Chapter Four
Brianamun stared at Alexhotep, confused. “What are you talking about?”
Alexhotep lowered his voice. “You ordered for the snake to be put in Meritaten’s room!”
“I’m sorry, but you’re mistaken. Our problem is with the royal couple, not their children.”
“Then explain why your handwriting is on the order for the servants to stay away from Meritaten’s rooms last night.”
“I had nothing to do with that. We met last night, and I just arrived from Thebes. When did I have time?” he retorted.
Alexhotep removed the letter from its place and showed it to Brianamun and Kevinkare.
“It does look like your handwriting,” Kevinkare admitted.
“Someone’s on to us,” Brianamun muttered, looking up to see if anyone was watching them.
Everyone’s eyes were fixed on the Pharaoh and his wife.
“We’re going to have to tighten security,” Brianamun whispered. “As soon as Nickathor gets back from Syria, we’re going to have to have a major meeting. Where’s Howymose?”
“Up front recording Akhenaten’s speech,” Alexhotep replied, his eyes resting on their friend.
“Get word to him, one of you. Until then, in the public eye, only two of us at a time can be seen together. No more meetings like this. We don’t know each other.”
“Well, you’re escorting my sister so I know you,” Kevinkare corrected.
“Whatever,” Brianamun sighed.
Alexhotep took the letter and disappeared into the crowd.
*****
Nefret had found her way to the front. She stood, calmly watching Akhenaten as he spoke. Occasionally, she felt Nefertiti’s gaze upon her, but Nefret never turned to meet her eyes.
When Akhenaten had finally completed the speech, he turned to leave. Nefertiti linked her arm through his, and they disappeared.
I should have known, Nefret thought bitterly. Damn the priest! He was only doing this to be rid of me.
“Excuse me,” a young girl told her. “Her Majesty wishes you to see her in her audience chamber. Follow me.”
Surprised, Nefret followed the girl. The girl stepped aside in front of a large room, allowing Nefret to enter by herself.
Nefertiti was reclining on a sofa. Her heavy crown rested on a nearby table. Her shrewd eyes took Nefret in. “What’s your name, child?”
“Nefret,” she replied, bowing low.
“This may just be a fancy of mine, but you look capable.” It was as though Nefertiti was speaking to only herself. Shaking herself out of it, she went on, “You look calm and collected. Besides, I can tell about people instantly. I like you. I wish you to become mistress of my household.”
Nefret’s eyes widened. “Majesty!”
“Well, will you?”
“Oh, um, yes, of course, Majesty.”
Nefertiti smiled and her icy look melted for a split second before returning as cold as ever. “You’ll begin immediately and live at the palace. I’ll send servant to your home. You are not married?”
“No, Majesty.”
“Very good. I’ll send word to your father.”
“My father is dead. I live with my brother, Kevinkare, the physician.”
Nefertiti’s eyes flashed. “Well, perhaps some good will come of him yet if you work out. You’ll have every tenth day off to visit him and whatever lover you have.”
“As you wish.” Nefret bowed low again, blushing.
*****
The next day, Meritaten was feeling better. She was able to move around her room; she was feeling alive again. She was sitting at the window, gazing out at the lovely, palace gardens when the doors opened.
Believing it to be a servant, she didn’t turn to look.
Instead, a deep voice interrupted her thoughts. “It is good to see you looking so well, my princess.”
Startled, Meritaten turned to see a man of medium height with close-cropped brown hair and big, lazy, ebony eyes bowing to her. She started to stand, but he objected. “Please do not use the effort. You were bitten by a snake, and you need to store your energy.”
Meritaten eyed him, slightly amused. “Are you the new captain of my father’s guard?”
“I am.”
She looked at him expectantly. When he did not elaborate, she inquired, laughing, “And your name?”
He smiled reluctantly. “Alexhotep. I’m here to talk to you about... the accident.”
“Is that what they’re calling it now?”
“No, but it’s what I’m calling it.”
She laughed. “What do you want to know?”
“Tell me everything that happened to you--all that you remember, that is.”
“I’ll try.” She paused to think a moment. “Okay, I was going to exchange my collar for one more simple. I’d just come from the temple with my mother, and the darned thing was too heavy. I was opening my jewelry case when I felt like something had stung my foot, but the pain was much worse than that. I looked down to see the tail of the snake disappear under the trunk again. The pain shot up my leg, and it began to become numb... I don’t remember much after that--just a blur of faces.” She bit her lip.
She’s strong for a woman, Alexhotep thought. He stood up and bowed.
“Thank you for your time, Your Highness.” Bowing, he left. Meritaten shrugged and limped over toward her bed. As she dragged her misbehaving foot toward it, another person presented themselves.
“Really! You shouldn’t be walking,” Kevinkare ordered, hurrying over. He picked her up and carried her to her bed and dropped her down.
I thought I was injured, she thought cynically.
He looked at her apprehensively and gently took her foot in his hand.
Meritaten remembered overhearing her parents saying that Kevinkare’s hands could perform miracles. His fingers were long and slender. He had the touch of a doctor, gentle and soft. The feel of his touch sent shivers up Meritaten’s spine.
As a princess, the thought of a lover was unthinkable to her overprotective father, and she’d never been this close to a young man before.
“Am I tickling you?” Kevinkare asked, amused, looking up from his examination.
“Sort of,” she murmured, feeling shy all of a sudden.
Deliberately, Kevin slowly moved his fingers over her foot.
She blushed and ordered laughingly, “Stop it, that tickles.”
His slowly smiled and stopped tickling. He leaned back on his heels. “Well, you have feeling in your foot now. That’s progress.”
“I suppose Aten’s been with me since I’ve been cured so quickly.” Kevinkare’s emotions dropped from his face, and he became impassive.
“Did I say something wrong?” she asked, used to getting all the attention possible.
“No,” he replied shortly, reverting his eyes from her. His eyes flickered back to her, and he was amazed at how much she resembled her mother. The elegant arch of her neck, the grace of her entire frame, the almond-shaped eyes. However, there was something warmer and friendlier that radiated from Meritaten that Nefertiti didn’t have.
Kevinkare shook himself mentally. “I want you to keep off your leg for a while. Try not to move.”
“But what about my temple work?”
Kevinkare snickered, thinking about what she and her mother did. Well, Nefertiti does act more like king than Pharaoh does himself, he thought.
Meritaten raised her eyebrows. “Won’t you stay?”
“I have other patients to attend to.”
“You’d refuse the invitation of a princess?”
“To put it bluntly, yes.”
Meritaten didn’t know what had come over her. She’d never acted so stuck-up before in her life, but all she knew was that she wanted him to stay.
“If it pleases Your Highness, I’ll come back when I’m done with my rounds. Until then, good day.” Kevinkare tore himself away from her. She was a charming and spoiled princess, but there was more depth to her than that. Perhaps she’d inherited her father’s temperament, which wasn’t bad for a woman. At least her personality is nothing like her mother’s, Kevinkare concluded.