Chapter One Hundred and Six: A New Task
Makeshift houses, built from reeds and palm fronds, were propped against the wall of the palace. The street stank of human excrement and hungry eyes stared out from the darkness of the improvised dwellings as Kiya walked by.
In the main streets the markets still had food for sale but there was much haggling over prices and, even for those with money to spend, there was little more than bread and dates on offer. Kiya remembered with guilt the luxurious meals she had enjoyed at the palace, it left a sour taste in the mouth to feast while others starved.
Near the temple she came across the food queue. It stretched around the enormous building. At intervals an armed guard stood looking up and down the line of people. Trouble came in the form of a man who tried to creep into the queue. A fight broke out with the man behind and both were ejected from the queue by the guard.
“You bastard I had been waiting hours.”
“If you hadn’t made such a fuss we would both still be in the queue.”
“I did nothing wrong. It was you who tried to push in. I could kill you for that.”
Kiya thought another fight might break out, but both men were too dejected and they turned away.
At the front of the building Kiya saw that a fence had been built across the wide entrance. A line of soldiers stood in front, guarding the temple. There was a gap in which stood a priest with a sack of grain at his side. As each person reached the head of the food queue, the priest dipped a measuring jug into the grain and filled the receptacle they held out.
“Take this food with the blessing of the Aten,” he intoned.
Kiya felt a tug at her shift. “Spare some grain for the starving.” Kiya looked down and saw a woman sitting on the ground cradling a baby. The baby reminded her of Meri and she was saddened by the thought that it might not survive the famine.
“I am sorry,” Kiya said. “I have no food to give you.”
The woman dropped her hand and Kiya saw her despair. She wished with all her heart that she could help, but what could she do? She turned and hurried away, feeling terrible that with all her privilege she could not aid a single person.
At a junction she looked from left to right. In one direction was Laylos’s house, in the other was the Nile. The road that led towards the river was less crowded and she decided to go and fill her jug, hoping for a respite from the stench and noise of the city.
Kiya hurried past the harbour. Among the many moored boats she noticed the high, curved prow of a Cretan vessel and she wondered if Princess Ana had arrived at the palace.
Beyond the harbour was a sandy slope that led down to the river. A multitude of people were at the riverside, washing their clothes and themselves and collecting water in buckets. Kiya stood uncertainly on the road above them wondering where to push through to the Nile. She heard somebody scream and saw a man pointing at an enormous crocodile. It had been floating in the middle of the river, but was turning towards the bathers. With terrifying speed it charged, water churning in a great wave behind it. More screaming filled the air and Kiya was buffeted by people fleeing.
“Run for your lives.”
“We are being attacked.”
Kiya stood among the confusion and stared at the crocodile. There was something familiar about it and, when it raised its head to stare at her she caught the scent of water lilies. It was the god Sobek. Their eyes locked and then the crocodile veered away and swam into a thicket of reeds.
“Has he gone?”
“That was a close one.”
“Be careful, I think he might be hiding.”
People nervously returned to the slope. They gained confidence when there was no sign of the crocodile and soon life went on as before.
Kiya went to the reeds and managed to penetrate the thicket enough to be hidden from the people.
“Are you there, Sobek?” she whispered. There was a movement in the darkness at the base of the papyrus stems.
“I am here. I have been waiting for you.” He raised his head and she felt a frisson of fear at his monstrous appearance. “We are facing a crisis, Kiya. The Nile has failed to flood.”
“I know, people are already starving.”
“You are the only one who can help. You must go to Nubia and discover what your father is doing.”
“Where is Anubis? Why has he not come to ask me?”
“Anubis is sulking and Hathor is obsessed with the child. I am asking you, Kiya, on behalf of all the immortals.”
“I do not need to go to Nubia to find out what Seth is doing. He told me before he left Egypt. He is using his power to control the winds and divert rainfall away from the source of the Nile.”
“Then you must try to stop him,” said Sobek.
“Why does it have to be me?”
“You are his daughter and the one person he has confided in.”
Kiya gave bitter laugh. “Confided? That is hardly the word. It was more of a threat. I can assure you that he sees no value in our relationship.”
“You have a responsibility. You are the one who invoked his anger by restoring his brother’s ka.”
“I was only obeying instructions.”
“And will do so again, I hope.”
“I suppose so,” said Kiya reluctantly. “But it is an impossible task. I have no way of reaching Nubia, nor any hope of altering my father’s plans.”
“You must do your best,” said Sobek. “I will help you where I can.”
He was about to leave but Kiya stopped him. “Have you seen my son, Meri? How is he?”
“He is a wonder.” The harsh voice of the crocodile softened.
Kiya wanted to know more but Sobek turned away and with powerful strokes of his tail he ploughed a channel through the reeds and disappeared below the water.
Kiya stood and watched the ripples of his passing while she wondered how she was going to achieve the task that had been imposed upon her. She filled the jar she carried with Nile water. The first thing to do was try to enlist Dennu’s help. If he refused then she would have no option but to divorce him.
Kiya and the God of Chaos Page 106
