The Amulet of Amon-Ra by Leslie Carmichael

kernels?”
    â€œUntraceable. And imported. The Pharaoh’s trading expeditions have borne different fruit from what she planned,” said Ka-Aper. They all laughed. “But remember, my name must never be associated with it.”
    â€œOf course,” said the first man. “It shall be…the will of the gods.”
    â€œHmm, good idea,” said Ka-Aper. “Though, if the story of the Pharaoh’s birth can be believed, we go against their wishes in this.”
    The second man laughed. “Oh, come now. Who truly believes that Amon-Ra came to Hatshepsut and revealed that he was her father? And is it not now clear that even the gods themselves are displeased with her?”
    â€œYou mean the drought?” asked the first man. “Seven long years, we have suffered. Surely she must know how bad it is.”
    â€œSurely,” Ka-Aper agreed.
    â€œWhat we do here is a necessity,” said the first man, the one Jennifer thought she knew.
    â€œAbsolutely!” said the second man. “Her entire reign is blasphemous. For twenty years, she has paraded herself as Pharaoh. Why, she even calls herself the female Horus.”
    â€œPreposterous!” boomed the first man.
    â€œHabusoneb is wrong,” said the second man.
    â€œThe High Priest?” asked Ka-Aper. “How can he be wrong?”
    â€œYou know it as well as we do,” scoffed the first man. “He supports her, but he should not.”
    â€œThough it hurts me to say it, Pharaoh Hatshepsut must be chastised for her sin,” said Ka-Aper. His voice lowered. “Else her people will feel the wrath of the gods. Indeed, they already do.”
    Jennifer set her foot down on the last step. As she did so, something sharp jabbed into it. Without looking, she reached down and scooped it up, then leaned closer to the wall to hear better.
    â€œLeave it to us,” said the first man.
    â€œThank you. Remember, I must not know anything about this if I am to play the part properly, so don’t tell me when you are going to do it,” said Ka-Aper. “When the Pharaoh is dead, I must act as surprised as everyone else.”
    Jennifer gasped. Dead?
    â€œWhat was that?” asked one of the men.
    â€œProbably just a mouse,” said the other. “With all the grain in this building, they are everywhere. Don’t worry about it.”
    â€œWhat, are there no cats? It would seem even Bastet has abandoned our Pharaoh,” said the first man, chuckling.
    Liquid gurgled into cups.
    â€œAnd now, some wine to seal the bargain?”
    â€œPlease,” said Ka-Aper. “In order to disguise where I went last night, I had to endure some truly terrible food and wine. I still haven’t gotten the taste of their peasant meal out of my mouth.”
    â€œYou went to a peasant’s house?”
    â€œNo. An amulet-maker’s. He had some rather mediocre pieces, though a few approached beauty. I’d like to have the scarab he made for his daughter,” said Ka-Aper. Jennifer clutched at her amulet. “Ah, that’s better. It has a nice bouquet.”
    â€œDoes it?” asked the first man, slurping.
    The second man snorted. “You never could tell bad wine from good.”
    â€œCan’t smell it, can’t taste it,” said the first man.
    â€œThis is as good as some I’ve had at the palace,” said Ka-Aper.
    â€œIt should be,” said the second man. “I borrowed it from the Pharaoh herself.”
    â€œAh,” said the first man. “To Hatshepsut! Long may she reign.” They all laughed.
    Jennifer backed slowly up the stairs, moving as quietly as she could.
    Ka-Aper wasn’t just a tomb robber; he and his friends were planning to kill Hatshepsut, too. She had to warn the Pharaoh, somehow. But it wasn’t like she could just waltz up to the palace and expect to be let in. There would probably be soldiers all over the place.
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