“Sister, what troubles you?”
Nephtys tore her gaze from the amethyst amulet she held in her fingers and forced a smile to her lips. “No troubles, hadu,” she said, turning away from the enchanted glass through which she had been gazing at the sun and sky in the desert above the underground palace. “Quite the opposite. I have had a vision.”
A frown sketched her brother’s forehead when he saw what she held. Seth knew it had been a gift from Haru-Re. A scarab made of the finest purple amethyst with his cartouche carved on its belly, given to her the morning after he’d taken her virginity. A meager payment, but more than any of his other slaves had ever received. She’d worn it faithfully until his callous betrayal. Now she only brought it out when trouble brewed. She knew Seth hated the sight of it.
Thankfully, instead of scolding her, he asked, “Oh? Anything interesting in your vision?”
She slipped the amulet into the pocket of her caftan and reached for his hands. This time her smile was genuine. “Wonderful news. I have seen her. Your future consort.”
His eyes lit. “Tell me what you saw.”
“Indications are she is wise, and will become a favorite of the people. She’s also quite beautiful. A blonde, you’ll be happy to hear,” she added, knowing his taste in women ran to pale and elegant.
Seth’s attention sharpened. “A blonde, you say. Would you know this woman again?”
“Of course. Why? Do you know of a possibility?”
“Lord Kilpatrick has marked a new initiate. He will arrive with her soon. It’s why I came to fetch you. We should meet them at the Western Gate.”
She nodded. “Give me a moment to prepare. I’ll join you there.”
He started to turn away, then stopped and looked back at her, letting his gaze slip down to the pocket of her caftan. “Did you see him, too?” he asked. “In this vision?”
She swallowed. And shook her head. “No,” she said. Well, she hadn’t. And there was no use worrying Seth with conjecture. “Not for a long time now.” She pulled a smile from somewhere.
His eyes searched hers for a long moment, no doubt sensing she was keeping some inner torment from him. Too perceptive, as always. “Why do you continue to torture yourself, my little sister? It pains me to see you suffer over a man who would destroy you and all you love without a thought.”
She struggled against the emotion, holding it back from finding cracks in her resolve. “I know,” she said. “You are my brother, my dearest and only family, and I am so grateful for all you have given me. All you have done for me. I hate him for betraying me. But I hate him more for wanting to take me from you and Khepesh.”
“I’ll never let him. You know that.”
“I swear I would die before I served him against you.”
Her adopted brother smiled kindly at her and kissed her cheek. “I’ve never doubted it, habibi.” He sighed. “It should be you at my side as consort,” he said. “Not some strange woman I have yet to meet.”
She wrinkled her nose. “Marrying one’s sister may have been the way of the pharaohs, but I’ve seen you in too many preposterously compromising positions even to entertain the notion of sharing your bed.”
He pretended to be affronted, but his grin gave him away. “I should smite you for your impertinence, woman.” He leaned over her. “At the very least a good spanking.”
She poked his chest. “That’s exactly what I’m talking about. I’m not into kinky sex.”
He snorted.
Her mouth dropped open, scandalized at the implication of that rude noise. “You!”
“I could shift myself to look like my enemy while we couple,” he suggested cheekily.
He laughed as she attacked him, fending off her fists and slaps until they both dissolved into giggles in each other’s arms. The thought of Seth shifting into the other man’s likeness was outrageous. He would rather die.
She cleared her throat. “I appreciate the consideration, brother, but I’d rather sleep with a rabid jackal than give myself to Haru-Re again, real or not.” She extracted herself from their tangle of arms and smoothed her gown, attempting to regain her sisterly dignity. “And as for being your consort, I’d rather marry a flatulent water buffalo. No offense,” she added with a final lopsided grin.
After a bark of laughter at her declaration, he assured her affectionately, “None taken.”
As usual, he’d known exactly how to tease her from her blue mood. To his flock, Seth-Aziz was ever the regal, somber, autocratic high priest who’d steadfastly led them through five millennia of triumphs and disasters. But to Nephtys, he would always be the dear, fun-loving practical joker she’d grown up with.
“Come,” he invited her. “Let us go and meet my new bride and welcome her into our family.”
She smiled. “Try and keep me away.”
She took his arm and followed him out of the temple and down the long hall toward the Great Western Gate. To her consternation, with every step she took, the heavy amethyst amulet in her pocket bounced against her thigh. An unwelcome reminder of the ugly conflicts that lay ahead on the horizon.
Perhaps this new initiate, the woman destined to be Seth’s consort and mistress of Khepesh, would help them win the coming battle. For against Haru-Re, Nephtys herself was bound to lose every time.