"Enough!" commands nilaja, rising abruptly from her seat. "Waeb Kissatutu... over here, NOW. The rest of you, be off!"

With that, the group of domestics comes to a complete standstill, suddenly motionless, momentarily blending in with the garden statuary. Khensit stops in her tracks, arm extended skyward, still clutching the switch, as Kissa stands frozen and wide-eyed, mouth agape.

*clapping her hands

"You heard her!" demands Mirjam, "Be off with you!"

The pair of lions, unfazed by all this commotion, yawn then saunter away casually, returning to the shade of their favorite palm.

"Come then, Kissa. What's this all about?" questions nilaja.

"H-hotep, Most Holy Ones...W-w-well .... " stutters the waif as she bows, "First, there's this amulet. The one given to me by Tamyt, the craft vendor in town. Remember? Well, it's been..." She hesitates.

"Go on, girl," encourages the Chief Lector.

"I... I always have it with me, for good luck, as advised, but it's been keeping me awake at night. It... it gets warm. Sometimes, too warm, and it vibrates. When I do sleep, I have dreams. Wild dreams. Amun! The Great Netjer. He comes to me... I..."

"Hmmmmm," responds nilaja, deep in thought. "Continue."

"Then there's.. There's this scroll. It was sent to me by Master Oset in Alexandria, but I can not.. I can not..."

"Oh WHAT, then?" asks Mirjam, her patience tried.

"I can't read it."

"Ohhhhh," sighs the Chief Lector. She pats Kissa's shoulder reassuringly. "Not to worry little one, I can help you with that! But as far as the amulet, I... I.... Hmmmm, I....."

Blinding silence.

This time, all three are at a loss for words.