The Falcon Rises (The Desert Queen Book 2)

by M. L. Bullock

  “Who can fathom the heart of a woman? It is unknowable, unfathomable and never predictable.” I was surprised by his answer. I had never known Orba to marry or to love anyone. With uncharacteristic intensity he added, “It is not Omel that worries me. I have seen something. Something disturbing and evil.”

  “What do you mean?”

  He shook his head as another star exploded above us. “We will talk more of this later, my King. Time is moving swiftly now, and your daughter needs you. With your brother lurking around with sword in hand, I do not think it is safe for you to be out alone. Let us get through tonight and perhaps tomorrow. Then we can talk about the future.”

  Slowly I climbed down the steep rock and walked with Orba back into the camp. “What plans have been made to rescue Pah?”

  “I had no idea Nefret had learned so much about strategy from her father. Her mind is brilliant, and she shows nothing but confidence. At dawn Nefret is to approach the gate of the city with a wagon full of our treasures. She hopes to make an exchange for her sister. I cannot lie to you—I fear the worst is yet to come for Pah if we do not capture the city and rescue her.”

  “We have no evidence that the Kiffians will be anything but ruthless with her, and now Nefret will be walking into a trap—they will kill her too!”

  Orba smiled grimly and said, “Ah, but it’s not that easy to kill her, I think. If it were, she would be dead already. Someone is guiding her, I’m sure of that. No, my King. Her plan is much more complicated. You see, the Shasu are at the Lightning Gate. I have just returned from there. These Kiffians are so arrogant that they did not even bother to secure it! When the signal is given, the Egyptians will appear to breach the main gate. At the same time, the Shasu will approach from the south.”

  I looked around the camp as we walked. I saw no Egyptians. “Where is Ramose? Where are the Egyptians?”

  “Hidden in a place where Gilme would never think to look.” Excitedly he began to share with me the details of the plan. I too was impressed with Nefret’s ingenuity.

  “And this was my daughter’s idea?”

  “Yes, it was.”

  “Then let us go see how I can serve her. I will not be left behind in this.”

  “No one doubts your courage, Semkah. But there is something the mekhma would ask of you.”

  “Whatever it is, you know I will help.”

  “This isn’t an easy thing she is asking, but I encourage you to trust her.”

  Before I could question him further, another star, bright blue and burning, sailed across the sky. It was larger than the previous ones, and the size and nearness of it caused some alarm even in me. The people pointed and shouted at the sight. “What does this mean?”

  Orba stared upwards and shouted, “It is a king’s star! See how it falls?” The people murmured in wonder. “A king will fall soon. See where the star lands?” The crowd watched as the star plummeted behind Zerzura as the smaller one had earlier. “There is nothing to fear, Meshwesh, for the gods are on our side!”

  The people clapped and hugged one another, and then went about their tasks. Everyone, from the youngest to the oldest, knew that our fate hung in the balance. But at least now the stars were aligned with us.

  Maybe we would have a fighting chance.

  Chapter Eight

  The Unyielding Spiral—Nefret

  It was good to see my father walking and talking. The fact that he was still in the land of the living was nothing less than a miracle. I wanted to run into his arms and wrap my own around his neck, but my people were watching my every move. We were facing the greatest challenge in our clan’s history—I could do nothing that would hinder their courage. Most had no idea what I had planned, and the ones who did were not sure it would work. I heard rumors, thanks to Ayn and Orba, that my uncle and Astora were sowing seeds of discord as quickly as they could. Omel made no secret that he did not approve of my plan. The truth was, neither did I. But this was the only plan that presented itself to me, and I intended to execute it.

  I helped load another bag onto the wagon. Traditionally we had no wagons in our camps, for we carried most things either on our camels or on our backs, but for this tactic we needed a wagon. The Egyptians had helped us assemble one quickly, and I hoped it would meet our needs. Or at least not fall apart before I made it to the gate. Ramose had left to put the finishing touches on the cart, and I could hardly wait to see it.

