What the River Knows

“The ring glinted in the soft light, and I remembered the first time I’d slipped it on. The moment I touched it, my fingers had tingled, a burning current had raced up my arm, and my mouth had filled with the taste of roses. An image of a woman walked across my vision, disappearing when I blinked.”

The tiny golden ring possesses enormous significance to the plot because it grants the protagonist the power to sense objects imbued with Cleopatra’s magic. The ring serves as a motif of the theme of The Perils of Extending and Withholding Trust because Cayo entrusts the treasure to his daughter, and the roses that Inez tastes during her visions symbolize Cleopatra.

“‘Well then,’ I said in Spanish. ‘You’ll understand when I tell you that I won’t be leaving Egypt. If we’re going to be traveling together, I ought to know your name.’ ‘You’re getting back onto the boat in the next ten minutes. A formal introduction hardly seems worth it.’”

Inez and Whit’s relationship follows the rivals-to-lovers trope, and their frosty first meeting establishes their conflicting objectives. As Ricardo’s employee, Whit is meant to ensure that Inez returns to Argentina immediately. This causes Inez to see Whit as an obstacle to her investigation into her parents’ deaths. As their relationship deepens, the young couple often engage in banter like the repartee in this excerpt, which adds to the story’s romantic tension and humor.

“‘As you can see, this lady is about to be hysterical,’ Mr. Sterling interjected quickly. ‘I’d like to change compartments.’ ‘Not until you give it back!’ Mr. Sterling smiled coldly, a shrewd gleam in his light eyes. ‘Why would I give my ring to you?’”

Mr. Sterling’s theft of the ring marks an important development for the plot and the theme of Power Dynamics and Colonialism. He holds power in this scene because of his age, ethnicity, and position in the British Antiquities Service. He discredits Inez by accusing her of being “hysterical.” The word has historically been used to dismiss women’s experiences and deny their agency. In addition, the scene connects to Great Britain’s historical plundering of Egypt because the official suspects the artifact can guide him to even more treasures to claim.

“In this part of the city, he was someone else entirely. I tried to pin down the difference. For one thing, he hadn’t tried to flirt with me. For another, he wasn’t ordering me around. But it was more than that. He seemed lighter, and the hard edge in his eyes had softened. And instead of trying to trick me, he had led me exactly where I wanted to go.”

Inez and Whit’s trip to the Khan el-Khalili bazaar improves their relationship and helps them progress toward friendship and romance. The protagonist observes that the young man seems like “someone else entirely” in this scene. As their relationship develops, Inez sees more of this unguarded side of Whit. She eventually learns that he hides behind cynicism and empty flirting because of the shame he harbors over his dishonorable discharge from the British military.

“Dear Monsieur Maspero, It was wonderful dining with you. Please allow me to beg your pardon for my brother’s astonishing behavior. I hope you know that my husband and I respect your efforts and work at the museum, despite what Ricardo might imply. I greatly fear that he’s become involved with disreputable individuals associated with illegal activities here in Cairo.”

The letter Inez discovers in her parents’ suite convinces her that Ricardo cannot be trusted, but this is actually a red herring planted by Lourdes. The message is especially ironic because Lourdes is the one “involved with disreputable individuals associated with illegal activities,” not her brother. Many of the novel’s revelations and plot points are introduced in the form of written messages. This contributes to the genre and time period by supplying clues for the mystery and by reflecting the delays and difficulties people experienced with the era’s means of communication.

“Kareem helped me purchase a long tunic, called a galabeya, which partially hid my leather boots. I pointed to his tarboosh, and Kareem managed to find one identical to his. I dressed behind a woven blanket Kareem held up for me, next to an old building with a crumbling roof, and together we walked to the eastern bank where the Elephantine was moored.”

Inez takes a key step in her investigation by sneaking onto her uncle’s boat so she can join his top secret archaeological expedition. Her achievement showcases two of her main traits, resourcefulness and persistence. She sticks to her plan despite the setbacks and dangers she encounters, and she secures a disguise so she can hide among the Elephantine’s crew. The scene touches on the theme of trust because the innocent young Kareem is one of the few characters without a hidden agenda and thus a valuable ally for Inez.

“A Nile crocodile. Ten yards away and gaining ground […] Mr. Hayes came up, shook his head, his hair dark brown and wet, plastered across his face. He reached me in one breath and gripped my hand. ‘Oh no, oh no,’ I babbled. ‘I won’t let anything happen to you,’ he said calmly. ‘Take a big breath.’”

The scene in which Whit rescues Inez for the first time marks a turning point in their relationship. The author gives her adventure story’s protagonist and her love interest a distinctly Egyptian peril in the form of a Nile crocodile. The incident also advances the rivals-to-lovers romance. Even though Whit hasn’t admitted his feelings for Inez yet, his actions and his promise that he “won’t let anything happen” to her make it clear that he is no longer looking after her merely because she’s his employer’s niece.

“Ricardo said he hadn’t meant to hurt me, but he did. Even now, I carry the bruises. I can’t ignore the truth. I fear for my life. I fear for Cayo’s life. And I don’t know what I should do. He is my brother. But he is a murderer.”

