The Longest Night in Egypt by David Anthony Durham

Author:David Anthony Durham
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781643796130
Publisher: Lee & Low Books
Published: 2023-08-04T21:34:38+00:00

35

Servants of the Prince

Lord Set walked through the streets of Memphis, grinning from ear to ear. The city wasn’t in complete disarray yet, but the questions of frightened people echoed through the streets. There was a growing realization that something was wrong, that surely Lord Ra should have risen hours ago. The night sky above was sinister in its silent, unending darkness. It twinkled with just enough starlight to cast the world below in faint hues of white and blue, with shadows everywhere. With any stored solar power depleted, the city couldn’t rely on solar torches and light beetles. Instead, people were lighting torches and building fires, turning the stars’ blue light into a hellish red and yellow glow, and filling the air with thick black smoke.

“Just like in the old days,” Set mused, “when humans crouched around fires, afraid of the dark and all the things hidden in it.”

He passed many houses with families huddling inside, terrified as they watched him stroll by. He greeted them. “Fine night, isn’t it? There’s nothing like the smell of burning things in the evening, eh?”

A few brave souls called to him, asking for news. For help. For the reassurance a benevolent god could offer. Set was not a benevolent god. He gave them none of these things. He did enjoy hearing them beg, though. “Soon,” he whispered, “they’ll understand that big changes are here. Soon, they’ll be worshipping me properly.”

He entered the royal palace gardens. Guards rushed into formation to halt his progress. He glared at them until they withered beneath the hot, vile touch of his gaze. They backed away.

“As well they should,” he said. “This is my palace now.”

Once in the family’s private quarters, Set followed his nose toward his target. It was an easy scent to follow. The smell of a certain prince’s unwashed feet. That, and the smell of fear.

As he turned into the hallway that led to Prince Rami’s bedroom, a voice shouted, “Halt!”

It was so sharp and forceful that Set stumbled to a stop. He could see down the whole hallway. It was empty, with just statues and plant vases lining it. He hesitated a moment, taking in the silence. “Must have come from outside,” Set decided. “Godly hearing can be a burden.”

He started forward again.

“I said, ‘Halt!’” A figure stepped out from behind one of the vases.

Set blinked. “A tiny blue hippo?”

Indeed, it was a diminutive hippo. A bright blue one. He stood on his hind legs, with his arms crossed and a severe scowl on his snout.

“And who, pray tell, are you?” Set asked.

“A Servant of the Prince! He’s not receiving visitors.”

Set scoffed. “And you think you can stop me?”

“No,” the hippo said, “but I figure we can.”

On that cue, other blue hippos stepped out from behind the statues and vases. All of them just as small. Just as blue. And just as stern.

“Do you know who I am?” Set asked them.

Chuckling, one of the hippos said, with an exaggeratedly snivelly voice, “Do you know who I am?”

The others laughed.

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