Free The Amulet of Amon-Ra by Leslie Carmichael Page B

temple, mostly about Mentmose and her plans for him. She didn’t say anything about Hatshepsut, although she frowned at a man who was selling tiny statues of the Pharaoh, some of them dressed as a man, and some with women’s clothing.
    All in all, Jennifer was glad of Tetisheri’s company. She knew she wouldn’t have been able to find the temple without the other girl’s help. They wound their way down the streets, already baking in the morning sun, dodging people and animals. They squeezed past a huge black stone statue of a crowned hawk, trying to avoid a lady in her sedan chair.
    At one point, they found they couldn’t get past a crowd of people who were enjoying the spectacle of two women having a loud argument over a laden donkey, which was placidly munching on some fruit. One of the Pharaoh’s white-kilted soldiers was watching, his brawny arms crossed over his chest. He yawned, and didn’t seem inclined to interfere until one of the women appealed to him for help. They watched for a moment, then Tetisheri pulled Jennifer away, down a side street shadowed by tall buildings.
    When Tetisheri finally pulled her back into the main thoroughfare, Jennifer was completely lost, but Teti seemed to know where she was going.
    â€œHere we are,” said Tetisheri, walking boldly towards the temple.
    Jennifer probably could have found it on her own, eventually. Even though it was in the middle of a cluster of other buildings, it stood out. It was huge and brightly-painted, decorated over every stone surface with hieroglyphs and larger-than-life depictions of gods and animals. Tetisheri led Jennifer between two massive stone blocks, narrower at their tops than at their bottoms, which stood sentinel on the path to the temple. A bald man, surrounded by clay pots, was touching up the paint on some of the carved characters. Just beyond him, another man was polishing the gold inlay on a stone needle—an obelisk—that pierced the sky in front of the entrance.
    Jennifer didn’t have time to more than glance at it as Tetisheri hurried inside. They passed out of the bright sunlight into a dark hall where dozens of thick stone pillars grew like trees toward the heavens. They supported gigantic slabs of rock that formed the roof of the temple, so high above her that Jennifer could barely see them.
    â€œWhat are you doing there?” someone asked. A man dressed in a priest’s kilt and leopard skin came striding towards them.
    â€œWe’re, um,” Jennifer stuttered.
    â€œWe have a delivery for the honorable Neferhotep,” Tetisheri stated in a calm, measured voice. Jennifer stared at her in astonishment.
    â€œA delivery?” The man squinted at them, clearly suspicious.
    â€œYes, sir. If you would be so pleased as to inform him that we have the amulets he requested,” said Tetisheri. “We will wait.”
    â€œAmulets, eh? I’ll take them for him,” said the man.
    â€œI’m sorry, sir,” said Tetisheri, with a little curtsey. “But we may not do so.”
    â€œHmph. Come, girl . . .”
    â€œDje-Nefer? Tetisheri?” Jennifer was relieved to hear Neferhotep’s voice. “What are you doing here?”
    â€œThey claim they have amulets for you, Nefer,” said the man.
    â€œAh, yes. Thank you, Kai. I will take it from here,” said Neferhotep.
    The man bowed and wandered away. Neferhotep looked after him, frowning. He turned back to Jennifer and Tetisheri with a bright smile.
    â€œSo, Ramose sent you two with my amulets, did he?”
    â€œHe was, um, busy,” said Jennifer. “Making more amulets.”
    â€œOf course. Well, now that you are here, would you like something to drink?” he asked.
    â€œUm,” said Jennifer. She wasn’t sure she wanted to spend too much time with him. The less time he had to notice her ‘strange’ behavior, the better. Tetisheri answered too quickly.
    â€œOh!