The Falcon Rises (The Desert Queen Book 2)

by M. L. Bullock

  “Sister!” I whispered. The Meshwesh gasped, and some even cried at seeing her. Ramose and my father came to my side. I stared in horror as the horseman dragged Pah around, ignoring her screams for help.

  “Here is your queen, Meshwesh. See how we have defiled her? Advance any further and we will do more than that. Retreat now, or see her die!” Pah managed to stand, her red hair a matted swirl about her head. One breast was exposed, and she had blood all over her.

  Ignoring Ramose’s warning, I stepped out of the crowd and onto the sand alone. I waved the rest back. “Hold, men,” I heard Ramose warn his archers who undoubtedly had the horseman in their sights. During this show, the parapet had filled with other warriors, including archers with flaming arrows. They wasted no time in shooting their fiery weapons at the ground before us, but I did not move.

  I should have been afraid, but I felt no fear. Only anger. Deep, abiding anger. Pah shrieked as the savage jerked the cruel chain again. She began mumbling—no, praying—wildly, pleading with every deity she knew to deliver her. Pah’s pleas were met with mocking laughter. “Silence now!” He reeled in her chain to pull her closer to him. She did not resist him and obediently quieted. The monster then turned his attention to me.

  “Ah, another queen. Perhaps we should make a trade,” he said leeringly. “This one is a bit used.”

  “What are your demands?” I yelled at him, ignoring my sister’s pleading expression. I could not run to her now. We would both die. I had to stall for time, if only for Pah.

  “Here is my demand—leave this valley, or we shall kill your queen,” he said as he drew his dingy sword, “unless you have one to spare. And take these sons of Egyptian whores with you!”

  “No! Do not kill her,” I answered him. “We will do as you ask. What else do you want?”

  I heard Ramose hiss behind me, but I ignored him. He wasn’t in charge here. If I could keep the king talking, perhaps he would not kill my sister. I could tell he was not afraid of the Meshwesh or the Egyptians.

  The stupid barbarian didn’t seem to know what he wanted, so I prompted him. “Gold? Beer? What do you want? We will give it to you, only do not harm our mekhma.”

  “Yes, yes. Give us the gold and the beer, and then do not show yourself here again. Or we shall treat you even less hospitably than we did your sister.”

  “Who are you?” I demanded to know. “What is your name?”

  “What does it matter?”

  “I want to know who to ask for when I bring you your prizes.”

  “I am Gilme of the Kiffians. You can ask for me when you come. No tricks, or she dies and we hang her from the tower there.” He pointed toward the city gates, but I did not bother to look.

  “Very well, Gilme. I am Nefret. We will deliver your prizes to you by tomorrow morning. If you kill my sister or harm her further, we will never stop hunting you.”

  “Do you think that makes me afraid?” The men on the parapet jeered at me in their rude, rough language. As Gilme turned to grin at them I stole a look at my sister. Her eyes were wide with fear, and she shook her head slightly as if to say, “Please don’t leave me.” I said nothing and did not move a muscle. I could not appear weak in front of the brutes or my tribe, although there was nothing I wanted more than to cut her captor down. There were too many arrows pointed at us.

  Gilme tugged on Pah’s leash and dragged her back through the gate. She did not make a sound as she stumbled behind him. She never once turned to glance back.

  A hush fell over the camp as they watched me return to them.

  Ramose met me first, but he kept his mouth shut. I knew he did not approve of my negotiations, but he also had no idea what I had planned. I had never killed a man before and had no desire to do so until today. But if my ancestors gave me strength, I knew that I would kill Gilme. Slowly and with great pleasure.

  The kings followed me and then gathered close, talking wildly about what punishment they wanted to administer to the Kiffian king. The sight of their mekhma in chains had lit a fire in them that no man would be able to extinguish, at least not without the shedding of blood.

  “Listen! Start gathering your things. We will move the camp behind those hills there. I know it is farther from the water, but they will have to make do. Tell your people to draw what water they can now and then move quickly. Shasu!”

