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The next few days went by quickly. To Howymose’s surprise and liking, he wasn’t called for as much. Luckily, this way he was able to slip and see Tutankhaten.
The boy was amazingly bright. He loved to have his guardian take him out on long hunting trips. As much as he respected nature, hunting was his favorite sport, but he only shot enough for food, pelts, and jewelry (i.e. elephant ivory). He also showed a strong sign of maturing into a reigning monarch--a strong Pharaoh that would make Egypt prosper and return her to her former glory.
He also listened attentively to his servant “Mose” and the subtle hints that he dropped about the true gods. One day, Tutankhaten came right out and announced, “I don’t think Aten is real. My father only made him up, I bet. Amun came to me in a dream again and told me so. He told me... other things that I’m not supposed to tell you.” Howymose smiled. “I’m sure.”
Defensive, Tutankhaten snapped, “Don’t you believe me, Mose? I thought you of all people would!!”
“I do, I do,” Howymose replied quickly. “Of course I believe you, Highness. I just think I understand Amun’s ways now.” He smiled fondly at the boy. Tutankhaten relaxed again, his eyes raised toward the sun. “Amun tells me that things are going to change in a couple of days. I’m going to be very busy...” Howymose laughed. Any Pharaoh is be extremely busy, he thought. “Then you must trust him.”
“I do.”
“I should be off again now.”
“Where is it that you go when you leave here, Mose?”
Howymose smiled. “The next time we meet, I’ll tell you.”
“When will that be?”
“Very, very soon.”
Howymose smiled and slipped away.
********
Meritaten felt terribly alone. Her life was empty and devoid of meaning. It felt like she hadn’t seen Kevinkare in ages. Alexhotep had been faithful with delivering their messages. By reading his words, it was easy to imagine his deep voice. Yet it wasn’t the same as really hearing him and seeing him. Smenkhkare hadn’t come to see her in several days which she was thankful for. The last time she had seen him was when she’d confessed that she was pregnant. He had been astounded at how soon it had happened, but he’d hugged her and reacted as any father-to-be would.
The exact same way Kevinkare had, Meritaten thought. Alexhotep hadn’t filled her in, however, on the recent acts of The Cause. She sensed that they were up to something, but she couldn’t guess what. In her mind, she believed that it was too soon for them to act on what had been building up for so long.
As she mused, the door opened behind her silently. Jumping up and spinning around, she was confronted by her husband. “You are very jumpy tonight, Meritaten.”
“No. You just startled me, that’s all.”
“Will you come with me for a second? Pharaoh wants to speak with us both in private.”
Meritaten flashed him a confused look. “Why?”
He shrugged. “I’m not sure, but he said it was important. The chariot is waiting to bring us there.”
She nodded. “Very well.”
“We might as well spend the night because it looks like a storm.”
“Hopefully we’ll make it back in time. Will Alexhotep be joining us?”
“Of course.” This time Smenkhkare appeared confused. “He’s our bodyguard. Why wouldn’t he?”
Meritaten smiled sheepishly. “Sorry. I was just... wondering, I guess.”
Smenkhkare gave her weary expression and then escorted her to their awaiting chariot.
******
Brianamun was dressed simply in a white kilt. His light brown hair, blowing in the surprisingly cool wind, was free and lacked a customary wig. The day had arrived. Everything was in place except for one important material.
Kevinkare stepped inside the room. “It’ll be there.”
Brianamun nodded, glancing up at the dark sky. Even though it was only early afternoon, it was darkening considerably.
“It looks like Sekhmet will be pouring her vengeance upon Akhenaten finally.”
“Through her storms and us,” Kevinkare murmured with an ironic smile. “Nefret’s with Aneski?”
Kevinkare nodded. “Don’t worry about them--especially Nefret. I may not know Aneski, but I do know my sister. She can take care of herself as well as any man can.”
“I know, but I still just have this gut feeling...”
“Priests intuition?”
“Maybe. I’m not sure.”
“She’ll be fine.”
“What we’re doing isn’t exactly innocent. We’re dealing with the big guys now, and if we’re caught, we’ll have to deal with the consequences.” “Stop trying to make us back out of this, Brianamun. We’re all in this together.”
“I know. I just feel guilty sometimes.” He shrugged. “Oh, well. Are we ready to head off?”
“The chariot’s waiting.”
“Very well then.”
The two made their way out.