  I faced my father and welcomed him with a smile. Now was the moment Orba and I had been waiting for.

  “Father, won’t you come and bless me?”

  The people grew silent and waited to see what Semkah would do. Surprise crossed his face, but he did not deny me. Omel’s eyes were riveted to us as my father began to bestow the tribe’s blessing upon me. This was an ancient ritual, one that Pah had not enjoyed and one that I had not heard of until Orba described it to me. It was an old ritual that resonated with the elders of our tribe. They were the ones who needed to be convinced I could lead them.

  Of course I wanted my father’s blessing, especially on the eve of what might be my death, but this was for more than just me. Soon I would leave my Meshwesh people and return to Egypt. Someone would need to lead. Someone would need to guide. That had to be my father. At least until Pah recovered. I had seen her in the sand in front of Zerzura and knew that her mind had crumbled like a crushed flower. Who could blame her? What would I have done in that situation? I shivered at the thought. In fact, if it had not been for Pah’s ruthlessness, it could have very well been me.

  “Yes, I will bless you. Kneel now, daughter.” I did as he asked, and he continued, “I bless you, Nefret hap Semkah, Meshwesh mekhma. I bless you with long life and good health. I bless you with all the blessings a father can bestow upon his daughter. Go with our prayers and good wishes.” A tear slid down my face as my father’s hand rested upon my head. I looked up into his handsome face, and he nodded down at me. “All will be well.”

  “I receive your blessing. Thank you, Father. Orba, Chief of the Council. Won’t you come and bless me?” My father stepped back and allowed Orba to stand before me now. Although I knelt in the sand before the wise man, he barely stood taller than me.

  “Nefret hap Semkah, I, Orba, Chief of the Council, bless you. We wrap you in protection and pray that our ancestors watch over you as you face our enemies. May the Unyielding Spiral of Life flow from your belly, renewing you mind, body and soul. May your bow arm be strong, and may you enjoy many days on this earth.” His hands rested upon my head briefly, and then he stepped away from me. The gathering was quiet now, and the solemnity of this rare moment echoed through the tribe’s consciousness.

  “Omel, brother of my father. Won’t you come and bless me?”

  I kept my head down, but I heard surprised gasps echo through the crowd. Someone hissed quietly, but I did not turn to see who it was. I suspected Astora, and I knew Ayn would tell me later.

  “Yes, I will bless you, niece.” Omel stood before me and slid his shiny khopesh from its sheath. The sound of the metal rubbing against metal made my heart flutter, but still I did not look at him. I lowered my hands and placed them palms up in front of me.

  Now was the moment. Now was the time. I could almost feel Omel’s internal struggle. He would either surrender his sword or slice off my hands. I wondered which it would be. He paused for a moment, but I did not waver. I remained perfectly unmoving, my hands upraised, waiting to accept his sword—and his official submission to my reign. If he was to challenge me officially, now would be the moment.

  “Nefret hap Semkah, I, Omel, Second King of the Meshwesh, bless you.” His deep voice sounded like a growl, but he said the words, “As you accept this sword, may it strengthen you for tomorrow’s fight and for all the battles you will face in the future. May victory never cease to be upon your reign as mekhma.” He stepped back, and I clutched the sword by the hilt. I stood and raised it above my head, turning in circles so all could see it.

 
Then I cried out, “My people, my treasure, won’t you bless me?”

  With rapt faces, my tribe answered me with one voice. “Hafa-nu, mekhma! Hafa-nu!”

  “I too bless you, Meshwesh! Hafa-nu! Pray for me this night, for tomorrow victory shall be ours. Finally we will walk into our city. We will take back our mekhma. Tomorrow, everything changes.” They cheered, and I lowered my new sword as they rushed in to hug me and greet me. It was a moment I would never forget.

