Read Online Legacy: Book Two of the Chronicles of the Nubian Underworld by Shakir Rashaan - Free Book Online Page B

voice. That almost floored me. She really did surprise us all.
    “It’s a long story, Daddy; i’ll let Goddess explain it to You later. i have a request to make of You.” Scarlett’s voice turned into a teenager in an instant.
    sajira silently asked to move nearer to Scarlett, slipping behind her to rub her shoulders because she could feel the tension on her. I felt for her, too, but she was going to have to go through what her Daddy was going to put her through.
    As though she were teleporting the thoughts to him, Ramesses commanded, “Make the request, Scarlett.”
    The bass in his voice froze sajira in her stance.
    After a brief pause, Scarlett finally queried, “m’Lord, i am formally requesting to have my name restored within the House of Kemet-Ka, Sir. i have not been the same since being separated from You and my family, Sir. By Yours and m’Lady’s command, i respectfully request to repledge myself to this House.”
    There was a long pause, which had Scarlett on her toes and sajira trying desperately not to break the silence. I sensed my husband’s wheels turning in his head, trying to find a way to figure out how much Scarlett wanted her identity back.
    For what we want most, sometimes there must be a cost that must be paid.
    As quiet as it was kept, Ramesses had hurt for a few weeks after she finally left for good. He kept a public face when we had different things going on, and no one really knew the wiser. They simply assumed Scarlett was away on business. We never really even made it known she was no longer a part of the House because, in his heart of hearts, he was convinced she would be back with us. I never doubted she would come back to us for a moment.
    After what probably felt like an eternity for Scarlett, Ramesses finally answered, “On one condition, little one.”
    “Name it, m’Lord,” she answered without hesitation.
    “In due time, My darling shamise. When the time is right, I will do exactly that.”

NINESAJIRA
    “i’m sorry i left you, sis.”
    shamise and I were in the basement of our Owners’ home, and she was helping me with the care of the leathers and the other equipment inside of Ramesses’ and Neferterri’s bags, showing me tricks she’d learned in her years in service to them. Neferterri had gone out to run errands while we took care of this task for them. There was nothing odd about leaving us in the House alone, as we’d all had keys anyway, in case one of the kids needed to be picked up and brought home from school early.
    I had to admit the way she showed me some things made the process much smoother than what I thought I had been doing.
    “It’s okay, sis; the important thing is you’re here with us now.” I put down the leather paddle that I was cleaning to place a small kiss across her lips before resuming our duties. The truth was we’d never really lost contact, so it felt like she was on an extended rest or away on assignment for a job.
    “i still feel like i let you down, sajira.” She caressed my cheek after putting down one of the knives she was cleaning. “i was supposed to be helping you prepare for the way things are done within the House.”
    “Look, shamise, if i was in your position, i probably would have followed my heart, too.” My mind went back to my husband andwhat decision might I have made if I were faced with the same choice.
    “But that’s the thing, sis,” shamise contended, “i didn’t think things through. If i’m honest with myself, i really didn’t make the right decision. He led me to believe he could make me happy, and also let me come back here to be with you, Daddy and Goddess. The minute we touched down in California and got to the new place, i knew i’d made a mistake. He completely turned one-eighty on me.”
    I remembered the conversation Ramesses and Neferterri had had with me after shamise had been granted her “conditional release,” as they termed it. They gave me permission to speak freely during that