Warrior of the Nile (The Gods of Egypt) (5 page)

The chill air fanned his cheeks, pleasant and bracing. Traveling by boat had always been his favorite mode of transport. A pair of rare river dolphins paced the ship for a few moments and his heart lightened a little at the sight.
A
good omen.
They leapt and frolicked, then arrowed away across the broad surface of the Nile. Farmers trudged into the fields as the ship passed by, walking behind their black-and white-spotted oxen. Khenet settled at the bow, leaning over the rail.

As the sun soared higher in the sky with no sign or word from Lady Tiya, his sense of duty nagged at him, more and more insistently.
She probably hopes I’ll wait upon her in her cabin like some thrice-damned eunuch.
He scoffed at the idea. His highborn charge needed to understand the world didn’t cater to her beck and call. Or, at least, Khenet had no such plans.

Still more time passed and his guilt over neglected duty transformed to real fear for the lady. A sailor came swaggering up the stairway and Khenet stiffened, his hand going to the hilt of his sword.
Could that man have been bothering her?
He hastened below decks to make sure no harm had come to her, to make sure he had not failed in his sworn duty before they’d even left the precincts of Thebes.

Chapter Three

“My lady?” He knocked gently at the door.

No answer. Resting his ear against the panel, Khenet heard nothing. He rapped his knuckles in a loud tattoo. “I’m coming in, my lady.”

She made no answer.

Alarmed, he slid the door open and stepped through the portal. The tiny cabin was dark and close, the air sour with the smell of sickness. As his eyes adjusted to the gloom, he observed her curled in a tight ball on the narrow bunk. Her hands were pressed to her eyes and she moaned.

“Go away,” she commanded in a shaky voice, averting her face from the light that streamed through the door.

“What ails you, my lady?” Khenet had a sinking feeling in his gut.
Her face is so pale
,
such huge circles under her eyes.
She must be truly ill.

“It’s nothing.” She cleared her throat, then was stricken by a bout of dry heaves. He retreated a step involuntarily. Licking her cracked, dry lips, she said, “I get terrible headaches. Being on the water is making the pain worse than normal. I slept a little while we were anchored last night but once we set sail again today—” She retched suddenly and curled up even more tightly.

Eyes now accustomed to the gloom, he surveyed the small space. He could hardly breathe himself.
It can’t be good for her to lie here.
I’ve never heard of anyone dying from a headache but
...He leaned toward the bunk, tried for a soothing tone. “I’ll return in a few moments.”

“Just go.” Her voice was tense. She rolled over, away from him. “These headaches last for days, and there’s nothing to be done.”

We’ll see about that.
Inaction wasn’t his preferred choice when faced with a problem.

Once on deck, Khenet sought out the captain, making a few demands. Several moments later, he returned to Lady Tiya’s cabin, bending to scoop her into his arms.

She struggled weakly the moment he touched her in a vain attempt to push his hands away. “What are you doing? Have you lost your mind?” Spasms wracked her body again and she moaned pitifully.

“I’m trying to help you, stubborn woman.” Lifting her easily off the sweat-soaked linen sheets, he carried her out of the cabin and up onto the deck. She seemed so petite in his arms, her loose hair soft, the curls brushing against his skin. She leaned against him, her head on his chest, eyes closed. Daylight revealed the sickly pallor of her skin.

“I had the crew rig a spare sail at the bow, to make you an open tent.” Easily adjusting his balance as the ship crested the waves, he paced along the deck, Lady Tiya unresisting in his arms. “I put my straw mattress there. You can lie in the shade, in the clean air from the Nile, and rest. The breeze off the river may help with the nausea.”

He walked past the edge of the makeshift pavilion the crew had created to give her privacy and knelt to place her on the mattress. She curled up the second he released his grip. Drenching a rag in a nearby pitcher of water, he coaxed her into straightening out so he could wash her face. Caked and smeared eye makeup from the previous day ran down her cheeks, which were tracked with tears. Once he’d cleared most of the mess away he could see her face, surprisingly sweet and fresh. Without the layers of paint she looked less like a highborn noblewoman, and more like the kind of woman he would find appealing. Khenet wrung out the rag and refreshed it in the pitcher.
By Horus’s talons
,
where did such an observation come from?
I
can’t afford to assess her as a woman.
She’s strictly my assignment
,
a
package to protect—nothing more.
Get a grip
,
soldier.
He made fast work of removing the rest of her makeup. She lay back and he covered her with the linen sheet from his cabin.

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 cartouche, 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.