Enticed: An Immortal Chronicles Story Read online

  2

  It must have been a good day for her father if he felt able to join the family for their evening meal. Nebet and Eshe sat on either side of the man, watching for any sign he was too fatigued to sit up on his own as the family ate. Despite his labored breathing, he seemed fine as he continued laughing and joking with his two youngest children, Ruia and Sabaf.

  The twin boys were regaling their father with some fabricated story regarding the neighbor boy and a black cat. Something about a curse and a warlock. It was utter nonsense, but Eshe appreciated the amusement it brought to the frail, sickly man.

  Theshan’s bouts of illness started just after her mother passed and only increased in frequency and severity the past five years. No amount of oils, herbs or salves made any difference in Theshan’s state of health. It didn’t take Eshe long to wonder if the sickness might not stem from some physical ailment, but rather heartache. She did not mention the theory to Nebet. The eldest Akil child would have worried without the ability to do anything about it.

  “I trust the delivery went well today.” Her father’s words surprised Eshe. She was so caught up in her thoughts, she had not realized the conversation at the table died.

  “Well?” he asked when neither of his daughters replied. Eshe was surprised he even remembered the plan for the delivery. He had been near mad with fever when he relayed the instructions to his daughters.

  “I–it went well,” Nebet said.

  “How is the Nsar boy? Still pining after our Eshe?” The older man chuckled, and Ruia and Sab joined in. Eshe stared at the wine pitcher.

  Nebet shot her sister a hesitant glance before replying, “Ani is well.”

  Theshan nodded. “Glad to hear it. He is a good boy from a good family.” He turned his eyes to Eshe. “You would be lucky to have him.”

  Still looking at the clay container, Eshe replied, “I have a feeling his father would not let him align himself with such a destitute family.” It was a low blow, but Eshe had her limit of teasing where Ani was concerned. Especially from her father.

  Theshan’s smile fell. “Surely Mr. Nsar would not deny his son happiness.”

  “Ani and I have no understanding,” Eshe felt the need to point out, finally turning to face him. If her father relied on Ani’s family to bail them out of their financial mess, he was mistaken.

  “That is only a matter of time,” he said. The words annoyed Eshe. He wasn’t listening to her. He never listened to her.

  “I don’t want Eshe to marry Ani,” Sab, the gentle twin, voiced to the table. All eyes turned to him.

  “What was that son?” Theshan asked with a hint of disapproval.

  Sab did not notice the subtle reprimand. “I don’t want Eshe to leave home,” he explained. “We need her here. I’d miss her.”

  Eshe’s chest warmed, touched by her younger brother’s sentiment. She opened her mouth to reply, but her father beat her to it.

  “What we need,” their father said coolly. “Is to get out of the hole we’re in.”

  The room grew quiet. Nebet and her brothers shifted uncomfortably, but Eshe was still as stone as she met her father’s sickly, but determined, gaze. “We will sell our crops and be fine,” she said.

  The patriarch shook his head. “Each season is uncertain. What this family needs is certainty.”

  “And you expect to obtain that from the Nsar family?”

  “I expect my daughters to make advantageous marriages.”

  Eshe couldn’t resist. She let out one bark of laughter. “And how do you expect to accomplish that? With an enticing inheritance?”

  Theshan appeared unaffected. “Benipe has expressed interest in Nebet.”

  Eshe clenched her fists. “Absolutely not,” her reply was almost a growl.

  Her father pretended not to hear and, instead, turned his attention to his eldest daughter. “Benipe stopped by while you and your sister were in the city. He wanted to check on my health and took the opportunity to convey his high regard for you and your beauty.”

  Nebet’s tan face paled, but she remained silent.

  “He is twice her age,” Eshe cried out in disbelief. “You cannot be serious.”

  “I am only relaying his interest, as I promised Benipe I would.” Once again, his focus returned to Nebet. “I gave him no assurances.”

