by Scott Peters
The polished rail was incredibly slippery. His wet hands found purchase on the bow where the rope had been tied. Feet kicking, he clambered up the hull, climbed over the ledge, and landed with a wet thunk.
He lay, breathing hard, waiting to see if anyone would come investigating.
Someone laughed inside the canopy, and glasses clinked together.
Quietly, he undid the rope from his waist. On hands and knees, Zet crawled forward and found the first oar. He slid it gently over the side. One down, three to go. He found the second and third easily, and worked his way around the tent to find the fourth.
The party inside was seated just on the other side of the thin fabric. His heart pounded. The oar was on its side, and part of the paddle was wedged under the tent. He'd have to pull it out. Zet heard Pharaoh's name mentioned.
"We will see a new Egypt," the High Priest said.
"Indeed," answered a male voice.
Zet got his fingers around the oar and began to slowly pull it toward him.
The man kept talking. "And I presume you'll want more than compensation?"
"Only what Your Eminence deems just, of course," said the High Priest.
The man laughed. "Such modesty does not become you."
He had it. He had the paddle! Zet swung it wide. He didn't mean to let it go so quickly, but it flew out over the water and landed with a splash.
That’s when the alarm when up. The servants on the shore shouted. The four people under the enclosed canopy ran out on deck. The High Priest spotted Zet first. His eyes narrowed, but then flew open as recognition dawned.
"You!" he cried.
Zet backed away. He turned, climbed over the rail and jumped into the water.
"Get that boy!" the High Priest shouted.
"Where are my oars?" cried the man next to him. "Get an oar and row!"
Zet was swimming clear of the boat as fast as he could.
"They're in the water," cried the woman. "We're drifting!"
There came the splash of bodies as the four guards on shore plunged into the river. Zet scanned the waterfront, hoping desperately for a glimpse of Kat. The boat had floated out a good distance, but the servants were surprisingly strong swimmers. Zet dogpaddled toward an oar and grabbed hold of it for protection. The instant he had it, though, he knew it would be of little use. It was too unwieldy.
"He's over here! This way," shouted the boat's owner, guiding his men toward Zet's position.
Zet was quickly losing strength. He saw the nearest man approach. Water streamed off the man's thick shoulders. His muscles flexed with each powerful stroke. A scar ran across the man's shaved head, and his nose looked like it had been broken a dozen times.
Maybe if he swam around the boat, the other way! Maybe he could buy some time.
He dogpaddled in terror, glancing back at the man closing in.
The man grinned, showing a mouth full of broken teeth.
"No point, boy," he said.
Zet saw what he meant. Another guard cut across the water from the stern.
The powerful man reached him and they struggled. The servant easily pushed him under, holding him down until Zet thought his lungs would burst. Somehow, he bit the man's arm. Hard. The hand released him.
Zet popped to the surface, gasping, his lungs on fire.
The huge guard grabbed for him again, but Zet found the oar and punched it toward the man's ribs. It hit home so hard the man grunted, momentarily winded.
His score was short lived. From behind, strong arms grabbed him in a headlock and shoved him down. He had barely a second to gulp a mouthful of air before he was pushed under water. He fought, kicking out, knowing every move he made robbed him of precious oxygen. Through the silty water, he could see nothing. Then he felt something hard brush his shoulder. The side of the boat.
With his last burst of life, he kicked free of the man and swam down deep. Using his hands, the felt the underside of the boat, maneuvering himself under it. He needed to breath! By the gods, if he didn't breathe soon, his life would slip away.
He felt a blackness hovering behind his eyes. Water, all around. Warm, liquid death, clasping him in its powerful embrace.
There was no escape.
Without air, there was no life.
Chapter Twenty-two
Under Moonlight
Hands barely aware, they moved upward. Searching. Through his delirium, some part of him knew he'd reached the far side of the boat. He was rising. He could see the surface. The beautiful, shiny surface, with the round yellow moon glowing warmly overhead.
