by Scott Peters
“It’s safe!” Zet called.
Princess Meritamon and Kissa peeked around the corner. A smile brightened Princess Merit’s face. On the ground, Darius moaned. His eyes fluttered open. He tried to struggle upright, and then realized he was completely bound. Zet thought the Princess might shrink back, fearful of meeting her kidnapper face-to-face.
Even if he was all trussed up.
Instead, she cheered. A wonderful, loud cheer that echoed across the plains. Kissa joined in with a laugh that lit up her face. Watching the two of them celebrate was the best reward he could ever wish for.
Then to everyone’s surprise, the donkeys brayed as if in agreement and they all started to laugh.
Finally, Hui sobered.
“We’re not in the clear yet. At least, I’m not. I’m an escaped criminal.”
“I don’t think there will be a problem,” Zet said. “Obviously Naunet hid the jewels in the river herself.”
“Jewels?” Princess Merit asked.
“It’s complicated.”
“Well, on my honor as a Princess, I swear no harm will come to you. You saved me. You and Zet are heroes.”
This cheered Hui up considerably.
“Come on, let’s head back,” Zet said.
“Good idea,” Kissa said. “The Princess needs rest and water.”
“You worry too much,” she said with a laugh.
Zet said, “Actually, speaking of worrying, we need to approach the harbor carefully. We still don’t know what happened to the medjay.” His chest clenched, thinking of Merimose, the big Commander. What would they find?
He started toward Brownie, who flicked his tail and trotted over. He hoped the animals were up for another ride. It had been a long night.
“Looks like you’ve made a friend,” Princess Merit said.
Zet stroked Brownie’s nose. “We’d be dead without these guys.”
The Princess let him help her up onto Brownie’s back. She was so easy to be around that he’d nearly forgotten who she was. But then a wave of awe swept over him and he shook his head in amazement.
The sturdy donkey set out, with Zet walking alongside. The group wound back down toward the harbor, sticking to the shadows. They stayed off the road, and took the long way around.
Princess Merit insisted on hearing the whole story, so Zet and Hui talked in low voices, telling her and Kissa everything, from the Queen Mother’s visit, to the boat ride, to Hui’s discovery of the jewels, and breaking him out of prison.
The girls listened in amazement, laughing quietly and asking questions. The only thing Zet kept to himself was Kissa’s story, and the truth about her birth. It wasn’t his to tell.
Zet and Hui left the girls hidden near some date trees and covered the last distance alone. If Hyksos soldiers had attacked, who knew what they’d find.
Pharaoh’s boat stood at anchor, white sails fluttering in the gentle breeze. In front of the boat, clustered along the harbor, stood a band of strange looking men. They wore foreign clothes, and their broad shoulders and arms were bloodied and bruised. Hui grabbed Zet's arm, his fingers like pincers. A bolt of horror shot down Zet's spine.
Hyksos warriors.
Then his eyes went to their sword belts.
They were empty.
He frowned. Suddenly, he noticed how close together the men stood. Realization dawned. This wasn't an attack. They hadn’t taken control of Pharaoh's boat. The men were tied together by ropes.
They were prisoners.
The dark head of Merimose became visible on the far side of the group. Zet's heart leaped. The captain was alive. Still, his arm was bandaged from wrist to shoulder. He looked haggard with worry.
“We’re safe!” Zet gasped, sending a prayer of thanks to the gods.
He and Hui ran back for the girls. When they returned, Merimose spun at the donkeys’ approach. When he saw the four of them, he looked like he almost sagged with relief. Then his eyes lit up with joy.
But before either Zet or Merimose could speak, there came a loud roar of delight.
The Mighty Bull appeared from between a pack of medjay. He shouted with undisguised relief at the sight of his favorite daughter. Striding forward, he lifted her from Brownie’s back and held her in his big arms as if she were a child of five, and not a grown girl.
“All right, I’m safe! Let go!” she scolded, but she was laughing.
