by Scott Peters
Chapter Seven
Underway
The next morning fell on a market-closing day. It was still dark when Zet and Kat saw their mother off at the dock.
"You were lucky to find a boat, Ma'am," said the steersman who helped her on board. "Everyone is hired out because of the festival."
"But you weren't?" Zet asked him.
"I was, but fortunate for you, the fellow who hired me canceled. Now don't you kids worry, I'll take good care of your mother here," he said.
The man leapt into the boat, cast off the ropes and poled the boat away from shore. Moments later, their mother and baby Apu looked tiny as they waved goodbye and disappeared in the river traffic.
A flash of sunlight shot over the horizon, painting the world red.
"We better run if we want to get to Hui's house on time," Zet said.
As the sun rose higher, so did his mood. Finally, they were putting an end to the stall's problems! His mother would get to the bottom of this, he was sure of it. Meanwhile, in a short while, he'd get to see Hui, and all his questions would be answered.
He and Kat were grinning and laughing by the time they reached Hui's house.
A fancy looking litter rested on the street just outside the door. It was made of two long poles, with a covered seating area in the middle, and linen drapes on either side. Two large men in leather sandals stood waiting next to it.
"Sorry we're late!" Zet shouted, spotting Delilah.
Delilah's eyes were twinkling. "Not to worry. I knew you'd come! Shall we go?"
And so they were off, leaving Kat with a houseful of three rowdy boys.
Zet trotted after the two men and their swaying contraption, letting the litter bearers lead the way.
Despite the heat, the two men moved with a minimum of effort. Their breath flowed in regular rhythm. Their footsteps made a light patter. Only a telltale line of sweat down the closest man's back showed how much work was involved in holding Delilah steady. High on their shoulders, the litter seemed to almost float down the street. A very pregnant Delilah, meanwhile, lounged like royalty amongst the pillows.
The small group cut down twisting back streets. Zet was shown all sorts of shortcuts through the city.
After thirty minutes or so, they reached the edge of the artisan quarter. The tannery with its foul smells greeted them with such force that Delilah coughed in the acrid air and Zet shielded his nose and mouth with his arm.
Further on, he glanced sideways through an open door, into a room that glowed red and billowed heat. Inside, a man stood next to a forge, banging a long metal blade into shape over a stone. Zet slowed to watch. The roof was open to the sky. Sparks wound upward, twirling into the morning air.
He was falling behind, and ran to catch up to the litter.
The delicious aroma of baking bread stopped him short. He spotted the bakeshop and his stomach roared. Beyond a curtained entryway, plump loaves of date-studded bread stood on open shelves. He loved date bread!
"Here we are, madam," said one of the litter bearers.
Zet spun to see them put the litter down. They were there? Then he realized that they really had reached the Kemet Workshop.
But it looked different.
A bright carpet had been laid at the entrance. Two slim male servants stood to greet them. They were expensively dressed: blinding white tunics, a large turquoise pin at each man's shoulder, gold bands on their wrists, and braided reed sandals. Only the tattoos on the palms of their hands marked them as Kemet's servants.
There was no sign of Snaggletooth. As for the horrible black gate with its creepy, knife-like points on top—well, it was hidden in shadow. All pressed back against the inner wall, so no one could see.
Zet stared.
"You are here to visit an apprentice, my lady?" the nearest servant asked.
"My son, Hui," Delilah said.
"Then welcome to you. Please, let me help you," he said.
"Thank you." Delilah took his hand and stepped out onto the carpet. She'd brought a sack of things for Hui, and reached down to lift it out.
"I'll take that for you," the closest servant said.
"Don't worry yourself, I can manage."
"As you wish, my lady," the servant said, and bowed. There was a note of disapproval in his voice, as if he thought her coarse for wanting to carry her own bag. "Please, enter."
Clearly excited at the promise of seeing Hui, Delilah moved past him, into the narrow entrance.
Zet started to follow, but the servant sprang in front of him with surprising speed. The man stretched out both gold-braceleted arms and barred Zet's way.
