The Book of the Dead

by Paul Davis

  ‘She's very well, thank you. A great help in the pharmacy. I don't know how I'd cope without her. How are things here in Canopus? Keeping busy?’

  ‘There seems no end to the people who come for treatment. I'm training up an assistant to help lighten the load. He's off collecting plants, about one in ten of which will be what I asked for. But he tries hard. And he hasn't actually poisoned anyone yet, although there have been some close calls. Are you married yet?’

  Kaires laughed. His friend, a confirmed bachelor all his life, always took a great interest in the nuptial affairs of others. ‘Not yet, and no one in the offing. I'm too busy with work to think about that sort of thing.’

  ‘Oh, you think about it, I'm sure.’ Hesy-Re winked. ‘Tell me, found any good cures recently?’

  For some time they talked about their successes and failures, swopping notes on the efficacy of their remedies, learning from each other. Although the old priest had years more experience, he was always eager to hear from other healers, and was willing to share his treatments with them, unlike some of Kaires's colleagues in Alexandria, who kept their prescriptions close to their chests. Kaires always felt inspired after time spent with Hesy-Re, his heart lightened.

  The morning passed amiably. ‘I'll call in on the way back as well, if I may,’ he said, as he prepared to make his way back to the barge.

  ‘Are you going to go without telling me why you are really here? It's an unusual time for a visit, and while I'm flattered that you should go out of your way to charter a boat to bring you to see me, I suspect it's not the only reason.’

  The temptation to unburden himself to a trusted friend was too great for Kaires to resist, and he spent his remaining time telling Hesy-Re of his reluctant involvement with the murder of Zeno, and his singular lack of progress in identifying the culprit. Hesy-Re listened carefully.

  ‘Sometimes the answer is there all along, you just don't see it. For how long had we healers been looking for a cure for pain? For how long did we pass the poppies in the fields, look at them, admire their simple beauty, not thinking for a moment that we were looking at our answer? Be aware of everything around you, my friend, for the solution is perhaps in front of you all the time. And yes, do come and see me on the way back, by which time I pray your eyes will have been opened.’

  ‘I certainly shall. And I have the same prayer, too.’ Kaires embraced the old man, and walked from the cool shadow of the priest's room into the blazing midday sun.

  -0-

  Mantios returned to his room after finishing his breakfast. The window was open behind the thick curtains and the room was dark, but despite this the cabin was still warm. He was very sleepy. He often spent the night mapping the stars and looking for patterns in their movements, some of which defied reason. Spending last night on the upper deck had been particularly productive, but not in the way he had expected. He chuckled to himself as he prepared to lie down. There was a knock at his door, and with a tut of annoyance he stepped across, opening it so his caller could enter.

  ‘So, it's you. I was hoping you'd drop by a bit later. I’m very tired, you know.’

  The visitor came in to Mantios's room, closing the door, and spoke. ‘Sorry, but I don’t have much time. I suppose you were surprised to see me last night?’

  Mantios laughed. ‘Surprised is hardly the word. You almost gave me a heart attack when you suddenly appeared over the railing like that. And then I learn from Kaires that the Prefect's room has been burgled. What on earth were you thinking? A person in your position? So much to lose.’

  ‘More of a surprise for me to see you sitting there in the middle of the night. I'd forgotten your propensity for star gazing. Did Kaires tell you what I took?’

  ‘A few miserable bits of jewellery. How very disappointing for you. Hardly worth the risk, surely? But that's not what I wanted to see you about.’ Mantios gave a little sneer. ‘I've had a lot of expenses lately and wondered if you could help me out a bit. After all, your little habit must be more profitable sometimes. Of course you can depend on me not to tell anyone.’

  ‘Oh, I'll depend on that all right. How much did you have in mind?’

  ‘A thousand sesterces should cover my present needs...’

  ‘That's a large amount. You'll have to wait until we're back in Alexandria. In the meantime wouldn't you like to see what I took?’

  Mantios reached across and took what was offered to him. In the dim light of the room he made out a thick ring, feeling its weight. It caught the few rays of light that filtered through the curtains and returned them mellowed with gold. It's beautiful, he thought.

