15
THAT EVENING, THEY ONCE AGAIN took up their positions within the temple. The moon shone down on the courtyards, as the guards shifted their stance, It was well into the evening, and the chirping of crickets became intolerable to Neti, her ears picking up the slightest of nuances.
She looked around the courtyard, the air between her and Shabaka still strained by the afternoon’s conversation, and it seemed to thicken with every moment that passed. She chose not to say anything, for not only did sound travel better at night, she did not want anyone else to eavesdrop on their conversation.
They remained stationary for several hours, and Neti again shifted, for possibly the hundredth time, wanting to ease the numbing sensation in her foot, when one of the guards sided up to them, huskily whispering, “There is one.”
A stout, dark figure appeared in the courtyard, stepping away from the pillars on the coliseum’s side. The man turned his head as if seeking someone, and Neti held her breath, awaiting the man’s next action.
“He’s not one of us?” Shabaka asked the guard.
“No, you gave strict instructions for us to remain within the shadows until the call comes.”
Neti could feel her heart race, as her gaze followed the unidentified figure moving around the courtyard.
“Do we take him now?” the guard eagerly questioned.
“No,” Shabaka quickly replied, “Let us first wait and see with whom he meets. If no one arrives, then we can grab him and make him talk,” Shabaka instructed, “Return to your position and await the command.”
The guard moved off as silently and stealthily as he had approached them, not making a single sound.
Neti for a while thought that the man in the square was deaf, for she was certain the other’s hearts were racing as much as her own, which sounded excessively loud in her ears.
“I want you to remain here when we attack,” Shabaka whispered, “There is no need for you to be injured.”
Neti simply nodded, then made to speak after having realized that Shabaka would not be able to see the action. She was prevented, however, when the chirping of crickets was interrupted by a gruff voice, “I see you came.”
Neti could feel Shabaka stiffen next to her, with everyone turning around to look for the newcomer. The echo within the courtyard made it difficult to detect his location.
The man in the middle of the court also turned to seek his companion, replying, “As have you.”
The man’s voice sounded familiar, and Neti tried to place it, while he moved around the courtyard.
“Well, I’m not exactly going to let you take all the goods,” the shadowy figure replied, and Neti jolted at the recognition, reaching for Shabaka’s arm, feeling the tightly coiled muscles in his forearm.
“First, we have to see if this messenger shows,” the man within the courtyard spoke.
“Well, given what has happened, I would think the odds are against it.”
“What do you mean by that?” the man in the courtyard demanded.
“You think we have not heard of the little mess you made at the tomb?” the shadowy voice said, also stepping from the shadows.
“How do you know about that?”
“I make it my business to know what the prefect is investigating.”
“There is no way he could connect that to the arrangements in the valley.”
“No?” the first skeptically said, “Well, then, you know him and that little witch of his poorly.”
“What was I supposed to do? The man heard too much. I had no choice but to get rid of him.”
“Be that as it may, you could have moved the body, instead of allowing them to wander about in the area. We all know that the woman with him can speak with spirits. She has a gift from Anubis.”
“That is nonsense!” the first countered, “If she could, she would have known.”
“They have a different way of doing things,” the second man professed, “I have dealt with them before.”
“I think it is just speak. I have not seen any of this skill. They then made off with the wrong man. They are just like the others, they pin a crime on whoever they think is guilty.”
“Ah, yes, Nameb. It is a pity, he could have become useful. His desire for power and acknowledgment would have made him easy to turn.”
“From what I have heard, he is accused of Rawler’s death and what happened in the valley. I doubt he will get away with a mere lashing.”
“Where is this messenger?” the first seethed, looking around.
“They could have detained him.”
Just then, another voice spoke up, “If ever I have seen two idiots, it is the two of you,” which had both of them look about in alarm, seeking the owner.
Shabaka frowned, the voice also sounded familiar to him, although he had not heard it often enough to place it.
“Idiots!” the first exclaimed, “You dare call us idiots!”
“Yes, only two idiots would discuss such matters out in the open, where anyone could hear. No wonder you failed,” the third voice confidently replied, his voice echoing around the hall.
“There is no one here, the others are still celebrating the post-festival activities or have long since gone to sleep. There is no one here,” the first professed, “If there was, they would have shown themselves by now.”
“The pylons have ears, even in the depths of the palace, there is no such thing as privacy,” the third commented, which caused a shiver to move up Neti’s spine, as it continued, “Your only luck is the prefect’s conviction that they have caught the guilty one.”
“Says a lot for his professed skills,” the other two sniggered, with the second boasting, “I have escaped him several times already.”
Neti could feel Shabaka stiffen some more next to her, and again she reached out to touch his arm and felt him jolt at the contact, however, he calmed next to her.
“Enough of this,” the first spoke, “I have somewhere to be, we want our payment.”
