The Secret of the Sands Trilogy Read online

  PRAISE FOR DESTINY OF THE SANDS

  “High adventure, past and present, merge into a multi-leveled tale of epic proportions in this triumphant sequel to the best-selling novel, Secret Of The Sands!”

  – Gary Val Tenuta, author of Ash: Return Of The Beast and The Ezekiel Code

  PRAISE FOR SECRET OF THE SANDS

  2009 READERS FAVORITE SILVER MEDALIST FOR FICTION-MYSTERY

  “This is my kind of book. Please, please make a continuing series and a movie! The authors are extremely talented. I cannot praise this book enough. Fast paced, page turner, character development, fascinating plot…what more could I ask for.”

  – ReadersFavorite.com

  “Their detailed storytelling paints a picture of ancient Egypt in all its glory. The reader feels they are a part of the book, living amongst the Kierani people. The end of the novel leaves the reader curious and wanting more. This reader can hardly wait for the sequel, Destiny of the Sands.”

  – Authors on the Rise Book Reviews

  “This is a WOW of a book!!...For those of us who are lovers of the ancient worlds, Egypt, present and past, archaeology, the metaphysical, and mystical happenings, this is a great choice for you.”

  – Ellen in Atlanta, Amazon Vine Voice, Top 1000 Reviewer

  “This is a beautifully written book and I enjoyed reading it very much, and I would readily recommend it to anyone looking for a good story to read.”

  – Jym Cherry, reviewer, Sonar4 Science Fiction & Horror eZine

  “This novel is innovative, concise and enthralling. Fluctuating between present day and ancient Egypt, the pace never decelerates. The reader is treated to plausible theories regarding many riddles of this mysterious civilization. This time-honored culture is so clearly portrayed with characters which are so skillfully brought to life that one can easily imagine they are actually present as events are unfolding. The story comes to a clear conclusion yet leaves the reader desperately hoping there will be a sequel…. or a trilogy…. or even better yet, a whole series of these phenomenal books!”

  – www.allthesebooks.com

  “The authors have successfully woven a story based on archeological events mixed with their own ideas of what happened to the Sphinx and the mysteries surrounding it.”

  – www.sabrinareviews.com

  “Rai Aren & Tavius E. write a spellbinding mix of mystery, history, fantasy, and adventure in this tale of two histories – one told in the present, the other told from the past – telling a story of misused power, learning how to trust, and the fate of civilization.”

  – www.TeensReadToo.com

  “A deep probing mystery riddled with prophecy and danger, Secret of the Sands uses Egypt and her mythology as a backdrop to delve into the meanings of life and religion.”

  – McNally Robinson

  “Rai Aren and Tavius E. have crafted a fast-paced, exciting novel overflowing with mystery and intrigue. The tension is constant. The characters fully developed. And the plot gripping. Ancient history and present day relevance are so expertly intertwined, that you might forget you are reading a work of fiction.”

  – Thomas Phillips, author of The Molech Prophecy

  “Secret of the Sands has BLOCKBUSTER written all over it! …Fans of what might be called the “Indiana Jones” genre of fiction will be thrilled with Secret of the Sands. Like a race horse on steroids it blasts out of the gate in the opening prologue and doesn’t stop running until it reaches the finish line. This remarkably well conceived and well executed first-time novel by Rai Aren and her co-author, Tavius E. is loaded with adventure, prophecy, mystery, secrets, deception, epic-scale battles, romance, good guys, bad guys, liars, cheaters, scoundrels, and, of course, heroes…Secret of the Sands is a thrill-ride…”

  – Gary Val Tenuta, author of The Ezekiel Code

  “The description that initially comes to mind is Indiana Jones, with a bit of Stargate, Mummy, and 5th Element, yet remaining completely unique. Secret of the Sands is an excitingly vivid, page-turning adventure infused with history, humor, and excitement. Rai Aren and Tavius E. have created a spectacular story with characters that I just love or simply love to hate. Like National Treasure, there is just enough historical and scientific fact mixed in to make the fictional story plausible and fun. And what a wonderful way to spotlight archaeological theories that have lost the public eye. I kept wanting to read and, by half-way through, I didn’t want to put it down. Secret of the Sands was a thrill ride until the very end and I loved every minute of it!”

