“Teach me to kill.”
Sennedjem nodded. “Let’s begin.”
Epilogue
The Time of Remembering
First Prophet of Amun, Wennefer, slowly stood during Pharaoh Horemheb’s silence after his last recounting. The sun had already begun to dip behind the great horizon. Servants attempted invisibility as they lit the torches in the room.
A weight dropped to Mut’s stomach; she had not realized Horemheb had fathered a child with her half-sister. He had told her he loved Nefertiti as a Pharaoh, but never the extent. She had assumed it was an admiration; she never had reason to suspect otherwise. Mut looked to her own growing belly and peered over at him. Was she only a replacement for her sister?
“My Pharaoh and his Queen: we, the Amun Priesthood, do not agree with what the former Prophet of Amun, Pawah, did, nor with what the people demanded, nor with what Pharaohs Akhenaten and Smenkare believed. So, as we all are in agreement”—Wennefer looked around to make sure his fellow prophets’ heads were nodding with him—“we all know very well what happened to the two Pharaohs after Pharaoh Neferneferuaten. Perhaps now Pharaoh can sign the edict before the sun sets on this second day.”
Pharaoh Horemheb looked around to those in the room and stood as well.
“No. All of the Pharaohs deserve their account to be retold for the last time. We will honor them before we rid them from our historical records.”
“My Pharaoh—” Wennefer began.
Horemheb held his hand out to silence them. “None are greater than Pharaoh.”
Wennefer bit his tongue and took a deep breath; the other prophets did the same.
“We shall continue the recounting at first light.” A few grumblings made their way to Horemheb’s ears. “Honor the dead,” he commanded. The grumblings ceased. “Remember their legacy before we rid them from our children’s memory.” The two guards behind him stepped forward as he raised his voice. “First light.” He pointed a finger in the air.
Mut stood behind him. Her feet ached from standing all day, but so was her place as her husband spoke of the family who would never be remembered. Silence came from the priesthood, so she spoke. “Your Pharaoh has commanded first light, or do you speak treason against Amun’s true First Prophet, his divinely appointed King?”
“No.” Wennefer nodded his head in reverence to the position of Pharaoh, but he spoke through clenched teeth. “There are none greater than Pharaoh.”
“Then we shall resume at first light,” she said with her back straight and her hands to her sides.
They agreed and left for the temple.
Horemheb turned to Mut after their exit. His eyes held her pain. She had tried in the days before, pleaded with him for another way, begged him on her knees, but there was nothing else he could do. He closed his eyes and dropped his head. She put a hand on his shoulder. He looked up to find tears streaming down her face.
“I know why you must do this, Pharaoh. I see the way they question you. The future people of Egypt can’t know about this period of time, or else Pharaoh will always be questioned,” she said as she wiped her eyes and her nose, realizing now after all these years why her sister did the things she did—she loved Egypt more than all else. “But it doesn’t take away the pain.”
“Be strong, Mut,” he said as he cupped her cheek with his hand. “You are courageous. It was why I fell in love with you.”
Nuzzling her nose into his palm, she breathed a sigh of relief at his reaffirmation that his love for her was not a replacement; but yet, as her gaze focused on the gold-and-blue lapis ring upon his pinky finger that she now knew was Nefertiti’s, she wondered more. “I am trying.”
He brought her into his chest and kissed her forehead.
“May Amun be with us,” Horemheb whispered to her.
Mut looked up to her husband with a wary eye. “May Amun give us strength.”
The Story Continues
SCARAB IN THE STORM, Book III
Scarab in the Storm Book III
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The Lost Pharaoh Chronicles
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A LOOK INTO THE PAST
As readers may have gleaned from this novel’s prologue and epilogue, the account of Pharaohs Akhenaten, Smenkare, and Neferneferuaten were removed from history by a later Pharaoh. Only recently, archeologists have uncovered bits and pieces of what happened during the Amarna period, the period of time this series covers. The author has taken liberties in Secrets in the Sand, book two of The Lost Pharaoh Chronicles, where there were uncertainties and unknowns in the facts.
Secrets in the Sand covers the most unknown section of time during this lost period. Many sources discount Pharaohs Smenkare and Neferneferuaten in their entirety and skip over them, saying the next Pharaoh after Akhenaten was Tutankhamun; but, after researching more, it has become clear that there were two additional Pharaohs between those two reigns.
After dealing more with religious reforms and neglecting or dealing poorly with foreign relations, Pharaoh Akhenaten did not keep the nation at the height his father and mother had achieved for Egypt. It has been assumed he suffered from Temporal Lobe Epilepsy, Marfan’s syndrome, Loeys-Dietz syndrome, or some other disorder, which looks to explain why he believed the sun made him feel better—perhaps due to a severe vitamin D deficiency. Visions were common in his family line and only intensified in each generation, most likely due to inbreeding, which the author carried through to Smenkare.
There are two main theories on why he led Egypt to monotheism: Akhenaten was trying to take power from the cult priesthood of Amun, or he just simply held different beliefs for Egypt. It is accepted that he died in Year 17 of his reign.
