Servant of the Gods (25 page)

The dark and terrible place she’d known so briefly had been restored to its proper purpose and now it bustled with activity and life. No sign remained of the terrible events that had taken place before they arrived, or during their own brief fight.

Khai bowed his head respectfully to the others as the other High Priests and Priestesses joined them, offering a special reverence to Awan for his loss.

“We brought supplies with us as well, my Lord General,” Irisi said, gesturing to the wagons that rumbled into the courtyard at the tail of their procession.

Khai drew a breath in relief. That would help. Little had been left of the supplies the fort had had.

Such sustenance was necessary so far from the Nile, from the fish and fowl, the grain, fruits and such found there.

No shadows haunted this place now. Everywhere Irisi looked men worked or drilled, or took their leisure where and how they may. They seemed happy, relaxed.

 “I’m certain that you’d all like to take a little time to refresh yourselves,” Khai asked.

A gesture summoned more soldiers.

“Rooms have been prepared for all of you in what are once again guest quarters,” Khai said. “Food and refreshments await you, as well as those with you, when you’re ready.  I’ll warn you, though, it’s simple soldier’s fare. Few delicacies are available here, save for what you’ve brought us. These men will show you the way to your rooms. Lady Irisi? My Lord Kahotep? Lady Djeserit?”

He gestured to the soldiers assigned to escort them to their rooms.

As protocol required, General to High Priestess, Khai escorted Irisi to her quarters himself.

“It’s not much but there’s a well, so there’s water for bathing, and a place to sleep,” he said, opening the door to let her pass.

Looking around, a little amused, Irisi smiled at Khai. “It’s larger than the cottage in which I was born.”

It was.

Plain as the room was, the simple room held space and more for a bed and a table. The thick walls of the fort had been plastered white and smooth, rather than the patched and drafty walls of her childhood. It was cool, the thick walls keeping out the heat of the day.

Her words surprised him. There was so much yet he didn’t know about her.

“It’s fine, my lord Khai,” Irisi said, turning toward him with a smile.

He was so close. Her breath caught.

“Irisi,” Khai said.

Need was there, as was loneliness. The sudden shift in their fortunes, the weight of responsibility, was likely to weigh as heavy on him as it did on her.

In answer to what Irisi heard in his voice, she went to him. She stepped into his arms as if she’d been meant to be within them, felt them close around her. Lifting a hand to his face to touch it, she let her fingers brush lightly over his mouth.

She needed, too.

“I’ve missed you,” she said.

It was no more than the truth.

Knowing he wasn’t close, wasn’t even within Thebes, after the brief time they’d spent together, had been surprisingly painful.

Strange as it was, Khai found he’d missed her as well, missed those quick glances from the corner of her eyes, the laughter that teased at the corners of her mouth.

He stroked her golden hair back from her face, his thumbs brushing across the satiny skin of her cheekbones as he framed her face between his hands.

Her fingers curled around his forearms as she looked up at him, her eyes and mouth softening into a smile.

Khai knew as well as Irisi did that he couldn’t stay too much longer or it would be remarked upon – Khai cursed Kamenwati for the necessity – but later… later there would be time and perhaps the privacy of darkness.

A time for them both. Or so he hoped.

He looked down at her as he lowered his mouth to hers to claim it.

The warmth of Khai’s firm lips on hers filled Irisi completely, driving the memory of cold drafts and other times out of her mind. For her at that moment there was only Khai. She loved the strong feel of his wrists beneath her hands. Her heart ached, wishing she could give him more. She had needed this as well, desperately.

“Soon,” he said. It was a promise, she could hear it in his voice.

Taking a breath, Irisi nodded as he stepped backwards out of the room.

His dark liquid eyes held her, and then he was gone.

For a breath, Irisi wanted to call him back but she resisted the temptation. There would be time. With luck there would be time enough to do it properly, so far from watching eyes.

She hoped.

Precious water waited in a large pitcher beside a basin.

Irisi took the time to bathe and comb out her hair, to rub scented oils into her skin to soften it and to put on a fresh gown, this one a pale blue that banded just beneath her breasts yet left her shoulders bare. Her jewelry was simple, too, a plain gold pectoral and earrings to match.

Khai was setting the guard schedule with his captains in the main yard when Irisi stepped out of her rooms to walk across the compound. His men turned to look and stare – not that Khai could blame them – if only for the hair that flowed like a rippling river of sunlight in the fading afternoon sun, or for skin as white as a cloud or eyes the blue of the sky above them. But she was lovely, too, and graceful, and the simple gown only made the sweet curves of her body more apparent.

With a nod to his men, he went to her.

Around them his people lit torches against the encroaching darkness, shadows pooling beneath the walls.

She smiled at him.

“My Lady,” he said, to all appearance correct in every way, but there was heat in his eyes, and anticipation.

For now, though, the others awaited.

Only he saw her slight hesitation as they approached the doorway to what was now his quarters. Her eyes glinted with laughter at herself as she caught him watching, and he caught her hesitation.

Still, it gave Irisi a shiver to think of what had come out of that doorway only a few weeks before and how close it had come to killing him. To killing them both.

