light filtered through her window, but it did little to calm the storm that churned in her chest. The dream was still vivid in her mind—too vivid. Every time she closed her eyes, she was back there, in the desert, in the arms of Thutmose. It was as if his very essence had branded itself onto her soul, leaving her restless, unsettled, as though she was waiting for something… someone.
She sat up in bed, running a hand through her disheveled hair, trying to shake off the remnants of the dream. The sheets were tangled around her, the warmth of the night still lingering on her skin. But it wasn't the warmth of the dream—it was the cold, distant reality that she had to face every day since her return to India.
She had tried to ignore it, to bury the memories of Egypt beneath the weight of royal duties, her work, and her family's expectations. But each passing day seemed to pull her deeper into the grip of the past. The dreams had only grown more intense. More vivid. More real. Each time, she could feel Thutmose's presence more strongly—his touch, his voice, the way he looked at her as if she were the only person in the world.
It was madness. She had to be losing her mind. Dreams were just dreams, after all. But these… they were more than that. The emotions they stirred within her were undeniable. And they weren't just about passion or desire. There was a depth to them—a connection that transcended mere fantasy. Every time she awoke, she felt a painful yearning, a longing that had no place in her life as the princess of India.
Chaya pulled her knees to her chest, resting her forehead on them as she closed her eyes. The quiet sound of birds chirping outside her window did nothing to calm the tumultuous thoughts racing through her mind. She had tried everything to forget. She had tried to immerse herself in her royal duties, in her family's expectations, in the political and social demands that came with her title. But no matter how hard she worked, no matter how much she tried to distract herself, the dreams came back. Stronger. More vivid.
It wasn't just the dreams, though. It was the feeling of being torn in two—the responsibilities she had as the princess of India, and the pull of something greater. Something ancient, powerful, and undeniably real. The pull of Egypt. The pull of Thutmose.
Her thoughts drifted to the amulet she had left behind at the Cairo Museum. She had given it to her professor, knowing it was the only tangible link she had to that world. But now, looking back, she felt an overwhelming sense of loss. The amulet was the key—the gateway to the past. It was what had brought her to him, to Thutmose. Without it, she felt incomplete, as if she had abandoned a part of herself.
The dreams, the yearning, the memories… they were all pieces of a puzzle that she couldn't ignore any longer.
It was at that moment, as she sat there in the quiet of her royal chamber, that she made up her mind. She couldn't live like this anymore. The pull was too strong, too consuming. She had to go back.
She would find a way.
Chaya stood up, pacing the room, her heart pounding in her chest. She had to see the ruins again. She had to return to Egypt, to the place where it all began. The desert. The palace. Thutmose.
But she couldn't let her family know. They would never understand. They would never allow it. Her brothers were already concerned about her well-being, and her return to India had been nothing short of a royal spectacle. They believed she had been through enough. They thought she was safe now, back in the life she was supposed to lead.
She couldn't disappoint them again. But she also couldn't ignore the pull of her heart. She couldn't deny the bond that had formed between her and Thutmose.
Her plan began to take shape.
She would sneak away. No one would know until it was too late. She would take a private flight, just as she had done the last time she left. She would return to the desert, to Egypt, to him.
But it wouldn't be easy. Her brothers kept a close eye on her, and the palace had more security than a fortress. She would have to be clever. Quiet. Strategic.
For the first time since her return, a spark of excitement flickered within her. The thought of escaping, of running back to Egypt, filled her with a sense of freedom she hadn't felt in months. The weight of her responsibilities—the expectations of the people, her family—had all seemed too heavy. But now… now it was different. She could feel it in her bones. She needed to find him. She needed to understand what had happened to them both.
The palace was full of people—royal staff, servants, family members, and officials. Everyone was always around, always watching. It made it harder to escape, but she was used to the secrecy. Her life had always been surrounded by whispers and hidden agendas. This would be no different.
She could do this. She would do this.
The only question that remained was when. The longer she waited, the more time she spent in this life she didn't belong to, the stronger the pull to return became. She knew it was only a matter of time before she would act on this impulse—before the dream would take shape in the waking world.
And when it did, she would leave everything behind—her duties, her family, her responsibilities—and go back to the one place she truly felt alive.
Back to Egypt.
Back to Thutmose.