  Amir appeared in front of me. “You must find a way into the city. Go west, behind Zerzura. Orba, you shall go with them. Help them find the Lightning Gate entrance.”

  Orba’s eyes narrowed, and with a toothy grin he said, “I will not let you down, mekhma.”

  Ramose stepped forward. “Tell me what you have planned, as I am responsible for your safety. If you think I am going to allow you to walk through those gates and surrender yourself to the Kiffians, then you must be addle-brained. You cannot negotiate with these southerners. They know no language except cruelty, and they certainly will not negotiate with a woman—even if she is a queen.” The kings murmured against Ramose for the perceived slight. Even my less enthusiastic allies like Walida and Omel made no secret that they did not approve of the Egyptian’s tone toward me.

  The Shining Man must have been leading me in this because I then knew exactly what I had to do. I asked him in a calm, firm voice, “Have you ever heard the saying, ‘The only Greek you can trust is a dead Greek’?”

  “Yes, but I am surprised that you have.” I ignored his scorn and met his level gaze. “Why do you ask?”

  “I am a Greek. I am going to give Gilme a gift he will never forget.”

  Chapter Seven

  Father of Queens—Semkah

  As I woke I stifled a scream. Pain sliced through my arm like a hot dagger. I looked down and saw that I had no right arm. How could I experience such pain when the limb was gone, severed by a screaming beast of a man? I remembered the Kiffian who stole it from me and once again vowed that I would find him and repay him. Seeing the other bare arm with the snake twisting about the wrist, I thought wryly, “My destiny has been decided now. No need to struggle anymore.”

  I wiped the sweat from my face, and almost immediately the woman was by my side. Small and dark, she looked like a shadow in the dimness of my shelter. She barely spoke. I knew her name, but I had forgotten it—my mind felt thick, as if a blanket were wrapped around my memory. I struggled to piece together the most recent events. The tiny woman was constantly stirring pots, crushing roots, whispering over cups before she forced me to drink whatever brew she concocted.

  Some days I felt strong, almost as strong as before. Other days I could barely escape the dream world; it was no longer a happy place to dwell. I could not remember the last time I had seen my wife in my dreams, when previously I would see her often even if only from a distance. I still dreamed of the cliffs where I first saw her, but she no longer waited for me there.

  “Please, King Semkah. You must sit up and drink. This will clear your mind and ease the pain.”

  I pushed it away angrily, and the dark fluid sloshed on her hands. “Go away. Where is Farrah?” Then I remembered she was dead too and said, “Send me Orba.”

  “Orba is too busy to come wait on you. Remember? Your daughter Pah has been found, my King, and the mekhma has ordered us to move. You have to drink this so you can move without too much discomfort.”

  “I don’t want your poisons,” I whispered hoarsely. I struggled to sit up, and my tormentor did not help me.

  She was not dissuaded. “You must drink this and we must leave. This is what the mekhma has ordered.”

  “Go away, woman.” I leaned on my good arm and pushed myself up.

  “You have forgotten my name again, haven’t you?” She pursed her lips and without permission leaned toward me, lifted my eyelid and peered into it. “I see I have given you too much lophophora. I will not make that mistake again, but I cannot adjust this healing potion now. There is no time. Please drink. This morning’s activities have stolen your strength.”

&nb
sp; In my sternest voice I said, “I have told you no. Now leave my tent. As far as I know I am still king. Go try your potions on someone else.”

  She snorted and stood. “Well, King, can you manage to stand up and get dressed? Whether you like it or not, we are short of healers in our camp. I am all you have. As I have said numerous times, we must go.”

  “I want to see my daughter.”

  “Then go see her.” She stood with her hand on her hip, and her other hand still held the wooden cup. “I am not your prison guard. I am trying to help you, as Orba requested. I am sorry that I have not yet learned everything I need to know, but I shall.”

  I looked about me to see if there was something to lean on and spied the table not far away, but it wasn’t close enough to be of help to me. The truth was I did need her help, or at least someone’s help. Without a word, she set the cup down and stooped under my arm. She grabbed my hand and waited for me to stand.