While Pharaoh rejoiced, Zet learned from Merimose that the medjay had tracked the band of Hyksos. They’d been lying in wait for the handover. If things went wrong, they planned to kill Pharaoh, and Princess Meritamon as well. There had been a long, drawn out skirmish, and the medjay won by the skin of their teeth.
"You were wise to approach with caution. Things could have turned out much differently," Merimose said.
Zet let this sink in. They might still be running. "Then I guess we make a good team," he said.
At this, Merimose looked chagrined, but laughed.
Zet told Merimose about Darius and the others, still back at the pyramid.
Men were dispatched to round them up.
“And take the priest,” Merimose told the men. “Being Pharaoh’s holy burial place, I’m sure he'll want to be involved in purging it from the likes of those three.”
“There’s someone else,” Zet said.
Merimose gave him a quizzical look. “This is quite the morning.”
Zet felt a pang of sadness as he described the shed where they’d left Naunet. Beside him Hui was fidgeting nervously, despite the Princess's earlier assurances.
Zet said, "She was the one who stole the jewels."
"She deserves what she gets," Hui said. "Trying to frame me for her theft!"
“We’ll find her,” Merimose said.
“Thank you,” Zet said.
Merimose patted him with his good arm. “You did well.” And then he was gone.
Morning light spread warm fingers through the camp, filling it with golden light. Everyone had come out to see Pharaoh. It wasn’t often one got to stand in the presence of a living god. The camp stood at a respectful distance, watching in breathless silence.
People were talking about Princess Meritamon, too.
“Can you believe it was her all along? She visited our mess tent three times before she was kidnapped. I stood behind her in line!”
“I knew it was the Princess!” someone whispered.
“You did not, you dolt,” whispered another.
Glancing around, Zet wondered where the architect was. Then he spotted Senna in conversation with a formally dressed man. Pharaoh’s personal scribe, no doubt. Did Senna ever stop working?
“Come on,” Zet said to Hui.
They headed over.
“Ah, my runners,” Senna said. “Now, I have plenty of messages to go out today. Seeing that the Princess is found, it’s time you got to work.”
Hui opened his mouth. Nothing came out.
“Er—” Zet began, “We’d love to, but we have to get going. Home and all that.”
“Home!” Senna cried, his feathery brows waving in the breeze. “Ridiculous! Do you have any idea how much—“
Zet said, “I think I hear Commander Merimose calling us!”
He grabbed Hui’s arm and took off.
“I was joking, boys!” Senna shouted.
Zet glanced back. Senna, the old trickster, wore a toothy grin.
Chapter Thirty-one
Homeward
The morning celebration continued into breakfast. Entering the mess tent and seeing the camp’s happy faces, Zet realized he’d had no idea how unhappy and concerned people had been about the kidnapping. It would have been worse if they'd known then the Priestess was the Princess.
They were a transformed group. It was as if a hidden weight had been lifted.
“I knew you were pulling one over on me!” shouted Jafar, laughing and grabbing Zet around his shoulders and scuffing up Zet’s hair. “Not a friend of the medjay, huh?”
> Hui grinned—fat-lip and all—and was bursting with pride. With his swollen eye, he looked like a scruffy, heroic dog.
“And you, too!” Jafar shouted. “Kemet’s best young jeweler, the architect’s runner? Ha!”
They finally stumbled outside, grinning, their backs sore from so many construction workers pounding them with congratulations.
“This has been crazy. Fun, scary, exciting,” Zet said. “But you know what? I’m suddenly really looking forward to getting home.”
“Me, too,” Hui said. “Speaking of that, how exactly do we get home?”
“Good question. But before we find out, we need to visit Brownie and Gray Ears.” He pulled a handful of honeyed apricots from his pocket and grinned.
Later, they were wandering along the wharf toward their crooked tent, when the flap was thrust aside. A man in a gold embroidered tunic had Zet and Hui’s packs in his arms.
“You will follow me,” the man said. “We embark shortly.”
