Pharaoh-mones - Kendra Moreno Page 0,3

be expected to cater to the elite the entire time, but it came with the job. You had to kiss ass to investors, even if it was the government of the country you were working in.

Muhammed helped me unload my bags and escorted me to the front desk, his kind eyes constantly on me. He didn’t leave my side until I was checked in and safely inside the elevator heading up to my floor. He was sweet, and I felt comfortable in his presence through the entire ordeal. As the elevator doors closed, he waved goodbye and I did the same. Hopefully, I’d see him again.

My room was on the fourth floor, and the desk agent had said my roommate was already waiting for me in the room. Looking forward to meeting her, I dragged my bag down the hall, the sand already wreaking havoc on the tiny wheels. All the files had told me her name and her credentials, so I knew her enough. In addition to Dr. Crenshaw choosing me for the dig, he’d also chosen six grad students to come and assist. I’d had the same opportunity when I was a grad student, though my dig had been far less exciting. Still, I’d gotten to dig for dinosaur bones in the Texas deserts, and it was still some of the best times of my life. We’d found pieces, nothing extravagant, but still something for the museums. These students would be part of a historical dig, something guaranteed to be written in the history books. As they aged, they’d be able to point to the pyramid and say, “I was there when it was first opened. I was on that dig”. They were all looking to make their mark on the world, just like I was. The only difference was they wouldn’t be credited with anything, but that was the sad part of being an assistant rather than the lead. Of course, though I knew I’d get credit, I wasn’t sure how much I’d be given with someone like Dagen Crenshaw running the show.

Jessica Bellamy, my roommate, was top of her class the same as I was, ambitious to a fault, a prodigy in her own right. Her father was a deep-sea explorer, British Special Forces, and had been one of the pioneers of discovery for the Titanic. She grew up with it in her blood, had probably seen some amazing things in her life already. She was brilliant from what I could tell, and beautiful going from the picture. I was looking forward to meeting her and having someone just as excited as I was with me on the dig.

When I found the door for my room, I knocked twice before sliding the keycard into the mechanism and pushed it open.

“Jessica? It’s Delilah Jackson. I’m your roommate,” I called out before pushing the door wider. I didn’t want to catch her undressed. Before I could peer around and look farther, the door was yanked all the way open and I was pulled into a strong hug with an oof.

“I’ve been so excited to meet you! Welcome to Egypt! I only got here an hour ago,” she exclaimed in a proper British accent before releasing me, allowing me to breath. “I’m so glad we got paired up.”

It was bound to happen since we were the only two women of the group. The rest were all men. “It’s nice to meet you, too,” I gushed, following her further into the room.

“Can you believe we’re here? You’re like my goals, girl. You get to have your name on this dig and be one of the first inside! How cool is that?”

I opened my mouth, but no words came out. It’d been months since I’d gotten the news and I still couldn’t talk about it without stumbling over my words. No, I couldn’t believe I was here. It took me a few seconds to find my voice. “It’s amazing. I’m so excited, I still don’t know how to handle it.”

“Well, I’m really excited to work with you, Dr. Jackson. Honestly, it’s an honor.”

“Please, just call me Delilah. There’s really no need for formalities between us. Especially since we’re going to be living together.”

“I’ll let you unpack. Let me know if you need anything, girl. I’m going to shower and sleep off some of this jet lag.”

She flounced away, so much energy, I wondered how she was able to contain it all. But I liked her instantly. Her excitement was infectious and