Henenu sighed. “So young, and so sure that you know the way the world works.” He reached up and patted my hand. “You’re a strong-willed young woman, Nefertiti. I think that someday you might even be able to give our Great Royal Wife lessons in determination.”
With the ability that came from years of practice, he got to his feet in one elegant movement and walked over to where Berett was just beginning to pluck a fragile thread of melody from the strings of her harp. She startled when she realized he was watching her, but then he soothed her by humming the same tune she’d been playing. Her fingers rose to the harp again, faltered, then resumed their dance over the strings. The dwarf lifted his voice in song, setting words to the music, a fanciful story about a shepherd who fell in love with a star. He had a remarkably high, honeyed singing voice, very different from the deep notes that rumbled from his broad chest when he talked. I couldn’t sit still when so much beautiful music filled the air. I sprang from my chair and one after the other danced as the shepherd, the star he loved, and the goddess Hathor who lifted the faithful shepherd into the sky so that he and his beloved would be together forever.
When we all finished, Henenu smiled at Berett and said, “I am a good friend of your mistress, Nefertiti. May I be your friend, too?” He cupped his hand as if he were offering her a drink of water. To my happy surprise, Berett didn’t hesitate: She nodded readily and touched Henenu’s hand lightly as a butterfly. For the first time, I saw the hint of a smile lift the corners of her mouth. Then the tall servant came barging back into my room, making his wooden staff thunder. Berett jumped straight up and dived under one of the chairs, letting her harp clatter and jangle to the floor.
“Greetings, my lady Nefertiti, may the gods favor you forever,” the man’s nasal voice pierced the air, as intrusive as he was. “It is the request of Queen Tiye, Great Royal Wife of the king, God’s Wife of Amun, mother of princes, radiant lady, most gracious in all things, infinitely lovely …” He went on like that for so long that I was beginning to wonder if there was a message from my aunt buried somewhere under all those grandiose titles. I looked at Henenu, expecting the scribe to share a secret grin and a wink with me, but my friend’s expression was dead serious. “… that you join your family and attend her at once.”
“I haven’t even had the chance to wash after my journey,” I said.
“Indeed?” Once again the servant’s brows rose to hide under his wig. “How unfortunate. There is no time for that now, my lady Nefertiti. Your parents and sister have already been conducted into the queen’s splendid and revered presence. If you will consent to come with me, it shall be my extraordinary honor to bring you to them.”
“Just a moment.” I squatted beside the chair where Berett cowered. “Come along, dear one. We have to go.”
“Oh no!” The tall servant reacted as though I’d announced my intention of finding a nice, fat cobra to drop in my aunt’s lap. “That is not acceptable. Your slave must remain here.”
“She’s not my—” I stopped. By law, Berett was still my slave. “She’s only a child, and she’s frightened,” I said instead. “I won’t leave her alone like this, in a strange place.”
The servant placed one hand over his heart and bowed, but it was only an automatic gesture, not a sign of surrender. “May you spare me your wrath and forgive me, my lady Nefertiti, but it is in the young slave’s best interests to remain in your rooms. The Great Royal Wife was quite specific when she issued the command—the request—that you come to her. No one shall be there except those people to whom she is related by blood or the kinship of marriage. She will be displeased if you come with your slave in tow.”
“Then she’ll be displeased,” I shot back.
Henenu’s hand closed on my wrist. “Nefertiti, if you don’t do as the queen wishes, her displeasure will fall on the child.”
I met his eyes and saw that he was speaking the harsh truth. Still, I had to object: “I can’t leave her here. She’ll be terrified!”
“I can stay with her. It will be all right. Go.” Henenu gave my wrist a brief powerful squeeze. “Don’t keep the queen waiting.”
I didn’t leave immediately. I wasn’t going to leave Berett without a word of farewell. I knelt swiftly beside her hiding place and said, “I’ll be back as soon as I can. Henenu will look out for you. You’re safe here, Berett. Safe.” I stood up and turned to the servant. “Take me to my family.”
I followed him across the garden, past the open doorways to my family’s rooms. I couldn’t help peeking inside as we walked by. Was it a trick of the light or were my parents and sister lodged in much smaller, simpler quarters than me? There must be some mistake, I thought. My aunt must have wanted Father and Mery to have my room. I’m supposed to sleep in the chamber next to Bit-Bit’s. I’ll tell her.
We passed rows of pillars whose tops were made to look like blooming lotus flowers and walls inscribed with the story of Isis’s journey to return her dead husband to life. Osiris was murdered by his own brother, the evil god Set, ruler of the deserts of the Red Land, lord of destructive storms. He cut his brother into pieces and scattered them throughout the land, but Isis found them all. I paused before an especially beautiful image where the jackal-headed god Anubis, who taught us how to prepare the dead for their voyage to the Afterlife, bent over the reassembled body of Osiris, binding him back together with bandages.