Read Reincarnation for Free Online Page A

guessed.
    "Yes. I left you before you could leave me. But I am grown now and no longer believe in
    such foolish premonitions. And now we have found each other again."
    She studied his face. It was handsome and strong. What was it that had bothered her about
    him before? She couldn't remember. Had she thought he was too harsh, too cold? None of
    that was apparent now.
    As a girl, she had been almost relieved when he'd left for the army, but now he was back
    and he interested her all over again.
    Tetisheri held his eyes a few minutes more before sliding her wrist from his grip. "We will
    get to know each other again on our journey, and perhaps the past will reawaken," she said.
    The sun burned down on Nerfi's shoulders as the group made its way through the desert
    sand on the trip back to Nakht's manor. The ebony skin of the slave beside her glistened
    with sweat as he strained to pull the sled laden
    47
    with their supplies. In her large basket, she carried the four canopic jars they had purchased
    from Tetisheri's father. They would be home before Amun-Ra left the sky.
    Just ahead, Tetisheri and Ramose walked along, talking together. Nerfi lifted a heavy jug of
    water from the slave's sled and hurried ahead with it. "I have brought water for you," she offered Ramose.
    Ramose undid the flask tied to his sword belt and Nerfi poured water into it. Then she
    turned toward Tetisheri and stumbled. The heavy jug filled with water crashed onto
    Tetisheri's foot. It cracked in half, making a puddle in the sand. Screaming with pain,
    Tetisheri teetered back a moment before collapsing onto the ground.
    Nerfi threw herself onto the sand beside Tetisheri. "It is the heat," she cried. "I am overcome from it. Do not punish me."
    Ramose scowled at her. "Get up, fool. You deserve to be whipped for such carelessness."
    "Leave her," Tetisheri admonished. "I need your help."
    Ramose bandaged Tetisheri's foot, which grew swollen almost instantly. He tied it up with
    linen from his army supply bag. Then he pushed aside supplies on the sled and made her a
    bed, commanding the slave to pull her the rest of the way home.
    Tetisheri's added weight slowed him down and he soon fell yards behind Ramose and Nerfi.
    The sun was growing
    48
    lower in the sky. "We do not want to be stranded out here after dark," Nerfi said to Ramose.
    "Perhaps we should hurry ahead to send back servants to assist the slave."
    "She's right," Tetisheri agreed when the cart had caught up to them. "Leave the slave behind with me. We will be all right until you return, and it will impress Nakht that we have stayed
    behind together without incident."
    Ramose unsheathed his sword and brought it to the slave's face. "Do not even look at her,"
    he barked. "If I hear that you have done anything to worry her, I will gut you and throw your insides on the desert sand for the jackals to devour. No one will care. Keep pulling this sled.
    Do not rest for even a moment."
    The sled jutted forward and then stopped. Tetisheri turned onto her side and strained to see
    what had happened. The slave's hands were bleeding, and the blood ran down the rope. He
    was on his knees, clutching his head.
    How far ahead had Ramose and Nerfi traveled? They were specks in the distance. Good. This
    slave did not need Ramose's fury laid upon his shoulders. How much pain could a human
    being endure?
    Her past fear of the slave deserted her as she limped around to the front of the sled. In this
    condition, he posed little threat. "You are ill?" she asked.
    He pressed his hand onto his forehead, his eyes clamped shut. She took some linen from
    the bag Ramose had left
    49
    behind and wet it, then pressed it to his forehead. Her hands working quickly, she untied
    him from the sled. When he was free, he began to draw the Egyptian hieroglyph for sleep in
    the sand.
    Nothing but sleep would staunch the agony of his pounding head.
    Tetisheri recognized the symbol. "Yes, sleep if you must," she agreed. "Go back on the