“What payment? You are none due; you have failed,” the third spoke, stepping out into the light. Neti took a double take just to make certain she saw correctly, that the moon was not playing tricks on her eyes, but even on a double take, there appeared to be two more men. However, the fourth member did not seem to want to speak.
The second took exception to the man’s claim and angrily threw back, “I spent a small fortune on hiring the men and getting everything in place. Who is going to pay for that?”
“We may give you half, if you succeed at your next task.”
“What?!” the first demanded, “We did not come here looking for more of your dirty work. We want our payment.”
“And payment was only to be made once the pharaoh was dead. You have not completed your end of the bargain. Therefore, you will not receive payment until we think it is forthcoming.”
“Why you!” the first man said menacingly, stepping toward the third man.
“Touch me, and I will have you arrested,” the third man said, confidently.
“Ha!” the second jested, “We can disappear into the night. I have done it before.”
“We want our payment, now!” the first again declared.
“As I said, there is none forthcoming. Your performance was disappointing for those seeking acknowledgment.”
“How were we to know that anyone would notice the stones, least of all the little witch?”
“Even so, she prevented the incident and made fools of you,” the third man stated.
Just as the first made to grab him, the third the man spoke up, “Relax, I have come with partial payment.”
“Only part?!”
“Yes, the rest you will receive when you have fulfilled your next task.”
“Who said we want a next task?”
“You have no say in the matter. If you refuse, you will be arrested,” the man’s confidence startled Neti and made her wonder what contact the man had to make such a statement.
; “And just what might this task be?” the first questioned.
“My contact wishes for you to get rid of the embalmer’s daughter.”
“You want the little witch killed?” the second replied in disbelief, “By Ra! You will curse us all.”
“She needs to be taken care of. If you want to kill her, you are welcome to. I do not care what you do with her, as it is immaterial, but she has proven too insightful. In the event of the pharaoh’s sudden death, she would be called in to investigate it, along with that prefect. Finish this deed, and you will receive the remainder of your fee.”
Neti could feel Shabaka rise next to her, mere moments before the call came.
The figures within the court turned to look around them, seconds before turning to flee, only to find themselves running into the guards that appeared from the shadows.
The first two had not progressed more than several cubits before the guards pulled them down, with the two men engaging in a full fistfight. However, the guards, being better trained and more numerous, quickly neutralized them, even before Shabaka could reach them.
A loud, high-pitched squeal came from the fourth member—a sound many of the guards, in the preceding days, had become familiar with.
“Unhand me, you fools,” the voice harshly demanded.
Neti froze at that voice and turned to look at Shabaka, visibly shocked when they pulled the crudely shaped hood from the woman’s head.
“Queen Istnofret?” one of the guards questioned in astonishment.
“I will have your head,” she said to the guard still holding her arm.
The guard let go immediately and stood back.
Even Shabaka seemed taken aback for a moment, and the queen took the opportunity to step from the guards. “Arrest him!” she commanded the guards, indicating Shabaka, “and her,” she added, pointing toward Neti who had caught up with them. Neti turned to look at everyone present, but did not recognize the man with the queen; the other two were easily identified as Panep and Kadurt.
The guards looked about indecisively, unable to determine whom to listen to, having pled their loyalty to the pharaoh and his wives.
“No!” Neti was quick to speak and then pointed at the queen, “She is the one behind this. She is the one who wanted our pharaoh dead.”
* * *
The guards jolted into action and again gripped the queen’s arms, this time ignoring the woman’s outraged threats.
Shabaka stepped up to the others and looked over Panep, “I knew I had heard your voice somewhere before. So you killed one of your own men to keep this quiet? I do not know who is a bigger fool, you or the queen for even thinking you could get away with something like that.”
“How are you going to prove it? Your little witch found nothing.”
“We heard everything. We have been here for most of the evening,” Moses said, stepping closer, looking at the man next to him. “Honsue? You?” he asked in disbelief, as he looked at the queen’s official messenger, “I knew recognized your voice, but only now do I place you. How could you?”
“You are a mindless runner, their messenger, and will not understand. I would have been more than you could ever be,” the man decreed.
“You listened to her promises?” Moses asked in disbelief. “I would rather remain true to my pharaoh and Egypt than follow this woman,” Moses declared, adding, “Ramesses has only ever treated me well. I suspect she lured you with gems, gifts and promises of a better life. But you have to know that one who does such things had to stoop to such levels in order to find followers—her heart is unclean. She holds no regard for your interest, only her wants and desires are of importance. She would turn on you as easily as she sought out your assistance.”
Moses turned toward Shabaka, as Shabaka instructed the guards to take the captives to the palace and instructed that they stand for immediate judgment.
“You fools!” Istnofret shouted, “He is sleeping and will have your heads simply for waking him.”
Shabaka ignored the woman’s threats and gestured to the men to proceed to the palace.
Sometime later, they entered the palace with the messenger at the door being dispatched to collect the pharaoh, as the group of guards and captives made for the throne room.