"I'm with her," Zet said.
"You are Hui's brother?"
"His best friend."
"It is not allowed."
Chapter Eight
An Unwelcoming
Zet's hands unconsciously formed into fists as he stared in surprise at the servant blocking his way.
"What do you mean, it's not allowed?" Delilah said. "He's with me."
The servant frowned. "As I said—"
"I heard what you said, young man. Where's Kemet?"
"Madam, please. Those are the rules."
"I want to speak to Kemet. Immediately."
"Madam! But he's—"
"Now." Delilah was usually the kindest, gentlest person around. But threaten anyone close to her and she turned into a lioness. Her cheeks had turned that angry shade of red that meant someone was about to be in big trouble. Zet, Kat and Hui were all terrified of that look. Her being pregnant didn't help matters.
The servant shuffled his feet, and glanced at the man next to him.
"Young man, did you not hear me?" Delilah said.
"Hear what?" came a pleasant voice from the dark doorway beyond.
Everyone turned as a man emerged from the shadows. He was a little shorter than average, and laugh lines radiated around his gray-blue eyes.
"What's seems to be the trouble, my lady?"
"I want to speak with Kemet."
"I am he."
Zet stared. It was the man in the boat! The rich man who'd been speaking to Hui.
Today Kemet wore an expensive looking gold-bordered tunic, but on close inspection, it was clear he'd seen a lot of hard work. Burn scars dotted his arms and wrists, no doubt from melting and shaping hot metal. Zet's eyes went to Kemet's fingers and he stifled a gasp.
Kemet may have worked hard once, but he couldn't make jewelry anymore; the craftsman's hands were swollen and curled into useless, gnarled claws.
Ignoring Zet, Kemet's smile widened as he approached.
"Welcome to you, my lady. And how may I be of assistance?"
Delilah wrapped her arms around herself. "I'm Delilah. I'm here to visit my son, and your servant won't let my companion in!"
"I see. And this is your companion?" he asked, nodding at Zet.
"Yes. Zet's like a son to me. And I brought him to help me." She clutched one hand to her belly. "Not that I should even have to explain! What kind of place is this?"
Kemet laughed. "I see you've never visited a jeweler's workshop before. We simply need to be cautious given the wealth of materials we handle. But come in, both of you." He waved them forward. "This way."
The servant scowled at Zet and took up his post at the gate once again.
Turning his back on him, Zet followed the crippled owner. All was silent as they headed for the shadowed door at the far end of the narrow entranceway. When they reached it, Kemet stood back and let them enter.
Zet found himself in a cool, dark hallway. He squinted, waiting for his eyes to adjust.
"I'm going to assume you're trustworthy," Kemet said, close at his elbow.
"I don't even have pockets," Zet said. "Even if I wanted to steal something. Which I don't."
"You'd be surprised at the creative way people have of hiding things. But enough of that unpleasant topic. All our boys are in the forecourt. They're quite excited to have the day off," Kemet said,
leading them ahead. "Hui is eager to see you, my lady."
"Is my son happy here?" Delilah asked.
"Very. He's my star-apprentice," Kemet said.
She flushed and smiled. "Really?"
"He's the best I've ever seen."
It was clear Kemet meant it. Zet couldn't help feeling impressed.
They passed an open door. Inside, Zet spotted forges blackened with use. In the next room, racks of shelves held a dizzying array of tools. Further, he glanced into a room and saw dozens of shelves stacked with stoppered containers of various sizes.
Kemet was suddenly at his side. "Like I said, expensive materials." He waved at the jars. "Those contain jewels and precious metals."
"Oh. Why is the door open?"
"To let our guests see the workshop. Normally we keep it locked."
"A guest could take something."
He shrugged. "It's a risk."
This seemed weird. Totally out of line with Kemet's earlier worry. They kept walking, and Zet suddenly noticed a small, narrow slot in the wall. It was so well placed, he only spotted it because something moved in the darkness beyond the hole and caught his eye.
Were they being watched?
He noticed more slots as they made their way down the corridor.