  Once the crowd dissipated, only Father, Orba, Omel and Astora stayed behind. I could not help but notice that my uncle’s wife had newly painted symbols on her face. Her fierce, painted eyes flashed at me, but she kept her thin lips clamped shut. My uncle did not speak. My accepting his sword had been a symbolic gesture; there was no reason to keep it, but I wanted to see if he would ask for it back. It was his father’s sword, and I knew how he valued it. He stood waiting, but when I did not hand it back he stomped away with his wife in tow. I did not stop them or call them back.

  With the hint of a smile on his face, my father said, “Orba says you have a task for me? How can I serve you, mekhma?”

  “Father, never call me that. To you, let me always be daughter.” He smiled broadly at this. It was good to see him smile. For the first time I noticed the strands of gray amongst his dark brown hair. “Yes, I do have a request. It is an unusual one, but please hear me out.”

  “Of course.”

  “We cannot talk here. Too many ears to hear.” I cast an eye toward Astora, who constantly dogged my steps. Orba saw her too, and I could tell he was uncomfortable with her lingering. Stepping away from the crowd, I spoke to my father in a whisper. “After we have secured our victory, I cannot imagine it will be long before Ramose will want to return to Egypt. If that’s the case, we may not have much time to decide on how to proceed. I cannot in good conscience leave you, Father, to fight Omel for the job. Tonight’s ritual has bought us a little time, but it is only a temporary fix. My uncle will not stop until he has placed himself above all the Meshwesh. I have it on good authority that he approached the Egyptian general to ask for his help.”

  “Yes, I have heard that too. What did you have in mind?”

  “Pah. She is still mekhma. But Father, she is not the same—she can’t be the same as she was when she left.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “You saw her in the sand at the end of the chain. She is out of her head. And even if she survives this, I cannot imagine she would be able to serve as mekhma. It would only be a matter of time before Omel seized control for himself.”

  Semkah ran his hands through his dirty hair and nodded. Looking at me with his sad eyes he said, “If she is as you say, then yes, we need to do something to protect her and our people.”

  Orba interrupted, “I mean no disrespect to either of you, but Pah has committed some serious crimes. She murdered twice, including Farrah, the Old One—these crimes cannot go unaddressed. The dead want their justice, and as the Chief of the Council, it is within my rights to demand it on their behalf. However, for the good of the people, for the benefit of the tribe, I am willing to forgo seeking justice until she is well.”

  Semkah shook his head. “How can you talk of justice now after all she’s been through? Hasn’t she suffered enough? We don’t even know if she will live through this.”

  “I felt it only right to tell you the truth. What kind of counselor would I be to withhold this from you? I have seen Farrah and the child, and they demand justice.”

  I knew Orba was telling the truth, and I believed Pah was indeed guilty of the crimes she had been accused of, but my father was right. There must be some consideration for what punishment she had already suffered. Our ancestors had made sure Pah paid a price for her evil deeds. Yet, there were other things to consider besides revenge and justice. We weren’t even sure that we could accomplish our plan.

  I raised a hand. “Please, let us speak of something else at the moment. Farrah and my treasure, Paimu, will receive their justice, but we need to think about the more immediate danger, which is my uncle. He is maneuvering for something. Even though he has not received the blessing of Egypt yet, I am sure that will not be his last attempt. Here is my request, Father. I have asked Ramose to find Alexio and bring him back.” I swallowed and felt the lump in my throat even as I said the words, “Pah needs a husband. A strong husband, a good husband, one who will not be influenced by Omel. I cannot think of anyone better than Alexio. I want you, Father, to bless his marriage to Pah. As her consort, he can lead our people until she is well again. At that time, these other matters can be determined. I fear if we do not take these drastic measures, if we do not find a strong consort for Pah, all will be lost. All of this will have been for nothing. I cannot say I am sad that Yuni died in the raid at Timia. He was a weak, lustful man. Pah was a fool to have married him, but now we must act.”

  My father lowered his voice. “I cannot tell you how surprised I am to hear this. You would ask Alexio to marry Pah? Do you know what you’re asking?” He took my hand and looked into my eyes with concern.

  “Yes, Father, I know what I’m asking. It hurts to even say the words, but this is the only way. As king, and you are king still, you can see it done. Alexio might resist you at first, but when he knows that this is my desire I’m sure he will obey. He would never betray me.”

