The Amulet of Amon-Ra (8 page)

Jennifer gasped and fell back against the wall.

“Dje-Nefer?” It was a man, silhouetted by the light. He shifted slightly and she saw him clearly then.

“Oh! Um, Uncle Neferhotep. It's you. I thought…,” she said, breathing hard. “You scared me.”

Neferhotep was breathing hard too. “What are you doing here? I saw you go by and I called out, but you didn't answer.”

So that's who it had been. “I'm sorry,” she said. “I didn't hear you.”

“You're far from the temple,” said Neferhotep. “Where were you going?”

“Um…home? But I got lost.”

“Lost?” he sounded confused.

“Um, yeah.” Jennifer swallowed. Now what? She couldn't tell him where she'd been. He was frowning. “I was walking along, you see, and there was this…accident. A real pile-up. Donkeys everywhere. Someone had crashed into someone else…anyway, I had to detour around it. But then I didn't know where I was. I've been trying to get home, but I ended up here.”

She waited to see if Neferhotep was going to buy it. His eyes narrowed as he gazed at her. Finally, he sighed, and said, “I see.”

“What about you?” asked Jennifer. “Why are you here?”

“Me?” He scratched his chest. There was a dirty smudge on Neferhotep's kilt, and his eye makeup was starting to smear in the sweat that dripped from his forehead. He looked as though he had been running. “I…had an errand in this part of the city. Well, never mind. The important thing is to get you home.”

“You know how to get out of here?” asked Jennifer.

He peered at the buildings around them. “Yes. I mean, I think I do.”

“All right.”

Neferhotep gestured and Jennifer walked beside him. She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. He was frowning in concentration, and he gave the impression that he knew where he was going. Maybe this was a place he came often. But why? None of the people who lived here looked like they could afford the kind of funerals that Neferhotep must be used to working on.

Maybe he was involved in Ka-Aper's schemes. How had Ka-Aper gotten that map, anyway? She resolved not to tell him anything about where she'd been and what she'd heard, just in case.

Gradually, they left the poorer section of town. The two boys who had been following her had given up when Neferhotep found her. She flicked another glance at him. Was he really taking her home? If he was part of the tomb robbing gang, he might be taking her to the temple instead. If he knew she'd been listening. Jennifer sighed and rubbed her forehead.

“Something wrong?” asked Neferhotep.

“No, nothing,” said Jennifer. “Just a headache.”

He fell silent again. A few more minutes' worth of walking brought them to an area she thought she knew, though it was hard to tell. So many of the stone walls looked the same.

“Here we are,” said Neferhotep, stopping abruptly.

“We are?” Jennifer looked around. Her gaze lit on the giant bas-relief mural of Thoth, on the school. “Yes. Thank you. I can find my way from here.”

“Are you sure?” asked Neferhotep, raising one painted eyebrow.

“Of course!” said Jennifer. She strode boldly down the street, then turned the corner. There was the same house that Ka-Aper had gone into to pick up that bundle last night. The door was tightly shut today. She peeked over her shoulder to see if Neferhotep was watching her, but she couldn't see him. Now…which one was Dje-Nefer's house? They all had flat fronts and wooden doors.

The third house from the corner had a reed fence around the upper floor and a black scarab painted on the outside of the door. Just in case it was the wrong house, Jennifer opened the door cautiously, which swung silently on its well-oiled hinges. Light shone briefly on furniture she recognized. She let out a breath. She had managed to get home without Ka-Aper finding her.

Now all she had to do was explain to Meryt-Re where she had been. She padded across the cool tiles in the main room and looked in the kitchen. It was empty. She listened hard, sure she could hear the faint sound of hammering coming from Ramose's workshop. Perhaps Meryt-Re wasn't back from the market yet. She was safe.

Maybe she ought to pretend she'd been here for a while.