Chapter Eighteen

Two men walked within the walls of the palace. One walked several paces in front of the other, clearly the higher ranking of the two; the master. The other’s steps were slower, and his head was bowed, the servant, the lower one. The first one’s dress was simple yet elegant. The latter one’s attire was just plain and simple.
They both knew their place in the Egyptian social world and obviously kept to it. They approached a spacious office and disappeared within it.
*******
The two women approached the palace despite the dark sky and harsh wind. One was huddled over, hiding her hideous face from the world. The cloak shielded the horror from the outside world. The other was leading her along, a pitying expression on her face. She was a pretty, young Nubian. Her arm was around the other woman’s shoulders. The guard abruptly stopped them.
“What right do two beggars have to enter the palace?” he huffed.
The Nubian defiantly looked him straight in the eye and handed him a scrap of papyrus. “We have an appointment with the well-known court physician, Kevinkare,” she told him smugly.
He briskly glanced the letter over. “A leper, eh?” He shrank back from the cloaked woman, as though afraid to have her touch him--as though her touch would give him the leprosy germs. The two women passed on.
*****
Nickathor had an important appointment with a royal scribe. He strode down the marble floor of the palace toward Howymose’s office. It was the only way he could get into the office. It was useless for him to feign sickness; Kevinkare already had “patients” coming to him that day anyhow.
He arrived in front of Howymose’s office and let himself in. Howymose was pouring over scrolls at his desk. One would never suspect him as anything else but a scribe. He looked up and smiled nervously at his friend.
“Ready?” Howymose inquired.
Nickathor nodded. “Where will we meet them again?”
“Meritaten’s old chambers.”
Howymose stepped over to the wall and pressed a lit torch in. A panel swung open. He extended his arm, implying for Nickathor to go first. The Greek snatched a torch from Howymose’s office and faded into the passageway’s darkness. Shutting the panel firmly behind them, Howymose followed.
*******
The Nubian led her leper-friend to Kevinkare’s office. After an abrupt knock, she entered. Kevinkare was searching for the correct poison in his laboratory. His “servant” was gazing out the window at the gathering storm clouds. Hearing the knock, he spun around.
“It took you two long enough.”
“We ran into some trouble,” Aneski snapped.
The “leper” threw her cloak off to reveal her truly lovely face. “I’ll never know how you’d ever pass for a leper,” Brianamun stated, his voice full of irony and his eyes filled with tenderness.
Kevinkare emerged from the laboratory, the correct poison in hand. “It took me a while, but I finally found what you asked for, Brianamun.” He jumped when he noticed Aneski and Nefret. “Good... You’re here,” he murmured. He then proceeded to allow Brianamun to inspect the poison.
Brianamun scanned the label. “No pain?”
“Just simple heart failure.”
“Good. I may have to do this for the gods, but I want to make it swift. Akhenaten is a man, no less, and I do feel awful right now.”
“But it has to be done,” Aneski reassured him.
“I know that. I may be a priest, but I am only human.”
The door burst open. The four conspirators watched with wide, fearful eyes as the person fell inside, quickly shutting the door behind themselves. Alexhotep gave a sigh of relief. “I just escorted Smenkhkare and Meritaten here from their palace. I don’t know what’s gotten into him... Well, anyway, sorry I’m late.”
“Don’t worry about it,” Nefret told him.
“Meritaten?” Kevinkare piped.
“We have more important things to do before you can see your ‘beloved’,” Brianamun informed him. “But speaking of the princess, it’s time we made our way to her old rooms. Kevinkare, lead the way.”
“You’re supposing I know the way?”
“You do though.”
He blushed. “Yeah... I do.”
The five disappeared into darkness of the tunnel. Brianamun carried the torch and had taken the lead. Nefret and Aneski followed behind. Kevinkare and Alexhotep brought up the rear. “Who has the... um, thing to take care of Smenkhkare?”
“I do,” Kevinkare replied shortly.
“You’re going to do it?”
“I volunteered. Besides, I believe it’s my duty to Meritaten.”
The passageway opened up into the eldest princess’s old chambers. A horde of memories flooded Kevinkare’s mind. Howymose and Nickathor were waiting. “What took so long?” Nickathor inquired impatiently.
“We got held up,” Aneski informed him.
“Me too,” Alexhotep added.
“Well, the sooner we get on with this, the better,” Nefret said quietly
“Which comes first?” asked Aneski.
“We should split up,” Brianamun stated firmly. “Kevinkare, should look for Smenkhkare, wherever he is, and I will look for Akhenaten. The rest of you will split up, half going with me, the other half going with Kevinkare. Your jobs will be to distract the guards while Kevinkare and I... do our, er, jobs.”
They finally resolved on who would be accompanying who. Brianamun would take Nefret (though she’d be covered with a shawl), Nickathor, and Aneski. Alexhotep and Howymose would be with Kevinkare. They figured Meritaten could back them up because she was most likely with her husband. Everyone exchanged “be carefuls,” “may the gods be with yous,” and “good-byes.”
As the group divided in two, the door flew open. Smenkhkare and Meritaten stood there, in the first argument of their marriage which abruptly came to a halt when Smenkhkare took in the large group of people in what was supposed to be an abandoned room.