  Both sisters’ shoulders dropped with relief. Eshe spared her sister a glance and silently wished Nebet would stand up for herself. Although she was older, it was Eshe who often fought the battles on behalf of her siblings. Eshe had fire in her veins while it seemed Nebet’s blood only contained the strength for silent suffering. What would she do if Eshe was not around?

  “I have heard your message,” Nebet said. “Your promise is fulfilled.”

  “Isn’t Benipe the fat man? The one who sells furniture from foreign lands?” Ruia asked with his characteristic lack of appropriateness. For once, the lack of decorum amused Eshe.

  “He is the wealthiest man among our class,” their father returned, not hiding his disapproval. “He should be respected.”

  Eshe stared at a knot in the wood, the image of the overweight old man trying to embrace her beautiful sister haunting her thoughts. Benipe may be rich, but Eshe would rather lose a limb than allow his grubby fingers to ever touch her fair sister. Nebet deserved more. Much more.

  Eshe met her sister’s nervous gaze and silently conveyed the sentiment. Do not worry, I will not let it happen.

  Nebet’s own eyes shined and seemed to say, I know.

  3

  The following day, Eshe knelt in the cool stream located behind her family’s home. The chilling water soaked the clothing in her palms as she rubbed it with a bristled brush. The creek might have been thin, but it was shielded from the sun by the surrounding greenery. Others ventured to the large river to complete the household chore, but Eshe preferred her shaded solitude.

  A twig snapped.

  Eshe whirled and pulled out a small dagger from where it was sheathed at her hip. The weapon had been a gift from Ani the day after he saved her from the neighboring boys’ attack. She could still see his stern face as he told her to take great care when handling it. Aside from cutting unwanted weeds out of her family’s garden, Eshe never used the deadly weapon.

  Realizing she was distracting herself, Eshe quickly shook her head and refocused on her surroundings.

  Light skinned hands appeared first, held up in peace as their owner fully stepped forward from the brush. Like last time, the handsome Greek left her stunned and silent.

  What is he doing here?

  Eshe tightened her grip on the dagger. She heard enough stories to know a man approaching a woman in isolation was risky to say the least.

  The man’s arms went higher, demonstrating he was unarmed. “I am not here to hurt you.”

  She blinked. His words were perfect Coptic.

  “What do you want?” she asked in flawless Greek.

  “You speak Greek?” he returned in the language, looking nothing short of pleased.

  “Clearly.” Her mother insisted all her children learn the language of so many tradesmen.

  “You never know when you may need the knowledge,” her mother said when Eshe questioned the usefulness of the language. “You may marry a merchant and be expected to host business partners from the great nation.”

  Eshe frowned at the memory. It seemed her parents spent more time thinking about her future husband than she realized.

  “I have offended you.” The intruder mistook the girl’s frown as being intended for him.

  “What do you want?” she repeated, letting him think her displeasure was for him.

  “I saw you yesterday. In the market,” he said with a breathtaking smile. Eshe only nodded, forcing herself to not reveal the fluttering his expression elicited. He was even more handsome up close.

  That is when Eshe realized he was stepping towards her. She raised her weapon, and he immediately stopped. “Come no closer.”

>   “I need to give you something.”

  Her eyebrows lowered, creasing the skin between them. “What?”

  Slowly, the man dropped his right arm. Eshe stiffened.

  He paused. “I am retrieving something from my pocket,” he stated, his eyes willing her to believe him. “I will not harm you.”

  She said nothing as he continued to reach for the object he wanted, but she kept watching him like a hawk. One wrong move and she would bolt to the open fields and yell for help. There was no way she would be able to fight him off, but she was not far from her father’s fields. Surely one of the workers would hear her and offer assistance.

  It turned out the man did not lie. The handsome stranger withdrew a small, familiar cloth bag from his trousers.

  Eshe blinked with surprise and shock. “Th-that is my coin purse.”

  A nod. “You dropped it when you rushed out of the marketplace. I came to bring it back to you.”