“I guess that’s our ride,” Zet said, glancing at Hui.
But when the man in the gold embroidered tunic led them to Pharaoh’s gangplank, bowed and motioned them on board, Zet and Hui shot each other looks of disbelief.
“Is this really happening?” Hui whispered.
“We’re going to sail into Thebes on the royal barge?” Zet whispered back.
Hui whooped, they performed their secret handshake, and Zet was about to do some completely ridiculous happy dance when he noticed Princess Meritamon on deck.
“Tell me you’ll teach me how to do that!" she said, laughing.
Zet was suddenly reminded of the day he'd seen her at the Opet festival, surrounded by people vying for her attention. He thought of her grandmother, too, and felt a rush of happiness. The Princess would be home for her party, and the world would be whole.
“All right,” Zet said, laughing.
"I’ll show it to my handmaidens. They’re far too serious all the time.”
“Maybe I could teach them a few magic tricks,” Hui added. “That would definitely lighten them up.”
The three of them glanced over at the Princess’s boat, which was getting ready to set sail and follow them south. A woman stood on deck with her arm around Kissa. It was Kissa's mother, the woman from the cell.
She spotted Zet and a grateful smile lit her eyes.
Had she told Kissa, yet? They’d have a lot to talk about.
“Kissa’s my dearest friend. I don’t want her mother to tell her,” Princess Meritamon said suddenly. “As far as I’m concerned, she’s Egyptian. But I suppose she deserves the truth.”
Lunch and dinner on board were royal affairs. They ate on plates trimmed with gold and drank from cups made of real glass. Every food imaginable appeared, and all of it delicious. Zet was eating too fast to taste it!
“So,” Pharaoh said. “You hid in my pyramid?” Living god that he was, he laughed like any human. “I’ll be thinking of that when I go off into eternity!”
“Did you know donkeys can swim?” Princess Merit asked.
“Brownie and Gray Ears deserve medals,” Zet said.
Princess Meritamon and Hui agreed.
“I think that’s a grand idea,” Pharaoh said. “Medals, and we’ll make sure they get the best life a donkey could ever wish for!”
Later, the Great Bull pulled Zet and Hui aside. “You saved my daughter. For that, I and the gods are eternally grateful.”
Zet knew those words of praise would stay with him for the rest of his life.
That evening, he stood by the rail and watched the water trail behind them. He was thinking of Naunet. Why had she done it?
The princess appeared, walking slowly. Her limp was barely visible. She leaned on her elbows beside him.
“All this time,” she said, “I’ve been racking my brain, wondering if I’d treated Naunet poorly.”
Zet rubbed his thumb against the polished rail, staring down at it. “I don’t believe that for a minute.”
She was silent.
“I just wish I knew why she did it,” he said.
Stars sparkled in the dark water.
“We were friends,” she said. “I thought we were. But I knew there was a lot of tension between her and the others. Naunet had a way of treating everything like a competition. One thing I must tell you—she was the one who insisted Kissa be there on the day we were kidnapped. And she insisted Kissa bring her healing herbs. So I suppose she did care a little.”
Zet sighed. “I was thinking about Darius. Maybe he threatened her?”
“That’s possible,” the Princess said. “I’ll be sure it’s raised when she faces trial.”
It was the only bitter drop in the wonderful outcome. The Princess was safe. They’d averted a new war. Zet was determined to be happy.
Once they reached Thebes, the sight of his familiar city lightened his spirits.
No one knew of the kidnapping plot, but as Pharaoh’s boat neared shore, people spotted the white and gold sails. They began to gather, running along the watersteps, appearing out of nearby streets and buildings. Soon, a crowd of cheering citizens stood to welcome their Pharaoh and his daughter.
“I can’t forget to give you this,” Zet said, pulling the golden cord with the Queen Mother’s ring over his neck and handing it to Princess Meritamon.
She cradled it in her hands, her eyes shining. "She was right about you. I am forever in your debt for saving my life."
Zet didn't know how to answer. Instead, he just bowed low.