Jennifer wandered around the kitchen, lifting the lids from the various clay pots and jars that lined the shelves, wondering what Dje-Nefer would have been doing if she had found herself alone. More baking? She found large salt crystals and spices hanging from the shelves in colorful little woven baskets, but she didn't know what to do with them.

Maybe she could…stoke the fire, or something. She kneeled on the floor. Using the blackened wooden stick that lay next to the fireplace, she rolled one of the small black coals closer. It was almost perfectly round. She tapped it with the stick and gray ash puffed up.

Maybe it hadn't been dust in her amulet. Maybe it had been ash. She sniffed, and nearly gagged. This stuff didn't smell right.

“There you are,” said Meryt-Re. Jennifer jumped. She hadn't heard Meryt-Re come in. “I hope you didn't worry that I was gone so long. There was some sort of procession going on, and I had to go around it. I think it must have been one of the Pharaoh's many foreign friends.”

“Were you at the market?” asked Jennifer.

“Yes. Oh, are you feeding the fire? Good. I have some more donkey dung, so you can add that.”

Meryt-Re dropped a small bag beside Jennifer, then went to put the water jug away. Jennifer eyed the bag dubiously, then gingerly tipped it over the fire. Several more hard, round balls fell out. Donkey dung? They'd been cooking over donkey dung? Suddenly, she felt a bit nauseated.

“I swear the Nile is even lower today,” said Meryt-Re, shaking her head. “I had to wade out in it to get our water. Lucky for me, there were soldiers posted on the shore to keep an eye out for crocodiles and water oxen.” She took the bag from Jennifer. “I saw Neferhotep outside.”

“Y-you did?” asked Jennifer.

“He asked if you'd made it home all right,” said Meryt-Re. “I said I was sure you had. He was on his way back to the temple.”

“Oh,” said Jennifer.

Meryt-Re was about to speak again, when they both heard a knocking on the front door. “That must be him again. I wonder what he wants? Would you go answer it, please?”

Jennifer crossed the main room and flung open the door.

“Yes?” she said.

Ka-Aper towered in the doorway.

Jennifer's mouth went dry. “C-can I help you?” she croaked.

The priest smiled down at her. “Is your father within?”

“He's in the workshop,” said Jennifer, clutching the side of the door. “I think.”

“Good. I wish to speak with him.” He waited patiently, still smiling. After a moment, he said, “May I come in?”

“Uh, sure,” said Jennifer. She opened the door wider, and he strode in.

“After you,” he said, gesturing that she should go first.

“Oh. Right,” said Jennifer. She paused, realizing that she didn't exactly know where Ramose's workshop was. But there was a curtained doorway at the back of the room, near the stairs. Muffled hammering sounds came from behind it.

Jennifer led Ka-Aper to the curtain, feeling all the while like he was following too close. She pushed the curtain aside and went in, Ka-Aper right behind her.

Ramose was there, one hand on a tiny amulet, the other just raising a bronze tool. He looked up as Jennifer entered, then shot to his feet. His face broke into a cautious smile.

“Sir!” he said. “You honor us once more. What may I do for you?”

“My good Ramose,” said Ka-Aper, pushing past Jennifer, “I must speak with you on a matter of importance.”

His voice lowered. Mentmose, who had been industriously tapping away at something on his bench, put his hammer down. Jennifer strained to hear what Ka-Aper was saying to Ramose.

“Dje-Nefer!” said Meryt-Re, from behind her, making her jump. Mentmose jerked, and quickly picked up his hammer again. Meryt-Re raised one eyebrow at Jennifer and pointed towards the kitchen.

“I need you to clean out the ashes, please,” she said.

Jennifer scurried across the main room and kneeled in front of the fireplace. Spying a little clay scoop, she picked it up and shoved it into a pile of warm ashes. A plain, blackened pot was half-hidden behind the fireplace. It was empty, but there was a little ash residue in the bottom. She dumped the ash in there, coughing a little as the fine dust puffed up. Jennifer dug into the fire with her scoop and glanced at Meryt-Re, who was intent on wiping some dishes that she neatly packed away into a wicker basket. She wasn't watching Jennifer.