Chapter Nineteen

“What are you doing here, Alexhotep? Kevinkare? Howymose? And the rest of you?” Smenkhkare asked, suspiciously eyeing the seven. Meritaten’s eyes widened as she immediately comprehended the situation. “Oh my,” she murmured, her hand flying to her mouth.
Smenkhkare turned violently on her. “So I take it you know something on this?”
“No,” she cried. “I don’t know...”
Smenkhkare turned back to the others. “I demand to know the meaning of this, or I will summon the guards.”
“We got lost,” Nickathor offered, glancing at his friends for help. Brianamun shot him a dull expression. Great excuse, he thought. Kevinkare kept his hands clasped behind his back, his eyes all the while remained on the opponent. Now is the best time to get the business over-with, he thought. There aren’t any guards to worry about... I just don’t want Nefret and Meritaten to see me do this.
“Is that your explanation?” Smenkhkare demanded, arching his eyebrows in disbelief. “You’ll have to do better than that. Better yet, I’ll just get security.”
“Don’t try it,” Kevinkare ordered, his tone dared Smenkhkare to defy him.
“And why... not?” Smenkhkare eyes rested on the dagger glinting in Kevinkare’s hand.
Kevinkare grabbed Meritaten, pulling her over to him, making it look like she was his hostage. Meritaten immediately understood and feigned fright. “She’s in delicate condition, and she’s a woman,” Smenkhkare exclaimed.
“Whatever you want, it’s with me.”
Kevinkare smiled icily. “Exactly.”
Smenkhkare unsheathed his own sword. He’d been forewarned that something was up tonight and had come prepared. His eyes took in the other people. The closest person to him was a pretty, turquoise-eyed girl. Smenkhkare sprinted toward her, poising his dagger at her throat. At any slight move back, his weapon would slit her throat. Brianamun lunged forward.
Nickathor grabbed him, holding him back with all of his strength. Kevinkare jumped, knowing that while his lover was in no danger, his sister was in extreme peril.
A smug, proud smile spread across the prince regent’s face. “I believe I have gotten a firm hold above you, Kevinkare. I’m no fool. If you think I don’t know about you and my whore wife then you’re wrong. Of course I know! When she sneaked out, did you think I didn’t know where she was going? Of course I knew! My servants followed her. You wouldn’t hurt her--you couldn’t hurt her. As for what I could do to this pretty, little thing here... I really couldn’t care less if I killed her or if she lived.” He looked around at the grave, fearful faces. “But I think you all do care about her...”
The only sign of Brianamun’s panic was in his eyes. He was frantic. His fears and premonitions had been well-grounded. Amun had tried to warn him... Why hadn’t he listened? Kevinkare laughed roughly and harshly. “An affair with the royal princess? You’ve got to be kidding me! I know better than to get myself involved with something like that. Besides, she’s only a spoiled little, future queen. I wouldn’t want anything to do with her.”
“Nice bluff, doctor.”
“I have no need to bluff. If I wanted a lover, I could find someone better than her.”
Meritaten stiffened. He’d better be misleading Smenkhkare... for his sake, she thought. However, his gentle hold on her waist was enough to tell her his true feelings.
Smenkhkare shrugged. “I hope you know that I know about you’re little group as well. For your sake, you should be glad that I haven’t told anyone as of yet. I would have, but I just discovered it. ‘The Cause’.... wonderful name. My cause will be to see all of your group wiped out rid of by the executioner. You’re names will be erased from all documents, and you’re remains will be fed to the crocodiles. You all will be doomed to wander through the afterlife.”
In his speech, his grip on Nefret had loosened. She had no choice and decided to go for it. She elbowed him and took off. Smenkhkare lunged out with his sword, catching her in the abdomen. Nefret fell to the marble floor, her hand clutching at her wound. At that same time, Brianamun and Kevinkare took off. Brianamun ran to his lover while Kevinkare attacked Smenkhkare, seeing red. In a blur, Kevinkare didn’t know what had happened. The next thing he knew, he was standing over Smenkhkare’s lifeless body, blood pouring from the area around his heart.
He stared down at what he’d done. Shuddering, he turned to see what had become of his sister. Nefret laid with Brianamun kneeling next to her. Silently, he was imploring Isis, Mistress of Magic, to heal Nefret.
“I told you I wasn’t afraid to die,” Nefret murmured.
“You aren’t going to leave me,” Brianamun whispered.
She smiled ironically. “I don’t think I have much of a choice. It’s what the gods want. I’m to join Osiris in his kingdom.”
Brianamun stroked her face gently. “I’ll wait for you there,” she told him.
“I love you, Nefret.”
“I love you too, Brianamun.” Calmly, Nefret breathed her last.
Tears streaming down his face, Brianamun struggled to his feet. The others were silent. “We knew there was a possibility of losses,” Brianamun managed to say.
“Yeah, but I never actually thought...” Alexhotep mumbled.
“Well,” Brianamun went on, glancing at his lover’s murderer, “one of our jobs is complete. Now for the other...”
“We have too many people,” Kevinkare said, stopping him. “It’d be too conscious. “I, Meritaten, and Aneski will accompany you. As for the rest of you, please... bring Nefret to Nakht.”
Nakht was one who stilled mummified in the old ways with the amulets to implore gods for safe passage. Alexhotep and Howymose nodded solemnly, while Nickathor bundled Nefret in his arms. They slipped out through the secret passage. “Where’s the poison?” Brianamun asked Kevinkare.
He handed it over.
“Let’s go then.”
Aneski took a deep breath and followed the others into the hall. “Where is he now?” Kevinkare asked Meritaten.
“In the palace chapel, begging Aten for sunlight to reign again and beat out this darkness.”
“Sekhmet will overpower Aten unless her spirit is soothed,” Brianamun replied. “But this is good for us. He’s alone. Let’s get this job over-with.”

