“No,” the nomarch bellowed. He dashed toward the bridge. “Return my heir.”
The chariot vanished. He turned to Kashe. “He said he would take you.”
“Where? They’re not heading toward the temple.”
“Hebu, beloved of Aken Re was meeting some men.”
“The ones from his land?”
Before the nomarch could respond, Tira called Kashe’s name. He watched her climb from the wall. She sprinted past the nomarch to reach Kashe’s side.
He glared. “Where were you?”
“Captured. There’s trouble in the temple compound. The jaguas are there.” She grasped Kashe’s arm. “Nomarch, your son, Pian and the priest known as Oris are dead. The goddess wearing the body of the sacred cat killed them.”
The older man slumped on the ground. His hands went to his head. He keened.
Kashe ran to him. No matter what had happened this was his father. “I’m sorry.”
The nomarch moaned. “What have I done?”
“Only you can answer that.” Kashe helped his father stand. “Go home.”
“Come with me.”
“I can’t.
“With Pian dead and Namose carried away by the priests you are my only son.”
Kashe sucked in a breath. For years he had wanted to hear those words but in this instant they met nothing. He didn’t trust his father. “You disowned me. Three times you spoke the words.” He sheathed his knife and took Tira’s hand.
“Where will you go?” the nomarch asked.
“Wherever Horu sends me.”
Chapter 31
When they clasped hands Tira felt tremors flow from Kashe to her. Was he holding back sadness, anger or both? His father had cast him off and now wanted him back. She clenched her teeth and fought a desire to attack the older man.
“Nomarch of Mero, go home. Your ambitions have led to the death of one son, the theft of a second and your denouncement of the third. Words spoken in anger are powerful.” Though she spoke the words and believed them the voice hardly seemed like her own.
The nomarch glared. “Avatar of Bast, I reached for nothing more than what any nomarch would have given the choice I was granted. The Two Lands needs a pharaoh. Why not my son?”
Tira released Kashe’s hand and stepped toward the older man. She would play the role he had given her. She felt Kashe’s fingers on her shoulders and drew strength and a measure of anger from the touch. “You accepted the promises of men and liars who serve a god of another land and turned your back on the Three who rule here.”
“What else could I do?” he asked. “The Three have failed to send a new ruler. For twenty years chaos has reigned with each nome separate and fighting for the chair. The priests of Aken Re promised to restore order. With my guidance Pian would have brought prosperity to the Two Lands.”
“The priests of that abomination would have brought the invaders back,” Kashe said. “Pian would have become a puppet without the guts to rebel.”
“How can you say that?”
Kashe laughed. “Open your ears. I’ve heard the accents in the voices of Oris and Hebu. Though we drove most of the aliens away I’m sure there are others hidden in the nomes especially near the delta. They wait for the chance to regain their power. The Two Lands is rich and we trade with the dark lands to the south for metal, gems and other items of value. Think of how Mero prospers since it is the gateway to this trade.”
“We would have grown wealthier.” The nomarch held out his hands. “Come to the temple with me. You can become the priest’s choice for pharaoh.”
“No,” Kashe said.
Tira touched the nomarch’s hand. “Go home.”
“What will I do there?”
“Make peace with Bast, Horu and Toth,” Tira said. “When you reach Mero go to the Bast temple. Take cattle, goats and sheep to the priestesses. Choose husbands for your daughters for they will continue your line.”
The nomarch called to his men. Tira tensed in case he ordered an attack. Two of the men raised their maces.
“No.” The nomarch gestured to the pair. “Go to the barges and prepare them for our departure.” He motioned to the remaining three. “Come to the temple with me. I must confirm the warrior’s tale.” He nodded to Kashe. “When you find your brother bring him home.”
Kashe shrugged. “The choice will be his. I am sworn to Horu, the god of the skies. I have no idea where he will send me.”