Within, the thick walls helped keep the rooms cool.

The commander’s quarters were divided into three rooms, the first and largest a common room where he could meet with his officers, along with a separate office for his own use and a bedchamber.

There was little of Khai here, but that was to be expected, as it was only temporary.

Within the larger room a table had been set with a variety of simple foods, breads, beans and vegetables, but what there was there was in plenty. As Khai had said, it was simple soldiers fare. So far from the Nile fish and meat were hard to come by although they would likely begin raising goats and perhaps a cow for milk and cheese.

The others were already talking…

“General Khai,” Nafre said happily, her voice soft, “have you heard the King has a son?”

Khai shook his head and smiled. “I haven’t.”

So Paniwi had born the child. At last. Khai couldn’t help but be happy for Narmer and his Queen.

What, though, he wondered, would that do to Kamenwati? With a living heir for the King the Grand Vizier’s chances of wearing the newly joined crowns of Egypt were at an end.

It was clear by their expressions that the same thoughts had crossed more than one mind in the room. He could see the same question in those eyes, although no one spoke of it directly. Kamenwati still had a great deal of power. There were many who owed him favors and he had spies everywhere. Very likely, even here among those who served them.

Carefully, Kahotep commented, “Kamenwati spends less time at court these days.”

“Paniwi is much like any new mother,” Irisi added, her eyes on Khai’s. “Very protective. She will let only a very select few near the baby and insisted we ward him against every possible danger, even the most remote. The child even has his own Nubian guards. Not even a fly has a chance of getting near to him.”

It seemed neither Paniwi nor Narmer was taking any chances.

Not that Khai could blame them after the assassination attempt.

Talk turned to other things and safer topics as they ate.

The night grew closer. Weary after the long journey, most of the others retired to their rooms. Only a few remained.

Djeserit, of course, Kahotep and Irisi, along with one or two others, accepted Khai’s invitation to tour the fort and join him on the walls to watch the sun set over the desert.

It was beautiful, the sun sinking below the horizon, its warm light bathing everything in an amber glow.

As it did in the desert, once the sun set darkness descended rapidly and then there were only the flickering torches to light their way.

Those remaining few bid Khai and Irisi goodnight as each took to their rooms as they passed until only he and Irisi were left to walk across the shadowed compound beneath the light of the moon and stars.

Gently Khai drew Irisi aside, toward his own quarters.

A thrill of excitement washed through her as he turned her into the shadowy recess of the doorway.

Within there was only soft shadows cast by a small oil lamp in his bedchamber.

Khai led her there.

He was in no hurry. They had all of the night, he’d made certain of it.

The last time they’d touched, he’d taken only for himself with only a little care for her. It would be different this time. They would both take their pleasure. He’d waited too long for this.

Irisi turned to look at him, her kohl-rimmed eyes brilliant as they met his, and she stepped into his arms as if she belonged there.

As she did.

Khai brushed the long golden waves of her hair over her shoulders so that they fell freely down her back, running his hands down the long, silken rippling length of it. Irisi let her head fall back at his touch, her eyes on him.

She was so beautiful, her features fine and lovely, her body sweetly curved and warm against his.

Wrapping an arm around her waist, he drew her closer as he traced the lines of her cheek with the fingers of his other hand. She lifted her lips to him and he took them, gratefully. Her hands slid over his shoulders to curl around his neck, speared deep into his hair. He pulled her as tightly against him as their kiss deepened from desire to hunger. Her need matched his, her mouth was as greedy on his as his was on hers.

It seemed to Khai as if she melted into and against him. Her full breasts were crushed against his chest beneath the silk of her dress. Sliding his hands down the long muscles of her back, he relished every inch of her, drawing her more tightly against him, pulling her hips against his growing hardness. Further, as she curled into him. His hands cupped her bottom, her lithe body was fluid against his. Just as slowly, he slid his hands over her hips, along the indentation that was the curve of her waist up to the arch of her ribs, exploring her, all of her. Each inch stoked the heat within him, until the curve of his hands brushed the bottoms of her breasts.

He left them poised there, a promise of heaven to come.

Irisi loved the feel of his smooth, tawny skin beneath her hands, the hard muscles of his chest and shoulders solid beneath her palms. She relished the feel of his long hard body against hers as she rose up on her toes to press against him, to feel more of him, all of him, against her.

The feel of his hands so close to her breasts made Irisi ache, her nipples hardened, needing them on her.

With a soft gasp, she broke the kiss as her breath caught and Khai traced the line of her cheek with his mouth, before nibbling lightly at the lobe of her ear. Her breath locked in her throat.

Irisi clung to him, warmth washing through her, her skin tingling and her pulse racing as his mouth trailed heat along the line of her throat. It seemed as if her skin was on fire everywhere his mouth touched, heat spearing deep inside her.

She quivered when Khai buried his mouth in the curve of her throat and shoulder.

A small cry escaped her as his tongue flicked out and he tasted her skin.

Heat and tension curled in his belly as Khai grew hard, feeling Irisi against him, her body trembling to his touch.