Magic of the Nile (35 page)

She shook her head slightly. “I thought of taking such an easy way out, drugging myself to make the journey, but my son—our son—was on board with me. He needed me.”

“You could have left him in Ta’sobeksef, with a wet nurse.”

Indignant, Tyema sat up. “I’m not a coward. I knew you might be in Thebes, the nomarch told me. I wanted you to know your son. I never intended to keep you from him.”

Capturing her hand and bringing it to his lips for a kiss, he made reassuring noises. “No need to be so defensive, I believe you. So resuming your tale of years ago, how were you rescued from the Hyksos?”

“Sobek himself came to save us. He brought his crocodiles to destroy the enemy ships, just battered them to pieces. He led the attack as the White Crocodile, rescuing me, because he knew how much Merys loved me.” She stared into Sahure’s warm brown eyes, narrowed in concern for her and the painful past she was revealing. “Can I tell you something you must never repeat? I want no more secrets about the past between us, and I have Sobek’s permission. The day he made you the map of the Nile he said I could share this truth with you, although I didn’t understand why he was saying it at the time.”

No hint of amusement in his demeanor, Sahure laid his free hand over his heart. “I swear upon my immortal
ka
not to ever speak of Sobek’s secrets.”

Satisfied, she nodded. “Not even the other members of my family know this, but Sobek and Merys were lovers. She was carrying his baby. When it came time for the judging of her heart, the goddess Isis granted Merys the special dispensation that she and the child could have eternity in the Afterlife with Sobek in the home of the gods.”

Sahure was speechless for a moment. “No wonder the Great One insisted my uncle place your Merys in a lavish tomb, give her full honors as if she was a member of our family. He attends to its upkeep and protection to this day.”

Tyema nodded. “I used to see Merys occasionally while I was growing up. Her
ka
was allowed to come from the Afterlife to the old temple every once in a while, and take on human form. She even brought Hathor and Tarawet to save my life and the baby’s life the night he was born, but now Isis has forbidden her to travel to our world again. It’s so strange, Merys is unchanged, and I’m older than she was when she passed into the Afterlife.”

“Does Merys’s spirit tie you to the village and prevent you from leaving?”

“No, I’ll see Merys when I reach the Afterlife, if my heart be judged worthy. I’m not a child any more, Sahure. I don’t need mothering from Merys to get through my tasks, my days. But to finish the tale of that awful day, many years ago, Sobek took us all back to the village, where he straightened my leg. He’s not a healing god, but he said the task was simple to do. My entire life until then I’d been shunned, hated, an outcast, and he made my leg whole in the blink of an eye.”

“But not your heart,” Sahure said, raising his eyebrows.

She nodded. “He declared me to be his high priestess, gave me the six emerald tears. But I’d spent my entire life scuttling out of view, trying to stay away from people, not to disgrace my family or myself, avoiding torment and hurt—”

“And you can’t bear to be in crowds of people unless you’re carrying out tasks for Sobek. I understand now.” He hugged her close to his heart, kissing the top of her head.

“I get physically ill, afraid I’m going to faint, or die, or lose control of some bodily function, which did happen to me on occasion as a child. Often I can’t breathe.” She tried to smile, knew she wasn’t succeeding. “My heart races as if to pound its way from my chest. There are few people I can be comfortable with. Talking about anything besides temple business is hard for me. I never know what to say, my tongue ties itself into the shape of Isis’s knot. You were the first person since Merys I felt completely at ease with, right from the first night. I fell in love with you. I’m sorry my love wasn’t strong enough to overcome my malady.”

“Shh, beloved, we’ll find a way to work around the problem, now you’ve trusted me enough to tell me what the boundaries are.” Stroking her back, he seemed thoughtful, brows drawn together in a frown. “You’ve done quite well here in Thebes though, all things considered. Not just at the temple ceremonies. You sang for Pharaoh in the midst of all his court.”

