VS: A snippet for Saturday. Just a note, Merneith does not fall in love with the god Khonsu. Her love interest is a very sexy Medjai (one of Pharoah’s police and enforcers of Ma’at’s justice).
Briefly: Merneith, a harpist at Pharaoh’s court has gotten embroiled in a plot to steal from the royal treasury. She’s fleeing from the central plotter’s house, on her way to warn Pharaoh, while Nikare, the Main Male Character continues his role undercover at the villain’s home. Antef is the name of the villainous scheming noble.
Howling in the distance made the donkey swerve and break into a faster trot. Goosebumps on her own flesh, Merneith wished she had more than her flimsy shawl to keep her warm and tried not to think about what hunted at night. There were answering howls, sounding like maniacal laughter, coming closer, and she realized a pack of hyenas was following her.
She pivoted on the seat, nearly falling off in the process, and observed ominous shadowy shapes running on the road behind her. The donkey was already fatigued, and there was little chance of outrunning the wild hunters.
Mumbling a prayer, she clung to the seat with all her strength, digging her nails into the soft wood as the donkey pounded along the road. The hyenas were giving full throated howls as they gained on their prey until a pair of particularly large beasts ran beside the donkey.
One snapped at the panicked donkey and she kicked out, swerving in a violent manner causing the cart to tip on one wheel. Rolling over a rock in the track, the vehicle rose high into the air, snapping the poles to which the harness was buckled.
Relieved of the weight of the cart and Merneith, the donkey put on a new burst of speed. The cart fell and Merneith was thrown to the ground. A sense of unreality blanketed her mind as she flew through the air. This isn’t happening to me, I’m not the woman screaming helplessly. She hit the hard packed surface of the road and blacked out briefly. Confused after losing consciousness, she wasn’t clear what had happened but she floated on a sea of hot pain. Her head throbbed, her legs refused to respond to her command to rise and run, and vicious pain ran through her entire body. She risked a quick look at her legs once and nearly passed out again, realizing she’d broken several bones in the fall.
Desperately, she crawled to the cart, which was upside down, and wedged herself underneath, hoping for protection from the hyenas, no matter how inadequate. Most ran on after the donkey, remaining in their pack, but two paused to sniff at the cart. Merneith was bleeding from several places and having blackouts from the shock and pain, but she yelled at the animals and threw small rocks plucked from the road bed when either stuck a snout or paw under the edge of the cart.
Finally, the pair ran off, but she was sure they’d return soon enough, drawn by weakened prey, which was all she was now. Sprawled awkwardly on the cold ground, too badly injured to make herself comfortable, she prayed to Hathor to let her die before the hyenas began to rend her flesh. Tears trickled down her cheeks, and she prayed for Nikare’s safety. Her death here on the road meant he’d face the enemies alone, with no help coming from Pharaoh, but she was powerless to change the situation.
A voice broke into her bitter musings. “By the blue lotus, you’ve gotten yourself into a sad state, haven’t you, musician?”
She supposed it was one of Antef’s men, caught up to her at last, and said nothing.
Next thing she knew, although she had no memory of it happening, she was out from under the cart, lying on the roadway with the stranger kneeling beside her. The moonlight intensified, shining on him with particular favor and revealing a handsome face, with a greenish cast to his skin that puzzled her. His garments were far too rich and his jeweled collar too expensive for him to be a servant of Antef’s. She was in too much pain to think the situation through and solve the riddles but, a moment later he was standing, holding her in his arms and her agony subsided, although she was still light headed.
“The donkey?” she asked anxiously, hearing renewed howling not too far away.
“You wish the beast to live?” he asked, smiling.
“She did her best for me. I want to repay her efforts and show my gratitude.” Merneith nodded.
Her rescuer held up a clenched fist and spread his fingers wide, facing in the direction of the sounds. Merneith blinked as the moonlight seemed to pulse briefly brighter and the howls became pained yelps and yips. The triumphant sound of a braying donkey rose above the clamor. “Your donkey will have a long and blessed life.”
“Who are you?” she asked as he turned, carrying her as if she was no burden at all.
“You should know – you wear my amulet.” His tone was teasing but friendly.
A brief flare of cold against her wrist where the green beads rode punctuated his remark. “Khonsu? Himself?”
“A traveler at night, menaced by wild beasts? In need of healing? You touch every aspect of my duties so how could I resist the call to help you? And, in addition, you’re the musician I’ve long been desiring to hear play. Hathor mentions you often, with much pride.” With his free hand, he touched her forehead lightly. “Sleep a bit now, regain your strength, for I desire you to provide my guests with a rare concert before we part. Consider it payment for the services of a god.”
“I can’t delay, I must get to Thebes. Much depends on—” She found it hard to form the words, urgent as the situation was and sleep did indeed overtake her.
Author’s Collection
SONG OF THE NILE
Merneith, a harpist of rare talents, blessed by the goddess Hathor, has recently arrived in Thebes and joined Pharaoh’s court, but must hide secrets from her past. As she settles into her new life in the palace, the one man she can’t forget and followed to Thebes is unaccountably absent.
Nikare, a Medjai police officer serving under Pharaoh’s direct orders, is now deep undercover investigating high crimes against Egypt and forbidden to contact Merneith. Masquerading as a priest to deceive the plotters, he watches over her from afar and longs for the day he can approach her openly.
When an unscrupulous noble ensnares Merneith in the web of evil Nikare is pledged to bring down, the two must stand together against earthly and magical forces to save their own lives and protect Egypt.
How much help will the gods provide? Will the pair survive the final showdown between Pharaoh and the conspirators and find the happy future together they desire?
This is a standalone novel but is also a direct sequel to Lady of the Nile, which is where Merneith and Nikare were first encountered as supporting characters. Now they move front and center in the fight to protect Egypt from a new threat. Mild spoilers for Lady of the Nile.
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NOTE: SONG OF THE NILE is a standalone novel but the two main characters Merneith the Harpist and Nikare the Medjai were supporting characters in LADY OF THE NILE.