  “What is this lophophora you gave me?”

  “It is a plant with white flowers. It is rare, but there is an abundance of it near here. The petals are worth more than gold. When you drink their essence, it numbs the mind to painful memories. I also rubbed an ointment made from the palm on your stump, and as you can see it has cleaned the incision beautifully although it stings for a while. The alora and alata herbs have a bitter taste, but they do help with the pain and heal the body.”

  “I want no more of this white flower. I want to keep my memories—all of them. Do you understand, Leela?”

  “Yes,” She did not move or offer to help me rise. When I finally got to my feet I thought I would fall, but she walked me the short distance to the table. I leaned against it, happy to depend on something besides her. I felt the blood rush to my head, but despite the discomfort it felt good to be upright again.

  “Why am I so weak?” I growled at her. “This morning I was strong.”

  “Your strength will wane from time to time until the healing is complete. There is nothing I can do about that. Your arm was sliced with a poisonous blade. It did far more damage than you might imagine, and a weaker man would not have recovered. You are fortunate to be alive, my King. I suspect that if the gods did not desire it, you would not be here now. You will get stronger, I promise. You will not die.”

  “Don’t talk to me about gods. I am not afraid to die.” I puffed out my chest and grimaced at her. “Leela, that is your name,” I remembered suddenly.

  “Yes, that is my name.”

  “Tell my daughter I want to see her.”

  “I can’t do that. She’s with Ramose the Egyptian.”

  “Then tell my brother to attend me now.”

  She sighed in exasperation.

  “What is it, Leela?”

  “Drink this. It will give you strength and keep the pain away.”

  “And it will make me forget.”

  “Yes, it will.”

  “Dump it out. I will deal with the pain.”

  “Very well.” She walked out of the tent and left me to tend to myself.

  It was a challenge, but I didn’t waste time. I stared a minute at my sword but left it behind. I could not use it, so why carry it? I chewed a piece of chula bread and gulped down some water for strength. This morning I had been strong, but now my hand shook and my head felt like a drunkard’s, but I managed to get outside. Leela was right. The camp was about to move. Now I remembered Gilme, the Kiffian. And my daughter, chained and bruised by the hands of the savages. As I stepped outside, young women began packing my belongings, and I did not get in their way. “Where is Omel?” I asked one of them.

  “There.” She pointed to the east. I walked through the camp to find my brother. My daughter was alive. If I could help it, I would keep her that way.

  “Omel! Where is Nefret?”

  Omel turned in surprise at my voice. “Brother, you should not be here. You nearly fainted this morning. Take your rest.”

  “Don’t talk to me of resting. Tell me about Pah. Who is this Gilme? Where is Nefret?”

  Omel nodded to his men and said, “I will follow. Go now.” He strapped on his sword and said to me, “Can you ride?”

  The thought of having to pull myself up on a horse one-handed discouraged me from trying. “I am not sure.”

  He did not mock me but said, “Let us walk, then.” We walked side by side up a slanted boulder that faced Zerzura. I could hardly believe we were here at the White City after all this time. It was heartbreaking to remember all the people who longed to see this place but never would. Farrah never ceased to believe that this day would come. But she would not be here to lead the triumphant procession into Zerzura; that is, if we did indeed breach the city’s gates. Now my daughter was being held prisoner just beyond my reach. Knowing that she was so close but unreachable was torture, more torturous than knowing she would have to pay for her crimes—perhaps with her life. Still she was my daughter. I had to bring her back to us, no matter the consequences.

  The city’s gates were made of wood, but not any kind of wood I had ever seen. It had a reddish hue that seemed to glow with the fading sunlight. Even from this distance I could see that the planks were taller than any palm tree. The white stone walls flanked the doors neatly with no glimmer of light between them. Great iron rings hung from the front doors as if the giants themselves had bent them and placed them there.

  “I don’t see the Egyptians. Have they abandoned their task?” It could have been the remaining effects of the herbal brews Leela forced on me, but the back of my neck began to prickle. “Have they taken Nefret with them?”

