Neiko's Five Land Adventure (Neiko Adventure Saga Book #1)

Chapter 53

The next morning the door was unlocked, and Menes came in, but this time he was clean and well kempt. "Mornin'—wanna have breakfast with me and my brothers?" he asked sweetly.

"Sure do since Ramses isn't here to bother us," she said as she flicked her hair in his face in a flirting manner. They walked to the table, and sat together. This is so easy! She thought as she ate.

"What do you think about me?" he asked.

"You are a really nice Pharaoh, and you're kinda cute, unlike that mean ol' ugly chrome-plated jerk," Neiko said watching him intently, and Tut and Re gave each other high five.

"I'll let you stay out all afternoon instead of leaving you cooped up in that room all by your lonesome," he said as he moved closer to her and put his arm around her.

"So, uh, Menes, what would you do if you found out that Ramses was not your brother?"

Menes looked at her puzzled. "I would take great pleasure in cutting off his head with my axe and throwing it into the moat to feed the piranhas."

Neiko looked at him puzzled. "You got piranhas?"

"Yeah, dear, want to see 'em eat?" he said as he took a huge ham and led her to the moat by the hand. He walked her to the rampart and handed her the ham. "Go ahead, feed them," he said, and she threw the ham into the moat. As soon as it hit the water, the water boiled with the onslaught of raging, hungry piranhas, and all was gone including the bones.

"Whoa! Do you ever feed 'em?"

"Once a week, and if anyone falls in the moat then they will be piranha food," he said. "Let's go inside and chat with my brothers."

They stayed in that afternoon and talked. Neiko found out all kinds of things that happened in their family life, and how Ramses acted around the fortress; all of her suspicions were right. Menes slid closer to her, put his arm around her, and looked at her with a large grin. He tilted her chin up and puckered for a kiss, and Neiko's mind started racing.

"Why you—" said a cold, hard voice, and all four looked and saw Ramses in the doorway with his eyes burning like fire and narrowed to slits. He was breathing so hard his shoulders heaved up and down in rhythm of his breaths which were fast in his fury. Menes gulped as Ramses stormed up and grabbed him by the throat. Losing all sense of reason, he revealed his true strength as he lifted him off the ground with one arm and pinned him against the wall. Menes choked and wheezed as he fought to breathe. He tried to pry the fingers off of his neck, and he kicked trying to stay alive while Tut and Re looked at him with terrified looks. Neiko stood there in shock, but seeing the door open, she sprinted to make a hasty escape. Seeing her running out of the corner of his eye, Ramses threw Menes against the wall like a ragdoll, spun around, thrust his hand forward, and said an unknown word. The doors slammed shut in front of her, and she frantically tried to open them, but they wouldn't budge. He walked up and seized her, and his grip was like steel.

"So, this little game is to get back at me? Well, let me tell you something. The only Pharaoh you will be marrying is me, understand? If you must know, I came to Hawote and brought you here to make you my wife! I hope the three of you hear that, especially you, Menes. Let this be a warning, and if you ever try this again, then I will finish what I began, is that clear?" he said as he stormed up to them drawing his dagger as he dragged Neiko behind him. He thrust the point into Menes' chin as it started to prick it. A small trickle of blood oozed as the point stung his chin.

Menes grunted in between his gasps to get air back into his lungs. For the first time Menes feared Ramses as he looked at the hard, merciless glare and the others flattened themselves against the wall. Menes sat up, and his brothers aided him and helped him stand up. The three left the room and were gone leaving them alone. Ramses pinned her against the wall, and he tilted her head up into his piercing eyes with the handle of his dagger.