Captain Taneb ambled down the deck to stand behind Khenet’s shoulder. He peered at Lady Tiya. “Bad luck if she dies on my ship.”
“She isn’t going to die,” Khenet snapped. “She has a headache.”
Taneb mulled the problem over, rubbing the bristles on his chin. “I can offer something to help. It’s an old formula my grandmother used for aches and pains.”
Keeping one hand pressed tightly to her left eye, Lady Tiya moaned and shook her head imperceptibly. “I’ve tried every foul, vile, nasty concoction the physicians in Thebes could dream up. Sawdust mixed with honey, crushed beetle wings, curdled goat’s milk and shredded papyrus buds...Nothing helps. The elixirs make me sicker. The pain and nausea will pass eventually if you both just leave me alone.”
Shaking his head, the captain strolled to the stern of the ship, returning a few moments later to surreptitiously hand Khenet a packet of herbs wrapped in a shred of linen. A faint and soothing aroma floated from the medicinal bundle. Taneb shot another look at the moaning lady then hurried away.
Unwrapping the little package, Khenet tapped a handful of crushed leaves and petals into his palm. Uncommon amusement for his shield mates, if they got an eyeful of him playing nursemaid. But who else is there to help her? The captain? Some clumsy crewman? At least I know how to behave in the presence of a gently born woman. He snorted in wry humor. The one benefit to having been adopted into a noble household. Resigned to his role, Khenet poured water into a clay mug and stirred in the herbs. He knelt beside his charge. “Try a few sips? And then I’ll lay a cool compress on your forehead and, I promise, leave you in peace.”
She studied him with one bloodshot eye, her whole face white and scrunched in pain. “The part about leaving me alone sounds wonderful. What’s in this stuff of his grandmother’s?”
“Some dried herbs, pressed flower petals.” Bracing her with his arm, he helped her sit up and raised the mug to her lips.
After a suspicious sniff, she closed her eyes and grimaced. “All right, I’ll drink it, if only to shut you up.” Opening her bloodshot, lush brown eyes, she pointed a finger at him. “Your hovering doesn’t help matters.”
“I swear by the wings of Horus to leave you in peace after you drink this.” With great effort, he kept a smile from forming as he gave her a half bow.
She nodded, took a small drink, then another few sips before pushing the cup away and falling back against his arm.
The shadows under her beautiful eyes caught his attention as he lowered her against the wooden headrest. When did she last eat? Not since before I met her yesterday? “Can you keep any food in your stomach? You must replenish your strength.”
“You swore to leave me alone. So much for a soldier’s solemn oath.” The words were cutting but the tone was joking, warm. Lady Tiya opened her eyes again, shielding them with one hand. “Sometimes I can tolerate a bread crust.”
He selected a hard roll left over from his breakfast and broke off a few crumbs, handing her the small bits of bread, coaxing her to sample the best portion. She swallowed some of the bread and drank a little more of the medicated water, after which she made a face and rubbed the residue from her lips. “Are you a healer as well as a soldier?”
Sitting on his heels, hands on his thighs, he shook his head. “Not I. But some things are common sense. And leaving you to suffer in your fetid cabin did not make sense.”
“I’m grateful.” She kept her eyes closed but gave him a tentative smile.
As he straightened the sheet, Khenet frowned, eyes narrowed. This isn’t right, not fair to her. “A highborn lady like you shouldn’t be traveling this way, with no attendants. Not even one maid to take care of your needs.” How could Pharaoh send her off in such a style? Never mind if a goddess decreed it.
“This whole business is less than ideal,” she said, ending on a tiny yawn. “The Great One only cares about my quick arrival at the Nome. She’s renowned for not concerning herself with the comfort of mere humans.”
Khenet’s head buzzed with questions about all aspects of this mission. What was he going to face down there in the Viper Nome? She had to know more than he did about this journey, but he could see how exhausted she was, and he didn’t have the heart to pester her now. After all, he had a week or more of the voyage to inquire further. He took pity on her. After moving the dishes away, he adjusted the headrest and gestured for her to recline. “Sleep if you can. I’ll stand guard. The crew won’t venture near, and they can’t see you under this awning. I’ve ordered your cabin washed and the bedding aired out. This afternoon, if you feel better, you can go below and change garments.”
