The Pharaoh’s Favorite novel Chapter 3

I run like all the demons of Duat are at my heels.

I run until my lungs burn and my vision blurs, not caring where my feet take me.

I run until my legs give out.

When I finally stop, the temple of Isis looms before me, silver in the moonlight. No priests, no worshippers – just me and my shattered heart.

I fell to my knees before the altar, my cries echoing in the vast chamber.

“Why?” I whispered, my voice hoarse and broken. “Why have the gods allowed this to happen? What have I done to deserve this pain?”

The tears come hot and fast now. I press my face against the temple’s cool stone, letting sobs and loud cries wrack my body. The image burns behind my eyes – Kiya’s cold and terrifying smile, Sahety’s muscled back, their bodies tangled in the sacred reeds where he first promised to love only me.

The lightest touch on my shoulder made me freeze.

My heart leapt into my throat, and I spun around with my fists raised, a scream escaping my lips before I could stop it.

“Peace, young lady,” a calm, familiar voice said. “It is only me.”

Panic inside me ebbed as I recognized the man standing before me.

The stranger from the market.

His face, partially obscured by the shawl earlier, was now fully visible in the moonlight. His long black hair was braided into a single sleek braid, hung loose, framing a face that was both captivating and refined.

Skin a bit more tanned than my own, carried the glow of someone accustomed to the sun’s touch. His deep brown eyes held a warmth that contrasted with the sharp angles of his high cheekbones and the faint hump of his nose.

His plump lips were set in a gentle line, and his tall, fit build exuded quiet strength.

“You!” I said, my voice trembling. “What are you doing here?”

“Forgive me,” he says softly. “I didn’t mean to frighten you.”

“How…” Cheeks burning like torch lights, heart thunders against my ribs. “Why did you come here?”

“I was nearby and heard someone crying.” He steps closer, silverlight catching in his dark eyes. “Could not ignore such… sorrow.”

“You should not be here.” I turned away, ashamed of my tears and vulnerability. “This is a sacred place.”

“I mean no disrespect to the goddess,” he said gently. “But it seems to me that you are the one in need of comfort tonight. What happened to you?”

His words broke through the fragile walls I had built around my pain, shattering them with a quiet intensity. My lips trembled as I began to speak, and once the words started, they came in an unstoppable torrent.

The betrayal I had witnessed – Sahety and Kiya – their names cut through me like a blade as I poured out the heartbreak that was consuming me. My voice cracked under the weight of my anguish, each sentence more desperate than the last.

Through it all, he listens with an intensity that makes my skin tingle. Without interruption, his expression was thoughtful and kind.

“Your sister sounds… complicated,” he says finally.

“That’s a kind way to put all of it.” I laugh bitterly.

When I finished, he knelt beside me, his presence steady and reassuring.

“You carry a great burden,” he said softly. “But you must not let their betrayal define you. You are worth far more than their lies and selfishness.”

These words touched something deep within me, even made me feel a glimmer of hope for some moment.

“Thank you,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper. I wipe my eyes, suddenly conscious of how I must look. “I don’t even know your name.”

“Amen…” He began without thinking and then abruptly stopped talking.

While settled beside me on the temple steps, he just smiled sweetly, but the smile did not reach his eyes.

“Amen?” I repeated his words.

“Yes, Amen.” He smiled once again, with a hint of mystery in his eyes. “My father is a merchant of jewelry in Thebes. But there is little else about me that is worth mentioning.”

I tilted my head, unconvinced. “You deflect my question. Why?”

“Because tonight is not about me,” he replied smoothly. “What is your name, young lady? Or perhaps you prefer the way what

A small smile appeared on my face and simply answered, “Neferet.”

“Ah, ‘beautiful’

“Thank you, Amen,” I couldn’t help myself, but continuing his little joke, “your name also sounds very… ‘certain’