  – Marauder, Deputy Headmistress of the Official Potterholics Annonymous

  “Secrets, deceit and lies can make almost any novel exciting. But, add to that, two stories simultaneously told then throw in some romance, science fiction and a power struggle and what do you get? A true page turner that takes you on one heck of a journey.”

  – Michael Balkind, author of Sudden Death & Dead Ball

  “The pacing is flawless, the characters well-defined, the history thoroughly researched. The authors have done their homework, and I can’t wait for the sequel. I would enthusiastically recommend this novel to anyone who wants a real page-turner!”

  – Norma Beishir, author of Chasing the Wind & the bestselling novels Angels at Midnight & A Time for Legends

  “This book bounces back and forth in a fascinating balance between modern day archeologists and a theoretical civilization from 12,000 years ago…The story is told in a deft, yet casual style that makes it accessible and fun for any reader.”

  – Donald Gorman, author of Paradox & The Red Veil

  “The authors take us on a wild rollercoaster ride full of secrets, romance, lust, seduction, loyalty, royalty and deception that takes place 12,000 years ago where all is not as it seems. Two modern day Indiana Jones type archaeologists discover the secret of the sands and unravel the mysteries and dangers the secret holds.”

  – Mike Monahan, author of Barracuda

  “I’d recommend this to anyone who is enchanted by ancient civilizations and the mysteries of how things might have come to be, such as why and how the Sphinx was constructed.”

  – Ruth Ann Nordin, Historical Romance Author

  “Secret of the Sands is far from your typical archaeologist-finally-finds-ancient-archetype scenario. It is much, much more. Definitely a book that one can say ‘satisfies your thirst, yet leaves you quenching for more...’”

  – J.R. Reardon, author of Confidential Communications & Dishonored

  “While I’ve certainly enjoyed my share of novels, few of them have left me wanting to rush out and by the sequel as much as this one does.”

  – Debra Purdy Kong, author of Fatal Encryption & Taxed to Death

  “Have you ever wondered how old the Sphinx really is? Have you been intrigued by the mysteries swirling like the desert sands around this awesome ancient monument? Rai Aren and Tavius E. have written a mesmerizing story in which two young archaeologists discover an artifact that could provide all of the answers. But they are not the only ones who are interested in this relic, for it holds a power unlike anything seen on Earth before... This novel is packed with adventure and suspense, and the style is fast-paced and filled with vivid description.”

  – Susan Jane McLeod, author of Soul and Shadow & Fire and Shadow

  “It is my belief that Rai Aren & Tavius E. fit as Master Storytellers and Great Authors.”

  – Lance Oren, author of Chances R & Huracán

  “A wonderful, exciting story!”

  – Lila Pinord, author of Min’s Monster, Skye Dancer & Evil Lives in Blue Rock

  “The mark of a truly good story is one that transcends the ages. Although the writers may b
ase some of their novel in the past, a good yarn echoes into the present and future, as well. Secret of the Sands cherishes love, family and honor, condemns evil and treachery and presents us with a tantalizing theory of what lies beneath the great sphinx.”

  – Ann B. Keller, author of The Devil’s Crescent & Crenellations

  “Secret of the Sands mixes mystery, ancient Egypt, romance, and as well as paranormal elements to make a fascinating novel.”

  – Cheryl Koch, Amazon Vine Voice

  BOOKS BY RAI AREN & TAVIUS E.

  Secret of the Sands

  Destiny of the Sands

  BOOKS BY RAI AREN

  Lost City of Gold

  Revelation of the Sands

  THE

  TRILOGY

  The Secret of the Sands Trilogy

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination (excluding references to actual historical figures and events) or are used fictitiously and should not be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  THE SECRET OF THE SANDS TRILOGY. Copyright © 2015 by Rai Aren. All rights reserved. Published in the United States of America. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

  For information address:

  [email protected].