And then he broke through.
Gasping and gasping.
"There he is! There's the rat! Get him!"
With arms like lead, Zet struggled shoreward.
Two men closed around him.
And a whistle sounded from shore.
"This is the medjay!" a man shouted. "I repeat, this is the medjay! Bring the boat in immediately!"
A thick arm wrapped around Zet's torso.
"Not a word," the man growled.
As long as he didn't push Zet under a third time, he was more than willing to comply. He was too exhausted to fight.
"We’re drifting!" came the boat owner's reply. "We have no paddles!"
"Stay as you are. We'll come out to you."
There was a hasty argument on board. Meanwhile Zet could see men running down the shore to where several papyrus skiffs had been pulled out of the water. He saw a smaller form in a white short dress, and knew it was Kat. She'd done it. She'd brought medjay. Lots of medjay. With the reflected moonlight, everything looked bright and eerie, a sick, bluish green.
"Forget the boy," said the boat's owner. "Get those paddles and get us out of here!"
The burly servant abandoned Zet, giving him one last shove. Then he and the other men scrambled through the water and pulled themselves on board.
"Hurry! Paddle. They're coming!"
"Stay as you are!" shouted the medjay, powering his skiff through the water.
At this, the boat owner seemed to realize it was no use trying to get away.
"We're trying to row to shore," he called. "A boy sabotaged our party! He threw our oars overboard."
Zet's legs were giving way under him. He swallowed a mouthful of briny water. He couldn't tread much longer.
Two hands grabbed him under his shoulders. He was hauled onto a skiff, his drenched clothes scraping over the woven papyrus. He lay coughing and sputtering.
The medjay who pulled him on board shouted, "You are ordered to stay as you are!"
"We've done nothing wrong! Give us our oars, and let us continue our evening in peace."
"We cannot do that. Your Eminence, we have orders to search your ship. Tell your guards to stand down, or you will all be taken prisoners immediately. We have you surrounded."
And indeed, they did. Zet struggled upright.
The medjay had paddled six skiffs out. Every man was armed with clubs and swords.
When Zet saw the face of the man who'd saved him, he started in shock.
"Merimose!" Zet said in disbelief. "But you were supposed to be—"
"I know." Merimose tapped his skull. "A bit of ingenuity on my part. I wanted them to think I was out of town. I just had no idea where the deal would take place. Thanks to you, we made it."
"So you knew they'd stolen the plans to Pharaoh's palace?"
"Actually, no. But we did get a tip that something like this might be in the works. And we still don't have that precious scroll."
The skiffs had reached the side of the Rose Bark. They tied up along its sloping rail.
"This is an outrage," said the High Priest.
"I'll have you all excommunicated," said the boat's owner. "Do you know who I am?"
"I do, Your Eminence," said Merimose. "And I apologize deeply. But I am under orders to search your ship. And I must do my duty. I'm sure you understand?"
"No. I don't understand. This is my boat. You have no righ
t to come and disturb me!"
"I have every right. I am here on Pharaoh's orders."
And with that, the men swarmed on board.
Zet watched the chaos that ensued. The tent was dismantled. Objects were systematically searched from one end to the other, while the High Priest, the thin-man, and the one they called Your Eminence, stood under guard. The woman cowered in fear near the stern. She'd begun sobbing softly, the beautiful beaded wig hiding her delicate face. Her dress billowed around her like the wings of a caged bird.
Zet saw her hand move, pulling something from the folds of her dress. It was white and rolled into a tight scroll, and blended with her clothing so well he couldn't quite understand what she was doing. She leaned closer to the rail, her other hand over her sobbing face.
"She has it!" Zet shouted. "The girl!"
Everyone turned.
The girl was no longer sobbing. Instead she stood and flung the papyrus as hard as she could out over the water.