The commotion also drew several of the officials, while everyone awaited the pharaoh’s appearance.
“Whoever disturbed me had better have a good reason,” the pharaoh professed, as he stepped into the room.
Neti felt her heart race at the anger in the man’s words, only to see him halt in his tracks as he noticed the group of guards.
“What is this?” he demanded, looking at the captives, for a moment taken aback by the presence of the queen within the group.
“I give to you those responsible for the avalanche in the valley, and the murderer of the tomb scribe,” Shabaka firmly spoke up.
Ramesses looked at the men present, before turning toward Shabaka, “You can prove this?”
“My lord, these men heard them discuss the matter within the walls of the festival court in the Luxor temple.”
“And the queen?” Ramesses demanded.
“She was with them, my lord.”
Ramesses looked at the men in question and then stepped closer, “The men’s punishment is simple. They will be transported back to the palace and thrown to the lions for sport. But you, woman . . .” Ramesses said in disgust, “are a different matter. Death would be too easy a punishment for you.”
Just then the crown prince entered the hall, gasping, “Mother?” in utter shock.
This caused Ramesses to turn to the young man, demanding, “You know nothing of this?”
“No, Father,” he was quick to reply, “Mother, what are you doing with these men?”
“Ensuring your future,” the old queen bit out, causing the prince to look at her in shock.
“But—” the prince started to say, only to be cut short by his father’s command, “Remove him.”
The court guards escorted the prince out, as Ramesses turned his attention back to the queen, the expression on his face cold, “No, death would be too easy an option for you. You need to be forced to repent of your actions. I therefore strip you of your title as queen, and you will not receive a tomb. On our return to the palace, you will be forced to work in the fields.”
The queen made to object, only to be cut off by Ramesses, “Speak a word, and I will have you lashed. You have spoken enough against me in the past.” Ramesses turned to the guards, “Take them to the shackles.” He waited for them to leave the room before turning to Shabaka, Moses and Neti, “Again, you have succeeded.”
“My lord.”
“For this, you will be rewarded. I will arrange with the vizier in the morning a suitable reward. Now, if you will, I would like to return to my bed, seeing as I now can rest at ease.”
“Yes, my Lord,” they spoke in unison.
Moses excused himself from their company, and Shabaka walked Neti home in a loaded silence, only to halt at her doorway before speaking.
“What you said this afternoon . . .” he hesitantly started. Neti felt her heart pound, even more uncertain as to what to say, “Did you mean it?”
“Yes,” Neti managed to gasp.
Shabaka turned toward her, placing her hand on her cheek, before he spoke, “I also do not have a problem with others thinking we are together, if it is true.” Neti felt a lump form in her throat.
“What now?” she asked, swallowing hard as he came closer.
“We take it one day at a time,” he said, moving to brush his lips over hers. Their lips connected for the slightest of moments, before he pulled back and professed, “We don’t need to rush it,” and then he stepped back, leaving her incapable of saying anything.
Epilogue
THE FOLLOWING MORNING MOSES ARRIVED, his stride somewhat lightened as he approached Neti’s house. He warmly greeted Yani, before asking after Neti and Shabaka.
Yani at first look
ed at him in confusion and then turned to call Neti, who appeared in the doorway several moments later.
“Morning, Moses,” she greeted, tilting her head some, “Am I needed at the palace?”
“The pharaoh wants to see both you and Shabaka.”
“I will get ready then,” Neti replied.
“Shabaka is not here?” Moses asked, confused.
Neti shook her head, as she replied, “No, why would he be?”
Moses looked at her for several moments before speaking, glancing toward Yani as he spoke, “We saw . . . last night.”
“Neti felt a cold bolt of shock shoot through her, moments before another more disturbing thought crossed her mind, as she looked at Yani, “I’m not even going to ask what you were doing here. But I can with great certainty say that Shabaka did not remain here for the evening.”
“He didn’t return to the barracks,” Moses insisted.
“Thebes is big. He is probably somewhere.”
“Regardless, the pharaoh wants to see you.”
* * *
In a darkened room, a dark-skinned man grunted as he shifted. His grunts drew the attention of the man holding a whip in his hand, sneering down at the partially conscious man.
“Well, if it isn’t royal Nubian blood,” the man snidely spoke, moments before kicking the man’s side, “I wonder how much the peace with Nubia is worth to the pharaoh. I would imagine a couple times more than you have taken from me.”
Shabaka turned to look at the man, however, from his voice, he knew who it was and only hoped that he had not also captured Neti.
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MORE BOOKS BY NATHANIEL BURNS
THE MUMMIFIER'S DAUGHTER
A Mystery set in Ancient Egypt
Ancient Egypt, 1233 BC
This is Young Neti-Kerty‘s dream: To follow in her father’s footsteps and become the first female mummifier in Thebes.
The Curse of Anubis - A Mystery in Ancient Egypt (The Mummifier's Daughter Series Book 3) Page 16