  FIRST EDITION – Published by RFS Publications, December 2015

  Aren, R.

  The Secret of the Sands Trilogy: novels/Rai Aren

  Visit Rai Aren on the World Wide Web at:

  www.secretofthesands.com

  Cover design by Gary Val Tenuta, GVTgrafix: www.bookcoversandvideos.webs.com

  Editing by Janet Bessey of Dragonfly Editing: dragonflyediting.blogspot.ca

  Book formatting and design by Maureen Cutajar, www.gopublished.com

  To the myriad of life on earth and all its mysteries and magic that inspire us and fire our imaginations every day…

  ~Rai & Tavius

  Table of Contents

  Secret of the Sands

  Destiny of the Sands

  Revelation of the Sands

  About the Authors

  Additional Work

  “History is the version of past events that people have decided to agree upon.”

  ~ Napoleon Bonaparte

  PROLOGUE

  Circa 10,000 B.C.

  Strangled shouts echoed throughout the temple as torchlight flickered outside the entrance. Several battle-hardened soldiers pounded on the door, trying to force their way in.

  Inside the temple, breathless and frightened, two young priests desperately tried to bar the door. Three other priests raced to the back of the temple to an inner sanctuary. Their long black hair was in tight braids, and they wore long, flowing, white robes and dark brown leather sandals. Their skin had a beautiful golden sheen to it. Around each of their necks hung an amulet in the shape of an ankh, with a glittering stone in the center of it.

  One of the priests was carrying a book of scrolls, held tightly to his chest. Inside the small room stood a wooden altar with low benches in front of it. The chamber walls were decorated with paintings of sacred scenes, ceremonies and images of worship. The priests moved the benches aside, frantically working to uncover a well-hidden trap door.

  One of the priests whispered, “There is no way out from here, we must do something!” The language they spoke was an ancient one.

  “We have no chance to escape,” another said, “but I must hide the book in the chest below. It must be protected. You have to keep them out long enough!”

  The three of them finally managed to open the trap door, which revealed a steep set of stairs leading down a dank, dark passageway carved from the earth.

  “I will be right back!” he said.

  With scrolls in hand, he raced down the crude earthen stairway. At the foot of the stairway was a stone chest with a beautiful, large, intricately detailed ankh carved into its lid.

  The priest opened the chest and withdrew one of two protective jeweled cylinders in which he placed the book of scrolls and sealed it tightly. He ran his finger reverently over the smooth carven ankh on its lid, invoking a silent prayer that the secret and powerful knowledge contained within would somehow remain safe.

  Time was running out. The intruders were breaking through the door. In desperation, the priests above the secret passageway slammed the trap door closed, shutting their companion in below. Quickly, the priests concealed the trap door and placed the benches back over it.

  They heard the clanking of steel and menacing voices shouting. They knew their enemies were coming through. Bravely they stood to face the onslaught of soldiers who were now merely seconds behind them.

  As the first soldier burst into the temple, one of the priests hit him on the back of the head with a staff, knocking him unconscious. A second soldier was struck in the face with a torch and fell screaming in agony to the ground.

  One of the priests reached into a pocket of his robe and grabbed a small pouch. From it he took some powder and tossed it into the face of the next soldier who came through the door.

  The man grasped his throat, his eyes burning, struggling for breath. The fine powder, working quickly, seared his vocal cords, his lungs. His death would be a silent one. The powder, lethal when inhaled, choked the last remaining breaths out of him. He fell to the ground at their feet, his eyes frozen wide in disbelief.

  Still more soldiers rushed into the room. The priests fought valiantly but they were no match for the merciless and vicious soldiers, in number or sheer brutality. The two priests who had initially tried to hold the doors were savagely stabbed in the stomach, dark red blood staining their once-pristine white robes. They collapsed to the ground, succumbing to the fatal wounds.