Chapter Twenty

Brianamun had taken Pharaoh’s wine glasses. There were two. Akhenaten was expecting Smenkhkare. Little did he know that his co-regent would never show up for any appointment again.
Brianamun, Aneski, Meritaten, and Kevinkare were gathered in a small, side room. The tray with Akhenaten’s drinks were on a table in front of Brianamun. He withdrew the bottle of poison and uncapped it.
“How will you know which one Akhenaten will take?” Aneski inquired as she watched him pour into the goblet.
“I don’t,” Brianamun replied simply, dumping the last half of the cordial into the opposite glass. “Whichever one he settles on will be his death.”
“It will just look as though he died of simple heart failure,” Kevinkare stated.
Meritaten drew closer to Kevinkare.
“Just pray that nothing unexpected occurs,” Brianamun told them. “Now, Meritaten, stay here. It won’t do us any good if you’re spotted this late in the game. Oh, and thank you for guiding us here. Aneski, go to the back entrance to the chapel. Make sure no one goes in or out except for me. The same goes for you, Kevinkare. Only you must take the front entry. " Aneski nodded. “I’ll leave first. You two should follow a little later.”
“We know,” Kevinkare told her.
She shrugged. Making sure that no one was in the hallway, Aneski exited. Five minutes came and went.
“Let’s go,” Brianamun ordered.
Kevinkare embraced Meritaten, kissing her as if it would be their last--which was entirely a possibility. When they pulled away at last, Kevinkare murmured, “I love you, Merit.” Then, he followed Brianamun into the corridor.
********
Akhenaten was prostrated before the image of Aten. He was singing the Hymn to Aten, imploring his god to shine his light upon Egypt once again, dispelling the darkness and potential evil that had settled down upon it at that moment.
It was only a small chapel, and all had access to it. However, Akhenaten had banned military personnel from coming before the god with any sort of weapon.
The threatening storm outside broke with as lightening flashed and thunder cackled. A servant entered, setting down a tray of win. He was preparing to leave when Akhenaten stopped him:
“A moment please. That is all I ask of your time.”
“Whatever you wish is my command, Majesty,” the servant replied, bowing deeply.
“What is your name?”
“Brianaten.”
“Well then, Brianaten... I need to unburden my soul, and my co-regent, unfortunately, doesn’t listen well. I can feel my time is short. I may not be old and infirm, but I am weak... I have always been a weakling physically, if not mentally. In my thirty-seven years, I have learned enough to know my people despise me. No, don’t object and try to comfort me and tell me I am wrong. Of course there are plenty of yes-men and hypocrites, but my ring of supporters is has fewer and fewer members by the day.
“Smenkhkare warns me of conspirators who are ready to slit my throat if I make the slightest mistake. I don’t know whether or not to believe him, but of course Nefertiti was...”
“May I ask a question, Sire?”
“I value honesty, Brianaten, so of course. Ask away.”
“Why are you telling me all of this?”
“Before you came in here, Aten spoke to me, ordering me to confess my heart to the whoever entered next. Honestly, I thought he was referring to Smenkhkare, who I am expecting, but I guessed wrong.” Akhenaten smiled warmly.
