Misplaced

M
i
splaced
S. L. Hulen

This no
v
el is a work of fiction.
The characters, incidences, names and places within this book ha
v
e been totally created by the autho
r
’s imagination. Any similarities to persons, living or dead, e
v
ents or locations are entirely coincidental.

Copyright © 2014 by S
y
lvia Wright

All rights reser
v
ed. Except as permitted
under the U. S. Copyright
Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted
in any form by any means, or stored in a database or retrie
v
al system, without the prior written
permission of this author.

Published by Buena Suerte Productions, LLC

Phoenix,
AZ 85016

Printed in the United States of
America

First Edition: April 2015

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Hulen, S. L.

Misplaced/S. L. Hulen

ISBN
978-0-9960588-6-5

For wonderful Jason, who fanned the kindling of my imagination.

For Connie, who lit the flame.

And for my D, who tends it lovingly
and steadfastl
y
.

Chapte
r
One
Memphis, 2181 BC

Toda
y
,
divinity would be hers.

Khara
w
atched
the
procession
of
clay
jugs
moving
to
w
ard
th
e
banque
t
hal
l
o
n
th
e
back
s
o
f
sla
v
e
s
an
d
hea
v
e
d
a
sigh
.
If onl
y
sh
e
an
d
Menefr
a
coul
d
spen
d
on
e
las
t
afternoo
n
sitting
b
y
th
e
garde
n
pond
,
wigglin
g
thei
r
toe
s
i
n
th
e
Nile’
s
mu
d
as the
y
ha
d
don
e
whe
n
the
y
w
er
e
small
.
Bu
t
e
v
e
n
a
s
babes
,
she
obser
v
ed, their li
v
es had already been written
in stone.

Th
e
ceremon
y
woul
d
star
t
wit
h
th
e
settin
g
sun
.
A
s
th
e
eldest
daughte
r
o
f
pharaoh
,
Khar
a
woul
d
b
e
crowne
d
co-regent
.
I
f
sh
e pro
v
ed
capable,
the
steady
hand
guiding
Egypt
for
more
than se
v
enty
y
ears
could
finally
rest,
peaceful
in
the
kno
w
ledge
that
sh
e
woul
d
d
o
mor
e
tha
n
lea
d
Egyp
t
to
w
ard
s
greatness
,
she
woul
d
ensur
e
th
e
Lin
e
o
f
King
s
wit
h
he
r
womb
.
He
r
father
had surely earned this.

Drinkin
g
i
n
th
e
calmin
g
perfum
e
o
f
lotu
s
blossom
s
which
ha
d
bee
n
wo
v
e
n
int
o
garland
s
an
d
hun
g
a
t
al
l
th
e
palace
entrances
,
sh
e
turne
d
a
w
a
y
fro
m
th
e
activit
y
below
.
What
did
her
misgivings
matter
when
compared
to
the
future
of
the greatest kingdom in the world?

“Wher
e
ar
e
you?
”
sh
e
calle
d
ou
t
i
n
th
e
silen
t
voic
e
hear
d
onl
y
b
y
he
r
twin
.
Lately
,
he
r
siste
r
w
a
s
ofte
n
missing
.
When
pressed
for
an
explanation,
Menefra
w
a
v
ed
her
off
with
a
flick of
her
delicate
wrist.
Still,
Khara
felt
as
if
something
inside
her had
been
torn
a
w
ay.
She
considered
that
perhaps
the
w
eeks
of ceaseless preparation
had
simply
put
e
v
eryone
in
a
foul
mood.
Nandor
,
th
e
ro
y
a
l
bodyguard
,
ha
d
spen
t
mos
t
o
f
th
e
las
t
few
days pacing the wide hall
w
ays, chanting.
Only her father, who
ha
d
strengt
h
enoug
h
fo
r
a
whol
e
kingdom
,
greete
d
eac
h
day
with a smile.

Khara
turned
her
attention
to
the
cabinet
standing
alone
on the
eastern
w
all.
She
opened
it
slo
w
ly
to
find
a
statuette
of
Isis, her
winged
arms
spread
protecti
v
ely,
staring
back
at
her.
She pra
y
ed,
Daughter
of
the
earth
and
sky,
your
ser
v
ant
is
willing,
but
am
I truly
ready?
Y
ou
know
my
heart.
If
I
find
satisfaction
in
your
e
y
es, gi
v
e
me
the
conviction
of
those
who
stood
at
the
great
balcony
before me. Let the light of Egypt shine fore
v
er.

Sh
e
touche
d
he
r
nos
e
t
o
th
e
statue’
s
fee
t
an
d
returne
d
the
goddess to darkness.

Restless,
she
left
the
wing
of
family
residences
and
turned
right
.
He
r
fathe
r
an
d
Nando
r
w
er
e
ahea
d
o
f
her
,
thei
r
pace
leisurely
as
they
made
their
w
ay
down
the
airy
v
estibule
that
ra
n
th
e
lengt
h
o
f
th
e
palace
.
The
y
w
er
e
a
n
eas
y
pai
r
t
o
spot; Nando
r
’
s
colossa
l
shoulder
s
to
w
ere
d
hig
h
abo
v
e
th
e
hea
d
of
an
y
Egyptian
,
an
d
i
n
contras
t
t
o
he
r
fathe
r
’
s
precisel
y
tucked
white
linen
robe,
he
wore
a
leopard
skin
across
one
shoulder,
a loincloth, and a golden cuff
around his ankle.

Soo
n
th
e
ceremon
y
woul
d
begin
,
y
e
t
ther
e
w
a
s
stil
l
no
sign
of
her
sister.
None
of
your
tricks
today,
Mennie.
Y
ou
ga
v
e
me your
word.
Khara
paused,
resting
her
forehead
against
the
cool limestone until her lurching stomach quieted.