Closing her eyes obediently, she nodded. Khenet settled in to stand watch.
For the most part, she slept easily under the influence of the herbs. The lines of pain etched on her face smoothed out, and she turned on her side, pillowing her head on one palm. A battered, one-eared black tomcat came and curled up next to her, purring, staring defiantly at Khenet with mismatched green and yellow eyes as it kneaded its claws in the straw mattress.
Making one attempt to remove the cat, lest it waken her from hard won sleep, Khenet was rewarded with a long scratch on the knuckles.
“You’re not what I’m supposed to defend her against,” Khenet informed the ship’s cat. “No need to glare at me.”
After several hours, the potion wore off and she stirred, kicking the covers away. Trying to block out awareness of her enticing curves and sweet perfume, Khenet redraped the linen sheet over her twice.
She woke as he tucked the sheet under the edge of the mattress for the third time. He pulled his hand away and stood. “Pardon, my lady. I didn’t want you to catch a chill. The late afternoon breeze has an edge.”
“Thank you.” Lady Tiya nodded as she stretched and smiled at him tentatively. “I do feel better. I think you were right—the fresh air helps.” She sat up and petted the cat, scratching its chin. “Well, hello. Were you guarding me as well?” Purring loudly, the animal butted her with its head and did a sinuous little dance of pleasure, tail at attention.
“He’s been your faithful sentinel, standing watch even against me.” Khenet showed her a long scratch across his hand. “He didn’t take well to my attempt to remove him when he first arrived.” Her gentle laugh pleased him. Too much. Could Nephthys be exerting influence to make me desire this girl for some twisted reason of her own? Khenet tried to revert to professional bodyguard. “Are you hungry?”
“I could eat.” She sounded surprised.
“Stay here and I’ll get you something then.” Khenet stood and worked the kinks out from having sat in one place for so long.
“You don’t have to wait on me, you know.” Lady Tiya beamed at him, cheerful. “But I do appreciate the kindness.”
Khenet grunted and went to get the food. At least she’s polite. He brought her some soup, a few dates and another hard roll.
Sitting cross-legged, Lady Tiya picked at the food daintily, her focus on the river view and the pleasant scenery they passed. “I’ve never been far out of Thebes. I was on the previous Pharaoh’s barge once, on a short pleasure cruise.”
“You befriended the Usurper?” Khenet looked askance at her. He picked off a bit of the roll and chewed thoughtfully.
“We’d no choice but to attend her Court.” Lady Tiya smoothed her hair, reacting to his obvious disapproval, and contemplated the food. “My father’s a city official, in charge of granaries. He had to report to Pharaoh Lynefaraht twice a year.” She grimaced. “Someone told her I was a daughter of Nephthys.”
Khenet swallowed the next bite of bread the wrong way. He choked and coughed. “I meant to ask about that. Are you an actual child of the Great One?”
She laughed. “No. Gods, no. It’s an honorary title. Or a curse.” She stuck out her arm and pointed at a small birthmark, like a carto
uche, over her pulse point. “See this? It’s the sign. I have a larger birthmark matching this one on my chest, over my heart.”
“Sign of what?” Khenet’s eyebrows rose and his forehead wrinkled. He tried very hard not to imagine what the other marking might look like on the curve of her breast.
“Our family is an ancient line, tracing to the first civilization preceding life here in Egypt. A few girls in each generation are born with this mark.” Lady Tiya tapped her wrist with a long finger. “Well, you saw, there are currently three of us, and we’re at the disposal of the Great One, Nephthys. That was the bargain my ancestor struck. Others in the family may choose to serve the goddess or live a normal life.” She sighed, eyes downcast. “A few have tried to escape the servitude of the mark. For them our family records reveal painful deaths at the hand of Nephthys, threats of banishment from the Afterlife. I—I did research in the archives after I was told what my birthmarks really meant.”