With his last burst of strength, Zet dove in after it. Barely a corner had touched the surface when he grabbed hold and lifted the thick paper skyward. He struggled back to the skiff and climbed on board. He had to see. He had to make sure.
He found a cloth on the bottom of the boat and dried his hands. Then, holding one edge carefully so as not to drip on it, he unrolled the papyrus just one hand's width. He stared down at the black, neatly made diagram. Even from what he could see, it was obviously huge and detailed, with numbers and floor plans. He recognized the front entrance, where he'd stood and tried to speak to Pharaoh. It was, without doubt, the complete layout of the Great One's palace.
"This is it!" Zet shouted.
On board, Merimose ordered the three men and the woman bound.
"What is this? We've done nothing wrong!"
"You are under arrest for treason, and conspiring to kill the Pharaoh."
Chapter Twenty-Three
When Camels Fly
They'd done it. They'd truly done it. Zet whooped as waves of relief washed over him. On shore, his sister was leaping from foot to foot. She screamed with joy when Zet stumbled, dripping, onto the water-steps.
"Good job," he told her. "You did it. You brought them."
"I'm sorry it took so long! I couldn't find anyone! They'd all gone to the temple. They had it surrounded. They wouldn't come away!"
Merimose approached. "Not until Kat told me she was your sister," he said. "Then we came running. That's for sure."
"So does that mean I'll get my reward?" Zet asked. He sure needed it!
The medjay laughed. He clapped Zet on the back. "I misjudged you. Clearly, I shouldn't have set the price so high! I should've known a persistent one like you wouldn't stop until he got his pay." But the man was smiling from ear to ear. "Of course you will. I'll be happy to pay it. You and your sister here deserve every bit of it. Come tomorrow morning. I'll be waiting."
"Actually, there's one more favor I have to ask," Zet said.
Merimose glanced skyward. "Oh no. Here we go with the bargaining. I never was much good at bargaining." But he was grinning. "Go ahead."
"It's about a friend of ours. He was arrested earlier today." Zet told Merimose about Padus.
Merimose nodded. "I'm on my way. He'll be free within the hour."
"We better go too. We need to find our mother," Zet said. "She's waiting for us." And then, realizing how good it sounded, he added, "We need to go home."
It was a happy reunion when they returned to the Hearing Ear Chapel and told their mother they were safe. She was proud when she learned that Zet and Kat had stopped a plot to kill Pharaoh, and added that their father, a fighting soldier himself, couldn't ask for anything better for Egypt.
The only thing Zet and Kat hadn't told her about was the ruined stall. They'd be getting their reward, but it would be nowhere near enough to buy back the stock they'd lost. They'd have to start small. It was going to be a hard road, especially given the times.
The following morning, their mother insisted Zet and Kat dress in their finest to accept the reward. So, cleaned and wearing a fresh linen tunic, Zet headed out the door. Beside him, Kat's hair shone in two thick black plaits, and she wore a white dress with a colored sash around her waist and her mother's necklace made of painted wooden beads.
They giggled at the sight of each other.
"I feel stupid," Zet said.
"And I feel pretty. Come on, let's run!"
At the head office, they stepped up the stairs and through the door. A cheer went up. Everywhere Zet looked, men in uniform were on their feet, clapping. People stepped forward to congratulate the two of them. Zet's heart swelled with relief. He and his sister shared a glance of amazement.
Merimose bowed low and handed them the deben.
"I may not have seen a camel fly," Merimose said, "But I have witnessed bravery that was even more astonishing. This will not be forgotten. Thank you."
When they finally left, Zet felt as if he were humming with gratitude. They'd survived. They walked through the streets. There was someone they needed to visit.
Before long, the familiar curtain came into view.
Padus stood outside on the stoop. He wore his mismatched sandals. His face spread into a huge grin at the sight of them. The three piled inside, and Zet and Kat took turns telling what happened after Padus had been hauled away.
Ama brought tea and bread.