  -0-

  Kaires found Iola near the entrance to the Temple, helping a stall keeper to sell a faience necklace to a passing tourist. She saw Kaires, finished her sale, and gathered up her own purchases before running across to him.

  ‘Look! I've got you a little figure of Bes. Don't argue. I didn't have to pay anything; Menti over there gave him to me for helping him. I thought I'd give him to you. He'll look after your cabin for you and keep it safe.’

  Kaires muttered some thanks and took the little figurine, which despite its ugliness, did have a certain amount of charm. ‘Where are Dexios and your mother? I thought they were going to look after you.’

  ‘I don't need anyone to look after me.’ She handed the rest of her shopping to Kaires to carry for her. ‘He was on his way to the Temple of Serapis when we met him. He wanted to know more about their sleeping cure; maybe you could ask him about it. He says all you need to do is sleep for a night in the Temple and you’ll get better. You can even get someone else to sleep there for you if you can’t manage it yourself. Do you think it works? Have you ever sent someone there?

  ‘No,’ replied Kaires, ‘I haven’t. I prefer to put faith in my plants. But sometimes I think a true belief in a cure can work wonders in itself. The mind can heal the body without our help, as long as the gods will it. Perhaps Serapis takes pity on those who come to his Temple, and does indeed make them better. But I myself know the effect of my preparations, and can depend on them. Sometimes the result is nothing short of a miracle. There is great power in plants. It’s knowing how to apply it that matters. To me, that above anything else.’

  Iola listened intently as Kaires spoke, and saw the fire in his eyes at his last few words. His passion inspired her, and she wanted to know more.

  ‘Couldn’t you teach me? It must be wonderful to be able to help people in such a way.’

  Kaires looked at her but gave no reply. He seemed lost in thought, so Iola didn’t press him but walked on in companionable silence by his side.

  As they neared the end of the road she saw Chaeremon and Strabo at the entrance to the market, examining some agricultural implements for sale. Iola pointed them out to Kaires.

  ‘What did you say to Chaeremon? He stormed out of the Temple looking like thunder just after you went in. And Haemon didn't look too happy either. Do you think they have something to hide?’

  Really, thought Kaires, it should be Iola questioning everyone involved, not me.

  ‘Everyone has something to hide, I should think. Most of it is none of our business. The difficulty is in finding out what is.’

  ‘I suppose so. Did you see your priest friend? Oh-oh, hang on, there’s Gallus joining them. Let’s go through the vegetable section, or he’ll nab you.’

  Iola pulled Kaires in amongst the onion sellers, where they bumped into Dexios and Thestor, each carrying a bag of fruit.

  ‘They have some amazing stuff here,’ said Dexios. ‘So fresh! Have you had a productive morning?

  ‘Yes, thank you,’ replied Kaires. ‘What about you, Thestor? What have you done with Myrine?’

  ‘She’s over there in the cloth section with Prokles, fussing over coloured threads. She wants to start a tapestry or something.’

  ‘Yes,’ said Iola, ‘she’s rather good at that. Mine always turn out dreadfully. Fortunately she’s given up trying to get me to make t
hem.’

  Leaving the others Kaires and Iola continued to wend their way through the stalls towards the quayside. In the distance they could see Aristeon and Haemon going up the gangplank of the barge.

  ‘I must get back as well,’ said Kaires. ‘I need to talk to Mantios. I have a feeling he knows something he’s not telling me. He was certainly on edge this morning. Maybe it was something Aristeon said - he said he was talking to him before he went to bed last night.’

  ‘Mantios? He didn't go to bed last night. His room is next to us. He was coming out of it just as I went in to ours, and said something about watching some boring planets line up. I sleep lightly, and I'm sure I heard him return to his room just before dawn. Apparently he often stays awake all night and then rests through the morning. I’m not surprised he seemed edgy after a night without sleep. What's the matter with you?’

  Kaires had gone white. ‘Oh, the gods! How could I have been so stupid? Quick, we must get back to the barge at once. Pray that we're not too late!’