Smenkare could have been another brother, half-brother, son, or lover of Akhenaten. There are a few who attribute Smenkare and Nefertiti as one and the same, only dressed like a man. Some DNA tests have shown that Smenkare could also be the father of Tutankhaten. Additionally, some believe Tut’s nurse, Maia, is actually a reference to his true mother, Meritaten. Tutankhaten’s children’s mother presumably was his chief royal wife, as well as a daughter of Akhenaten; however, the DNA of their mother shows no father-daughter relation to the mummy identified as Akhenaten. If the children’s mother was not Akhenaten’s daughter, then their mother is an unknown lesser wife of Tutankhaten; if the children’s mother is Akhenaten’s daughter, then Akhenaten’s mummy is actually someone else (presumably Smenkare) and Smenkare’s sister bore Tutankhaten, not Akhenaten and his sister.
There is little known about Smenkare as Pharaoh, as no facts have been presented and only theories have been produced about who he was and the length and type of his reign. Some say he was Pharaoh for no more than a year, some two years; others say the length of his reign is indeterminable, but they suggest he was more strict and more Aten-istic than Akhenaten. It appears Smenkare stayed in Aketaten, as no evidence has been presented to the contrary. A few believe Akhenaten was still alive at this time and Smenkare could have been his lover or Nefertiti portrayed as a man, as mentioned above. They believe Smenkare reigned as Coregent with Akhenaten for a while before Akhenaten’s death. Again, no one is sure about anything regarding Smenkare. We only know he was a Pharaoh between the reigns of Akhenaten and Neferneferuaten, and some attribute Smenkare as the successor to Neferneferuaten.
It is believed that Nefertiti died sometime between Year 16 and Year 17 of Akhenaten’s reign; some say she was Smenkare or Coregent Neferneferuaten during the time of Akhenaten’s reign. Although some experts attribute Pharaoh Neferneferuaten as a female and the Coregent Neferneferuaten as more likely a male, she is both Pharaoh and Coregent in Secrets in the Sand. Others say she lived past Akhenaten’s death and was the Pharaoh Neferneferuaten who reigned after Smenkare, but some associate two separate individuals under the same name and attribute the later Pharaoh to one of her daughters: Meritaten, Ankhesenpaaten, or Neferneferuaten
Tasherit. A new theory suggests Pharaoh Neferneferuaten was the name under which two Queen Pharaohs, Meritaten and Neferneferuaten Tasherit, ruled. Regardless, the reign of Pharaoh Neferneferuaten was brief, lasting no more than one or two years before Pharaoh Tutankhaten took the throne, where, presumably sometime before or in the third year of his reign, he moved the capital back to Waset and changed his name to Tutankhamun to give glory back to Amun. There is also a theory that Neferneferuaten reigned during Tutankhamun’s first three years, since he was only nine and a Coregency existed. In Secrets in the Sand, Neferneferuaten reigned for a little more than two of the three years prior to the move back to Waset.
Pharaoh Tutankhamun, born Tutankhaten, is the famed boy King Tut whose coffin was opened in 1925 by Howard Carter, revealing the pristine, golden funerary mask that has come to be associated with Ancient Egypt just as much as the Great Pyramids and Sphinx of Giza.
A little peek into the author’s mindset:
There are only a handful of named fictional characters in the story. The majority of the main characters are based on and named after their real-life counterparts. She wanted to stay as close to the historical account as possible, yet still craft an engaging story.
The author used “Pharaoh” as a title in the story due to the mainstream portrayal of Pharaoh to mean “King” or “ruler.” Pharaoh is actually a Greek word for the Egyptian word(s) pero or per-a-a in reference to the royal palace in Ancient Egypt, or literally, “great house.” The term was used in the time period this series covers; however, it was never used as an official title of the Ancient Egyptian kings.
Ancient Egyptians called their country Kemet, meaning “Black Land,” but because the modern term Egypt is more prevalent and known in the world today, the author used Egypt when referencing the ancient empire.
Regnal years were not used during the ancient times, but rather used by historians to help chronicle the different reigns. The author decided to insert these references throughout the novel to help the reader keep track of how much time has passed and to have a better idea of the historical timeline.
Amun can be spelled many ways—Amen, Amon, Amun—but it refers to the same god. Likewise, the Aten has also been spelled Aton, Atom, or Atun. The author chose consistent spellings for her series for pronunciation purposes.
Ancient Egyptians did not use the words 'death’ or ‘died’ as it was looked down upon or potentially considered taboo, but for ease of reading this series, the author did use ‘death’ and ‘died’ in some instances. Rather they would use alternative phrases to satiate the burden that the word ‘death’ brought such as 'went to the fields of Re,’ 'became an Osiris,' and ‘journeyed to the west’.
Horemheb was probably already married to a prophetess of Amun, Amenia, at the time Secrets in the Sand took place. She presumably died during the reign of Tutankhaten. They had no children.
