The Pharaoh's Whore

Chapter Twenty-Two

Neva POV:

I sighed as I heard Bernice call for me, she probably will force me to praise her again like she did last night.

"Her ego knows no bounds" I thought as I pulled myself from my cotton pallet and walked into the hallway.

I grabbed my shawl from a shelf and wrapped it around my body tightly to avoid my shoulders getting chills. I knocked on the door quietly.

"Who is it?" Bernice said sharply.

"Neva, my lady" I said calmly, I could barely say the words without wanting to gag.

"Come in" She said.

I rolled my eyes before I opened the door. I bowed before her,

"This must be urgent business for you've called me in the wee hours of day, your majesty" I said, I couldn't physically hurt her, but at least I could use my sharpened tongue.

"Shut up. I called you so you could help me settle in for the night" She said sharply.

I looked up to see that she was sprawled out in her underground pool.

"If that is what my lady wishes" I said emotionlessly.

I helped her get out of the bath and wrapped her up in a robe. I brushed her hair glumly and put it up. I brushed my hands together, trying to get the thought of Bernice's hair grease on my hands out of my head.

"Thank you. You may go to your chambers, I will not hesitate to call you if I need anything" She said.

"Yes M'lady" I mumbled and walked out of the room as fast as I could.

I shut the door gently and went back to my quarters. I worried about Ife constantly.

"What if she got captured? Her protectors, Emmis and Allaut got killed but the tablet said nothing about Ife. I just hope that it isn't the case"

"What about the babies? If they abused her, who knows what will happen to the children!"

These very thoughts haunted my every waking hour. I had these horrible nightmares that I've tried to desperately to forget, but alas I have failed.

I looked at myself through the mirror that Ife gave me before I was taken away from her. I heard a quiet knock at my door, I opened it to see a young girl standing there awkwardly.

"Who are you and what do you want?" I snapped.

"I-I'm Cliao, servant of Selene The Good. Ife has sent me here to get you and Badra to come and see her. She misses you both dearly" She said.

"Ife!?! Where is she?" I asked quietly.

"At my Mistress's house." She replied.

For some reason, I knew this girl was telling the truth.

"I will get someone to tell Bernice that Badra and I have been struck down with the upsetment of the stomach. That will hide us time for at least a week." I told her.

She nodded in approval and I got another maid who I trusted to tell Bernice. I marched over to Badra's chambers and barged into her room to see the precious little thing fast asleep. It pained me to wake her but I did it anyway. I told her the news and she immediately perked up, she smiled happily and stood up and nodded.

Badra's head wound had healed but had left a rather large scar on the left side of her skull. We sneaked out of the palace with Cliao and we mounted her stead and we were off. I couldn't stop smiling, I would finally get to see my dear friend again.