Page 53 of Over the Emerald Valley
The servant nodded and let them pass without hesitation. That was a good sign. He must’ve bought the ruse.
Nerves danced in Solon’s stomach. Hopefully, Temaj knew what he was doing. A vision of Ottah waking up angry—angrier than Temaj had expected him to be—and refusing to listen flitted through his mind. Would the guard hurt Temaj? Would Temaj have the courage to use the knife if he had to? Solon banished the doubts from his mind. Temaj had a way of controlling a situation to his liking. Solon had seen him do it on multiple occasions. He had to believe this time would be no different.
They continued through the halls. Solon knew his way to the harem’s quarters thanks to Khu’s tour. The faster they got there and the fewer people who saw them, the better.
His men were being careful to play their parts, and for that, Solon was grateful. They were almost there when a set of patrolling guards crossed their path.
Donkey shit.
“Halt,” said the taller of the guards, a big man with a stern face. “What are the pharaoh’s men doing in this wing of the palace?”
How to play this? Eager and joyful? Or offended and serious? He went for offended.
“I’m an army general.” Solon puffed his chest. “Who are you to question me?”
Neku stepped forward. “Your master invited us here. Why don’t you check with him?”
“You lie. You’re headed toward the harem. The viceroy doesn’t share with common soldiers.”
Solon glanced over his shoulder, but no one had joined them. Twelve of his soldiers versus only two guards? Easy odds.
“Take them,” he ordered, “but be quiet about it. We don’t want to attract attention.” He had to trust Temaj would know what to do when they showed up with extra guards in tow.
Neku struck lightning fast. Before the first guard could unsheathe his weapon, Neku had landed a swift punch to the throat.
The other guard didn’t fare much better. He pulled his dagger but was restrained by two soldiers. When he opened his mouth to yell, a third clamped his hand tightly over the guard’s lips.
The scuffle took mere seconds before both men were subdued.
“Quiet, or this won’t end well for you,” Solon warned. “Our fight is not with the palace guards. Come willingly, and you won’t be harmed. Put up a fight, and we’ll have to silence you one way or another.”
They dragged the sullen guards with them, now hurrying in earnest. Two guards weren’t a problem, but if the rest were alerted, they’d be significantly outnumbered—a threat Solon would keep in the forefront of his mind until this situation was over.
“This way.” Solon led them to the harem’s door and sent a silent prayer to any of the gods who might be listening that Temaj had things under control on the other side.
With one last glance down the empty corridor, he threw open the door. His men wrangled the restrained guards inside, with Solon following on their heels.
A room full of silk-clad beauties, dozens of pairs of kohl-lined eyes, looked up at them in surprise.
Solon’s gaze was drawn straight to Temaj, who sat in front of Ottah, patiently applying makeup to the guard’s swollen nose.
“Oh good, you made it.” Temaj grinned like a cat with a mouse in its clutches. “And you brought guests. Perfect!”
What in the underworld had he gotten himself into?
CHAPTER18
Temaj
For a generally grumpy,currently injured, and recently humiliated man, Ottah had taken the information on the viceroy’s crimes better than Temaj had expected.
If Abasi was on his way out, the guard’s reasons for remaining loyal vanished. Ottah stood to gain more by earning the esteem of the pharaoh.
And, of course, if Temaj had hinted to Ottah that he could earn Temaj’s favor along with possiblefavorsas well, who could blame him?
As a result, Ottah had been a compliant patient for Seli and sat still as Temaj attempted to hide the worst of his injuries with powder.
So much powder.
