Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine

D espite having walked past the temple several times, there's something different about approaching the building with large statues of Anubis on either side of the entrance knowing I'm here for work. Tressie doesn't seem nearly so fazed and strides with confidence towards it.

I follow behind, with Kema swaying back and forth on my shoulder, surveying everything around us as she does. Or at least, that's what I think she's doing.

"It's just through here," Tressie says, gesturing to a large squat building that looks a bit out of place considering we're in a temple complex.

I frown. "Are you sure? I was expecting something more ornate."

"It's a mortuary," she points out. "Though from what my friend says, the walls in the traditional mummification rooms look a bit more like what you'd expect. But luckily, we don't have to go in there. I don't mind dealing with the mourning and stuff, but the actual dead bodies aren't for me."

A shiver runs down my spine as I think about what the priests must be doing in there. "Where are we going instead?"

"To the offices, we've got a planning meeting with the funeral department."

"I didn't realise I'd get to go to any of those."

"There are a couple of high-profile funerals coming up, and they normally request one of the Blessed to lead the Kites of Nephthys, so they're sending me to do the talking, and I report back. I suggested to Satbu that you should come with me this time. Contacts at the Temple of Anubis aren't a bad thing to have."

"Thank you." I study her from the corner of my eye and try to work out if that's why she's doing this, or if she's the one who has the contacts in the first place.

"It's what I'm here for," she says. "Though I can tell from your expression that you have questions."

"Am I that obvious?"

Tressie shrugs. "You have a look you get."

"It's kind of personal."

"Then why don't you ask whatever is on your mind and if I don't want to answer it, I won't," she says.

"Do you know anyone here at the temple?"

"Ah, that one. Yes. One of my old school friends works here. She's actually one of the reasons I have my position as an assistant to the Blessed."

I frown, trying to work out how that's possible. As far as I know, the priests of Anubis have no say in how the Temple of Nephthys is run.

We arrive at a carved door, which is more ornate than the mortuary building, and more in line with what I expect from the inside of a major temple. The corridor it leads to is full of wall paintings depicting the journey to the afterlife, though they're surprisingly bright for a place so associated with death.

Though maybe that's also the truth for our own temple. Nephthys was a goddess of death and mourning, among her other duties. That means our temple is just as related to death as this one, albeit with slightly fewer dead bodies.

We come to a large wooden door and Tressie knocks on it, not seeming in the slightest bit intimidated by her surroundings and reminding me that I still have questions about her connection to this temple that she hasn't answered.

"Come in," someone calls from the other side.

Tressie pushes it open and steps inside, leaving me to follow her. Two people who I assume work for the Temple of Anubis are waiting inside, both of them in formalwear and not looking as if they've just come from the embalming room. I try to judge their ages.

The man sits behind a desk, flashing Tressie a friendly smile, but the Blessed assistant is too distracted by the other person in the room to notice.

"Ani!" The joy in Tressie's voice is impossible to miss.

"Hey, Tress," the other woman responds.

I look over in her direction and stare in awe. She's barely a few years older than I am, but everything about her proclaims status. Her dress fits perfectly, and even if the jewellery she's wearing is simple, it's ornately wrought and clearly comes from expensive jewellers.

Kema stretches her wings and lets out a squawk, which startles a black dog sitting a few feet away.

Except it isn't a dog. It's a jackal .

The pieces fall into place and I realise exactly who the woman is.

This is the Anubis Blessed Priestess who was the only thing London could talk about when she received her Blessing four years before my own. It's rare enough that Anubis chooses someone to serve him in the British Isles, but until this year, it's also been unusual for him to pick a priestess anywhere in the Empire.

And yet he chose this woman.

I expect there to be something about her that makes it clear why her , but I can't really see anything. She just looks normal. Though it is hard to reconcile the richness of her jewels and the way she holds herself with her only being four years older than me.

"I see you've got yourself an apprentice," she says to Tressie, clearly unaware of my thoughts.

"Only for today," the assistant responds. "This is Shoshan."

"Pleased to meet you," I say, trying to hold my head up high, but feeling surprisingly nervous in the presence of a Blessed from another temple. Or at least one I'm not related to.

"And this is Blessed Priestess Ankhesenamun," Tressie introduces. "Though aren't there a few more titles to add to that?"

The Anubis Blessed priestess chuckles nervously. "There are, but most people still call me Ani," she responds.

I nod, not really knowing what to make any of it. Calling someone as important as she is Ani doesn't seem right. Not when she's the only Anubis Blessed Priestess in the country at the moment.

"I didn't expect you to be here today," Tressie says. "I thought you were still in Paris."

Ani shrugs and goes over to comfort her jackal, who no longer seems to be as fussed by Kema's noise. "You know how it is, I get back and I'm immediately needed for work."

"Hey, that's not what happened," the other priest in the room protests. "And we're supposed to be having a meeting."