  Eshe frowned. She could have sworn she put the item on her bedroom table upon returning from the market yesterday. Obviously, she was mistaken. She scolded herself for being so careless, especially with money.

  “How did you know where I lived?” Eshe assessed the direction of his approach and guessed the man stopped by her family home before venturing to find her at the stream. She lowered the dagger.

  “I saw you drop the item in the market and tried to catch up with you to return it, but you moved too fast.” He smiled again, eliciting the same flutter in her stomach.

  Eshe kept a blank face. “So how did you know?”

  “I watched you ride away from a shop on a cart. I asked the young man there of your identity. I must say, he was rather reluctant to share the information.”

  Ani. Ani told the handsome Greek where to find her.

  “He is a friend,” she stated.

  “He said as much, even offered to deliver the purse to you himself. As I did not know of his character, however, I felt it prudent to accomplish the task myself.”

  Eshe could not fault the man’s hesitation. Any other person would likely have offered to return the money but only kept it for themselves once alone with the prize.

  “Thank you,” she said and reached out a hand.

  The Greek’s arm remained by his side. “What is your name?”

  She dropped her arm. “Why?”

  He did not hesitate. “Because I am new to Alexandria and do not know many who speak Greek. I would like to make your acquaintance.”

  Logical enough. Besides, he did return the purse.

  “Eshe.”

  “Eshe,” he repeated her name, his tone seemed to caress her sun-kissed skin.

  She took a steadying breath. “And yours?”

  “Lome. It is an honor to make your acquaintance, Eshe.”

  Eshe tilted her head forward with respect.

  “Is the woman who directed me here your sister? The one from the market.” Eshe straightened and met the man’s questioning gaze with a fiery one of her own.

  Is that why he delivered the purse? To see Nebet? Eshe would not let the Greek anywhere near her innocent sister.

  “Yes,” she bit out. “Why?”

  Lome held his hands up again. “I was only trying to make conversation. I did not mean to offend you or your younger sister.”

  The fire slowly dissipated. “Nebet is older than I.”

  “Really?”

  She nodded.

  Lome’s eyes grew curious as they traveled the length of her. “You seem… older.”

  “I am sixteen,” she provided without him needing to ask. “Nebet is eighteen.”

  “Sixteen?” His eyes widened. “You are… young.”

  Not knowing why his words offended her, Eshe straightened her back. “Not that young.”

  Lome observed her. His eyes traveled from the tip of her forehead down to the slight jut of her chin. Eshe could practically see thoughts racing behind his pupils. She tried to hide her body’s responding shiver.

  Instead of replying to Eshe’s statement, Lome moved the conversation forward, “I am the younger sibling as well. I have two older brothers. Des was with me in the market yesterday. Perhaps you saw him?”

  Eshe gave a noncommittal shrug. He did not need to know how enraptured she had been by him and his brother. Her thoughts traveled to the market and the stark contrast the men provided against the drab city background. There was no way she would have missed seeing either of them.

  “Do you enjoy reading in Greek?”

  Eshe snapped her attention back to the man in front of her. It took her a moment to process his question. “We do not have books at home.”

  “What about Greek theatre?”

  Try as she might, Eshe could not hide the peak of interest from her dark eyes.

  Lome noticed. “You enjoy the arts? Theatre?”

  “I enjoy plays,” she answered. “But I have never been to the Theatre.” Neither of Eshe’s parents seemed inclined to enjoy the Greek plays the nation’s people brought to Alexandria, though many Egyptian families enjoyed the foreign stories.

  “Would you like to go?” Lome asked with a keen smile. “My brother and I plan to attend one this evening. I would be honored to escort you.”

  Her youthful heart and willful soul urged her to accept the offer. How long had she wished for the opportunity to see an authentic Grecian play? Their tales of beautiful and vindictive gods and goddesses interfering with mortals were enthralling and fascinating to the Egyptian girl. Some resembled the lore of her own gods and goddesses, but others were completely unique to the Greek culture surrounding the stories.

