by Scott Peters
The man in the expensive tunic said something to Hui.
Hui nodded, his expression blank and controlled.
On shore, Kat darted down the water-steps.
"Hui!" she shouted. She cupped her hands around her mouth. "HUI!"
Everyone in the boat turned.
On land, Zet dove behind the stone Sphinx. From his hiding spot, he watched Hui's eyes fasten onto Kat's face. If he recognized her, he showed no sign of it.
"Hui!" Kat shouted again, and waved wildly. "Hey!"
In the boat, Hui made no response. Instead, he simply turned away and stared straight ahead.
Clearly stunned, Kat let her arm drop. She watched the boat drift out of view. Then she turned to Zet.
"Did you see that?" she cried.
Zet nodded, mute.
"He didn't even know who I was! Did you see his face? He didn't recognize me."
"Maybe he couldn't see you clearly," Zet said, wishful.
"Of course he could! He looked right at me! Maybe he was hypnotized." She gulped. "Or possessed."
At this, Zet looked skyward. "Possessed? Come on." That was so like her, to think up something crazy.
"Well if he wasn't possessed or hypnotized, then—" She broke off. "Hey, wait, what were you hiding for?"
"Hiding?"
"Yes, hiding. When I turned around just then, you were all ducked down behind the Sphinx."
Zet rubbed his neck. It was gritty with dust and sweat. He wiped his palm on his kilt. "Well, here's the thing." He knew she'd be mad he'd kept it secret, but plunged ahead. "I went to try and visit Hui last night and it was all weird over there."
"Why didn't you tell me before?"
"Because we have other stuff to worry about. Look, I don't want to argue. Do you want to hear what happened or not?"
She snapped her mouth shut.
"They have this big black gate at the workshop, which is locked. And when I yelled to see if anyone was around, that thug in the boat came out and put me in a headlock for asking if I could visit Hui."
"He put you in a headlock?"
Zet showed her the bruises. "You weren't wondering where I got these?"
Kat's face had gone pale. "Not really. I mean, you're always getting bruises and stuff. Oh my gosh, Zet, that's totally creepy." She wound her fingers together. "Maybe he was hypnotized."
"I don't know . . . Maybe he's just busy with his new life. Maybe they don't like visitors over there."
Kat knit her brows together.
Zet hated to say it, but felt he had to. "Maybe Hui just doesn't want us around."
"That's ridiculous! Listen to what you're saying! Hui?"
Zet shrugged. "Maybe he's changed."
"Into a totally different person?" Kat demanded.
His eyes went to the boat, tiny now in the distance. It was true, that sure wasn't the Hui he knew—zany best friend and famous neighborhood trickster. Hui could throw his voice so it sounded like it came from a rooftop, or a doorway, or a window, among other crazy skills. That stiff Hui looked like he'd never stolen his mom's face paints and given himself fake bloody gashes and black eyes. He looked like he'd never jumped out and terrified Kat. But he had, a lot, and it had been totally hilarious.
Zet rubbed his face. "I don't know," he said. "Look, let's just go back to the stall. It's getting late."
She nodded, biting her lip. "I'm not hungry anymore, anyway."
"Hey," Zet said, trying to sound brighter than he felt. "You know what, I'm sure there's some explanation. Don't worry about it. Hui is Hui. He's probably got some scheme going on, and we'll find out about it eventually. Right?"
She let out a little laugh. "If Hui was just teasing me right then, pretending not to know me, I'll kill him!"
From out of nowhere came a horrible thought:
If someone else doesn't kill him first.
Chapter Four
The Letter
Shadows closed over the city streets as evening fell. Alleys grew dark, doorways even darker. Overhead, red streaks stained the sky. Cool air brushed Zet's neck. He shivered, and walked a little quicker.
"Where are we going?" Kat asked, running to catch up.
"To talk to Hui's mom."
He rounded another corner and spotted Hui's house up ahead. It was two blocks from theirs. A lamp flared in the window. Even from outside, the chatter and shouts of Hui's little brothers—Akiki, Sefu and Moss—could be heard.
