Kenna was incredulous. “Are you mad, little sister? You’d be caught and executed before you could succeed, and even if youdidsomehow manage to complete the curse, your life would be forfeit. You’re the only one with knowledge of heka who has access to Mery. Everyone would know it was you.”
Neff licked her lips. “Forgive me, my prince, but I havethought long and hard about this. You are a man of the temple. You of all people must agree that the gods placed me at Mery’s side for a reason. I have earned his trust. He suspects nothing. I am the only one who can do this. I ammeantto do this.”
“You can’t know that!” Kenna said angrily.
“I have faith. I feel rightness in this. It will be simple, you’ll see. Tomorrow morning, the servant will come to apply the king’s makeup. First, she will shave him. I will take her place, claiming that I wish to attend to him instead. Mery will think it all a bit of fun, but I’ll cut him with the blade—just a little, just enough—and catch the blood on a square of cloth. It will look like an accident. After all, I’m a novice at such things, and it will soon be forgotten. I have already finished gathering the other ingredients I need for the spell. Once I have the king’s blood, the rest will be easy.”
“Simple and easy, eh? Like adding a bit of poison to a honey cake?”
Neff’s cheeks flushed with heat. “That’s different! I am doing this to save the kingdom!”
“Oh, yes?” Kenna shot back. “I’m fairly certain that’s what Mery thought he was doing too.”
The words struck Neff like a knife to the gut. She was silent, her soul at war with itself.Was I not a child just yesterday?she wondered.And now, instead of dolls and skipping stones, I’m toying with murder? What’s happening to me?
She shook away her doubt.
“I won’t fail,” she said.
Kenna’s face was a mask of hopelessness. “Perhaps not. But what will you lose? Neff, please. Listen to me before you make up your mind!”
The discarded cloth rose up once more, and Medjed rushed toward them, nudging Neff with urgency. Neff and Kenna looked at each other in alarm.
“Someone’s coming!” she whispered. In a flash, she pulled the cloth off Medjed and ducked behind the pile of natron sacks.
Seconds later, a shadow fell across the doorway.
“Looking for something, my prince?”
Huddled on the floor, Neff felt the blood drain from her face.Montuhotep.
“Oh! Erm, yes, High Priest,” Kenna said. Neff heard him fumbling with the jars. “I need more pine resin for my embalming mixture. Ah! Here it is.”
“I’m surprised at you, Bakenamun,” Master Montuhotep said.
“Excuse me?”
“Endangering yourself for the sake of a common whelp. I thought you were smarter than that.”
“I’m sure I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Show yourself, Nefermaat. I know you’re in here. I tasked one of the Wab priests to keep track of your movements outside of the palace. I knew you were on temple grounds the moment you arrived.”
Neff froze, suddenly cold with sweat.If he heard what we were saying… If he knows…
“It will be worse for you if I have to root you out.”
She let out a shuddering breath and rose to her feet.
Montuhotep stood by the door with Kenna, who clutched a jar of resin, stricken. The high priest smiled. “There you are.” He clucked his tongue. “My little apprentice. How far you’ve come. One day you’re vomiting on the floor of my chambers, the next, you’re conspiring against the king. At least, I assume that’s what you two are doing in here.”
He didn’t overhear us, Neff thought, relieved. He doesn’t know my plans. She still had a chance to salvage the situation.
“Absolutely not, Master!” she protested. “I only came to visit the prince. We’d become close during my time here, and I missedhim. I’m lonely at the palace. I came in secret because the king wouldn’t approve. That’s all.”
“Do you take me for a fool, girl?” Montuhotep sneered. “If you think you can come into these sacred halls straight off the streets of Bubas, wrest my preordained position out from under me, and lie to my face, then—”
“High Priest!” Kenna broke in. “I suggest you take care before making unproven accusations against the king’s closest adviser.”