The novel creates layers of suspense in this scene. While a gale threatens to capsize the Elephantine, Inez reads her mother’s diary and becomes convinced that her uncle killed her parents. In reality, the diary entry is another false lead planted by Lourdes to deceive her daughter and frame her brother.

“‘Over the years, we have made astounding discoveries.’ I frowned. ‘But I never heard of any.’ ‘You wouldn’t have,’ Abdullah replied. ‘Because after every single one, I’ve given the directive to cover our tracks. It was actually my sister Zazi’s idea, and before she passed, she asked Ricardo and I to continue the practice. No one on my team is allowed to take anything, or reveal what they have seen. We have kept the same loyal crew since the beginning, and our goal is to record what we’ve found so that future generations can learn about our history.’”

In this chapter, Inez and the reader meet Abdullah, the brilliant archaeologist behind her uncle and parents’ expeditions. His careful secrecy connects to the theme of power dynamics and colonialism because he fears that smugglers will sell the artifacts to foreign buyers if word of his team’s discoveries gets out. Ricardo’s loyalty to his late wife and to his brother-in-law’s noble mission to preserve Egyptian history offers a clue that he is worthy of Inez’s trust.

“‘Are you always so good at following orders?’ I asked bitterly. He straightened away from me, his blue eyes lit with an anger I’d never seen. ‘As a matter of fact, I am not.’ ‘I find that very hard to believe.’ ‘You don’t know anything about me. I’ve kept it that way.’”

Inez and Whit’s tumultuous romance experiences many setbacks over the course of the novel. This argument occurs when Inez realizes that her parents’ disappearances are somehow connected to Tradesman’s Gate but Whit refuses to tell her what he knows. Whit’s fury at being asked if he’s always “good at following orders” foreshadows the revelation that he was dishonorably discharged from the British military. This scene occurs about halfway through the novel and serves as a reminder that there are still many secrets that Inez and Whit do not trust one another with.

“I sighed. ‘He’s going to cut up the body and pulverize it. The magic is rumored to heal any sickness.’ I paused. ‘There’s a rumor he’s ill with consumption.’ Ricardo’s eyelids drifted shut. ‘Damn.’ ‘What do you want to do?’ His eyes opened, blazing and intense. ‘We find her first, and then make sure that he never does.’”

Whit’s sleuthing reveals the motivation driving Mr. Sterling, one of the novel’s antagonists. Sterling’s intention to desecrate and ingest Cleopatra’s remains raises the mission’s stakes and connects to power dynamics and colonialism because Europeans historically ingested pulverized mummies for purported health benefits.

“Our faces were inches apart. ‘You can’t just pretend that you don’t feel it. What exists between us.’ ‘Listen, there’s nothing—’ I leaned forward and pressed my lips against his.”

Inez and Whit’s first kiss is an important progression in their romance. However, he informs her that he’s engaged immediately afterwards. Even in this moment of intimacy, there are obstacles that threaten to doom their relationship.

“My eyes were assaulted by the stately beauty. Thousands of objects sparkled back at me: golden shrines topped with statuettes of deities, models of boats and barges, and several chariots. Whit’s attention snagged on rolls of parchment piled high. He stared hungrily, but when he noticed me looking, he turned away and motioned toward an enormous statue greeting us, topped by the figure of a jackal reposed, and decorated with gold leaf accents.”

This passage provides vivid descriptions of Cleopatra’s tomb, which Inez and Whit discover together. The atmosphere of wonder and triumph is dashed when Ricardo appears. Inez thinks she’s failed her mother by leading her uncle right to the prize he seeks. In addition, the way that Whit “hungrily” eyes the parchments foreshadows the revelation that he is searching for an ancient spell.

“‘Why can’t you leave all this? You gave Egypt seventeen years of your life.’ I thought about the six lonely months every year without my parents, back in Argentina, hurt that they never took me with them. Missed birthdays and holidays, countless hours I’d never get back. Now my father was gone, and all I wanted was to hold on to Mamá. Terror gripped me. I didn’t want to lose her to Egypt. ‘Hasn’t it taken enough?’ Mamá let out a shuddering breath. A quiet sob that fractured my heart. ‘I can’t. I thought you understood.’ ‘What? What don’t I understand?’ “‘Ricardo murdered your father.’”

This passage weaves together the themes of living with grief and loneliness and the perils of extending and withholding trust. Inez’s dialogue lays bare the lifelong pain she carries from spending “six lonely months every year without [her] parents,” and she experiences a fresh agony when her mother validates her fears about her father’s death. Lourdes exploits her daughter’s grief by falsely claiming that Ricardo murdered Cayo, a cruel lie that helps ensure Inez’s compliance with her smuggling.

“‘I’m attracted to you, Whit. More than I’d ever expected.’ More than a friend, but I bit down on the words. I still had my pride, and she governed me ruthlessly. ‘There’s no tomorrow for us, we don’t even have today. But I wanted you to know how I felt. Even if you don’t feel the same way.’ […] ‘Inez,’ he whispered, his voice hoarse, ‘it goes both ways.’”

