“There must be a way,” I said. “I’ll find it. I won’t give up until I do. Sitamun’s smart; she can help me. Amenophis, we will be together.” I grabbed his hand a second time and squeezed it so hard he winced.
“Maybe you can make your mother so mad at you that she’ll tell you to go away forever,” Nava said. “Or maybe you’ll save her life from something scary, like a cobra or a lion, and after that she’ll be so grateful, she’ll let you do anything you want. Or maybe Pharaoh will have bad dreams, and you’ll be the only one who can tell him what they mean, and he’ll let you marry Nefertiti as your reward. Or maybe—”
Amenophis chuckled. “One thing at a time, little bird. Right now the only reward I want is to see Nefertiti standing brave and beautiful before Ma’at’s shrine when the goddess declares her hands are clean, her name is stainless, and her heart is light as the Feather of Truth.”
“That too,” said Nava, looking so serious it was funny.
He had to leave soon after that. We stole a kiss when Nava wasn’t looking, then another when she was. She squeaked and covered her eyes, which let us have a third kiss before Amenophis said good night and left us.
“I don’t understand why you do that,” Nava said.
“You don’t have to,” I replied. “But you do have to help me pick out the dress I’ll wear tomorrow. If I’m going to hear the voice of a goddess, I want to look my best.”
We laid out all of my nicest gowns on the bed along with the finest necklaces, bracelets, and earrings I owned. I might never become a princess, but Aunt Tiye had seen to it that I’d look like one, back in the days when she thought I might still marry Thutmose. Nava and I were busy debating which necklace looked better with which dress when we heard heavy footsteps in the courtyard.
Probably the maids, back with those dresses, I thought. I hope they didn’t mangle them too much, even if Sitamun does have plenty of others. “One of you bring more lamps!” I called out without a glance at the entryway to my rooms. “I want to see if you did a good job.”
“There is only one of me,” Henenu replied. “And I think you’ll discover I’ve done an excellent job indeed.”
Nava was faster than I. She rushed across the room to embrace our friend and teacher, the dwarf scribe. I had to hug the two of them together. The joy of our reunion brought more light into my rooms than a hundred lamps.
“So you are real, my dearest girls,” Henenu said, his broad face one big smile. “May Amun be thanked, I didn’t believe I’d see either one of you again until it was my time to travel to the next world. Can you see me trying to give you two your writing lessons in the Field of Reeds?”
“You couldn’t do that,” Nava said. “I won’t go there.”
“Hmm. Well, yes. You’re so skilled at reading and writing our language that it’s easy to forget you’re not one of us. Nefertiti is a very good student, but if you continue your studies, I think you could follow in my footsteps and become a royal scribe. That would make me very proud.”
“I’d like that, too,” Nava said. She kissed his cheek. “Are you hungry?”
“What a good girl,” the scribe said. “Why, yes, I am. How thoughtful of you.”
“Good, because so am I. Nefertiti, can I go to the kitchens and bring something back?”
“I don’t know what you’ll find there at this hour,” I said. “Except the maids, probably. But, yes, go. I’ll just sit here with Henenu and be embarrassed that you’re a better host than I.”
“I wouldn’t be if I wasn’t hungry,” Nava said, and ran off.
“What a good child,” Henenu said, glancing after her. “And a fortunate one as well. The gods must favor her. She always seems to do the right thing.”
“If that’s meant to chide me for not having offered you refreshments—”
“Oh, no, not at all! I meant that if she hadn’t suggested fetching us something to eat, I would have had to come up with an excuse for getting her out of here so that you and I could speak privately.”
My brows drew together. “What do we need to talk about? I’m glad to see you again, Henenu, but what are you doing here at this time of night?” I asked.
“As I said, privacy. This is the only time I knew I could visit you without two unwanted pairs of eyes and ears present to spy on us, or two sets of rather clumsy feet ready to go bearing tales to the queen. Luckily I have the word of another lovely student of mine that your maids are busy elsewhere. I would have come earlier”—he gave me a sly look—“but that same young lady also told me someone else would be here, and I didn’t want to intrude.” He patted my hand. “I’m very happy for you and Amenophis, my dear, and I hope to be happier yet. May Ma’at steal the voice of that treacherous priest and truly speak tomorrow.”
“Treacherous?” My stomach knotted. “Henenu, what are you talking about?”
“Tomorrow, when you stand before the goddess in the Palace of Ma’at and make your plea, the goddess will speak to—”
“I know that. Amenophis told me what to expect, so I wouldn’t be startled when I hear her voice. I know it’s only one of her priests talking through her hollow image. Henenu, how do they decide what the goddess will say?”
“Most of the time, the priests do all they can to learn the facts behind the cases brought to the goddess’s house. They send trusted men to ask questions, to investigate everything they can discover about the person who comes into Ma’at’s presence for judgment, and then they do their best to reach a fair ruling.”
“Then I have no worries about tomorrow. What a relief! I can’t wait to tell Nava. She’s spent all day trying to ease my spirit. When the priest speaks—”