carefully; I saw that the general was watching Amunhotep with the same guarded look.
“Other soldiers can remain with my father to waste their careers, but Horemheb will follow me to glory!”
I glanced at General Horemheb, who wasn’t moved by speeches.
“And has Your Highness considered where the money will come from for these campaigns?” he asked frankly. “To regain lost territory will be expensive.”
“Then I will tax the temples of Amun,” Amunhotep replied.
Nefertiti exchanged a quick glance with me, but the general didn’t blink. “The temples of Amun have never been taxed. What makes you think they will give up their gold now?”
“Because you will be there to enforce my will,” Amunhotep countered, and then I understood what was happening. He was striking a deal.
General Horemheb clenched his jaw. “And how do I know that once the army has collected the taxes from the temples that the gold will be used to fund a campaign in the north?”
“You don’t. But either you will trust me or you will spend your days in the service of a Pharaoh who is too old to fight. Only remember”—Amunhotep’s voice took on a warning tone—“in the end, I will be Pharaoh of Upper Egypt as well.”
Horemheb looked at Nefertiti, then at me. “Then I must trust your word.”
Amunhotep held out his hand to the general. “I will not forget your loyalty,” he promised.
Horemheb took Pharaoh’s hand, but the look in his eyes was one of distrust. “Then I ask to take my leave, Your Highness.” He bowed, and I felt a chill go down my spine as I wondered what would happen if Amunhotep wasn’t as good as his word. I would not want a man like Horemheb for an enemy.
Amunhotep watched him go and turned to Nefertiti. “I will never bow to the priests of Amun again.”
“You’ll be the greatest Pharaoh of Egypt,” Nefertiti swore.
“With the most magnificent queen of Egypt,” he added, “producing Pharaohs that will sit on the throne of Egypt to eternity.” He put his hands across her small taut stomach. “Even now, a little queen may be growing inside.”
“We should know soon. I’m sure by the time we reach Memphis I will be showing.” But she looked at me when she said this, as if I could influence the gods because I was the one who prayed every night and made obeisance at the shrine of Amun every morning.
Chapter Seven
twenty-fifth of Pharmuthi
“WHAT IF I’M not with child and Kiya gives birth to a boy in six months?” Nefertiti was pacing the floor of the antechamber. The sun had set, but Amunhotep was not with Nefertiti. He had gone to visit Kiya. “And who knows how long he’ll stay in her room tonight? What if he’s there until morning?” she panicked.
“Don’t be foolish,” I tried to comfort her. “Pharaohs don’t sleep in bed with their wives.”
“He sleeps in mine!” she shrieked and stopped pacing. “But he is not getting into bed with me tonight. He thinks he can go from one wife to the next? I’m no different from any of his other chattel?” Her voice rose. “Is that what he thinks?” She sat down before her mirror. “Kiya is not more beautiful than I am.” It was a question.
“Of course not.”
“Is she more cunning?”
I couldn’t say.
Nefertiti spun around, and there was the light of a new idea in her eyes. “You must go and see what they are doing,” she decided.
“What? You want me to spy on your husband?” I shook my head vehemently. “If I’m caught spying, the guards would bring me to Pharaoh.”
“I have to know what they do together, Mutnodjmet.”
“Why? What does it matter?”
“Because I have to be better than she is!” She raised her chin. “We all have to be. It’s not just for me, it’s for our family. Our future.” She came and held my shoulders. “Please, just find out what he says to her.”
“It’s too dangerous!” I protested.
“I can tell you how to reach their window.”
“What? Outside? You want me
“Other soldiers can remain with my father to waste their careers, but Horemheb will follow me to glory!”
I glanced at General Horemheb, who wasn’t moved by speeches.
“And has Your Highness considered where the money will come from for these campaigns?” he asked frankly. “To regain lost territory will be expensive.”
“Then I will tax the temples of Amun,” Amunhotep replied.
Nefertiti exchanged a quick glance with me, but the general didn’t blink. “The temples of Amun have never been taxed. What makes you think they will give up their gold now?”
“Because you will be there to enforce my will,” Amunhotep countered, and then I understood what was happening. He was striking a deal.
General Horemheb clenched his jaw. “And how do I know that once the army has collected the taxes from the temples that the gold will be used to fund a campaign in the north?”
“You don’t. But either you will trust me or you will spend your days in the service of a Pharaoh who is too old to fight. Only remember”—Amunhotep’s voice took on a warning tone—“in the end, I will be Pharaoh of Upper Egypt as well.”
Horemheb looked at Nefertiti, then at me. “Then I must trust your word.”
Amunhotep held out his hand to the general. “I will not forget your loyalty,” he promised.
Horemheb took Pharaoh’s hand, but the look in his eyes was one of distrust. “Then I ask to take my leave, Your Highness.” He bowed, and I felt a chill go down my spine as I wondered what would happen if Amunhotep wasn’t as good as his word. I would not want a man like Horemheb for an enemy.
Amunhotep watched him go and turned to Nefertiti. “I will never bow to the priests of Amun again.”
“You’ll be the greatest Pharaoh of Egypt,” Nefertiti swore.
“With the most magnificent queen of Egypt,” he added, “producing Pharaohs that will sit on the throne of Egypt to eternity.” He put his hands across her small taut stomach. “Even now, a little queen may be growing inside.”
“We should know soon. I’m sure by the time we reach Memphis I will be showing.” But she looked at me when she said this, as if I could influence the gods because I was the one who prayed every night and made obeisance at the shrine of Amun every morning.
Chapter Seven
twenty-fifth of Pharmuthi
“WHAT IF I’M not with child and Kiya gives birth to a boy in six months?” Nefertiti was pacing the floor of the antechamber. The sun had set, but Amunhotep was not with Nefertiti. He had gone to visit Kiya. “And who knows how long he’ll stay in her room tonight? What if he’s there until morning?” she panicked.
“Don’t be foolish,” I tried to comfort her. “Pharaohs don’t sleep in bed with their wives.”
“He sleeps in mine!” she shrieked and stopped pacing. “But he is not getting into bed with me tonight. He thinks he can go from one wife to the next? I’m no different from any of his other chattel?” Her voice rose. “Is that what he thinks?” She sat down before her mirror. “Kiya is not more beautiful than I am.” It was a question.
“Of course not.”
“Is she more cunning?”
I couldn’t say.
Nefertiti spun around, and there was the light of a new idea in her eyes. “You must go and see what they are doing,” she decided.
“What? You want me to spy on your husband?” I shook my head vehemently. “If I’m caught spying, the guards would bring me to Pharaoh.”
“I have to know what they do together, Mutnodjmet.”
“Why? What does it matter?”
“Because I have to be better than she is!” She raised her chin. “We all have to be. It’s not just for me, it’s for our family. Our future.” She came and held my shoulders. “Please, just find out what he says to her.”
“It’s too dangerous!” I protested.
“I can tell you how to reach their window.”
“What? Outside? You want me
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