  Then my father said what I did not think. “Aren’t you betraying him? There is no doubt that he loves you, Nefret.”

  “I am mekhma. I will do what I have to do to make sure the Meshwesh are safe.”

  “Then if that is your will, let it be so.”

  “Yes, let it be so.” Abruptly, I left them to their own counsel. The tears streamed down my face. Whatever Alexio and I had meant to one another, whatever promises and covenants we had made, I had now broken them. No—severed them with a cruel sword and chopped our love to pieces.

  Things would never be the same. He was mine no more.

  The camp was settling down now, and I found the makeshift tent that Ayn had installed for us. I had only a few hours to rest before we were to go to the doors of the city. Our camp had quieted, and so had the Kiffians’. Before the star shower there were sickening sounds coming from behind the walls of Zerzura. I could only imagine what kind of beastly things were happening. The sounds of screaming pierced the silence of the desert. Occasionally they would parade across the balcony, tormenting us in their crude language until the stars fell. Even though I served no god, I was grateful the sign had made them stop.

  Ayn lay beside me. She smelled like sweat, but I could not complain. So did I. It seemed like forever since any of us had dived into the sweet waters of Timia. I know I should be excited to be so near Zerzura, our ancestral home, but I was not. I wanted to be anywhere but here.

  “What are you thinking, Ayn?”

  “I am thinking about how I will miss our people when we’ve gone.”

  Pushing my dirty hair from my face, I asked, “When we’ve gone?”

  “You did not think I would let you leave by yourself, did you?”

  I smiled at her but then pursed my lips. “Does this decision have anything to do with a certain Egyptian general?”

  Even in the dark, I could tell that Ayn was uncomfortable with my question. She was not the kind of person who talked openly about her feelings—or her needs. I wondered which one he appealed to the most.

  “If you are referring to Ramose, then no. It doesn’t. I have no expectations of him. He has a wife, and he is an Egyptian. It would never work.”

  “I see.”

  “And what about you, Nefret? Although I think your plan is brilliant, I cannot believe you would willingly give Alexio to your sister. You have to know how she feels about him.”

  “I know, but we have no choice. It is Alexio or Omel. Omel’s people will stir up Walida and others to make him king. He is a dangerous man.”

  She grunted and said, “You have no idea. Did you know the Egyptians call hi
m Horemheb?”

  “What does that mean?”

  “Something to do with Horus. I don’t know. These Egyptian ways are foreign to me. Apparently he is quite a regular figure at the Egyptian court.”

  “Is that what Ramose tells you?”

  “No, I did not hear that from him.”

  With a sigh and a surge of concern I said, “Be careful, Ayn. Love is a treacherous mistress.”

  “I do not know that I love him, Nefret.”

  I smiled at her in the dark. “Yes, you do. Just be careful. And when we get to Egypt, trust no one.” That was the advice I received from Queen Tiye herself. “We go to a dangerous place, Ayn. I fear that we will be at a disadvantage in many ways, and we will have no allies to guide us—unless you count my uncle. I am sure he will waste no time coming to the court, if for nothing else than to gloat over my situation.”

  It was her turn to laugh now. “That is what you are thinking about? In just a few hours you will drive to the gates of Zerzura and face the Kiffians, and you are worried about going to Egypt? Let us try to live through the morning. Then we will plan a strategy for survival at court,” she said with a raw laugh as she tapped my arm playfully.

  “I don’t suppose there is a chance Ramose will change his mind and leave me here?” I asked hopefully.

  “No, there is no chance. And if he heard you say that, he would lock you in chains now just to keep you from escaping.” She whispered a warning, “So please do not speak those words in public. If Ramose does not return with you—safe and alive, I might add—he might as well fall on his own sword. He cannot disobey his queen. It would mean death for him, even if he does not truly care for her.”

  “He does not care for the Great Wife?”

  “No, but he loves Pharaoh to no end. He is like a father to him.”