Chapter 9
Chapter 9 “Nakht!” Merit’s voice snapped like a whip, shattering the trance he’d sunk into. He jolted, as if dragged up from deep water. His fevered eyes sought hers.…
Chapter 8
Chapter 8 They walked side by side down the corridor, neither speaking a word. Night had already fallen on the palace, shadows thickening, carrying the scent of resin. Merit…
Chapter 7
Chapter 7 She drew in a deep breath, as if to push the fog from her mind. “Enough,” she whispered, more to herself than to him. Straightening her back,…
Chapter 6
Chapter 6 Merit had drifted off on the low stool, her cheek resting against the edge of the bed. She’d been keeping vigil for two days, barely leaving the…
Chapter 5
Chapter 5 The sun had already risen, but the royal chambers remained steeped in a heavy gloom. The linen drapes, drawn over the tall windows, smothered the golden light. The…
Chapter 4
Chapter 4 Nakht’s seat remained empty. Merit sat motionless, her fingers locked around the rim of her cup. The air, thick with myrrh and crushed lotus, made her stomach turn.…
Chapter 3
Chapter 3 The great hall of the palace shimmered in the glow of torches and resin-fed braziers. The air pulsed with heat and heavy scents: myrrh, incense, crushed lotus. The…
Chapter 2
Chapter 2 Merit yanked him aside, dragging him close to one of the massive pillars that held up the gallery. Her fingers dug into his arm, tight enough to hurt.…
Chapter 1
Chapter 1 The sun was sinking over the outskirts of Thebes. The orange glow clung to the mud-brick walls, making the suspended dust shimmer. The air carried that dry, bitter…