  Iola looked on in astonishment as Kaires began to run through the stalls towards the Gloria Aegyptae. She hesitated only a moment before running after him, ignoring the shouts of the citizens of Canopus, who probably thought Kaires had run off with her shopping. One stall holder even made a half hearted attempt to stop him. ‘It's all right!’ she shouted. ‘We're just in a hurry!’

  Giving them up for lunatics, the traders folded their arms and enjoyed the spectacle of yet another pair of tourists making fools of themselves. Reaching the gangplank, Kaires shot up it as if he was being chased by a pack of wild dogs, with Iola close on his heels.

  -0-

  Haemon and Aristeon had gone up to the top deck. Kaires quickly checked with the crewman guarding the top of the gangplank.

  ‘Has anyone else come back from the town yet? Since we all left this morning? Anyone at all?’

  ‘The two gentlemen just before you, sir. They went straight upstairs. All the members of the crew have returned except one or two of the kitchen staff. They’re still buying provisions. None of the other guests has returned, just yourself and your companion, sir.’ He looked a little severely at Iola, who had caught up with Kaires as he stopped to speak. She had clearly not yet been forgiven for her subterfuge. The passengers had accepted her readily enough, but Kaires hadn’t realised how annoyed the servants themselves must have been.

  They hurried downstairs. Iola pointed out the room next to her own as belonging to Mantios. Kaires quickly knocked. Receiving no reply, he tried the handle. The door opened easily enough; it had not been bolted.

  The room was still dark, and it took a moment for their eyes to adjust. Kaires dimly made out Mantios lying on his back across his bed, his feet on the floor. He knew immediately that he was dead, not just by his intense stillness, but by the flies - on his open eyes and mouth, and buzzing around the red circle in the centre of his chest. He crossed to the window and threw open the curtain.

  What fools we have been, he thought. Me, because I didn't see this coming. Mantios, because he had kept silent. He had let greed cloud his judgement, and this is how he had been paid. What had he seen last night, as the rest of them slept? Now it was too late.

  He went over to the body, brushing away the flies, which nevertheless kept resettling. Iola had come in behind him, looked once, and then gone off in search of the Prefect.

  He looked around for something sharp and saw a bronze razor with other personal possessions on a table by the window. Taking it, he cut through Mantios's tunic to expose the wound below. The blood was sticky but the body still had some warmth. How long had he been dead? Impossible to tell in this heat.

  In the centre of his chest was a small puncture wound. A slim, narrow blade, just like the one that had killed Zeno. Well aimed, directly in to the heart. Mantios must have died instantly - just a brief moment of absolute shock, disbelief, maybe not even enough time to think about crying out, before losing consciousness forever.

  The heart had stopped immediately and the stab wound was small, so there wasn't too much blood. Even so, surely the killer couldn't have avoided getting some on their clothes, unless...

  There was no sign of a struggle so Mantios must have been taken completely by surprise. On the bed, by his side, was a crumpled square of cloth, perhaps a dinner napkin, stained and bloody. It had probably been used to wipe the dagger. How calmly had the murder withdrawn the blade and cleaned it?

  No sandals. Mantios had probably just been going to bed. His right hand was closed in a fist, and Kaires saw the glint of metal between his fingers. He gently opened them - they were not stiff - and drew his breath in with surprise at what he saw. Caesarion's ring. Again, at the scene of a murder. How on earth did it come to be here? Was the murderer using it as some sort of calling card? To what purpose? Why had they left it behind for a second time? To steal it at such cost, then callously discard it? Were they deliberately taunting Kaires?

  No. It was because the killer now had the information they required, and so no longer needed it. It would have been very dangerous to keep the ring itself. Why take the risk? Another search might find it.

  Or had Mantios himself taken it?

  But Kaires knew, as if he had been there himself, that Mantios was not the thief. Apart from the impossibility of someone of his size climbing down and up again from the Prefect’s apartments, he just couldn’t see Mantios having the courage to do it.