  “No. Why would they? What exactly has the mekhma promised Egypt, brother? Tell me the truth now. The gold or something else? Egypt would be a fool to take less than our mines after all this expense.” He eyed me suspiciously as if I knew something he did not. That was Omel’s way. He was untrustworthy and thought all other men so too.

  “Aren’t you always assuring us that Egypt’s hands are bountiful? That Pharaoh wished for nothing more than to be a father to the Meshwesh? With my daughter at his court, he shall be. Why would you be so suspicious? And you know that my daughter would never give away our treasures, Omel. Why must you be so distrusting?”

  “What about my son? If Pah is there,” he said, pointing to the gates, “then where is he?” He spat the question out. “Nefret should never have sent him away.”

  “We have all lost loved ones, Omel. If Alexio is truly dead, then I am sorry for it. He was a credit to our people, both brave and strong. But you should not bury him just yet. He may still return to us, and my daughter has said he is her most trusted adviser.”

  “And yet the mekhma chose to send him into the desert. Who advises her now? Ayn? Orba?”

  Feeling weak I sat on a nearby rock but did not hesitate to meet his steely gaze. What was he implying? I barely recognized him anymore. The kohl around his eyes had begun to sweat, and he looked more like a demon than my brother.

  He continued, “Can’t you see this is the time for men to lead? How can we trust a girl to lead us in these difficult times? We need a strong leader, someone with experience.”

  “And yet you were willing to support Pah. Why is that, brother? Why do you so fear Nefret? Because you cannot control her as you could Pah? I will not make that mistake again.”

  Omel faced me, and I could see his hand twitch over his khopesh. For the first time, I believed Omel wanted to take my life and leave me dying in the sand. I stood and met his evil gaze with my own unflinching stare. If I was going to die at the hands of my brother, I would die standing, not cowering at his feet.

  His hand began to slide the blade from its sheath, but then a strange thing happened. Stars began to shoot across the sky. They were close, so close that I could hear the sound of their powerful wings as they fell to the ground. Omel froze in his tracks and moved no closer to me. The sky lit brilliantly for a moment as one star fell into the desert.

  “Semkah! There you are, my King! What
a glorious sign! Did you see that? The stars are falling from Osiris’ belt! This will certainly frighten our enemies, as they consider the Dancing Man their sigil. The gods are with us!” It was Orba. The small man climbed the rock and stood beside us, panting. “I have been searching for you everywhere. Nefret… excuse me. The mekhma is looking for you.”

  Omel rushed past him and left us standing alone on the rock. Orba watched him exit, and I sat on the rock again, the world spinning wildly. “I see the bear has a spike in his paw,” Orba said quietly.

  “If you had not arrived, I think he would have killed me.”

  “I believe you.” He watched as another star flickered above us and sailed toward the mountains that stood behind Zerzura. “You should know that he has approached Ramose.”

  “What did he say to him?”

  “That he should rule because Nefret was too young and inexperienced. He offered him the gold mines of the Meshwesh, but the general did not accept his kind offer.”

  I grinned at Orba. “You mean bribe. How do you know this, Wise One?”

  “I heard them talking. Omel pleaded his case, but the general was unimpressed and assured your brother that he served Egypt only.”

  “I like this general more and more.”

  “I agree. Especially since Nefret will be leaving Zerzura soon.”

  “So you know?”

  He bobbed his covered head. “I have seen her wearing the crown of Egypt. And when she does leave, there will be nothing to stop Omel from killing you. Of course if you had not sustained your injury, then none of this would be a question. But as it stands, my King…”

  “I am well aware of the restrictions regarding my rule. Maimed kings are not effective.”

  “I do not believe this, but it is the tradition. However, there may be something we can do.”

  I sighed. “I am not such a man to believe that only I can rule. I am not my father or my brother. I will be happy to step aside when the time comes. But I am troubled that the Queen of Egypt has taken such an interest in my daughter. If what you say is true, that you have seen Nefret as queen, then that at least is something. I would still like to know how this queen intends to make that happen.”