“It’s all right, Sitamun. It’s me.”
“Femi?” It took a moment for her to register his kind, familiarface. “Oh, praise Amun, you’re alive!” After so much loss, the blessing of Femi’s survival felt like a miracle. Heedless of who might see, she wrapped her arms around his chest and held him tight.
“I am,” Femi said. “For now.”
He looked shaken and exhausted, and there was blood staining the edge of his schenti. Sita suspected it wasn’t his.
“I can’t believe my brother spared you. I was certain you’d be targeted. He saw us together, after all…”
Femi scoffed. “I don’t think it’s mercy that stayed his hand, Sitamun. Strategy, more like. Though to what end, I’ve no idea.” He took her hand and tugged her down the hall. “Now, please, come with me, Princess. I must get you back to your chambers before anyone sees us.”
“No,” Sita said, resisting him. “I’m not going back.”
Femi frowned, his brow furrowed in confusion. “What do you mean?”
Sita lifted her chin. “My brother intends to take me as his queen.” Femi’s eyes widened. “He told me this afternoon, just after my father’s death. A death, like so many others, that could have been prevented. The prince is…”
She felt a lump rising in her throat. “I knew he was ruthless, but I thought his intentions were good. I never… I never thought…”
Words kept failing her. In the end, she was left with one simple truth. “I am a fool.”
“I don’t understand,” Femi asked. “How could you have prevented these deaths? What could you have done?”
“I could have confessed,” Sita said savagely. “I could have fought. I could have died. Anything would have been better than what I did—which was nothing.”
“Sitamun,” Femi said in a low voice. “Are you saying that there was a plot to assassinate the king? That the prince… murderedhim?”
It was too late for the truth to matter. Too late for it to save anyone—not even her. But since she was given the opportunity, she told it anyway.
“Yes.”
Femi reeled from the impact of her words. She wanted to explain more, to tell him everything, but there was no time.
“I will not remain here and be Mery’s prize. I’ve got to escape—tonight. Will you help me?”
Femi paled. “But where will you go?”
Sita shook her head. “I don’t know yet,” she said rapidly. “But I must leave before Mery puts me under watch. For all I know, his men are already waiting in my chambers. One of them saw me in the Horus Room.”
“All right, all right,” Femi said, running a hand through his short hair. “Come, there’s a supply room nearby. I can get you a plain dress and robe, a waterskin, some dry provisions, and a small blade… but not much else.”
“That’s enough,” Sita said.
Femi met her eyes, his weary expression tinged with sorrow. He’d already lost so much, and he was about to lose more. He looked as if there were a thousand things he wanted to say, but instead he bowed his head. “As you wish, my princess.”
They hurried to the supply room, where Sita changed her clothes by candlelight. She stuffed her fineries into a rough pack and slung them over her shoulder. Perhaps she could trade them for more supplies later on. The robe she’d chosen was plain and black with a wide hood that would shield her face from curious eyes. Femi fitted her with a leather belt to hold her dagger and waterskin, cinching it tight around her waist. When she was ready, they emerged back into the hallway.
They hadn’t gone three steps before a clatter of footstepsapproached.
“Get back inside!” Femi whispered, shoving her into the supply room.
Sita pressed herself against the wall and held her breath.
The footsteps stopped just outside the door.
“Femi,” a deep voice said. “Have you seen the princess?”
“Not tonight,” Femi lied. “She should be asleep in her chambers. Is she not?”
