Chapter Three
Chapter Three
A ll around us, other eighteen-year-olds make their way into the general courtyard used for the Day of Choosing. A lot of them don't seem to be as nervous as I am, though that's to be expected. Most won't have a legacy to uphold. Though that's not true of everyone.
I nod towards the daughter of a high-ranking Ma'at Blessed pair, I don't know her well, but I've seen her at several functions my parents have dragged us to, and I imagine the pressure on her today is about the same as it is on me.
"Shoshan! Benipe!"
I turn around, unsurprised to find our friend heading towards us.
"Hey, Mesu," Ben responds. "How's it going?" He claps him on the back.
"Good. Exciting day, right?" He flashes me a smile that makes my stomach do a weird flip-flop thing, but I push it to the side. Now isn't the time to try and work out how I'm feeling about our friend, especially because he's as close to Ben as he is to me. Maybe even closer.
"Shan's full of nerves," Ben says.
"As you should be too. Can you imagine what'll happen if we go home without being Blessed?" I ask him. I barely slept last night, especially after Mum and Dad kept making comments over dinner about their expectations and the hope that we'll get the Blessings they seem certain we're due.
Ben shrugs. "Not much we can do about it. The gods will either choose us or they won't."
"How can you be so carefree about this?"
"How can you be so high-strung?" my brother throws back.
"Okay, I see I'm going to be doing twin-terferance today," Mesu jokes, stepping between us.
"You really don't," I assure him.
Ben rolls his eyes. "I'm going to go ask Ara if she's free tonight."
I watch him leave, in a little disbelief that he's heading over to ask someone on a date right now. Especially when we'll either need to be celebrating or commiserating with our parents this evening.
"Luckily, we're not supposed to talk while we're inside," I mutter.
Mesu chuckles. "I know the two of you well enough to know you'll find a way."
"Not today," I murmur.
Concern crosses Mesu's face. "Everything okay?"
I sigh and reach up to run a hand through my hair before remembering it's all perfectly in place and I shouldn't mess with it. "I'm just nervous. There are a lot of expectations on us today, and I don't even know what I want."
"Nephthys?"
I nod. "You know what our parents want. They've already got an Osiris Blessed and an Isis Blessed child, they're going after the full set today." I look up at the statues decorating the outside of the temple, my gaze lingering on the winged form of Nephthys next to her sister.
"Do you want it?" he asks.
"I don't even know," I admit. "I used to feel an affinity for Nephthys when I was small..."
"I remember. You used to sit for hours in front of the wall painting in Nut's temple."
"I didn't realise you knew that."
"I sat with you a few times," he reminds me.
"Okay, I guess I didn't realise you remembered that then."
Mesu shrugs. "Well, I do. You told me that you liked her wings."
"Yes." I reach up to touch my collar, one I'd had made to resemble the wings on that wall painting.
"So maybe Nephthys is right for you after all."
"Maybe. But I guess I'll never know if it's what I want, or if it's what my parents want," I say softly.
"Not true. Nephthys won't Bless you because of your parents. If she chooses to make you one of her Blessed, then it's because she wants you."
"Technically, that's nothing to do with what I want."
"I doubt the gods care that much about mortals," Mesu responds. "And they certainly won't like choosing their followers based on what mortals want. Your parents' desires won't have any bearing on a goddess as important as Nephthys."
"I hope so," I murmur.
"I know so," Mesu assures me.
I sigh and gesture for us to join the line of eighteen-year-olds heading inside. The heady scent of someone's perfume hurts my nose, they've put on far too much for the close quarters we're going to be in. But that isn't a surprise. Everyone is trying to look their best today to make a good impression on the priesthoods they're about to join.
The line moves surprisingly slowly, going through check-in and into the large room where our fates are actually going to be given to us. I know that the priesthood doesn't have to be forever, even for those chosen specifically by the gods. Blessed retired all the time. And yet, there's something about today that feels as if that's the case, and as if this is going to determine the rest of my life in a way I've never before considered.
Nerves fill me as I make my way to my spot, with Mesu to my left. Ben finally reappears and takes his position on Mesu's other side. This is it.
We're about to discover if all our parents' pressure means anything or not.
I touch my scarab, hoping it'll bring me all the luck I need, even if I don't really know what outcome I want.
Grand doors open onto the stage and the High Priests and Priestesses of all the local temples step out. Though in our case, they're not just any High Priests. Our local temples are the most important ones in the country, meaning the people standing in front of us are the highest-ranking priests available in the British Isles, we'd have to go to Egypt to find people who outrank them.
A man with a tall sun disk perched precariously on top of his head steps forward. "Welcome to the Day of Choosing. May the gods in their infinite wisdom choose those who will serve them honourably and well."
I suck in a deep breath, along with what I assume is all of the other assembled hopeful priests and priestesses. This is it, the moment we've been simultaneously looking forward to and dreading at the same time.
"Let us commence the ceremony for the Blessed." He gestures to the side.
A loud clunk fills the air, making me flinch as two doors open. A handful of cats exit and start making their way through the crowd.
Without knowing why, my gaze lifts upwards to a small door about halfway up the wall. It opens and my stomach does a weird flip as I realise this means that the gods who make their will known through birds are about to make their choices.
Which includes Nephthys.
I look to my left, catching Mesu's eye as he looks at me. He flashes me what I think is meant to be a reassuring smile, but actually just makes me more nervous. So many people have expectations on me today, and even though I know he's not trying to make me feel that way, it just adds to the mounting pressure, and I've never dealt very well with that.
A hawk appears at the edge of the window and launches itself into the air, circling around to try and find the person who is supposed to receive the Blessing. Other birds follow. An ibis for Thoth, a falcon for Horus, and a kestrel for Isis. A couple of years ago, my sister stood somewhere around here and was chosen by her kestrel. It's a strange feeling to know that so many people have been in this very spot and waited for the will of the gods to make itself known.
None of the birds capture my attention until my gaze fixates on the brown bird with black-tipped wings and streaks of white underneath.
A kite.
Well, several kites, but there's one in particular that I find myself drawn to as it circles the room. It's smaller than I expect it to be, though I assume that's because the bird is a juvenile and supposed to grow with its Blessed.
A weird feeling settles in my stomach at the sight. Something is special about this specific bird, but I don't know what it is.
Or I don't until it begins to descend, heading right for me. This is Nephthys making her will known.
And she's decided to prove my parents right and choose me.
The kite perches on my shoulder and holds its head up, seeming proud of its choice. It's surprisingly heavy for such a small kite and probably only going to get bigger with age. But I don't care. This bird is mine.
I reach out and brush my fingers over its head. "Hello."
A priest makes his way through the room and heads to me. "What's your name?"
"Shoshan," I respond, my voice shaking as reality sinks in.
"Follow me." He gestures for me to leave the line.
Mesu gives me an encouraging smile as I pass him, while my brother looks like he's going to be sick, completely at odds with his outlook earlier. But that makes sense. Now he's the only one of us not yet Blessed. Though there's still time. I don't know how the Seth Blessed are chosen, but it's not until after the sacred animals have made their selections.
But none of that matters, because right now, there's only one thing going through my head.
I'm Nephthys Blessed .