Mer Ek

Pharai

"Professor Alya this is Professor Runihura Amara," Ebrahem smiled as Golden Eyes or rather Runihura approached us with a neutral facial expression. My blood was pumping through my body so viscously it felt like I could hear every single movement of my chambers as they opened and closed.

"It is nice to meet you Professor Alya, I've heard a lot of good things about you," Runihura's wine coloured lips stretched into a smile exposing his sparkling pure white teeth. His caramel skin for the first time seemed to have lost its glow to look almost dull. More human, if I could say.

He extended his hand out for me to shake. Everyone in the room stared at me with raised eyebrows whilst I just stared at Runihura in complete amazement. Then I remembered how crazy I must have looked to everyone. I stretched my arm out and shook his hand.

Our eyes met as soon as our skin made contact with one another. An electricity ran from my fingers, up my arm and throughout my body. It had the hairs on my body standing in attention. A deep warmth birthed in my stomach that my lips parted on their own accord as a silent gasp left my lips.

My body was attracted to the warmth his hand radiated like a moth to a flame. His golden eyes were tinted by his glasses that they looked browner yet they still had that alluring nature to them that you just wanted to be closer.

"Professor Amara," I nodded then pressed my lips together, "I look forward to working with you."

"And so do I," the tip of his tongue ran on the bottom edge of his upper row of teeth. Just like a wolf he looked ready to devour me.

"Well, let us sit so I can explain your roles to one another," Ebrahem let out a breathy chuckle as he waved his hand in the direction of a door that seemed to lead to a board room.

There were already a few drinks and finger foods laid out with sweet treats. My stomach growled quietly and I frowned realizing I had completely forgotten to eat breakfast that morning. My mind had been everywhere else these days that my diet was truly the last thing on my mind.

I jolted in surprise when a large warm hand rested on the small of my back then gently pushed me forward. I looked up in surprise to find Runihura stood right next to me. There was barely any space between our bodies and strangely my body felt no need to move away from him.

"Al'asatidhat sayasilun qariba. Linafeal hadha bisureatin," his thunderous voice lowly said into my ear. His velvet soft lips pressed against the shell of my ear which I figured to be a kiss. I let out a gasp and snapped myself out of whatever trance he had put me in and jumped away from him like he was a hot stove. (The professors will be arriving soon. Let's do this quickly.)

He let out a breathy chuckle as I looked at Lobdell and Ebrahem in terror but they did not even seem to pay attention to us as they sat at the table with glasses of juice in their hands.

Wanting to create as much distance between Runihura and myself as possible I pulled the chair next to Lobdell then sat down. Yet the man seemed to have no shame at all as he took his time to pour himself a glass of orange juice and even pick a few foods for himself that he placed on a small plate.

He placed the glass of juice in front of me with the food, "Yakulu Mer Ek." (Eat.)

My face flushed when I realized what he had called me. As a scholar of ancient Egypt one had to learn the language Ancient Egyptian which consisted of hieroglyphics. You had to learn their language before you could even learnt their scriptures. That was why I knew that 'Mer Ek' meant 'love' in hieroglyph.

He pulled the chair next to me and sat down. I vowed not to eat the food he had given me but he seemed to have read my expression. He picked up the small heart shaped chocolate then held it up to my lips. Lobdell looked at us from the corner of his eye and just to end whatever the hall was going on I quickly took the chocolate into my mouth and chewed it quickly.

That seemed to satisfy Runihura as he moved away from me with a smile. I just decided to eat whatever he had put on my plate because I did not want him trying to feed me once again.

"Runihura and Pharai, you'll be responsible for teaching our masters and PhD scholars who are interested in archaeology and Egyptology. Runihura is a master in Egyptology especially when it comes to the religious studies and mythology. Whilst Pharai you are excellent when it comes to the day to day life of Egyptians and how their system worked," Ebrahem smiled.

"You'll be out in the field more because the scholars will need a lot of practical work. Since Runihura has a lot more experience when it comes to the digs you will be shadowing him for the explorations we have lined up for the year," Lobdell continued.

I nodded in understanding, "How often will we go out to the desert?"

"Every second month for a month," Runihura explained, "We have to report back to the directors of both the museum and the university. The government is funding us therefore we have to come back often to give them a report of our progress and get their approval if we continue."

"I see," I took a sip of my juice to help moisten my dry lips. I tried my best to focus on what everyone was saying but Runihura's eyes constantly made me squirm in my seat.

Working with him was going to be a nightmare.