“What…do you suppose he wants?” she asked.

“Ka-Aper? None of your business, young lady,” said Meryt-Re. “Although I wouldn't be surprised if he was asking for more of your father's work.” She frowned, and her voice lowered to a murmur. “I hope he plans to give us something for it. I know Neferhotep will give us another papyrus for the ones you gave him as soon as he can. But he says some priests think they ought to be given items like that for free.”

Ka-Aper didn't even bother asking. He just stole them. Jennifer thought about telling Meryt-Re, but she doubted she'd be believed. She glanced at the door to the kitchen. She was sure he had seen her running away from the warehouse, and even now he might be telling her father how she had spied on him and his friends. She bet he could get the soldiers to arrest her, somehow, and throw her in jail, and she might never get out again.

Now might be a good time to try to get back to her own time. Dust from the amulet had brought her here; she was sure of that. The dust would probably take her back too. If it was the right kind of dust.

It hadn't been ashes, she was sure. Maybe it was fine sand, like the stuff in the streets. She rose.

“Where are you going?” asked Meryt-Re.

“Uh,” said Jennifer. “Outside?”

“Whatever for?” asked Meryt-Re. “Come back and finish building the fire for me.”

Jennifer sighed, turning back to the hearth. Ash, still drifting in the air, made her cough. She walked over to the full water jug and dipped an empty cup into it. She was about to set it to her dry lips when Meryt-Re gasped.

“What are you doing?” she cried.

“I'm thirsty,” said Jennifer.

“And you were going to drink fresh Nile water?” said Meryt-Re, frowning. “What's gotten into you?”

“Uh…”

“Don't you remember Uncle Neferhotep telling us not to drink it while the Nile is so low? He says it would make us ill, and that we should only use it for washing, or boil it before using it,” said Meryt-Re, her hands on her hips. “If you're so thirsty, I'll get you some beer.”

“Uh, no, that's all right,” said Jennifer.

“Are you thirsty or not? Make up your mind. Well. Have you finished with the fireplace?” asked Meryt-Re.

“What? Oh. Yeah, I guess I have,” said Jennifer.

“Take the ashes upstairs and spread them on the garden then,” said Meryt-Re.

“Oh. Sure.”

Meryt-Re gave her an odd look. Jennifer hefted the blackened pot and carried it up to the second floor. As she scattered the ashes around the garden, she could hear Meryt-Re puttering in the kitchen. The front door opened and closed. She couldn't resist peeking over the edge of the house again.

This time, Ka-Aper stood squarely in the street, looking directly up at her. He gave her a cheery little salute, then strode out of sight.

She shivered. Ka-Aper scared her. She had to find a way to get out of here.

When she returned to the kitchen, Ramose, Meryt-Re and Mentmose were all there waiting for her. Ramose was smiling, but Meryt-Re seemed concerned. Mentmose just looked baffled. Jennifer swallowed. Here it came.

“There you are,” said Ramose, as Jennifer entered. “We were waiting for you. As I was telling your mother, I have good news.”

“G-good news?” asked Jennifer, startled.

“What is it, Father?” asked Mentmose.

Ramose grinned. “We have been invited to dinner at the palace!”

“Ra!” exclaimed Mentmose. “The palace! Will the Pharaoh be there?”

“I expect so,” said Ramose, chuckling. “It's where she lives. She is holding a feast tonight to honor the arrival of the emissary from Punt. Ka-Aper wanted to do us a favor, to get us introduced at the Pharaoh's court.”

“But Ramose, the expense,” said Meryt-Re. “We will need new clothes and jewelry. And wigs and scent, and…”

“For which I will give you some of my carvings, and you can work your bartering magic upon the vendors,” said Ramose.

“These items will be very expensive, Ramose. For a dinner at the palace, we must have extraordinary outfits,” said Meryt-Re. “Else the other guests will look down on us.”