"And what happened in jail? Did they hurt you?" Kat wanted to know.
"I was fine. They held me in a room, but so much effort was being put into the search that the men mostly ignored me."
Zet took out the bag with the reward. "That reminds me. We wanted to share this with you. Because if it wasn't for your help, we'd be dead. And if it wasn't for me seeing you that day, we'd never have this at all."
Padus shook his head and held up a calloused hand. "I won't hear of it!"
"No, children," Ama said. "We are fine. And you have your stall to think of."
"Well, there is someone else then, that we want to give some of the reward to," Zet said.
Padus raised his brows, curious.
"The old woman by your field," Kat said.
"Old woman?" Padus looked puzzled. "What old woman?"
"The blind one. She stays out by the entrance."
"I've never seen a blind woman by my field."
Now it was Zet and Kat's turn to look puzzled.
"But she was there, twice. We visited her." Zet stood. "We'd better go now to find her. Maybe she's already wandering somewhere else. I'd hate to miss her."
Taking their leave, they headed out the door. Zet and Kat made their way mostly in silence. There was so much to think about. So much had happened, it felt like months had passed, rather than just a few short days.
They left the city behind and wandered along the dirt road. Soon the papyrus stand came into view, tall and weaving in the gentle breeze.
The depression in the grass where they'd sat with the old woman still remained, but there was no sign of her. Together they wandered up the road for some time, searching, hoping desperately to find her. No one had seen her. No one remembered the blind old woman who'd been so kind to Zet and Kat.
Kat brushed away a few tears. "I so wanted to find her."
"I know," Zet said. "I did too. We'll come looking again. Maybe she'll turn up."
Despite the joy they'd felt, they headed home with heavy hearts. Zet hated to think of the woman, alone somewhere.
They were met by a commotion in their alley. It seemed like hundreds of guards filled the street, although there may have only been twenty or thirty. A beautifully decorated litter lay outside their front door. Next to it, a dozen litter bearers stood at attention.
Zet and Kat eyed them in astonishment, and ran up the front steps.
Chapter Twenty-Four
An Unexpected Guest
Inside, their mother looked flushed and breathless. She sat at their dinner table, and cups had been laid out. Acro
ss the table, seated on Zet's plump cushion, sat the little old woman.
Instead of rags, however, she was dressed in royal colors. A sumptuous gown flowed from her thin shoulders.
"Is that you, children?" she said, turning her blind eyes toward them.
"Yes," said Zet. "But you are—"
"The Royal Mother. Yes. Come, sit by me and I will explain."
She told them of how she'd feared for her son's life. She'd heard the rumors, and had sent her men everywhere, but no one knew for certain who led the plot. She'd had the High Priest followed. And so, when she learned the High Priest had gone to the field and met the thin-man, she asked to be brought there herself, that night. She too believed they might come back to cover their tracks, and she wanted to confront them herself.
"But I met you instead!" she said.
"Why did you come back and eat with us the next day?" Kat cried. "You are the Royal Mother, and we are just children."
"I couldn't turn down such a kind offer," she said softly.
And he knew she meant it.
"When I said you'd made me a happy woman, I meant it. That was one of the loveliest days in memory."
They reminisced about it, telling their mother how they'd eaten bowls of leftovers. Their mother laughed, amazed.
"You are a good cook!" the Royal Mother said. "I've still been dreaming of that chickpea salad. You'll have to give me the recipe!"
"Still, it wasn't safe," Zet said. "What if someone recognized you?"
"My guards were all around me. Hidden in the field."
Zet shook his head, amazed. "But why didn't you just arrest the thin-man. Or the High Priest? Or search the temple? Why wait?"
"How could we? The High Priest cannot be touched by regular laws. And how could we accuse him? On what evidence? He was a very cunning man. As for the thin-man, there seemed to be little point. It was better to let him go. We hoped he would lead us to some kind of answer. The only way we could succeed was to catch the High Priest in the act."
