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Nefer hurried to meet her and led her to her a giant kigelia tree under whose spreading branches a breakfast feast was laid out in the shade。 At first the young couple were restrained and shy； still overawed by the momentous awakening that they had shared； but soon their natural high spirits reasserted themselves； and they joined in the banter and the chatter； although their eyes kept meeting and almost every word they uttered was aimed at the other。
Mintaka loved to riddle and she challenged him to an exchange。 She made it more difficult for Nefer by couching her clues in the Hyksosian language。
'I have one eye and a sharp nose。 I run my victim through and through； but I draw no blood。 What am I？'
That's easy！' Nefer laughed triumphantly。 'You are a sewing needle。' And Mintaka threw up her hands in surrender。
'Forfeit！' cried the slave girls。 'Pharaoh is right。 Forfeit！'
'A song！' Nefer demanded。 'But not the monkey。 We have had enough of him for one day。'
'I shall give you 〃The Song of the Nile〃；' she agreed； and when she finished Nefer demanded another。 'Only if you help me； Majesty。'
His voice was a robust tenor but whenever he slipped off…key she covered his mistake and made him sound much better than he was。
Of course Nefer had brought his bao board and stones。 Taita had taught him to love it； and he had bee expert。 When he tired of the singing he inveigled Mintaka into a game。
'You will have to be patient with me。 I am a novice；' she warned him； as he set out the board。 Bao was an Egyptian game； and this time he expected confidently to outmatch her。
'Don't feel bad about it；' Nefer encouraged her。 'I will coach you。〃
Taita smiled because he and Mintaka had wiled away a few hours at bao in the palace of Bubasti when they were nursing her little brother。 Within eighteen moves her red stones dominated the west castle and were menacing his centre。
'Have I done the right thing？' she asked sweetly。
Nefer was saved by a hail from the riverbank and looked up to see a galley flying the Regent's pennant ing swiftly down the channel。 'What a pity。 Just when the game was getting interesting。' He began to pack up the board with alacrity。
'Can't we hide from them？' Mintaka asked； but Nefer shook his head。 They have seen us already。' He had been expecting this visitation all morning。 Sooner or later the Regent must hear about this illicit outing and send Asmor to bring in his errant charge。
The galley nosed into the bank below where they sat and Asmor sprang ashore。 He strode up to the picnic party。 'The Regent is much displeased by your absence。 He bids you return at once to the temple； where matters of state await your attention。'
'And I； Lord Asmor； am much displeased by your ill manners。' Nefer tried to retrieve some of his hurt dignity。 'I am not a groom or a house servant to be addressed in that manner； and neither have you shown respect for the Princess Mintaka。' But there was no escaping that he was being treated like a child。
Still； he tried to put a good face on it and invited Mintaka to sail back with him in the skiff while her maids followed in the second vessel。 Taita kept tactfully to the bows as this was their first opportunity to hold a private conversation。 Not quite certain what to expect of her Nefer was startled when； rather than bothering with polite niceties； she launched immediately into a discussion of the chances of success or failure of the peace conference between their opposing sides。 She soon impressed him with her political acumen and her strong views。 'If only we women were allowed to run this world； there would never have been a stupid war in the first place；' she summed up； but he could not let that go unchallenged。 They argued animatedly all the way back to the temple。 The journey was far too short for Nefer's liking； and as they came into the landing he took her hand。 'I should like to see you again。'
'I should like that well enough；' she replied； without withdrawing her hand。
'Soon；' he insisted。
'Soon enough。' She smiled and gently took back her hand。 He felt strangely bereft as he watched her walk away towards the temple。
* * *
'My lord； you were present at the divination of the Mazes of Ammon Ra。 You know of the dire charge placed upon me by X。 V JL the gods。 You know that I can never flout their express wishes and that therefore I am mitted to your interest。 I had good reason to assist the boy in what was only； after all； a harmless escapade。'
Naja was not so easily placated。 He was still furious that Nefer had given Asmor the slip and managed to spend the morning out in the swamps with the Hyksosian princess。
'How can I believe that when you aided Nefer？ Nay！ You instigated this piece of folly。'
'My lord Regent； you must realize how crucial to our enterprise it is that I retain the young Pharaoh's plete trust。 If I appear to flout your orders and authority； then this will make the boy believe that I am still his man。 It will make the difficult task laid upon me by the Mazes easier to acplish。'
Diplomatically Taita turned aside each of the Regent's accusations； until he was no longer ranting but merely grumbling bitterly。 'It must not happen again； Magus。 Of course I trust your loyalty。 You would be a fool indeed to fly against the express strictures of the gods。 However； in future whenever Nefer leaves his quarters he must be acpanied by Asmor and a full escort of his men。 I cannot take the chance that he will disappear。'
'My lord； how goes the negotiation with the Shepherd Chieftain？ Is there aught that I can do to help you ensure a successful oute in this matter？' Adroitly Taita set the hounds on a different scent； and Naja followed them。
