“The only death will be Pharaoh’s. I don’t care about you or your people. After that’s done, you can all go on your way.”
“Why should I believe anything you say?”
“You shouldn’t, but your options are severely limited. I admit to using you so my father would be occupied with gaining control over you and not sense what I have planned. But I never meant you harm. There was nothing personal in what I did.”
Krysty lurched forward, fists clenched. Nefron stood her ground, head canted at a fearless, arrogant angle. “Kill me and you kill your friends. At this point, Pharaoh would not accept your refusal to wed him. He would force you, in shackles, to do so. Do it my way and you will be a widow within minutes of exchanging vows. You and your friends will be alive and free.”
Some of the reckless anger went out of Krysty’s posture. She shivered with the effort resisting the urge to call on the power of Gaia and rip Nefron’s beautiful head from her shoulders. From between clenched teeth, she bit out three words. “I’ll do it.”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Mildred ran like a panicked deer, heedless of obstacles as she shouldered her way through the bustle of people in the compound. She had only one objective in mind—to reach the laborers’ dormitory as quickly as possible before the body of Mimses was discovered.
She knew she looked ridiculous in his billowing, luridly colored robe, but bright hues were everywhere, from fluttering banners, bunting to body paint.
She squeezed her way through the revelers, and her toes caught on the dragging hem of the robe. She stumbled, nearly falling headlong to the ground. When a leanly muscled arm encircled her waist and kept her upright, she tried to struggle free, then saw the arm was attached to Doc Tanner.
With a half sigh, half sob of relief, she caught the startled man in an embrace. Hands on her shoulders, Doc gently pushed her back. When.he saw the terror in her eyes, he didn’t employ his usual bantering tone or address her formally.
“Mildred, what are you doing here? Are you all right?”
She shook her head, beads clattering and rattling. Grabbing him by the forearm, she dragged him bodily through the press of the crowd. “Show me where John and Ryan are. Things have gone sour.”
Doc tried to keep pace with her. “It is too dangerous for all of us to be together in one place. It might jeopardize the escape plan.”
“There is no escape plan,” she blurted.
Doc’s eyebrows lifted, but he didn’t interrogate her. He took the lead and guided her into the dormitory. Though usually off-limits to women, there were plenty of females in attendance now, in various states of undress and sexual positions. He stepped over a man wildly humping between the outflung legs of a woman and checked the shower room. It was crowded with naked, coupling men and women.
Peering into the workroom, he saw it was virtually deserted except for Ryan and J.B. standing near a locker on the far wall. They were attired in clean tunics, and when they caught sight of him, their faces registered surprise and they gestured. Doc ducked back into the foyer, beckoned to Mildred and the two of them rushed in. She allowed J.B. to kiss her, then began talking rapidly and without pause.
Snarling, Ryan slammed a fist against the locker door. A muffled murmur from behind it made Doc and Mildred narrow their eyes. “That lying slut. I figured she was conning us.”
“What are we going to do now?” J.B. demanded. “We still don’t know where Jak is—or Krysty.”
“I found Krysty and slipped her an ankh,” Mildred said. “We can only hope it works and she’ll make some moves of her own. What about you two?”
J.B. and Ryan indicated their upper chests. “We’re wearing them,” Ryan replied. “If Krysty doesn’t move, then our only chance of snatching her is at the pyramid this evening.”
“We’ve got to hole up somewhere until then,” J.B. said. “And do something about—” he jerked his head toward the locker “— him.”
“Who is ‘him’?” Mildred asked.