Zet and Kat mounted the steps and knocked on the wooden door.
"Coming!" called Hui's mom, Delilah.
She opened the door, looking cheerful as ever. Normally plump, now she was hugely pregnant. Her cheeks were flushed. Her hair, which she wore in ringlets, had a smudge of bread flour next to one ear. Her grin widened at the sight of them.
"Kat, Zet, hello!"
"Hi!" they said.
Instantly, Zet felt relieved. Obviously, everything was fine with Hui. His mom didn't look the least worried. Behind her, Akiki and Sefu ran past shouting. Over her shoulder, Zet spotted Moss climbing a ladder. Moss got his feet into the rungs, hung himself upside-down, and waved at Zet.
"Get down from there, Moss!" Delilah said, without even turning around.
Moss slipped and landed with a crunch and a wail. She went over, dusted Moss off, and set him on his feet.
"You'd better come in, and close the door," she said.
They did.
"I wanted to see if you heard from Hui," Zet said.
They followed her through the house, which somehow always had scrubbed floors despite the piles of wooden toys everywhere. In the kitchen, she gave a delicious smelling pot-full-of-something a stir.
"Got a letter yesterday!" she said.
"You did?" Zet asked, baffled. If Hui had written to her, why not to him and Kat? Was his friend mad at them for some reason? It didn't make sense. "And he's okay?"
"Why wouldn't he be?" She pushed curls from her face and wrinkled her forehead.
Zet's fingers went unconsciously to his bruised neck, where Snaggletooth had grabbed it with his meaty hands. "I'm sure he is! That's not what I meant, I just wondered if he's happy. What did he say?"
"Actually, the letter wasn't from him." She paused. "Is something going on I should know about?"
Zet and Kat shot each other a quick glance.
"No," Zet said quickly. "It's just, we haven't heard from him, that's all."
"Well, if it makes you feel any better, neither have I. Not directly. It was a formal letter inviting me to what they call the six-month visit. It's very structured over there. But he's just busy, you know how things are, fitting in at a new place."
"There's a six-month visit? When are you going?" Zet asked.
"I'm not, unfortunately."
"Why not?" Zet and Kat said at the same time.
"Look at me, I could never walk to the other end of Thebes like this. It's too far. And besides—"
Moss shot past, shouting and holding a wooden horse high overhead, with Akiki and Sefu in pursuit.
"As you can see, it would be difficult, to say the least," she said with a laugh.
"But you have to go!" Zet said.
"He'll be expecting you!" Kat cried. "He hasn't seen his family for six months! And it's not like he's in another city, he's right here! Think of how sad he'll be if you don't show up."
"Exactly." Zet crossed his arms over his chest. "I bet he'll be the only kid without a visitor."
At this, Delilah's cheeks flushed. Zet cringed, regretting his last comment.
"I'll stay here," Kat said, "And babysit."
"And you can lean on me," Zet said. "I'll help you walk there."
Some adults might have gotten mad at them by now. But Delilah wasn't like most adults. She threw her arms in the air.
"You kids will be the end of me!" she cried. "But fine. All right. I'll go!"
"Yippee!" Zet said.
"And I'm going to do it in style. I'm going to hire a litter to carry me." She held her
belly with one hand. "The gods know I don't indulge in luxury much. So why not?" She smiled, but then looked suddenly concerned. "I don't know, though, Kat. Are you sure you're up for the chaos?"
"Of course!" Kat said, and gulped.
Zet was relieved as they worked out the details. They left Hui's house and headed home. Soon, he'd get to see Hui. Then he'd know for certain what was going on.
Chapter Five
Home
Back home, the delicious scent of dinner met them as they opened the door. Zet's stomach made a ferocious growl.
Kat laughed.
Having skipped lunch, he was starved. "I could eat a hippo!"
"Gross!" Kat said. "I bet it would be really chewy."
At this, he grinned.
"Dinner's on the table!" their mother called.