In a major development for the novel’s romance, Inez confesses her feelings to Whit, and he reciprocates them. At this point, neither of the characters believes they can have a future together, and Inez only voices her attraction because she is convinced that she will leave Philae with her mother that night and never see Whit again.

“Dear Inez, This is goodbye. I know it would have been kinder to let you think I’d died, but once you arrived in Philae, I had to factor you into my plans. I urge you to leave Egypt. Forget what you’ve seen and heard, and move on with your life. You have so much ahead of you. Marry the son of the consul, have your own family, and begin again. Don’t come looking for me. You won’t like what you find, Inez. Mamita”

After Lourdes takes all of the artifacts Inez gathered and abandons her daughter on Philae, Inez finds this goodbye letter. This development advances the theme of the perils of extending and withholding trust. Inez betrayed the trust of her uncle and everyone else on the archaeological team and gave hundreds of precious artifacts to a smuggler. At the same time, her own trust was sorely abused by her mother. The protagonist spends much of the remainder of the novel desperate to stop her mother and undo the damage she caused.

“Before me stood a raised dais where a sarcophagus rested above the other two flanking it. The taste of roses burst in my mouth, and I knew, without having to look more closely, who was interred in the center.”

The adventurers at last enter the destination they’ve searched for, the burial room of Cleopatra. The “taste of roses” comes from the mysterious magic that links the protagonist to the last pharaoh of Egypt. However, the protagonist’s joy at the discovery is undercut by her mother’s betrayal and the guilt she feels for helping the smuggler.

“‘How many times did I sit by your side as you cried about being left behind? Your parents died and then you were gone, without a word to anyone. Without telling me.’ She was right. I’d behaved abominably. It was unfair to be angry with her—she didn’t know how her arrival had upended my life. ‘Elvira, I’m so sorry. Perdóname.’”

Inez’s reunion with Elvira advances the protagonist’s growth by making her realize how her actions have hurt her loved ones. This exchange also serves to establish how important the cousins are to one another before Elvira’s death.

“I must protect everything I hold dear from her vile hands. Which is one of the reasons I sent you the golden ring, querida. Because of it, I was able to make a discovery on Philae that I’ve tried to keep from everyone else—especially your mother. But I might have failed. Finding people to trust has been supremely difficult, thanks to your mother. […] Please, never stop looking for me.”

The letter that Elvira finds in the suite at Shepheard’s develops the theme of the perils of extending and withholding trust by showing how Cayo struggled with these issues just as his daughter does. He sent Inez the ring so that she could protect Cleopatra’s tomb, but, ironically, Inez has already fallen for her mother’s deception and given her hundreds of Cleopatra’s treasures by the time she reads his warning. Cayo’s letter gives the protagonist hope that her father is alive, and his plea that she “never stop looking” for him presents another mystery for Inez to solve in the second book.

“‘My mother might let Elvira die for me, but I can’t do that. I’m not my mother.’ Whit gripped my arms, his face wild and desperate. ‘I won’t let you do this.’ ‘I don’t answer to you.’ ‘You don’t answer to anyone, which is part of the issue,’ Whit snapped.”

In a suspenseful plot development, Lourdes’s enemies mistake Elvira for Inez and kidnap her. Inez is determined to rescue her cousin, but Whit is “wild and desperate” to keep the person he loves out of danger. The banter between the young couple adds a note of humor to the tense scene.

“I went as fast as I could, but in the end it didn’t matter. I arrived two days too late. The Mahdis beheaded General Gordon on the palace steps. A week later, I was dishonorably discharged for desertion.”

Whit explains that he was dishonorably discharged from the British military for his valiant but ultimately futile efforts to save General Gordon at Khartoum. This backstory helps to explain his characterization, especially his cynicism and drinking. Additionally, Whit’s story shows the same fierce loyalty he later demonstrates to Ricardo and Inez.

“‘How could you have known Elvira would come after you?’ ‘Because she always did,’ I said. Anguish tied up my stomach in knots. ‘She always did what I did. And Mamá offered her up for slaughter in my stead.’ I leaned forward, my gaze intent on my uncle. ‘But I will make this right, Tío. I’ll get the artifacts back.’”

Elvira’s death interweaves the themes of the perils of extending and withholding trust and living with grief and loneliness. Inez’s cousin is dead because Inez trusted the wrong person. The vivid verb phrase “offered her up for slaughter” illustrates Lourdes’s ruthlessness and underlines the danger she still poses. Inez’s determination to avenge her cousin offers a trajectory for the rest of the duology.

“‘What else can I do?’ ‘You can’t marry him.’ He lifted his hand and rubbed his eyes. They were bloodshot, tired, and red-rimmed. […] ‘Marry me instead.’”

Whit’s proposal to Inez marks a major development for the novel’s plot and romance. However, the author creates a foreboding tone rather than a celebratory one. Whit has “bloodshot” eyes because he recently resumed drinking, indicating that something is wrong. He’s simultaneously forward and distant with Inez, seemingly a different person from the man who protected her from the kidnappers just a few chapters ago. The novel chooses not to reveal Whit’s motives for proposing to Inez.