Song of Scarabs and Fallen Stars by Lindsey Sparks

Author:Lindsey Sparks [Lindsey Sparks]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Rubus Press
Published: 2022-03-23T00:00:00+00:00

27

I spent an hour or two at Inyotef’s side while the queen was busy with others, meeting countless important people whose names vanished from my brain almost as soon as they were out of sight. Eventually, Inyotef was pulled away by a pair of his guards, murmuring in hushed voices about some incident in town, leaving me to retreat alone to the dim courtyard. The shadows cast by the flickering torches were deeper and darker now, with only the half-moon and the stars sparkling above to dilute them.

I sat at one end of the pool, tapping my toes against the water’s cool surface, mesmerized by the ripples as they spread and eventually died out. I watched Temu without staring directly, standing alone at the opposite end of the courtyard. He leaned one shoulder against a column, his arms crossed over his chest, the flames of a nearby torch highlighting the intricate pattern of his scars and the dark promise gleaming in his eyes.

But he wasn’t looking at me. He was staring at Queen Nitocris, who burst into raucous laughter every minute or two. Either her companions were hilarious, or she was drunk. Maybe a bit of both.

It was probably about time for me to make my move, but I couldn’t stop watching Temu watch her. Jealousy roused within me, heating my blood and making me feel reckless. Or maybe that was all the wine.

“He is quite striking, is he not?”

I tore my stare away from Temu, surprised to find Queen Nitocris gazing down at me across the corner of the pool. When had she abandoned her companions? And how had I not noticed her approach? To my sensitive Nejeret nose, she still reeked of Inyotef and their earlier indiscretion. She glanced at Temu, a coy smile curving her lips. Oh, right, I hadn’t noticed her approach because I had been staring at him.

“He is, indeed,” I said, glancing at Temu for the briefest moment, just long enough to know he was watching us. And listening. He was always listening.

Nitocris bowed her head, the gold beads dangling on six-inch strands from her diadem clacking with the motion. “It is a pleasure to meet you, divine one.”

I bent my neck in return. “And you as well.” I stretched out my hand, gesturing to the edge of the pool at her feet. “Won’t you join me?”

“I would love nothing more,” she said and sighed, easing down to sit on the ledge. She slipped her sandals off and tossed them aside, plunking her feet into the water. “You were smart to go barefoot.” She sent a death glare at her pretty, gilded shoes. “I don’t know why I bother wearing them. I always end up with blisters.”

“I know exactly what you mean,” I said, thinking of the state my feet would often be in after a show. I missed many things about home, but I absolutely did not miss high heels.

I leaned back on my hands and gazed up at the stars, the Milky Way stretching across the darkness like a river of glittering diamonds.

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