Crazy man, Brianamun thought.
“Have you ever been in love, Brianaten?”
The bluntness of the query startled Brianamun. “Yes, Majesty, I have.” He must really be off his head today to be asking me this...
“Kiya may be pretty, but I’m not in love with her.” He sighed. “I miss Nefertiti terribly.”
Had Pharaoh been taking the special drink [AKA drugs] to invoke his false god? Akhenaten gave another sigh, but this one was filled with bitterness. “I sound like a fool,” he told Brianamun with a wry smile. “Will you do me the honor of having a drink with me, Brianaten?”
Brianamun froze. He couldn’t drink the poison! Yet if he didn’t Pharaoh, would suspect something was wrong with the wine.
What do I have to live for anyway? Brianamun thought. Nefret is gone, and I can join her in Osiris’s Kingdom this way... May work will be done as soon as Akhenaten drinks that wine, and the others can easily advise Tutankhaten. Akhenaten shot him a puzzled expression. “Will you drink with me?” he asked again.
Brianamun nodded. “Of course, Majesty.”
A person stumbled in. “Smenkhkare’s dead, Majesty!” It was Kevinkare. In his haste, he knocked the wine glass out of Brianamun’s hand. “Forgive my clumsiness.”
Akhenaten’s eyes widened. His knuckles whitened as his grip tightened around his glass. “How?”
“Murder.”
To keep his emotions steady, Akhenaten gulped down the wine. Then he hurried out.
Kevinkare glared at Brianamun, who glared back. “Why did you stop me?” Brianamun snapped.
Kevinkare took him by the shoulders. “Nefret may be gone, but she wouldn’t want you to end your life prematurely on account of her. Trust me, Brianamun.”
Reluctantly, the priest nodded. “I know.” He sighed. “Let’s get Aneski, and get out of here.”
“What about Meritaten?”
Brianamun smiled reluctantly. “I foresee a whole lifetime together for you and the princess.”

Epilogue

Kevinkare, Brianamun, and Aneski met up with Alexhotep, Howymose, and Nickathor at Nakht’s workshop where he was already preparing Nefret’s corpse for mummification.
As soon as Nickathor laid eyes on Aneski, he embraced her passionately. She didn’t resist. The ordeal had been enough to open both their eyes to their true attraction to each other.
Kevinkare and Brianamun said their final goodbye to Nefret. Each privately in the small room where her body was waiting to join her parents in the family tomb. Each exited the room with tears streaming down their face. Word reached them that at the sight of Smenkhkare’s dead body, Akhenaten had keeled over. The official report: heart failure. Young Tutankhaten was proclaimed heir, and he was betrothed to Ankhsenpaaten, a young girl with influential court officials.
Brianamun stood at the window in the back of Nakht’s house. His duty to Amun was complete. Now he all he had to do was make sure Amun was reinstated as chief god, and then he could retire to Thebes, serving the god to the end of his days.
The sky had cleared miraculously. The sun reappeared, looking somewhat different on the horizon. “It is the dawn of a new era,” Alexhotep said from behind Brianamun.
“A new king... a new horizon,” Brianamun murmured.
Alexhotep smiled wryly, slapping his friend on the back, and led him away from the window to join the others as they planned what in the world they’d do in their future.

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