“Are you a priestess of Nephthys? Is that why you volunteered?” Khenet scratched his head. Why else would she go so calmly to her death?
“No.” She played with the dates, selecting one, then returning it to the plate before meeting his gaze. “Unlike my older brother, the priest you met in Thebes, I’ve didn’t receive the calling to serve in the temple. I don’t wear a ram’s wool garland, play a tambourine or carry statues of the goddess through the street in procession during the high festivals.”
“You sound relieved,” he said, studying her face.
“I’m more interested in life here, day to day, not the Afterlife or the doings of the Great Ones. I’d make a poor priestess, I fear.” Lady Tiya brushed the crumbs off her lap. “I was intrigued by my father’s businesses, his farms, the granaries.”
“So not a housewife either, I guess.” Khenet moved the plate out of the way as she uncurled her legs. “What does the mark bring you then?”
“No special powers or abilities. I’m quite ordinary.” Rubbing her wrist as if to remove the telltale blemish Lady Tiya laughed bitterly. “I volunteered because my poor cousin is about to be married while I’ve a suitor I don’t care for. I couldn’t bear to let her be chosen when she has such happiness in her grasp. My life seemed bleak in comparison.” She bit her lip and swallowed hard, turning her gaze away from him. She watched a pair of kingfishers dive into the Nile, emerging with silvery fish in their beaks. “I was to have an arranged marriage. You saw him, in the temple. My father married a young woman. She wanted me out of my father’s house, and she wanted my dowry to enrich her beloved brother.” Lady Tiya set aside the cup, preparing to stand.
More questions blazed through Khenet’s mind, leaving him anxious and frustrated. He was plunging into a murky situation, the only certain knowledge being the girl’s dark fate and the likelihood of his own demise. He needed as many details as he could glean, about Viper Nome, about this sorcerer-nomarch—specifics about what the goddess planned. But Tiya was growing upset and near to tears and he hadn’t the heart to bother her for more. Yet why should her distress matter to me when there’s mission information to gather? This woman is getting under my skin. Or maybe it’s just the whole strange assignment. Great Ones, black magic...
He stood as she did, immediately reaching to steady her, his hand on her arm. “Do you wish to return to your cabin?”
“Gods, no.” She shook her head emphatically. “Not to stay there, anyway. I brought some papyrus and inks in my bag. I wanted to sketch some of the scenery we’re sailing past. For many years I’ve longed to travel, to see more than the area close by Thebes. Be careful what you wish for, I guess.” Her smile was brave but wavering.
Her resolve in the face of certain death warmed Khenet, cementing his newfound liking for her. May the goddess be swift and merciful with her death. Hoping to distract her—and himself—Khenet pointed downriver. “Taneb tells me we’ll be sailing past the city of Tjaru in a little while. You might find it interesting. If you want to sketch there are some fine temples on the banks, and there will be other river traffic to watch. You’re an artist then?” He restrained an eye roll. I’ve lost count of ladies of the Court I’ve met who fancied themselves “artists.”
Lady Tiya fidgeted. “I’m accounted to have some skill. My father even had one of my hunting designs painted onto the wall of his tomb. And I was commissioned to paint a garden mural on the wall of the new library before this—this trip of ours came about.”
Khenet eyed the sailors at the stern of the River Horse. Men were studiously at work on the ship, but he had seen the surreptitious ogling directed at Lady Tiya in the last few hours. The fine linen of her dress, after the customary style of Thebes, was on the sheer side, and didn’t conceal much of her womanly figure. I don’t want her embarrassed by crude remarks. “Let me get your art supplies for you. Stay here, rest.”
Sinking onto the mattress, she subsided, reaching to stroke the cat. “All right. Thank you.”
When he brought the kit to her, she was scratching the cat’s chin. Smiling, she set the animal aside and unpacked her things. Leaning against the bulkhead, Khenet watched as she sketched the cat. He was amazed. In just a few swift strokes she captured the somewhat battered animal’s essence, then added a border of whimsical fish, coloring them delicately.
“Do you like it?” she asked the cat, showing it to him. Yawning, the cat walked away. Lady Tiya laughed and set the papyrus aside. “Well, I’ll give it to the captain then, to thank him for the medicine.”
