Egyptian.03.Warlock.2001 by Smith Wilbur

Author:Smith, Wilbur [Smith, Wilbur]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Google: jo5DLPGDD-8C
Amazon: 0333907248
Publisher: Macmillan
Published: 0100-12-31T22:00:00+00:00

Warlock

He squatted down next to the big man who had nearly killed him. ‘You are a brave fellow. I wish that some day we could fight side by side against the common enemy.’

The skirt of Nefer’s apron had drawn up as he sat, and the prisoner’s eyes went down to the smooth muscles of his right thigh. His mouth fell open. ‘Pharaoh Nefer Seti is dead. Why do you bear the royal cartouche?’ he asked.

Nefer touched the tattoo that Taita had inscribed there so long ago. ‘I bear it by right,’ he said. ‘I am Pharaoh Nefer Seti.’

‘No! No!’ The prisoner was agitated and afraid, as he had probably never been on a battlefield.

Mintaka jumped down from the chariot and came to them. She spoke to the man in a friendly tone. ‘Do you know who I am?’

‘You are Her Majesty Queen Mintaka. Your father was my god and commander. I loved him well. Therefore I love and respect you.’

Mintaka slipped her dagger from its sheath and cut away his bonds, ‘Yes,’ she said. ‘I am Mintaka, and this is Pharaoh Nefer Seti who is my betrothed. One day we shall return to Egypt to claim our birthright, and to rule in peace and justice.’

Nefer and Mintaka stood up and she went on, ‘Give this message to your comrades-in-arms. Tell the people that we are alive and that we shall return to this very Egypt.’

The man crept forward on his knees and kissed her feet, then he crawled to Nefer and picked up one of his feet. He placed it upon his own head.

‘I am your man,’ he said. ‘I shall carry your message to the people. Return to us soon, divine Pharaoh.’

The other prisoners joined him with protestations of loyal love. ‘Hail, Pharaoh! May you live and rule a thousand years!’

Nefer and Mintaka mounted their captured chariot, and the freed prisoners shouted, ‘Bak-her! Bak-her!’

The three vehicles pulled out of the wrecked camp. Taita rode alone in the van, because he was best able to resist the wiles of Ishtar the Mede, and to discover the true road that had been hidden from them. Nefer and Mintaka followed closely, and Hilto and Meren brought up the rearguard. They headed back the way they had come.

They had gone only a short way, the valley of the sinking sands and the camp still in sight, when Taita stopped and looked back. The other two vehicles halted behind him. ‘What is it?’ Nefer asked, and Taita held up his hand. In the silence they heard the distant sound of Trok’s division coming on along the far bank. Then suddenly, through the lowering red dawn, they saw the head of his column appear from out of the far dunes.

In the leading chariot Trok reined in sharply and shouted at Ishtar, ‘By the blood and seed of Seueth, the Warlock has outwitted you again. Did you not foresee that they would cross back and seize the chariots of our picket?’

‘Did you also not foresee it?’ Ishtar snarled at him.

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