  Mantios had been on deck during the night, innocently studying the night sky. Perhaps lying at the front of the barge, hidden in shadows, he had seen someone at the stern climb down to the rear deck below. He must have gone across and waited. After a while the thief had reappeared. Kaires imagined their mutual surprise. The thief surely must have realised then and there that the only way to ensure Mantios's discretion was to silence him forever - so why had they not done so immediately? Why take the risk of leaving it to the next day?

  But Mantios had held his tongue. He had probably been promised an explanation, and a bribe, which had worked long enough. Mantios would have enjoyed the feeling of power over someone else, and the anticipation of a little blackmail. He'd caught a thief in the act. He probably had no idea that he was dealing with something much worse.

  Kaires looked around the room, which was on the same plan as his own. Mantios had been neat and methodical. Clothes in a chest, a number of scrolls and star charts on a desk, and a few other personal items on the stand - strigil, comb, some sort of ointment, and a jug of water and cup.

  Hesy-Re is right, he thought. There's something I'm just not seeing. It all goes back to Zeno. His find in the archive. The connection to Caesarion’s ring. The promise of wealth, enough to kill to possess it. I need to go back to the beginning.

  An uproar in the corridor outside warned him that the Prefect was on his way. Kaires’s heart sank. Gallus did not sound happy.

  -0-

  Mantios's body was lowered down the gangplank, watched over by a red eyed Apollonius. Whether he had been weeping for his master, or his own uncertain future, Kaires could not tell, although he suspected the latter. Gallus had sent a messenger to Alexandria; Mantios would be taken to the Temple and kept under salt until his relatives claimed him. Meanwhile, the captain was burning olive leaves in his room to cleanse it, and occasional wafts of the incense reached those gathered on the upper deck to pay their respects and watch the proceedings.

  Everyone was subdued, and conversation was limited. Zeno's death had affected them all, of course, but somehow none of the scholars had really wanted to allow themselves to believe that one of their own had been responsible. With the death of Mantios, that had changed. The immediacy and reality of his death, here on the barge, left no room for doubt that they had a killer in their midst.

  Gallus now wore Caesarion's ring on a chain round his neck, beneath his tunic. He was determined not to lose sight of it again. He and Strabo stood with Kaires, a little apart from the others.

  ‘This has gone fa
r enough, Kaires. I thought by now you'd have put a stop to this. Two deaths, a burglary, and we still don't have the faintest idea what is going on. What am I paying you for?’

  ‘With respect, sir, you aren't actually paying me. And we do have an idea what is going on, just not who is behind it. So much of it doesn't make sense. I haven't really had a chance to talk to everyone yet, but I intend to remedy that right away. I’ll speak to everyone in private and see if I can get to the bottom of it. The thing that really puzzles me is that once again it seems that no one could have done it.’

  ‘What do you mean?’ asked Gallus.

  ‘I was with Mantios when he went down to his room after breakfast. I saw him go. Only myself and Iola were left on board; everyone else had gone ashore. The guard at the entrance was there the whole time to stop strangers coming on the barge. He is certain that once I left, no one other than some crew members - all of whom he knew well - returned until I saw Haemon and Aristeon go up the gangplank just before me. They went straight upstairs to the top deck, and I went down to find Mantios had been murdered. How could one of the passengers have done it? He was certainly alive when I left, and there was no chance of any of them getting back on the barge unseen before I discovered the body.’

  Gallus snorted. ‘Assuming you didn’t do it yourself, Kaires, are you saying that we’re dealing with someone who can make themselves invisible? Perhaps it wasn’t one of the passengers at all. If they couldn’t have done it, maybe it was one of the staff. After all, we don’t know why he was killed anyway. Was he the other person involved with Zeno all along? Had he stolen the ring himself?’

  Strabo had been listening intently to this exchange. ‘It all must be inextricably linked. Zeno talks about coming into a lot of money, and shortly after is found dead. It's no great stretch of the imagination to connect the two things. Mantios, however, is a different story. I don't see why anyone should want him out of the way.’ He looked questioningly at Kaires.