“So be it.” The nomarch entered the palanquin. “Go.” The bearers lifted him and resumed the trip to the temple. Tira watched the men leave. Her brow wrinkled. What did the older man plan? His kind never lost their lust for power. Had Merin been able to find her jewelry when she fled? Has Hebu snatched what belongs to the pharaoh’s wife from the altar? She started toward the temple.
Kashe caught her arm. “You can’t go there. He’ll discover what happened and come for us. Would you have him gain possession of the symbols?”
She drew a deep breath. “Merin’s jewelry and the three collar necklaces are in the temple.”
“We’ll think of what to do about them later. If my father takes them we can follow him to Mero.”
“Don’t you worry about what he plans to do next?” she asked. “He won’t give up his quest for power.”
“I know but the symbols must be taken to Tebes and stored in one of the temples. Then we will worry about my father.”
Though she believed the nomarch remained a danger to the land she knew Kashe was right about the symbols. She walked to where he stood. “To Tebes.”
“Was that Merin who fled on the camel?”
“Yes.”
“Where’s Bast Ka?”
Tira met his gaze. “Her time with me has ended. She choose to accompany Merin.” As they walked through the barley field she told him all that had happened since she’d found herself a prisoner of the priests. “I think Bast Ka was the avatar. She spoke.”
“What do you mean?”
“I don’t think she spoke aloud but I heard them in my head.”
“What did she say?”
Tira closed her eyes. The memory was hazy. She tried to strain the words from the priest’s chants and screams. “In the Two Lands, Bast, Horu and Toth are supreme.’ Those might not be the exact words but they’re close. Moments later the priest was dead.”
“What did you do?”
“He screamed. I fell to the ground and tried to block my ears. When my head cleared Merin and Bast Ka were gone. I ran from the women’s court, climbed the wall and crawled to where I saw you. You know the rest.”
“Hebu took Namose.”
“Which way did they go?”
“North. The same way Merin traveled.”
“She wants to go to the delta.” Tira stumbled on a stone. Kashe grasped her arm. “Do you think the priest follows her?”
“I don’t know.” Kashe turned toward the dock where the boat was docked.
When they climbed over the side, Tira slumped on the deck. “When do we leave?”
Kashe kindled a fire in the small brazier and put water to heat. “We need to cleanse our wounds.”
With a groan Tira ducked into the small shelter. She noted the symbols were safe and took some pieces of toweling from one of the bundles. Horu Ka landed on the side of the boat. “Horru.” The hawk flapped his wings and flew to the north.
“Do you think he’s following Bast Ka?” Tira asked.
“Or Namose.”
Tira sat beside Kashe. “What will happen to our animal companions? When they finish what they have come to do will they vanish?”
“Wouldn’t surprise me. If Bast Ka is the avatar of the goddess Horu Ka must be one for the god. Ka and Ba stand for parts of the soul.”
She dipped a piece of cloth in the heated water. “Will Namose survive?”
Kashe fisted his hands. “I’m sure the priest has a reason for taking him. When I can I intend to search for him.”
Tira chewed on h
er bottom lip. “Namose will live. He will find a way to escape and restore what Hebu, beloved of Aken Re has stolen from the Two Lands.” She gasped. Once again, though the voice was hers, the words were not.
Kashe met her gaze. “A true prophecy?”
“Maybe.” She began to wash Kashe’s wounds. “Does he know of the temples near Tebes?” On his upper arms one of the deep slash marks continued to bleed. She bound the area with a strip of linen.
“He knew of our destination.” When Tira finished tending to his wounds he untied the cloth on Tira’s arm. “Unfortunately to reach Tebes he must cross the river. Do you think Merin will return to seek us?”
Tira winced as Kashe washed the slash that had been reopened during her fight in the women’s court. “She’s headed to the delta. She spoke of a dream and a voice telling her the pharaoh-to-be would be found there. Once we deliver the symbols I think we should follow her.”
He shook his head. “I must find Namose.”
She met his faze. “Could Hebu be following her?”
“Perhaps.”
“Why did he take Namose?”
