Egyptian 5: 6 — Steve Elliott

Captive: Thanks to Eyes, the bird that Behena has trained to spy on Doga and Muthis, Behena realizes that Doga is planning another nefarious scheme. However, to her frustration, she can't discover what it is. But, in the meantime, to their mutual delight, by using Eyes to carry messages, Behena is finally able to contact her mother.But Behena's inability to determine what Doga is doing is soon partially rectified, although this knowledge leads to a perilous situation. Behena is forced to flee from the house, when the royal guards come seeking all of the city's young girls. Such a mass abduction seems incomprehensible to Behena and her companions, and it makes them wonder why Doga is committing such a bizarre action. What is he going to do with all of the girls? And will Behena and Khansa be able to escape his clutches?Doga's evil plan is finally revealed, and, to counteract it, Behena and her friends have to resort to a remarkably dangerous solution. Conflicted: Behena is worried about Doga's lack of action. She feels that he is planning something, but she can't identify what it might be. However, in the meantime, she finds herself under surveillance by a stranger who is dressed rather strangely. He eventually hands her a peculiar token, which makes her concluded that he might be a member of a secret society that is planning to depose Doga.This conclusion is fortified by a dream, where she recognizes the mysterious man who has been watching her. Using one of her trained birds, and aided by Hawa's spell, she determines where and when this society meets, and she determines to join a meeting to see if she can recruit these people as possible allies in her fight to overthrow Doga's rule.Behena, along with Nebat, manage to participate in a society meeting, and find the members to be somewhat fanatical in their hatred of Doga. They are also extremely secretive, and reluctant to tell Behena their plans. However, they ask her to join them in a palace raid. Behena accepts, offering to lead the members, since she is the one most familiar with the palace corridors. But she's conflicted, desperately wondering if undertaking this mission is really the right thing to do.The raid begins, and initially, all goes well. But they soon run into an insurmountable problem which not even Behena can solve. The leader of the secret society then suggests a horrifying solution. It's a solution so unthinkable that Behena instantly rejects it. As a result, Behena and her friends have to flee for their lives.