'Apepi is indisposed。 This morning he had a coughing fit so intense he brought up blood and had to leave the conference chamber。 Even though he cannot attend himself； he will not let any other speak on his behalf； not even Lord Trok who usually has his confidence。 Only the gods know how long it will be before the great bear returns to the conference。 We may be forced to waste days or even weeks。'
'What is Apepi's ailment？' Taita asked。
'I do not know…' Naja broke off as an idea occurred to him。 'Why did I not think of it before？ With your skills； you will be able to cure whatever ails him。 Go to him at once； Magus； and do your utmost。'
As he approached the king's apartments； Taita could hear Apepi from across the courtyard。 He sounded like a black…maned lion caught in trap； and the roars grew louder as Taita entered the chamber。 As he stepped over the threshold he was almost knocked over by three priests of Osiris fleeing the royal presence in terror； and a heavy bronze bowl crashed into the doorsill。 It had been thrown across the room by the Hyksosian king； who sat naked on a muddle of furs and tangled bedsheets in the middle of the chamber。
'Where have you been； Warlock？' he roared； as soon as he saw Taita。 'I sent Trok to find you before dawn。 Why do you e only in the middle of the afternoon to save me from those infernal priests with their stinking poisons and hot tongs？'
'I have not seen Trok；' Taita explained； 'but I came as soon as Lord Naja told me you were indisposed。'
'Indisposed？ I am not indisposed； Warlock。 I am 。at the point of death。'
'Let us see what can be done to save you。'
Apepi rolled over on to his hairy belly and Taita saw the grotesque purple swelling on his back。 It was the size of both the king's bunched fists。 When he touched it lightly with a fingertip Apepi bellowed again and broke out in a running sweat。 'Gently； Taita。 You are as bad as all the priests in Egypt together。'
'How did this e about？' Taita stepped back。 'What were your symptoms？'
'It started with a bitter pain in my chest。' Apepi touched it。 'Then I started coughing； and the pain became sharper。 I felt something move in here； and then the pain seemed to move to my back； and there was this lump。' He reached over his shoulder with one hand to touch the swelling； and groaned again。
Before going further； Taita administered a draught of the Red She…penn； the sleeping flower。 It was a draught that would have knocked a baby elephant off its feet； but though Apepi's eyes crossed and his voice was slurred he was still lucid。 Taita palpated the swelling again； and the king groaned but made no other protest。
'There is some foreign object lodged deep in your flesh； my lord；' he stated at last。
'This es as no great surprise to me； Warlock。 Evil men； most of them Egyptians； have been sticking foreign objects into my flesh since I last sucked on my wet…nurse's paps。'
'I would have thought it was an arrowhead or a blade； but there is no entry wound；' Taita mused。
'Use your eyes； fellow。 I am covered with them。' The king's hairy carcass was indeed laced and blotched with old battle scars。
'I am going to cut for it；' Taita warned him。
Apepi snarled； 'Do it； Warlock； and stop yapping about it。'
While Taita selected a bronze scalpel from his chest； Apepi picked up his thick leather belt from the floor and doubled a length of it。 He bit down on it； and posed himself to the knife。
'e here！' Taita called to the guards at the door。 'e and hold the king。'
'Get out； you idiots！' Apepi countermanded the order。 'I need no man to hold me still。'
Taita stood over him； calculated the angle and depth of the cut； then made one swift； deep incision。 Apepi let out a muffled bellow from between clamped teeth； but did not move。 Taita stood back as a fountain of dark blood and thick yellow pus erupted from the wound。 A gut…wrenching stench filled the chamber。 Taita laid aside the scalpel and ran his forefinger deep into the opening。 Blood bubbled up around it but he felt something hard and sharp in the bottom of the incision。 He picked up the ivory forceps that he had placed ready to hand； and probed the opening until he felt the tip strike something solid。
Apepi had stopped yelling； and he lay without movement； except the involuntary shuddering of his back muscles。 He breathed with loud porcine snuffles through his nose。 At the third attempt Taita gripped the object with the jaws of the forceps； and tugged at it until he felt it give and start to rise towards the surface。 It came out…the last inch with a rush of pus and detritus…and Taita held it up so that the light from the window fell upon it。
'An arrowhead；' he announced； 'and it's been in there for a long time。 I am amazed it did not mortify years ago。'
Apepi spat out the belt and sat up； chuckling shakily。 'By the hairy testicles of Seueth； I recognize that pretty little bauble。 One of your ruffians shot that into me at Abnub ten years ago。 At the time； my surgeons said it lay so close to my heart that they could not reach it； so they left it in and I have been gestating it ever since。'
He took the triangle of shaped flint from Taita's bloody fingers and beamed at it with proprietary pride。 'I feel like a mother with her firstborn。 I will have it made into a charm to wear around my neck on a gold chain。 You can weave a spell over it。 That should ward off any other missiles。 What do you think； Warlock？'
'I am sure it will prove highly efficacious； my lord。' Taita filled his mouth with hot wine and honey from the bowl he had prepared and used a hollow brass tube to syringe out the pus and blood； squirting it deep into the wound。
'What a waste of good wine；' Apepi said； lifted the bowl with both hands and drained the remainder of the contents to the dregs。 He hurled it against the far wall and belched。 'Now； as a reward for your services； I have an amusing tale for you； Warlock； that harks back to our last conversation on the tower top at Bubasti。'
'I am listening with fixed attention to your lordship's every word。' Taita bent over him and began to bandage t