“I don’t know.” Kashe reached for a strip of linen and rewrapped her arm. “I fear we will have little choice about where we will go. Horu and Bast may have plans for us.”
She nodded. “When do we sail for Tebes?”
“As soon as we eat.”
While they ate the remainder of the eggs, bread and melon he’d bought in the village Kashe explained how she would use the long paddle to help control; the boat. He would turn the sail to catch the wind.
Tira licked the juice of the melon from her lips and watched Kashe untie the skiff from the dock. He raised the large sail. She sat at the rear and used the narrow pole to push them along the canal. As they entered the river she tensed. A large crocodile slid into the river. Would the creature attack them? Soon the shadow of the menace vanished.
Kashe adjusted the sail frequently. The boat angled toward the opposite shore. Tira turned her head. “Do you think we’ll ever see the hawk and the cat again?”
“If they are truly the avatars, we might.”
Tira turned the pole as Kashe shouted orders. She stared at the water. This river was different from the ones she had known. No gross pollution could be seen. If there were no crocodiles she imagined a person could swim here. The canals were an interesting development. They brought life to land that would be nothing but rocks and sand. The steady breeze carried them east and north. “How soon will we reach Tebes?”
“I fear we’ll be carried past the town.” He pointed. “There are the docks. When we reach the shore we’ll be beyond the docks.”
“What will we do?” She hoped they wouldn’t need to walk through the swampy shore to reach a safe place. If she remembered correctly an eastern desert existed.
“We’ll enter one of the canals and should be near one of the temples. Tebes isn’t our true destination.”
Tira nodded. She had been intrigued with the idea of seeing the city that had existed before time and the weather had destroyed all but the remnants. She pushed disappointment aside. There would be other times. She was in this Egypt to stay. Reality settled with a thud on her shoulders.
For a long time she moved the paddle following Kashe’s directions. Once she left her place to refill both their water flasks. Her thoughts drifted to the choice she’d made in the brownstone. Finally she brought her thoughts to the present. “Is the pharaoh’s house in Tebes?”
Kashe turned the sail. “Paddle right. The pharaoh once lived in a compound beyond Tebes. The invaders took him to the delta where a second compound stood.”
Tira considered the news. Merin headed toward the delta. Would she find the pharaoh-to-be on an estate there?
As the sun moved westward the voyage continued. Soon they were close enough to the eastern bank to see flights of birds. Kashe dropped the sail. He lifted a second pole and joined Tira as they pushed into a canal.
Fields stood on either side but she saw no workers. “What grows here?”
“Maybe lentils or chickpeas.” Kashe grinned. “I was more interested in eating that in growing food.”
Near the end of the canal they reached a stone pier. Kashe leaped ashore and tied the boat. He caught the bundles, the symbols and the remainder of the food Tira tossed to him.
She jumped to his side. “What now?”
Kashe hoisted his bundle, his brothers and the small amount of food. He lifted the sack containing the crown. “We walk and hope the path leads to a place where we can shelter for the night.”
Tira fitted the remaining bundles on her back and lifted the symbols. They walked along the path between the plants. “I wish our animal companions remained. They could have led the way. She wondered what danger they would face next.
Chapter 32
Ahead Kashe saw the start of a mud brick wall. He hoped they approached one of the temples. He’d never been to Tebes and had only heard tales from his father and Tuten. His mentor had spoken about the pharaoh’s compound and the temple complex both located beyond the town. Relief filled Kashe. Once they reached the wall surely they would find shelter for the night.
He and Tira left the fields and trod on sand that crunched beneath their sandals. Just as the sun dipped beyond the horizon they reached the wall. He placed one hand on the mud brick and used that as a guide. Not a temple but an estate, he decided. Before long they reached the gate. He rapped. No one challenged. He opened the gate and entered a narrow lane. He knocked on the door of the gate house. “Hello,” he called.
Tira touched his arm. “Deserted?”
