"The queen is dead."
"No, she lives."
"Impossible. She was taken, broken—she belongs to Rome now."
"Then why do the winds still carry her name?"
The whispers never stopped. In the markets, in the temples, in the alleys where the desperate clung to hope, Cleopatra’s name lingered like a ghost. A forgotten prayer. A warning.
The chamber was dimly lit, the scent of burning incense curling in the air.
Akhenaten stood by the open balcony, overlooking the city of Alexandria. The night stretched vast and quiet, but the streets below were alive with murmurs. He did not need to be among the people to know what was being said. The rumors traveled like wildfire, slipping past guards and walls, carried by the wind itself.
Cleopatra.
She was supposed to be dead. Or worse—enslaved by Rome, shackled and forgotten. Yet her name still echoed through the city, spoken in hushed voices, as though the mere mention of her could summon her from the grave.
A soft knock at the door pulled him from his thoughts.
"Enter," he commanded.
The heavy wooden door creaked open, and a hooded figure stepped inside. The man was lean, dressed in the unassuming garb of a commoner, but Akhenaten knew better. This was no ordinary man.
The spy bowed deeply. "My lord."
"Speak."
The man lifted his head, his voice low. "The whispers are true. The queen lives."
Akhenaten’s jaw tightened. "You’re certain?"
The spy nodded. "It turned out someone attacked the ship taking the slaves to Rome. She was seen moving through the underground tunnels, escorted by none other than the Lion of Egypt."
Maahes.
Akhenaten’s fingers curled into a fist. A muscle twitched in his jaw. Maahes. That insufferable beast of a man had always been a thorn in his side. Loyal to a fault, powerful beyond reason, and now, standing between him and Cleopatra’s final destruction.
"What else?" Akhenaten asked.
"The rebels have taken her in. They believe she is their salvation." The spy hesitated for a fraction of a second before adding, "They are preparing for war."
A slow, dangerous smile spread across Akhenaten’s lips.
"Of course they are," he murmured.
This was what he had feared—and yet, expected. The people had never truly let go of their fallen queen. She had been a symbol, even in her absence. Now, with her return, the embers of rebellion were stirring once more.
He turned to the spy, his golden eyes gleaming in the candlelight. "And what does the queen herself say?"
"She has vowed to reclaim what was stolen from her. She speaks of Rome’s fall. Of revenge."
Akhenaten let out a quiet chuckle. "How predictable."
He had always admired Cleopatra’s fire, even as he worked to extinguish it. She was a true ruler, sharp and dangerous. But she had made a mistake—she had allowed herself to be seen.
And that meant she could be hunted.
Akhenaten exhaled slowly, considering his next move. Killing her outright would be the simplest solution, but the people were watching now. If she were to die, it had to be done carefully. Strategically.
He turned back to the spy. "Leave." His voice was smooth, deliberate.
The spy nodded. "Should I continue spying on her?”
Akhenaten’s smirk deepened. "Watch her. Do not act unless I command it. Let her believe she is winning. A queen’s greatest weakness is her pride."
The spy hesitated for only a moment before bowing deeply and disappearing into the shadows.
Akhenaten let out a slow breath, his anger sharpening into something more dangerous—determination.
"If she dares to challenge me," he said smoothly, "then she must be reminded of her place."
A soft shuffle echoed through the chamber as a hooded figure stepped forward from the shadows. Unlike the spy, this man did not kneel.
"Shall I handle it, my Lord," the figure asked, his voice like silk woven with venom.
Akhenaten tilted his head, considering the assassin before him. Kadesh—the most feared assassin of all Egypt.
"Take my best hunters," Akhenaten ordered. "Find her. Kill her."
Kadesh smirked. "And the Lion?"
Akhenaten’s lips curled. "Make him suffer first. Then, end him."
The assassin bowed slightly, a gesture more of amusement than respect. "As you wish, my Lord."
Kadesh moved backward with a bow but the moment Ahkenaten whirled around quickly, he stopped. He knew there was something more Akhenaten wanted to say.
Akhenaten watched him for a moment before muttering. "Go. And do not return until Cleopatra is dead."