Trusted Bond

stunning, attached to an
    enormous suite. The freshwater pool had been carved out of preexisting
    rock, and the vast portico on the other side looked ancient, as though the
    house had been built around a structure that dated back to the pharaohs. I
    shivered hard, afraid, almost, to know where I was.
    Crossing back through the enormous room, I saw a blue silk robe
    draped over a chaise. I had missed it at first glance. Pulling it on as I
    walked to the door, I noted that it smelled like rosewater. The scent was
    comforting, soothing, calming, so that when I opened the door and found
    Roshan Tabir, the sheseru of the tribe of Rahotep, I wasn‘t as terrified as I
    would have been otherwise. What was he doing there?
    ―Wait,‖ he said gently before I could slam the door in his face.
    I froze, wary, ready to bolt if he even breathed.
    His dark brown eyes were locked on mine, and as hard as I looked,
    all I saw was warmth. The smile he gave me after several minutes made
    my chest tighten.
    Trusted Bond

    117

    He put up both hands to show me he meant me no harm. ―I failed
    you, my reah, and I beg forgiveness for both myself and my mate. As soon
    as you are well enough, she will come and lay herself at your feet. Should
    you not forgive her, my semel has ordered her immediate execution in the
    pit.‖
    I kept my eyes on his hands.
    ―Reah?‖
    ―Why am I…?‖ Where was I? Jamal had said I was going to see the
    priest. He was the phocal, so the guy he reported to was the priest. But I
    was looking at the sheseru of the semel-aten. What the fuck? ―Where am
    I?‖
    ―In the home of Ammon El Masry.‖
    ―Why?‖ That made no sense. After a minute, when there was no
    answer and I became aware that my question was not being answered, I
    came out of my daze. ―Roshan?‖
    ―Reah.‖ Roshan‘s voice cracked on my title.
    It came to me after a second, and I realized that there was only one
    thing he cared about. ―Of course I forgive your sheseran. She‘s not gonna
    die because of me.‖
    His relief was obvious. ―Thank you, my reah.‖ He took a breath,
    pointing beside me. ―Shall I come in and speak to you about my semel?‖
    I didn‘t crack the door any wider. ―I thought I was going to see the
    priest?‖
    He gave me an indulgent smile. ―The phocal was presumptuous to
    think that on his own authority you would be taken to see the priest before
    the master of Sobek, our semel.‖
    I was in the middle of a pissing contest between Jamal and Ammon,
    between the phocal and the semel, and because the semel had more pull
    than the phocal, I was at his house instead of being presented to the priest
    and the priest‘s council of nine, the council of Ennead.
    ―How did you find out where I was?‖
    ―Sobek is only so big, my reah. Once I made it to the street with my
    men, it was simple to find out that you were with Jamal and taken to the
    barracks.‖
    ―Why didn‘t I see you there?‖
    118

    Mary Calmes

    ―No one but members, soldiers of the Shu, may enter the barracks. It
    is strictly forbidden by the priest.‖
    ―But your semel is the master of Sobek.‖
    ―Yes, but the temple of Satis, as well as the barracks of Ra-
    Horakhty, are the under the rule and protection of the priest, and it‘s
    sacrilege to be there without permission.‖
    ―Then how come I got in?‖
    His brows furrowed. ―Jamal told me that you sought sanctuary, is
    that not so?‖
    Jamal had been the only good guy in the whole mess. I was not about
    to screw him over. ―No, that‘s right,‖ I said quickly.
    He nodded slowly, looking for the lie on me. ―Only at my semel‘s
    insistence and the phocal‘s acquiescence were you delivered here. Jamal
    seemed concerned about leaving you even though I explained that you had
    called me, that I was your sheseru, and that I would protect you from any
    harm.‖
    ―Even from your own semel?‖
    His brows furrowed. ―Pardon? My semel would never harm a reah…
    especially not a reah, and especially not one like you.‖
    ―One like me,‖ I repeated.
    ―You are the only male reah in existence, truly unique, truly one of a
    kind.‖
    Which made me, what, worthy of caring about? Already I had an
    idea about the semel-aten—he sounded arrogant, like he wanted to help
    me because of what I was, not who I was. Not because it was the right
    thing to do.
    ―My reah‖—Roshan cleared his throat—―may I come in?‖
    ―I‘m not your reah,‖ I snapped at him, watching as his