He walked past one, pretending to ignore it. At the last second, he turned, spun, and looked directly through the hole. He thought he caught the whites of someone's eyes.
Then nothing.
It was downright creepy.
They were definitely being watched.
Was it like this all day long? The idea of having eyes on him all the time made him shudder. He couldn't wait to hear what Hui said about it.
Chapter Nine
The Kemet Workshop
"Now, it's Zet isn't it?" Kemet asked, turning to him. "What about you, boy? You're not apprenticed anywhere?"
"I work for my family."
"I see."
"Oh, Zet's being modest," Delilah said with a laugh. "He runs the most popular pottery stall in Thebes."
"Indeed? You're an artist then? You make earthenware?" Kemet asked.
"Actually, no. We buy our wares from a potters' guild downriver."
"Well, we can't all be artists," Kemet said with a laugh.
Zet frowned.
"Zet might not be an artist, but he has some special talents," Delilah said. "He solves crimes. Isn't that right, Zet?"
"I guess," Zet answered with a shrug. It was the last thing he wanted to talk about, even if Kemet seemed friendly. He didn't want to put the man on guard. "Where's the forecourt?" he asked, trying to change the subject. "Are we almost there?"
"Nearly," Kemet said. But he wouldn't be thrown off so easily. "What are these crimes you've solved?"
"Nothing really. It's not that interesting."
"Not interesting?" Delilah stopped. "Zet, you saved Pharaoh's life!"
"Pharaoh?" Kemet stopped to look at him. "Indeed. Now that is something I find very interesting."
Delilah said, "Zet stopped a group of criminals from sneaking into the palace. They were going to kill Pharaoh. The city police—the medjay—even gave Zet a reward. Isn't that right, Zet?"
Kemet was watching Zet's face.
Zet shrugged. "Luck."
Kemet studied him with eyes like a serpent—cold, calculating and deadly. After a moment, he said, "Luck only favors the skilled."
Then the jeweler turned and walked quickly toward a sunny, open door.
Zet swallowed and glanced at Delilah. She didn't seem to notice anything strange in the man's behavior.
Together, they stepped from the cool hallway into the blistering light of a walled courtyard.
"The forecourt," Kemet said, gesturing.
Zet blinked in the brightness, scanning the crowded outdoor area. Tables held groups of people chatting in excited voices. It was easy to spot the trainees—each one wore a tunic with Kemet Apprentice stitched in gold hieratic script.
It took a moment to spot Hui. Then he saw him. In the farthest corner, away from the crowd, Hui sat at a table beneath a shaded awning.
Hui looked shocked to see Zet.
Zet watched his best friend quickly cover his surprise.
"Hui!" Delilah cried. One hand on her belly, she waddled at almost a run.
Zet followed more slowly. A guard stood in the corner, no more than ten paces from Hui. He had his arms crossed over his bare, barrel-shaped chest.
Snaggletooth.
The huge guard turned and spotted Zet. Zet hoped the thug wouldn't recognize him, but he was out of luck. Snaggletooth's lip curled up on one side in an ugly grin. He bent his thick, muscled arm like he was grabbing Zet in a chokehold, and flexed his bicep.
Was that supposed to be a joke? If so, it wasn't funny.
Zet kept his face like a stone mask and walked the last few paces to his friend. He wouldn't give Snaggletooth the satisfaction of seeing how freaked out he was inside.
Hui had his arms around his mom. Which wasn't easy, given the size of her belly. Still, he squeezed her for a long moment before pulling away.
"Wow, I almost started to go all sappy or something," Hui said. "Guess I've been cooped up in here too long."
Hui raised his fist, and Zet bumped his knuckles like they always did. Hui certainly didn't look hypnotized, or possessed, or anything weird like that. He looked like good old Hui. Still, it was clear Zet's best friend was guarded. His eyes seemed to shoot Zet a warning—don't mention seeing me in the boat!
Out loud, Hui said, "I can't believe you're here."
"Ha! Same," Zet said. "It's pretty boring without you around."