He nodded. A skim of sand covered the stones yet the place didn’t seem completely abandoned. “We can spend the night. In the morning we’ll seek the temples. If this is the pharaoh’s estate the temples aren’t too distant.” He stepped inside. “Shall we explore?”
A room stood on either side of the entrance. He entered the left hand room.
Tira pointed to a cooking area. “Start a fire.” She stepped to a curtained doorway. “Storage.” She carried several clay pots into the area where Kashe lit a torch and filled the cooking area with fuel. “Barley, lentils and chickpeas. I’ll explore here and you can check the rest of the house.”
After putting the torch in a wall holder, Kashe found several saucer lamps. He lit them. Tira carried more containers from the storage place. “Treasure,” he said.
“Sort of. Flour, cheese, honey and wine. With this I can prepare a feast.”
Kashe grinned. “I’ll be back soon.” He left the kitchen and entered a narrow hall. He peered into a chamber and saw a bed. When he checked the mattress he smiled. Clean. No dust. No insects. Though they hadn’t seen signs of people someone cared for the house. Maybe in the morning he and Tira could explore the compound. Or not. This might be someone’s home though it seemed deserted.
Across the hall he found a second sleeping chamber. At the end of the hall he pushed aside the curtain and discovered a bathing room. The cistern held water. Toweling filled a shelf along with pitchers, cleansing paste and jars of scented and unscented oil. He filled two pitchers with water and carried them to the cooking area.
Tira stood at the cooking place and stirred two pots. “I used the last of our water.”
“There’s more in the bathing chamber.”
She laughed. “Great. Found hard cheese to go with the lentils for morning. Barley soup for dinner tonight.” She placed a flat round stone on the fire. “For flatbread.”
Kashe lifted a huge clay pot and filled it with water from the pitchers. He set it on the grill. “Once we eat we can bathe.”
Tira spread some oil on the flat stone. “Wonderful.” She dipped some flour mixture onto the cooking surface.
Kashe opened a flask of wine and sniffed. The aroma promised a sweet date wine. He put cheese and honey on the low table.
By the time the meal was ready he realized how hungry he was. Tira put the thick barley soup and
rounds of fresh flatbread on the table. Kashe dished some and used the bread as a scoop. “Good.”
Tira looked up. “Almost a feast.”
“After stale bread, dates and cheese for days on end except for the things I bought in the village I’d say you were right.”
She patted his hand. “When I was a prisoner I had two good meals.”
He filled her cup. “Shame there are no onions.”
Tira laughed. “I can live without them but they do add a bit of flavor.” She sipped the wine. “Nice.”
When Kashe wiped his bowl with the last bit of a piece of flatbread he rose and checked the heating water. “Perfect.” He filled a pitcher and added more to the pot. He beckoned. “Join me.” They walked down the hall to the bathing chamber. He added the heated water to cold in two pitchers. “Who goes first?”
Tira removed her sandals and left them outside the door. “You. Had a wash at the temple. I’ll rub the cleansing past on your back.”
Kashe stripped and watched the way she studied his nude body. He stretched on the table. While Tira spread the paste over his back his body responded to her touch. He gulped a breath and fought a desire to take her into his arms and forget the bath. Slow down, he thought. There is time. Their first coupling had been hasty and heated. Tonight he wanted to make their pleasure last for more than a few minutes.
Tira poured water over his back. The warmth felt good. The touch of her hands kneading his skin felt better. She dug her fingers into his shoulder muscles drawing away tension he hadn’t known existed. He closed his eyes and slipped into a dream state. Her supple fingers moved along his spine. “Magic hands,” he growled. Lower and lower she moved. She stroked his buttocks. He nearly leaped from the table. “You’re killing me.”
Her throaty laughter increased his throbbing erection. “Hope not.”
Kashe drew a deep breath. He could handle this sensual exploration. As her hands slid along her thighs he began to doubt he could last. Finally she reached his feet. He gulped deep breaths. Even there her touch increased his desire.
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