“I’m fine,” Rae replied, her mouth dry. “A little shaken up, I guess.”
“I know. I didn’t like it either,” Tam whispered. “But hopefully Meryamun agrees to release the prisoners in return for his priestess, and we can wash our hands of all this.”
Hopefully, Rae thought. “We’d better return to the riverbank before we’re missed,” she said. She bent to repack the soiled laundry into the basket.
“We’re going, Omari,” Tam called out.
Omari nodded but didn’t meet the weaver’s eye. “Be careful,” he said to Rae. “Come back as soon as you have news.”
With a final uncertain glance toward the tent, Rae turned to the marshes.
“Omari doesn’t like me very much, does he?” Tam said as they pushed through the reeds.
“He’s worried, that’s all,” Rae said.
“Is it?”
Rae didn’t reply.
***
She and Tam were walking through the main hall of the palace when the guards came for her.
“Are you Ahura?” the head guard commanded. “Where have you been?”
“Doing the washing on the riverbank,” Rae replied, indicatingthe empty basket in her arms. “Why? Is something wrong?”
“Have you seen your mistress today?” he asked.
Rae glanced at Tam and shook her head. “Nefermaat leaves her laundry by the door every morning, so I simply pick it up and move on. I assumed she was still asleep.”
The head guard grimaced. “Come with me.”
Rae bowed her head and passed the basket to Tam, who gave her hand a secret squeeze before hurrying away. As Rae followed the guards through the corridors, she did her best to calm her racing heart.
This is all part of the plan, she told herself.We knew I’d be questioned about the priestess’s disappearance. I’ll simply say I don’t know anything, and that will be that.
They arrived at the door to the throne room and were approached by an attendant.
“I’m afraid that Pharaoh is engaged at the moment,” the man told them. “You’ll have to wait.”
The head guard shoved the attendant aside. “Not today I won’t,” he grunted, and pushed through the door.
King Meryamun looked up as Rae and the guards entered the throne room. Rae barely had time to register the extravagance of the chamber—the vividly painted walls and columns illuminated by sunlight—before the pharaoh was addressing them.
“What’s the meaning of this?” Meryamun demanded.
A priest was in the room with the king, along with two attendants bearing ostrich feather fans. Rae had seen the priest once before during a meal she’d serviced, the one when she’d learned of the plan for the prisoners. What was his name?
It took her a moment to remember.
Montuhotep.
“Humblest apologies, my king,” the head guard said. “Butthere is a matter of urgency I must bring to your attention. It concerns the seer Nefermaat. She is missing.”
Montuhotep’s eyes widened. “Ah! You see? You see?” he said to the king. “The girl knew she was about to be exposed, so she’s fled in the night. It is as I said, my king! Just as I’ve said! She’s been conspiring with your brother, working against you all this time!”
“Silence!” Meryamun snarled. He turned back to the guards. “Explain.”