"Sorry," Tressie says. "This is Priest Ibi, he's from the funeral department. Ibi, this is Blessed Apprentice Shoshan."

"Shan," I blurt.

A small smile spreads over Ani's face. "Shan it is," she promises.

"Why don't you take a seat," Ibi says, gesturing to the pair of chairs on the other side of his desk.

Ani makes her way over to join his side, making it clear the two of them work together often.

I take out the travel perch for Kema and set it down on the desk. My hands shake and I find myself wondering whether I should have asked permission before doing this. I'm not sure what the exact etiquette is when it comes to Blessed animals and what to do with them while in official meetings.

Though if the snores coming from the jackal's direction are anything to go by, they'll do what they want.

Kema hops off my shoulder and makes her way to the perch, stretching out her wings and nestling until she gets comfortable. I watch her for a moment, trying not to feel too exposed even though none of the others are saying anything about Kema's behaviour.

"Should we get started?" Ibi asks, looking between the three of us.

"Is Nik not joining too?" Tressie asks Ani.

The Anubis Blessed reaches for a ring on her left hand, twisting it around. "He's in the High Priest's library doing some research, so I'm fending for myself." The words are laced with affection, and it takes me a moment to realise that the ring she's playing with is a wedding ring.

I look down, mostly to mask my surprise. If someone as important as Ani can have time for being herself outside of being Blessed, or at least enough to have friends and a spouse, then why can't I?

Not that my parents would approve of anything like that.

"Satbu said you have a funeral coming up with a request for Nephthys Blessed priestesses?" Tressie asks, reminding me that I'm supposed to be paying attention rather than being lost in my own thoughts.

Ibi nods. "It's the sister-in-law of the mayor, so none of us are really in a position to say no," he admits. "They've requested Ani perform the Opening of the Mouth ceremony too."

"I thought you preferred doing other parts of the process?" Tressie asks in a way that makes me think the words are measured and not what she'd be saying if the two of them were alone. Or maybe even if it was the two of them and Ibi. It's me she's being careful in front of.

"I've come to realise that sometimes I'm just going to have to do them," Ani responds. "If that's the cost of being Blessed, then I'll happily pay it." She glances over to the jackal with adoration in her eyes.

Kema rearranges herself on the perch and I realise I'm starting to have a lot of affection for my sacred animal too.

"And sometimes, the Mayor of London is asking and we all have to do everything he says," Ibi reminds her.

"Yes, that," Ani agrees. "But it's fine. And I'll be doing other parts of the process too. At least the funeral planning itself is being delegated."

Ibi chuckles and shuffles some papers on his desk. "Anyway. It's not really a question of if anyone's available, more that we need to have Blessed Kites of Nephthys."

Tressie nods. "Do you have all the information for me?"

Ibi nods and pulls open a draw, selecting a file and holding it out to her. "They've requested a specific date, but if that really doesn't work, we can see what we can do in order to get it moved."

"I'll talk to Satbu and see who might be available," Tressie responds.

"I've emailed all the same information to Nik," he says to Ani.

"Ah." She picks up her tablet and clicks through to something. "Okay, got it. Ah, I love that man."

Tressie laughs and leans into me. "Nik's her assistant. And husband."

"Did you know Nik from school too?" I ask Ani, curious about whether they knew each other before and trying not to think too much about what that might mean for me and Mesu.

She shakes her head. "We met on the first day of training."

"And they've been inseparable since about three months in," Ibi adds.

Ani looks as if she's going to argue, but ends up just shrugging.

I want to ask more questions about that, and how to balance my new Blessed duties with a relationship, but I don't dare to.

"All right, if that's everything you need me for, I should get going," Ani says. "I have a meeting with the High Priest to get to."

Ibi chuckles. "Of course you do."

She rolls her eyes and turns to Tressie. "We should have dinner next week, I think Neffie has some time off then too."

"I'd love that," Tressie responds.

"Great." She heads to the door. "Matia, come."

The jackal springs into action, all sleep forgotten, and trots towards her mistress.

Ani reaches out her hand to touch her in response. Even without meaning to, I find myself watching her every move. She seems so confident and at ease with her position, and the way her jackal moves with her makes it clear they work well together.

Will I be like that in a few years? How do I make it possible?

"I'll message you later, Tress," she says.

The other priestess nods.

"I'll see you in a bit, Ibi," she says to the priest before turning to me. "It was good to meet you Shan."

"Likewise," I squeak.

She waves and heads out of the room.

I watch her leave, feeling all kinds of conflicted about what it means to be Blessed. The only examples I've ever had are my parents, and their whole lives seem to revolve around the temple. I haven't had much to do with the other Nephthys Blessed, even if we share a patron goddess. But this priestess seems to have it all. A job, a Blessing, friends, a husband.

So maybe I can too.