Hui grinned. "What, no new terror squad's replaced us?"
"What's all this about a terror squad?" Delilah said.
"Joking, Mom. We're not a terror squad." Hui winked at Zet. "Except in Kat's mind, of course."
"That reminds me, Kat sent you something," Zet said.
He reached into a fold in his tunic for the gift Kat had sent. At the mention of Kat, Hui colored a little. It was obvious he was thinking of how he'd ignored her shouts.
"Oh?" Hui said, sounding awkward.
"Yes. She sent you a clay donkey." Zet held it out.
Taking it, Hui's mouth quirked in a grin. "A donkey, huh. Now there's a message for you." His eyes twinkled. "Let me guess, she's trying to remind me I behaved horribly. Well, tell her I apologize. And it wasn't my fault, by the way."
"No, I didn't think so," Zet said, knowing they were talking about the boat. "But you seem strangely happy about her choice in presents."
In a grand, funny voice, he said, "Tell Kat I shall treasure it forever. Hui, the donkey boy. Watch this." He ducked and shielded his mouth.
A second later, the sound of a donkey braying burst from the far hallway. Everyone turned to look. One guard even darted forward, and ran halfway to the door before he realized he'd been tricked. He stopped and glanced around slowly, narrowing his eyes. Hui wore the most innocent expression imaginable.
"Hui," Delilah said in a stern voice that barely disguised a laugh. "I hope that's not how you've been behaving!"
"Never." Hui's face was solemn.
"Humph. And somehow you're still Kemet's star apprentice." But her eyes twinkled and it was obvious Delilah was glowing with pride.
Chapter Ten
Strange Business
"I should show you some of my work," Hui said. "Want to see?"
Zet and Delilah nodded. Hui unwrapped various items bundled in soft cloth.
Hui's work was incredible. Zet was seriously impressed.
There were amulets of gold, all studded with jewels. Zet thought of the new vendor in his market, and how Hui's work made those amulets look like the worst, cheapest trinkets.
"Look at this one," Delilah said with a tiny sigh. "It's beautiful."
It was a tiny gold statue of Maat, Goddess of Truth. The goddess looked ready to do her job—to greet people when they arrived in the afterlife. She
'd weigh your heart against her feather, to judge if you deserved to live for all eternity.
At a prod of Delilah's finger, the scales actually moved.
"You can take the feather off of the scale," Hui said.
"Wow!" Delilah said.
"It was my test project to be Kemet's new partner," Hui said, but colored suddenly.
"Kemet's partner? What do you mean?" Delilah said.
Hui laughed, nervous, as if he'd said something he shouldn't have. "Er . . . well, sorry, that just slipped out. Kemet's partner left recently, and so I'm doing some extra projects. That's all. Don't mention it to Kemet though, it's kind of a secret."
"All right," Delilah said, frowning.
As Zet took in this news and the strange expression on Hui's face, he flashed back to seeing Hui in the boat that afternoon. Were the special projects and the boat trip connected? Something strange was going on here. But what?
He glanced around, and couldn't help noticing just how many sentries there were. Several barrel-chested men per family. Huge and dark, as if they'd been baked in the same pottery mold. A shiver ran down his back.
"There sure are a lot of guards here," Zet said in a low voice.
Instantly, Hui's face changed. He still wore that good-humored look, but there was something serious underneath that only a good friend like Zet would detect.
"Oh, yeah," Hui said lightly. "That's the jewelers' business for you."
"I saw these creepy slots everywhere."
"Slots?" Delilah said.
But it was obvious Hui knew exactly what Zet meant. His eyes darted to Snaggletooth and back. "You know, all that guard stuff is boring." Hui's expression turned cold—a clear warning that Zet's probing questions were off limits.
Zet whispered, "Hui, I need to know if—"
Hui shook his head. Under his stiff smile was a look of sheer terror.
Zet picked up a wide, pectoral neck-collar made of such delicate links that it felt like fabric. "I mean, what I was wondering is, are you sure you're not pulling my leg? You really made all this stuff?"