Snuggling close to the warmth of his body, listening to the steady beat of his heart, she took a breath and pondered his words. “You’re right, it hasn’t been as bad in Thebes as I feared. Of course you were here. And Pharaoh and his queen are so kind. Another odd thing—ever since Seknehure was born, I can be fearless on his behalf, as I am for Sobek.”

“My kitten is a lioness for her cub.” Sahure hugged her.

“I want to be a lioness for you.” She ran her hand over the smooth muscles of his abdomen, traced the raised white lines of an old battle scar on his flank. “You deserve someone who can help you achieve your dreams. They’re good dreams, Sahure.”

 
“I can take care of myself, sweetheart.” His eyes crinkled as he laughed. “As long as I have you and Seknehure to come home to, I’m perfectly capable of building my own career, molding success. I understand now why you’ll always serve Sobek from your own temple in Ta’sobeksef.”

“Truly?”

With one hand he gently tilted her chin so their eyes met. “Truly,” he said as he lowered his head to hers, kissing her lips with increasing pressure until she yielded, parting to allow his questing tongue entry. For several breathless moments she clung to him, returning his caress with all the pent-up ardor of the long months apart. When the kiss was done, he said, “I just wish you’d trusted me with this information earlier. We could both have been spared much unhappiness.”

“You’re so strong and capable, I didn’t want to tell you how weak I was. I dreaded you’d despise me, regret having fallen in love with me. Or laugh at me.” Even as she spoke, Tyema knew Sahure would never have done any of those things. He might not have understood her problems before seeing how she fared in Thebes, but he never would have disrespected her. She’d done him and herself a serious disservice by not trusting him with her secret challenges.

“Sweetheart, you’re one of the strongest women I know, in so many ways. I think you spoke the truth the other day when you said our relationship was too rushed in Ibis Nome. If you’d known me better, longer, I think you’d have realized my love was true. I’d give anything to protect you, in any situation.” He grinned. “Even in the direst danger of a formal dinner in Pharaoh’s palace.”

They both chuckled and he recaptured her lips for another kiss so passionate she was left thrumming with arousal and desire.

Tyema was first to pull away this time, still curious. “But if we’d had months together in Ibis rather than weeks, if I’d eventually spoken of my concerns about how I could fit into your dreams for a shared future here in Thebes—”

“I have two dreams, which I thought were inextricably entwined, but now I know better. I wanted to rise in power and influence so I could be a builder of the future for Egypt, and I wanted a wife to be my partner. What I didn’t know, being a fool, was if I had a wife who loved me for myself, I’d be truly blessed by the gods, wherever I ended up, whatever I did. We’ll figure out the future, Ema, but we’ll do it together.” He pulled her closer, his tongue once again seeking hers, his arms holding her as if he’d never let go.

Tyema adjusted herself in his embrace as the caress continued, relaxing against his body, feeling the unmistakable evidence of his arousal as his hard cock thrust against her thigh. She couldn’t quite surrender herself completely to the heady emotions, all too aware she hadn’t told him about the black magic. He broke off the kiss, the expression on his face one of concern. “Am I rushing you again? I thought your desire matched mine tonight, but if not—”

Puzzled, she held him closer. “I’ve longed for you, for the intimacy we shared in Ibis, more than I can say. Why are you hesitating?” She stroked one hand across his chest, rubbing her palm ever so lightly on the flat nipple before bending to tease him with her tongue.

“You seem lost in thought. If you have any further doubts of me, I’d hear them now.” His voice was firm.

But Sobek swore me to secrecy, and I’m still not sure how Sahure is involved or affected.
She gave his nipple one final caress and sat. “No doubts.” Her hand slid beneath the thin linen sheet, stroking his engorged cock as he took a deep breath in response to her bold possession of his manhood. She clasped her fingers around him, enjoying the feel of all that power, caged in her hand. Leaning forward, Tyema swirled her tongue across the head, savoring the salty taste of the moisture beaded there. Taking his cock into her mouth, she spent a few delicious moments with Sahure at her mercy as she licked and sucked, her other hand caressing his balls and the sensitive skin behind them.