Khenet picked up the drawing and examined the border more closely. Each fish had a different expression. “This is good.”
“You sound surprised.” Raising her eyebrows, Lady Tiya plucked another small blank papyrus from her box and smoothed it against her thigh.
Khenet handed her the sketch. “So many of the Theban noblewomen claim to draw, but so few have the skill to combine two symbols together in any artistic style. If they even bother to actually touch paint to papyrus.” He bit his lips on further comments about the idle, useless women at court.
Picking up a fine-pointed brush, she dipped it into the flower-shaped inkwell and tilted her head. “Can I draw something for you?”
He crossed his arms. “Why?”
“I thought—”
Khenet moved away from the side of the ship, dusting off his kilt. “I’m going to fish, see if I can get some fresh Nile perch for our dinner.”
“Sounds like fun.” She took a second to clean the brush before shoving it into her art box. “May I watch?”
“Suit yourself, my lady.” Khenet walked away.
Raising her voice slightly, she said, “Tiya. Call me Tiya, as my family and friends do.”
Khenet wheeled, the artless invitation surprising him. A trick or test from Nephthys? Or is Tiya trying to get on my good side? Seduce me to avoid her fate? Unblinking, he stared at her for several moments. She stopped short, her smile fading. He surveyed her from head to toe, then raised his eyes to the sky. Frustration over this entire assignment made his words harsh. “We’re not family. We’re not friends. This isn’t a pleasure cruise down the Nile on any Pharaoh’s barge.” He lowered his gaze and took in her shocked face. “My orders are to escort you to your death and to perish myself as a result. I’ll carry out my orders, Lady Tiya-ami-kitara, have no doubt. But honeyed words won’t sway me from my duty.” He held up one hand. “So don’t waste your time. Or mine.”
Resting her hands on her hips, fists clenched, she narrowed her eyes. Drawing herself to her full height, her voice was chill as she said, “I didn’t ask for this. Not any of it. Yes, I volunteered to serve, but I had no idea what Nephthys was going to demand of me. I certainly didn’t request you as my guardian. But, like it or not, we’re in this together, at least till we reach the Viper Nome. We don’t need to be rude and angry with each other the whole trip. Common courtesy goes a long way.” She shook one f
inger in his face. “At least you had some choice. Nephthys told me, ‘Go there and die at my command, girl.’”
Her behavior left Khenet unaccountably amused. He was physically intimidating, towering over her, yet she confronted him fearlessly, calling him to task for his discourtesy. He had to admire her determination. Keeping his expression blank, he leaned over until he was right in her face. “You think a member of Pharaoh’s own guard can say no to orders?”
Lady Tiya blinked but didn’t surrender her ground even with him looming over her. “I think you had some choice, yes. Pharaoh’s adopted brother—”
Jaw dropping, Khenet took a step out of her personal space. “How did you know?”
Her eyes opened wide and her eyebrows lifted to her hairline. “It is talked of.”
He closed his eyes for a heartbeat, praying for patience. My family, how I became part of Nat’s family, is no one’s business. Not a subject for gossip. And certainly not a topic to discuss when Nephthys might overhear. Could the goddess hear through Tiya’s ears even now? Opening his eyes, he made a slashing motion with one hand, as if to physically cut the conversation short. “Well, we’re not going to speak of it.”
Lady Tiya spread her arms out, palms up. “What does being Pharaoh’s brother have to do with anything I’ve said to you?” She cast an appealing glance toward the heavens. “It’s a tremendous honor to be adopted into Pharaoh’s family.” Shaking her head, as if shooing away his words like so many annoying gnats, she sucked in a deep breath. “No matter. All I want is to enjoy this voyage and not to think about what waits for us in the Viper Nome. Am I asking too much? Can you give me five or six days of peace?”
That’s not unreasonable. “Let’s declare a truce.” Maybe now’s the time to try for more information after all. “In fact, perhaps we can compare notes on this trip we’ve embarked upon,” Khenet said.
Warrior of the Nile (The Gods of Egypt) Page 5
