A Parisian Sultana, Vol. 2 (of 3)

At the meeting of the White and Blue Niles, a small European flotilla slips past the towering mimosa trees that mark the gateway for travelers heading deeper into Africa. The riverbanks stretch flat and endless, dotted with acacias and haunted by swarms of mosquitoes that seem content to ignore the strangers. On board, the young Egyptian captain—Paris‑educated and impeccably courteous—challenges Madame de Guéran and her companions to join him for a night on his steamship, the Khedive. Their conversation drifts to the grim reality of the slave trade, a relentless struggle that even the captain’s two‑year campaign under Sir Samuel Baker has failed to quell.

A sudden, fetid odor rolls downstream, heralding a massive, unmanned boat that glides silently toward them. The captain orders the engines to halt, then invites the guests to board the mysterious vessel, promising a discovery that might offset the trouble they have endured. As the night deepens and the moon filters through the mimosa canopy, the travelers step onto the alien craft, unaware of the hidden motives and dangers that await within.