The author hopes you have enjoyed this story crafted from the little-known facts surrounding this period, and is hard at work writing. Find out what happens next with Ankhesenpaaten, Pawah, Ay, Horemheb, Mut, Tut, and the rise (or fall) of Egypt in book three, Scarab in the Storm! Sign up at www.LostPharaohChronicles.com to receive the Free Reader’s Guide for Salvation in the Sun or at www.laurenleemerewether.com to receive a free copy of her debut novel, Blood of Toma, and alerts when new stories are on their way.
What Did You Think?
Did You Enjoy
Secrets in the Sand?
Thank you for reading the second book in The Lost Pharaoh Chronicles. I hope you enjoyed jumping into another culture and reading about the author’s interpretation of the events that took place in the New Kingdom of Ancient Egypt.
If you enjoyed Secrets in the Sand, I would like to ask a big favor: Please share with your friends and family on social media sites like Facebook and leave a review on Amazon and on Goodreads if you have accounts there.
I am an independent author; as such, reviews and word of mouth are the best way readers like you can help books like Secrets in the Sand reach other readers.
Your feedback and support are of the utmost importance to me. If you want to reach out to me and give feedback on this book, share ideas to improve my future writings, get updates about future books, or just say howdy, please visit me on the web.
www.LaurenLeeMerewether.com
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Happy Reading!
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The Mitanni Princess.
Her future is pending.
The Mitanni Princess Tadukhipa weighs her options: happiness in exile and poverty, death in prison, or a luxurious life of loneliness. Cursed to love a servant and practice a servant’s trade, Tadukhipa rebels against her father, the King, for a chance to change her destiny.
Acknowledgments
First and foremost, I want to thank God for blessing me with the people who support me and the opportunities he gave me to do what I love: telling stories.
Many thanks to my dear husband Mark, who supported my early mornings and late nights of writing this book.
Thank you to my parents, siblings, beta readers, and launch team members, without whom I would not have been able to make the story the best it could be and successfully get the story to market.
Thank you to Spencer Hamilton of Nerdy Wordsmith, who put this story through the refiner’s fire, making this piece of historical fiction really shine.
Thank you to RE Vance, bestselling author of the GoneGod World series, who offered guidance and mentored me in the series’ plot development.
Thank you to the Self-Publishing School Fundamentals of Fiction course, which taught me invaluable lessons on the writing process and how to effectively self-publish, as well as gave me the encouragement I needed.
Thank you to Slobodan Cedic for the wonderful book cover concept design.
Finally, but certainly not least, thank you to my readers. Without your support, I would not be able to write. I truly hope this story engages you, inspires you, and gives you a peek into the past. I’ve also created a Reader’s Guide to help you delve into the history and into book one a little bit more—just sign up here to receive it.
My hope is that when you finish reading this story, your love of history will have deepened a little more—and, of course, that you can’t wait to find out what happens in the next book of the series!
About the Author
Lauren Lee Merewether, a historical fiction author, loves bringing the world stories forgotten by time, filled with characters who love and lose, fight wrong with right, and feel hope in times of despair.
A lover of ancient history where mysteries still abound, Lauren loves to dive into history and research overlooked, under-appreciated, and relatively unknown tidbits of the past and craft for her readers engaging stories.
During the day, Lauren studies the nuances of technology and audits at her job and cares for her family. She saves her nights and early mornings for writing stories.
Get her first novel, Blood of Toma, for FREE, say hello, and stay current with Lauren’s latest releases at www.LaurenLeeMerewether.com.
Also by Lauren Lee Merewether
Blood of Toma
Running from death seemed unnatural to the High Priestess Tomantzin, but run she does.
She escapes to the jungle after witnessing her father’s murder amidst a power struggle within the Mexica Empire and fears for her life. Instead of finding refuge in the jaguar’s land, she falls into the hands of glimmering gods in search for glory and gold. With her nation on the brink of civil war and its pending capture by these gods who call themselves Conquistadors, a bloody war is inevitable.
Tomantzin must choose to avenge her father, save her people, or run away
with the man she is forbidden to love.
Lauren’s debut work of historical fiction, Blood of Toma, won a Montaigne Medal nomination and was a finalist for the Next Generation Indie Book Awards in Historical Fiction and Readers’ Favorite Award in Young Adult-Thriller.
Get this ebook for free at www.laurenleemerewether.com.
Salvation in the Sun
(The Lost Pharaoh Chronicles Book One)
This future she knows for certain—the great sun city will be her undoing.
Amidst a power struggle between Pharaoh and the priesthood of Amun, Queen Nefertiti helps the ill-prepared new Pharaoh Amenhotep enact his father’s plan to regain power for the throne. But what seemed a difficult task only becomes more grueling when Amenhotep loses himself in his radical obsessions.
Standing alone to bear the burden of a failing country and stem the tide of a growing rebellion, Nefertiti must choose between her love for Pharaoh and her duty to Egypt in this dramatic retelling of a story forgotten by time.
Scarab in the Storm
(The Lost Pharaoh Chronicles Book Three)
Coming Soon
Secrets in the Sand Page 32