With a groan he pulled her away and rolled her onto her back, kissing his way down her neck. “Many times I’ve dreamt of lying with you again.” His hand parted the hair at the vee of her thighs, the long fingers skillfully penetrating her most private places, to rub and stimulate, coaxing her body into delicious spasms of feeling.

But she wanted more. Tugging at him, she urged him to move over her, plunging his shaft into her well prepared sheath. As she remembered, he filled her completely, even stretched as she’d been by childbirth. She matched her movements to Sahure’s as he pumped in and out, holding him tightly, locking her legs around him to increase the sensation for them both. He captured her lips for a kiss that went on forever as their bodies moved in a well remembered unison, until the cresting pleasure sent her over the edge and she threw back her head, screaming his name. Sahure thrust deep into her, intensifying her pleasure as he reached his own release.
 

As they lay together afterward, his body warm against her back, she prayed to Sobek they might have made another child together this day.
Nothing would make me happier than to present him with another fine son or a beautiful daughter.

Chapter Nine

The next day’s schedule held plans for the ladies-in-waiting and other high born Theban women to play games and dine at Nidiamhet’s home on the edge of Thebes. Tyema half hoped the event would be canceled after the dunking in the Nile, but word from her hostess came early in the morning by special courier how much Nidiamhet anticipated the gathering, and especially rejoiced in having Tyema as her special guest.

Queen Ashayet was not attending this event. Tyema wished the Great Royal Wife was to be there. She felt safer in the queen’s presence, which of course was ridiculous. Ashayet had no power to thwart a sorceress. But after the incident on the royal barge the day before, Tyema felt she’d narrowed her search down to two candidates, both of whom would be in attendance. She hoped she might observe some sign which would allow her to eliminate either her hostess or Baufratet from suspicion.
And then I report to Sobek and to Pharaoh and let them take action while I flee home.

After bidding a lingering farewell to Sahure at midmorning in the privacy of her chambers, giving Seknehure a kiss, she walked through the now familiar halls of the palace to the area where a number of litters waited to carry the invited guests through Thebes to Nidiamhet’s family compound.

The first few hours went well, Tyema gradually relaxing as she saw no vestiges of the black magic. While disappointed to realize her mission wasn’t going to be resolved today after all, she was happy the gathering was so informal and cordial. Since Ashayet hadn’t attended, the guests weren’t required to observe royal protocol and decorum. Tyema was now somewhat acquainted with many of the women in attendance, and as the activity centered around tables of senet and other games, it was easy to relax and let the conversation flow over her while she threw the counters and moved her pawns along with her companions.

There was an ebb and flow of the black magic around Nidiamhet today, very little in evidence near Baufratet. But matters had been that way before so Tyema still wasn’t sure who was the instigator. She debated leaving the gathering early and giving Pharaoh a report of what she did know. Only the concern that the impatient ruler would order the death of both women in order to have the problem resolved, kept her at the house party, in hopes of seeing something definitive.

About an hour after the delicious luncheon had been served, Tyema felt nauseous and dizzy. Puzzled, because she’d been having a good time with the ladies of the Court, feeling more relaxed than normal in a social gathering, she put her hands over her stomach. Pain was growing on her left side. Whatever this was, the illness was definitely not her usual malady.

“Are you all right?” asked the woman she was playing jackals and hounds with, eyes open wide in concern. “You’ve gone pale.”

“Perhaps something I ate at lunch disagreed with me,” Tyema said, setting the black and white counters on the table. “I’m not used to all the spices used here in Thebes.” Cringing, biting her lips, she choked back a moan as a new flare of nausea combined with hot pain clawed at her.

“Have some wine? Or some water?” The woman, whose name she’d forgotten, searched the room for a servant to summon.

“Water perhaps.” Tyema put a hand to her forehead.

Nidiamhet came hurrying over. “What ails you, my friend?”

“My—my stomach,” Tyema said, barely able to speak for the nausea. She clutched at Nidiamhet’s arm, despite the swirls of black magic in the air. Tyema’s pain was such that she could only think about getting some relief. “Please, I need to lie down.”