Moments later, the whole family was seated on cushions—Zet, Kat, their mother and baby brother, Apu. They didn't talk. They were too busy stuffing their mouths. Their mother had splurged and made a roast goose, along with a salad of sliced fennel and onions in a tangy lemon dressing. For dessert, there were soft, ripe dates stuffed with honey roasted almonds.
Finally, Zet groaned and leaned back, full.
"That was so good."
"Long day?" their mother said, smiling and clearly pleased at his enjoyment of her cooking.
Zet nodded, his mind roaming to his problems at the stall. He and Kat hadn't told their mother about the angry customers, and how the pottery hadn't arrived. They didn't want to worry her. But it had come to the point where he needed her advice. She knew the people at the pottery guild better than he did. She'd been there often, first with their father, and more recently with Zet and Kat.
"There's something I wanted to ask you about," Zet said.
He glanced at Kat, who bit her lip.
"What is it?" their mother said. "Is something wrong?"
Zet began to explain. It all came tumbling out in a rush; how the orders had been placed and paid for by the women, how Zet had paid the potters with their remaining savings, and how the orders hadn't come.
"We'll have to repay the women," Zet said.
"And they're spreading terrible rumors," Kat added. "People might stop buying from us! And everyone in the market is angry with us, too. We might even lose the stall."
"I wish you'd told me earlier!" their mother said. "It's getting so close to the festival!"
"I know . . . we just, I thought we could handle it," Zet said, coloring.
"Oh dear." She looked upset. Worried. She stood abruptly and carried the dishes to the kitchen.
Zet and Kat hurried to clear the rest.
"Well," their mother said. "At least you've told me. For now, you'll just have to tell the women they can choose a second set of dishes. Either they'll get their orders, or we'll deliver the second set. And when their orders do eventually come, which they will, they can keep both sets."
"Both sets!" Zet gasped. "Do you realize how much—"
"That's my decision. It's better to take the loss and keep our reputation, don't you think?"
Zet nodded, mute. What good was a reputation, if they went out of business?
Kat's face had gone pale. She kept the records of trade. She knew they could never afford that.
"Don't worry." Their mother pulled them both close. "It will all work out." She kissed the top of their heads. "My guess is the shipment will arrive in the morning. You two go to work, and I'll take Apu on a little outing to where the pottery guild docks their boat. If they're not there, I'll find out what's happened. All right?"
Zet let out a huge sigh. "Okay."
A short time later, Zet climbed the ladder to the roof. He and Kat liked to sleep up there on hot nights. He lay down on his pallet and stared up at the river of twinkling stars.
Somewhere in the distance, a jackal howled. Hairs prickled along Zet's arms. Usually, the vicious animals didn't come into the city. It had to be lost. Or maddened. Or crazy.
Or possessed by Anubis, the jackal-headed god of the underworld.
Thoughts of Hui and Snaggletooth and the angry women swirled in his head.
He groaned and rolled over, and soon fell into a restless sleep.
In his dreams, a pair of wild jackals with glowing red eyes chased him into a dead end. The two animals were huge, with slathering teeth. Cornered, Zet tried to climb to freedom. The walls were slippery.
He was trapped.
He had to get out!
The two jackals inched closer and closer, eyes like flaming coals, enjoying his panic.
Chapter Six
Chilling News
The following day dawned bright and hot.
On their way to work, Zet and Kat passed dozens of unusually silent people sweeping and polishing door-handles, and burning fragrant incense cones to perfume the air. Everyone liked to spruce up their homes and entrances for the Opet Festival. The city's stone streets gleamed as they always did at this time of year.
Despite that, it felt as if an unseen darkness hung over the city.
And the dark feeling had nothing to do with Zet and Kat's problems.
People were acting downright strange. He passed a man painting a protection symbol on his front door, and chanting what sounded like a spell. Had he heard the jackal in the city last night, too?
Farther along, a woman opened her door and peeked left and right before stepping outside with her marketing basket. Her fingers clutched the handle so tightly, her knuckles looked white.
Zet shot Kat a questioning look. She shrugged.
"Weird," she whispered.