  “Thank you for the offer, but that is impossible.”

  Lome did not attempt to hide his disappointment. “My intentions are noble, I assure you. My brother and I only wish to make friends in our new city.”

  A part of Eshe did not doubt him, but she still said, “My father would never allow it.”

  He opened his mouth to reply but stopped himself before he could utter a word. He offered her a quick bow with a grim expression. “It was a pleasure to meet you, Eshe. I will let you get back to your task.” Lome gestured to the basket of clothes left sitting on the stream’s edge.

  Eshe followed his gaze and stared at the object for a moment, thinking over her refusal. Could she really pass up the opportunity to see a play? Where was the harm? Other than Lome being a near stranger, she could see none. Perhaps her father could employ a chaperone to lessen the danger?

  With the idea at hand, Eshe turned to relay the possibility to Lome only to realize he already disappeared through the brush. She had not heard him leave.

  Eshe released a long breath, letting go of the regret for her immediate refusal. It was probably for the best. She had no business becoming friends with foreign visitors, especially handsome ones. It was asking for trouble. Her mother’s fate was proof enough of the danger women could find themselves in.

  Eshe picked up a dirt-covered shawl and began shaking the residue from it. She knelt by the stream and felt the brush of her sheathed knife at her side. She moved to untie it and paused.

  Her coin purse. Lome never handed it to her. She supposed he would have to return to finish the task of returning it. Surprisingly, the thought did not bother her.

  Eshe resumed her chore, not knowing a small smile pulled at the corners of her lips.

  4

  The sun sat high in the sky by the time Eshe returned to her family’s home. She wiped the back of her hand against her forehead, cursing the heat. She had decided to combine her father’s clothing with her own, not wanting Nebet to have to do the extra work, and it lengthened the timeline for the task considerably. Her father needed to take better care of his limited clothing.

  Voices trailed through the open windows as she approached the front door. Eshe pushed on the old wood and stopped with the door slightly ajar, staring at the scene before her.

  Her father was out of bed and seated comfortably in the main living
space. Ruia and Sab sat on the ground near their father’s feet, entertained by a game of marbles. Nebet fluttered about, serving wine. Those observations were not common in the household, but it was the guest sitting next to her father which left Eshe at a total loss.

  The Greek decided not to depart from the family’s land when he left Eshe by the stream. Instead, it seemed he made himself quite comfortable as a guest of her father’s. She watched Nebet offer him a full glass of red liquid.

  “Thank you,” he said and turned the full brunt of his handsome smile upon her sister. To Nebet’s credit, she did not lose her sense while underneath his gaze. With a slight blush, the eldest sibling simply tilted her head before moving back to sit down across the room.

  Eshe pushed and completely opened the door, stepping inside the home. Everyone’s head turned to her. She refused to meet Lome’s gaze despite the fact his presence filled the entire room.

  “Eshe, my dear,” her father greeted oddly. He never addressed her as “dear”. “We have a guest. I believe you two are acquainted.”

  “We met today,” Eshe stated. She and Lome were not that acquainted.

  “I realized I did not return your purse,” Lome spoke up, successfully drawing Eshe’s eyes to him. He gestured to the item resting on the table beside him. “I came to return it, and your father was kind enough to offer me a drink.

  “I was happy for the chance to remain and potentially see you again.” The last sentence was spoken in Greek, while the rest had been in Coptic. Her father and brothers did not understand the foreign language. Ruia and Sab were too young for lessons before her mother passed, and Theshan Akil did not find the knowledge particularly useful for boys bound to become farmers.

  Nebet, however, understood every word. The older sister’s eyes widened, and she gave Eshe a questioning look.

  Before her father could ask what was said, Lome turned to him and stated, “It is nice to have met someone who can speak my native tongue. I began to grow fearful I would forget it all together.”

  “Surely you speak the language with your brother,” Eshe returned, unable to help herself. Nebet and her father both frowned, disapproving of what they perceived as rudeness.