Michelle McGill-Vargas

Lesedi met Amenemhat on the stairs.

He beckoned her with an outstretched hand. “Stay with me tonight.” His eyes focused on the floor as he escorted her into the darkness of his bedchamber.

“Amen,” she said with a tug to his arm. “What have you done? Tell me what happened.”

Moonlight, the sole source of illumination in the room, streamed through windows cut high into the mud-brick walls. Amenemhat sank down onto the bed, holding his head like a child denied. Beneath him, the taut layer of reeds bound to a wooden frame held up by four elaborately carved posts sighed in response. Lesedi stood before him hoping that angry-Amenemhat had not returned from confronting the villagers. She hesitated, then sat beside him and stroked his shoulder.

Still hunched over, he lowered his folded hands. “They will not bother you again.”

“What did you do?”

“It has been resolved,” he…