But that wasn't as weird as the sight that met them when they first entered their marketplace. A new stall stood near the entrance. The stall owner was a stooped man, with thick black hair and large, bloodshot eyes. Protection amulets of every kind swung from his awning. There were oil lamps with strange symbols Hyksos spirits probably; heady, acrid-smelling incense burned, and he was stirring liquid in a pot and chanting.
The chant sounded a lot like the one the man had been chanting outside his door.
"Who are you?" Zet asked, approaching. "What is all this stuff?"
The man's bulging eyes fastened on Zet. "I am Akar. And it is well that you ask, my boy," he said. "I take it you haven't heard the news."
"What news?" Zet said.
A slow, oily smile spread over Akar's features. "An evil army of spirits is coming."
"An evil army of spirits?" Kat gasped. "What kind of evil army of spirits?"
Zet frowned at the bug-eyed man.
"The dead souls of Hyksos invaders!" Akar said.
"That's ridiculous," Zet said.
"Is it? Already, they're creeping into town. Stirring up trouble. Casting dark dreams. Can't you feel it, children?"
"No. I can't," Zet said. But he suddenly remembered his jackal dream.
Kat grabbed Zet's wrist and whispered, "Maybe that's why our pottery hasn't come! And why Hui's acting so strange!"
Zet turned to the bug-eyed man. "And what are these spirits supposedly doing?"
"My boy, don't you know? There have been thefts. A large number of them. They're stealing scarab amulets. All the golden, jeweled ones they can find. And you know how important scarabs are to Egypt. They ensure long life. They ensure birth. Creation. Balance. Be afraid! Very afraid."
Zet glared at him. "A spirit army, stealing golden scarabs? Sounds more like a jewel thief to me."
"Careful," Akar said. "And stay out of the streets at night!"
Zet took Kat's elbow, before she could hear any more. It was exactly the kind of stuff she'd believe. He propelled her across the square.
"Come on, we have to open up," he said.
"But Zet—" she said.
"You're the most logical person I know. So why do you fall for all that stuff?"
"It could be true. The Hyksos spirits probably are mad. And you know they can't be burying the enemy Hyksos soldiers properly, with the war going on. They're not going to
the afterlife. They're restless, and wandering, and want revenge. And what better time to take revenge than now? During the festival? When tons of people are in town, and Pharaoh and the royal family plan to make their procession and everything."
Zet grimaced. He hadn't thought of that.
"I'm not saying it's not possible," Zet said. "But there could be dozens of explanations for the scarab thefts. A spirit army is the last one I'd worry about."
As they made for their stall, Zet considered paying a visit to the medjay police.
Merimose, the head medjay, had become a friend. Zet had helped him solve the Mystery of the Missing Scroll, and had even earned a reward for doing so. It didn't mean Merimose would share restricted information, but there was a chance Zet could learn more about the thefts.
Because at the mention of stolen jewels, even though he hadn't said it out loud, his mind had gone right to Hui and the Kemet jewelry workshop.
Maybe he could escape and drop by the station for a few moments sometime during the day.
When they got to the stall, he realized there would be no time. As soon as they opened up, things got busy. Customers jammed the square. Zet and Kat had to focus on sales. And maintaining the shreds of their dying reputation.
If nothing else, tomorrow was the day he'd be visiting Hui. At least then he'd be able to see his best friend in person. He doubted Kat's crazy fears that Hui had been hypnotized, or worse, possessed. But he did want to know why Hui had pretended not to recognize her, and why Snaggletooth had attacked Zet just for asking about him.
That evening, they headed home, hoping to hear good news from their mother.
Zet prayed in silence, all the way. Please, let her have found out about the shipment!
Instead of good news, however, they found her packing.
"Where are you going?" Zet and Kat cried.
"Down river, to find out what went wrong."
"But right now?" Kat said, looking frightened.
Zet knew Kat was worried about being left in the city with the demon army coming.
Their mother nodded. "I know you can manage on your own. I'm leaving with baby Apu at sunrise tomorrow."
