her from the mirror. A fine gold dust made her skin shimmer in the waning sunlight. Oil of Hathor glistened on her lips as though they were wet.
Her hair, had been twisted up into a high crown wrapped in silver-and-gold serpent clasps. Her throat was bare and her breasts only covered by a drape of three sheer silken scarves knotted at one shoulder which allowed her nipples to peek through. The loose knot slung low at her hip precariously held four more delicate scarves, and each time she moved they glided over her satin- sheen body to expose her thighs. A hint of the silvery tattoo on her mound was almost invisible beneath the fabric, and the intricate patterns inside her palms glowed.
They had affixed long strands of golden Kemetian coins to her ears that gently chimed as she approached the mirror. The large diamond in her navel caught prisms of light and almost stole her breath.
"The diamond is your seventh stone, a conductor of knowledge, of compressed organic matter, stored energy that you can release at will... and a way to directly call to us," Aset whispered. "Diamonds are always a girl's best friend."
"Wow . . ." Damali murmured. "I've never looked like this, even on stage."
"Natural beauty," Nefertiti replied with quiet satisfaction and pride. "Less is more."
"You think you can pull it off without incident?" Nzinga teased, cocking her head to the side.
"Look at her," Aset fussed. "Is this not a queen worthy of pyramid inscription?"
"The question is," Nefertiti murmured, her sultry, burning gaze holding Damali. "How do you feel?"
Damali continued to stare into the mirror with the queens behind her, pondering the question. "Nervous," she admitted. "A little scared. A little devious."
"Good," Nefertiti whispered. "That will put butterflies in your womb." She gently kissed Damali's cheek. "What else?"
"I don't know," Damali said, suddenly feeling too exposed. "How about sexy?" Nefertiti crooned, now taking a position fully behind Damali and softly clasping her shoulders. "How about sensual... unstoppable... powerful... in control?"
Damali looked down, unable to continue to stare in the mirror. "I've only felt like that with one man in my life, because I love him," she admitted quietly. "I don't want to feel like that with Cain."
To Damali's surprise, Nefertiti nodded. She'd expected the older queen to be annoyed that after all her hard work, she was still unsure of the mission. Instead, a tender smile crept over Nefertiti's beautiful face as tears rose in her eyes.
"Then you are ready," Nefertiti said calmly. "You love him, so you will not sire for another tonight."
Damali turned and just stared at Nefertiti.
Nefertiti nodded. "It is so easy to be swept away by one's own powerful magic. Love is a ground wire. Never release that. But do know the effect you have on other men. Now... take a deep breath."
Damali complied as tears almost spilled over her eyes.
"No, no, no," Nefertiti said quickly, blowing the tears from Damali's eyes to keep them from spilling. "You will ruin your makeup... but I've left some for Cain to believe he put them there."
Damali chuckled and sniffed. "You are so bad."
"Uhmmm, hmmm," Nefertiti crooned. "I want you to think of it this way. Your man's dignity has been abused at the hands of another man. His territory encroached, your kingdom nearly destroyed by devious means. What would Carlos do under those circumstances? Would he not cross the border to rectify the offense?' Nefertiti said, answering her own question.
"Definitely," Damali said, standing taller.
"Would he not use every weapon in his arsenal, including ruse, to best his opponent?"
Damali smiled. "Every time."
Nefertiti nodded. "For this mission, what I have given you is the preferred weapon of choice. Now," she said on a deep inhale, "do you feel powerful, sexy, unstoppable, in control, and righteously justified in slaughtering your opponent?"
Damali chuckle a little harder. "Queen, you have a serious way of flipping the script."
"But you did not answer my question." Nefertiti waited. "It is imperative that your mind is focused, you have no trepidation, other than the quiet nervous tension that all warriors feel when a significant negotiation is pending. Do not carry guilt over that barrier, or any insecurity."
"All right," Damali said, holding her shoulders back. "I feel sexy, unbeatable, in control, and I'm ready."
Nefertiti arched an eyebrow and placed a long slender finger over her hps for a second. "There's something else you need to be feeling to make this authentic." She motioned for the tray of potions, as Damali and the other queens looked