Lion Head Mesa She rings like a bell through the night.

senmut tucked her against his hip.

the sun rose and he gently stood, careful not to jostle nazli.

the glow struck golden words across the edge of the world! senmut sang.

his voice lifted through the octave of each word; it wavered with the shimmering heat that grew toward akashingo. he shut his eyes and pretended that nazli sang with him, a priestess training beneath the love of Iset.

senmut was impassioned; his brow furrowed as he offered each note in perfection to the ears of Ra. the god's light touched the young priest; he felt himself swathed in it, surrounded. his coat burned as the hottest ember as the sun bathed each hair; he stood beside sleeping nazli in conflagration.

the song did not end for eleven minutes.

when senmut slumped breathlessly down, it was to reach, to waken her.

"Ra comes to us again."

and senmut pointed to the morning, to the sea of gold spreading to every edge of the kingdom.