The sincerity in Ahmose’s voice sent a slight shiver down my spine. “Thank you, Ahmose,” I answered over my shoulder as I left.
Unable to sleep while Amon was uncomfortable, I sat in a chair with my robe wrapped around me and allowed the quietness to sedate me. Not running for my life, or being distracted by a dark priest, allowed me time to really focus on how I felt. And it was worse than I’d ever felt in my life. Ahmose had called me beautiful, but when I looked in the mirror all I saw was haggard ugliness.
My usually soft skin was dry and bruised, the purple, green, and yellow spots still sore when I pressed my fingertips to them. Though I’d washed and conditioned my hair several times, clumps of it had fallen out in the shower, and my brush, which I’d meticulously cleaned, had so much hair caught in the bristles I could have used it to stuff a pillow.
No amount of lip balm could heal my cracked lips. I’d definitely lost several pounds, enough that my ribs stuck out. Overall, I looked like I needed to be hospitalized. Attempting to rehydrate myself, I gulped down glass after glass of water, even though it tasted like it had come directly from the Nile.
Finally, there was a soft knock on the door. Dr. Hassan stood on the other side, bag in hand, which he thrust into my arms. “We did the best we could. I hope you can find something there you’ll feel comfortable in.”
“Thank you,” I said, clutching the bag to my chest.
“The food will be here momentarily. I believe I will take this opportunity to avail myself of a shower as well.”
“Do you want to use this one?” I asked.
He shook his head. “I’ll share the second room with the others.”
With a brief smile and a nod, he closed the door behind him. He’d done a good job shopping with Asten and I realized it was likely that Asten had way more experience with women’s clothing than Amon did. The idea made me smile, but the smile soon disappeared when I thought of Amon.
I dressed in a drawstring pair of khakis. They were a little too big, but cinching them at the waist did the trick. Then I pulled a loose tunic over my head and found a pair of sandals that fit perfectly. After tying back my newly thin hair with a scarf, I headed out of the room to see what the others were doing.
Asten was picking through the food that had recently arrived. When he saw me, he said, “Now, this”—he held up a plate full of roasted meat—“is what I call a feast.” He took the plate into the room where Ahmose waited with Amon and then returned, frowning. “Why are you still standing there? Fill your belly, Lily. You do not need to wait for permission.”
By habit, I put a few bits of green salad on a plate and spooned on a few roasted vegetables. Asten watched with an incredulous expression as I took a seat at the table. “Is that all you are going to eat? You need more. Meat will fortify you. Here.” He shoved a giant piece of fragrant lamb onto my plate and brought over several more items.
Sighing, I looked at my overflowing plate and wondered if all Egyptian men fed their women like this, or if it was just the former princes. As Asten ate, sitting across from me, he watched every bite I took. Pushing the food around on the plate, I finally looked up at his scowling face. “It doesn’t feel right to eat without Amon,” I said. “He was the one who taught me all about feasting.”
Asten’s severe expression eased. “I understand, but consider the fact that you must sustain your body so that you can sustain Amon.”
“Are you trying to say I’m eating for two?” I teased.
“I do not comprehend your meaning.”
“Never mind. I promise I will try to eat more.”
A freshly showered Dr. Hassan entered the room. He’d managed to find cargo pants and a vest and even a new fedora, but brown instead of white.