“Do you not love your Pharaoh? Are you not devoted to me?”

“I am.” But the Pharaoh wasn’t his dearest love. Apparently neither was Azizi.

“You would accept the love of your lowly born lover over me? And you wouldn’t offer the gem in order to save your lover?” The Pharaoh raked his fingernails down Thutmose’s bare chest. “You’ve displeased me. Your heart, body and riches should belong to me. To the kingdom. You vowed to belong to me once. Why not again?”

He said nothing. His allegiances belonged to the Pharaoh, but his heart belonged to Azizi.

“Very well.” The Pharaoh let go and stepped away from Thutmose. “I’ve given you plenty of time to obey. For your actions, I curse you to death, but not any death. You have been found guilty of declining to acquiesce to the Pharaoh’s wishes and your punishment is mummification. You will be parted from that ruby, the rest of your riches as well as your life. Your mummy will rot and you will be ignored by the ages. True love can’t save you. Nothing can.” He snapped his fingers.

A servant brought in Azizi, who then sat beside the Pharaoh. Azizi rested his head on the Pharaoh’s lap.

“You should’ve given him the gem.” Azizi stroked the Pharaoh’s thigh. “Now you’ll pay with your life.”

Another servant grasped Thutmose’s arm. Pain surged through Thutmose. When he looked down at his chest, the tip of a blade poked through his skin and the hilt jammed into his back. His entire body ached and red blood spread down his torso. He’d never known pain this deep or such a full betrayal.

“If I cannot have the gem, then no one can.” The Pharaoh stood over Thutmose as he collapsed on the floor. “Mummify him. Now. I want him to suffer.”

Thutmose couldn’t believe what was happening. He swore he heard someone—maybe the Pharaoh—demand the servants search him for the gem. Let them. He was dying. He didn’t need a ruby now. He’d rather have his life.