After bidding goodbye to Pharaoh, Zet and Hui ran down the gangplank. They sprinted through the familiar streets, glad to be back. When they reached their own block, the street was quiet.
It was as if nothing had happened.
Except a lot had. And now, to Zet, the city seemed smaller. Still wonderful, but different. It was amazing how a few days could change you. He grinned when he spotted his front door, and saw movement through the open window.
“We’re home!” Zet shouted.
The front door flew open.
Everyone was hugging and laughing.
Hui and Kat had a tearful reunion—on Kat’s part—Hui was too busy showing off his bruised face to be tearful.
Zet’s mother ran to fetch Hui’s family from their house a block away. Everyone piled into Zet’s house. Their story was told over a huge brunch. The only part Zet left out was the part about Naunet. He’d never told Hui about her, and he never would.
When a knock sounded on the door, Zet ran to answer.
A royal courier stood there, a boy around Zet’s age. The courier eyed Zet strangely, obviously surprised to be delivering news to a place like this.
Kat appeared. “What is it?”
“A message,” the courier said, holding out a leather bound scroll. He looked doubtful. “Should I read it for you?”
“No. Thank you.” Kat took it. “I can read it on my own.”
The courier’s brows shot up. Then he left.
“What does it say?” Zet said.
“Hold on! Let me open it,” Kat replied.
Hui squeezed between them. “Who’s it from?”
Kat scanned the contents, and her eyes widened. “The palace! We’re invited to the palace, next week. To see the Queen Mother!”
“Us?” Zet said. “That’s crazy!”
“She wants to thank you in person. Wait, and there’s a note from the Princess—she hopes we’ll sit with her in her royal box at her birthday celebration.” Now, it was Kat’s turn to freak out. “What will I wear?” she practically screamed.
Zet covered his ears and rolled his eyes.
Hui grinned. “I told you I saw a future in this! Didn’t I? Secret Agent Zet and his trusty partner Hui win again!”
“By the way,” Zet’s mother interjected, “Old Teni came by, said something about her roof?”
“Uh oh,” Zet said, glancing at his best friend. But then he started to laugh.
Already the sights and
smells and dangers of Abydos were fading. They were home. With their families, the people they cared about most. Everything was back to normal.
They really had won.
THANKS TO:
Scott Lisetor, Peter, Judy, Jill and Sarah Wyshynski
Sharon Brown, Amanda Budde-Sung, Ellie Crowe, Adria Estribou, Glenn and David Desy
* * *
Further thanks to the following sources:
Romer, J, 'Ancient Lives: The Story of the Pharaoh's Tombmakers', Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1984
Booth, C, 'Ancient Egypt: Thebes and the Nile Valley In The Year 1200 BCE', Quid 2008
Casson, L, 'Everyday Life in Ancient Egypt, Revised and Expanded Edition', John Hopkins University Press, 2001
Brier, B, PHD, 'The Murder of Tutankhamen', G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1998
Morell, V, 'The Pyramid Builders', National Geographic Nov. 2001
Fletcher, J, 'The Egyptian Book of Living and Dying', Duncan Baird 2002
Oakes, L and Gahlin, L, 'Ancient Egypt, An illustrated reference to the myths, religions, pyramids and temples of the land of the pharaohs', Anness Publishing 2003
Muller and Thiem, 'Gold of the Pharaohs', Sterling, 2005
Klum, M, 'King Cobras, Revered and Feared', National Geographic Nov. 2001
* * *
COPYRIGHT
Mystery of the Egyptian Scroll
Published by Best Day Ever Books
Copyright © S. P. Wyshynski 2012
All rights reserved.
Mystery of the Egyptian Scroll /Scott Peters
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without written permission of the author.
Includes bibliographical references
Zet and the Egyptian Amulet Mystery
Published by Best Day Ever Books
Copyright © S. P. Wyshynski 2012
All rights reserved.
Zet and the Egyptian Amulet Mystery /Scott Peters
