Kamila

Shattered

Chapter Twenty-four-

The next morning the sky was cloudy and gray when servants finished loading the luggage, gifts, and food for the voyage to Orbus. As I stood outside with Pharaoh, Queen Kiya, and Jamila, I wondered if Sumra was upset that Pharaoh was leaving Orbus. The wind carried water drops from the Ummera to the shore, causing it to be cold and wet. It made sense for any of the gods to be upset that Pharaoh was leaving. Without him here to guide and protect our country, problems could arise which worried me greatly. Even as I stood there my stomach twisted nervously. I did not know what would happen after I boarded Anippe but I knew something dreadful would happen after we left.  

Nala walked down the ramp that connected to the boat and the ground and then approached us and bowed. "Anippe is now ready to board, Your Majesty," she said to Pharaoh. 

He nodded, his hands behind his back. He turned to me. "Let us board," he said and walked towards the ramp. 

"Pharaoh!" Queen Kiya called out desperately, her hand reaching out slightly as he walked away. 

He glanced back and stated,"I thought I told you that you were not coming with us."

"You did, Your Majesty," she walked over to him, her hands dropping down at her sides. "You just did not say goodbye to me."

"Oh that is right," he said, obviously not caring that he had forgotten.

He was about to turn away once more, but Queen Kiya's hands flew up and gently held his face in her hands. She then placed a surprisingly loving kiss on his lips and then stepped away, knowing that Pharaoh would not kiss her back. For a second I saw Queen Kiya's eyes glassy and once she blinked they returned back to normal.

Pharaoh was like a statue. His face was emotionless and just in a second he turned around and said, "Let's go, Kamila," and he walked onto the ramp and onto Anippe.

I followed with Mosi, Ekene, and Nala behind me, glancing back as I did so. I saw Jamila hold her mother's hands, whispering something in her ear and released her to board Anippe. It was odd what I just witnessed. I did not know the queen was capable of love, especially towards my father. This entire time I believed her to not love Father but wanted him only so that she could be Queen. Maybe she loved Father after all or maybe she just put on a show. I was confused. I could never tell with Queen Kiya. 

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It took a week to leave the Ummera and cross into the Enmiya Sea that leads to Orbus. It was now almost two months since our journey began, and I was sick and tired of being kept on a ship with practically nothing to do. Achedemis was not here to share his infinite wisdom, and I could not study anything. I enjoyed Father's attention and was happy to have Nala, Mosi, and Ekene at my side, but I disliked Jamila's presence. She seemed too happy--by that I meant the kind of happiness with a smirk on her face. She knew something and it bothered me that I did not know what it was. 

I watched Jamila as she took another bite out of her dried meat, smirking as she chewed slowly. She swallowed and said,"Kamila I know you are staring me down. As much as I love to be stared at, you must have other reasoning to do so than most."

"I am just curious about that smirk on your face, Jamila," I said as I sipped more wine. 

Jamila took her fork and stabbed another piece of dried meat. "Why? Do you not like me being happy?"

"From all of the years that I have known you Jamila, I have learned that being happy is not your thing," I said coldly. 

"Shouldn't everyone be allowed a chance at happiness?" Jamila leaned forward, savagely tearing into the dried meat.