  One of the younger priests, witnessing his companions brutally slain before his eyes, screamed with anguish and raced forward to avenge their deaths. From the lifeless hands of one of the soldiers he grabbed a sword and lunged at the attackers, striking a blow on one of the soldier’s hands.

  The man cried out in pain. Injured and filled with rage, the soldier struck back, driving his blade into the young priest’s chest. The soldier smiled malevolently as the young man dropped to his knees and looked down to see the hilt of the sword protruding from his chest.

  Struggling for breath, his eyes disbelieving what his body could not deny, he fell to the ground. As he lay dying at the soldier’s feet, a single tear fell glistening down his cheek.

  Suddenly, a blinding blue light shone through into the temple from somewhere outside, disintegrating nearly everything in its path. A low rumble followed then grew in intensity. A massive explosion shook the very ground. Deafening sounds, thunderous, ensued as wood and stone were blasted into pieces. Fire and intense heat tore through the temple collapsing the ceiling, trapping and crushing everyone inside. All was left in ruins.

  Back in the cellar, the lone priest, in fear and confusion, heard the terrifying explosion. Then a deadly silence…

  CHAPTER

  1

  The Discovery

  Present-Day Egypt

  “I don’t know if I will ever get used to working in the heat of the Egyptian desert. I honestly think I am about to pass out,” Alex moaned. Her full name was Alexandra, but she preferred the simple, boyish name Alex.

  “I told you to get a better hat, the holes in that one are going to sear your brain,” Mitch said.

  “But it’s my favorite hat! Besides, I think it makes me look a little like Indiana Jones,” she said smiling and cracking an imaginary whip, as her long blond ponytail bounced and her bright blue eyes flashed with playfulness.

  Mitch laughed at his partner, his darker eyes and complexion providing him more defense against the burning rays. “Back to reality, Alex! We have serious work to do and if we don’
t speed things up, we’re toast. Dustimaine wants those ancient tools that were found yesterday to be cleaned and categorized by the end of the week.”

  Mitch and Alex were members of an excavation team working near the Great Sphinx at Giza. They reported to Professor Abner Dustimaine, who assigned them to finish up a site he had moved on from. The site was a large cellar, with an earthen stairway leading down into it. It was not far from a much larger site where he had found numerous ancient tombs, and where he was now focusing his own efforts. Very little had been found in the ancient cellar he left Mitch and Alex to work on, a few tools, broken pieces of pottery, but nothing of major consequence.

  “I think Old Dusty really has it out for us,” Alex said as she brushed a few wayward hairs out of her eyes.

  “Really? I never would have guessed that,” Mitch deadpanned. He then looked up at the massive monument that had fascinated them their entire young careers. “But at least we are working relatively close to the Sphinx.”

  “Yeah, that is true,” Alex said, gazing up at it. “I guess I shouldn’t complain so much. It is extraordinary,” she sighed. After a few moments she looked back to her partner, “But we’re not actually doing our own work yet, are we? All we’re doing is making sure the boundaries of Old Dusty’s site are clearly identified and to search for any additional items he was too busy to look for. I’d bet if we both fell over dead right now, he wouldn’t even notice!”

  “Sure he would, it would create more work for him having to cart out our corpses, and then he’d have no one else to do his grunt work for him. He’d be seriously choked with us if we kicked the bucket,” Mitch laughed. He then turned a bit more serious. “It is still an honor and a privilege to work in Egypt, Alex. It was our dream, remember?”

  Alex nodded, thinking back to her father, Dr. Devlan Logan, who she had always idolized. A celebrated Egyptologist himself, he was responsible for igniting his daughter’s interest in Egyptology, opening her eyes to all the magic and wonder of one of earth’s longest-lived and most accomplished civilizations. His death had hit her hard. Alex wiped away a tear, “I know you’re right, Mitch. I shouldn’t complain so much. This is what we always dreamed about. It’s just so hard sometimes. I wish someone out there would give us a chance to do something bigger, you know, recognize our potential, like my dad did.”