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the lion's deafening bellows。 The moment she had the pair in hand she leaned over the side and knocked off the brake。 She brought the horses round in a hard left…hand turn then drove them forward straight at the lion and its victim。
Hammer balked； but Stargazer held true。 She snatched up the whip that Nefer had never used on them； and laid a stroke across Hammer's glossy haunches that raised a welt as thick as her thumb。
'Ha！' she yelled。 'Pull； curse you； Hammer！'
Startled； Hammer leaped forward； and they pounded down on the lion。 All its attention was on the shrieking； writhing victim between its front paws； and it did not look up at the chariot bearing down on it。
Mintaka dropped the whip； and instead snatched the long lance from its rack。 She had carried it for Nefer during hours of hunting； and now it felt light and familiar in her right hand。 Guiding the racing team with the reins in her left hand； she leaned far out over the side panel and raised the lance high。 As they ran past the crouching lion； its head was lowered and the back of its neck was fully exposed。 The exact juncture of spine and skull in the back of its neck was covered by the dense black bush of its mane； but she guessed at the spot and thrust down with all the strength of her fear and her love for Nefer。
Her lance hand had the impetus of the flying chariot behind it。 To her amazement the blade slid in readily； full length through the taut hide； and deep into the back of the animal's neck。 She felt the slight tick in her hand as the point found the joint between the vertebrae of the spine and went on to severe the spinal column。
As the chariot raced past； the haft of the lance was plucked from her grip。 But the lion collapsed in a loose； inert heap on top of Nefer。 It did not twitch again； killed on the instant。
It took her fifty cubits to bring the crazed horses to a halt； wheel them round and force them back to where Nefer lay beneath the huge carcass。 She had the presence of mind to throw on the wheel brake before she jumped down from the footplate。
It was obvious how badly Nefer was hurt。 From the sheets of blood that covered him she thought he might even be dead。 She fell to her knees beside him。 'Nefer； speak to me。 Can you hear me？'
To her immense relief he rolled his head towards her and his eyes were open and focused。 'You came back；' he breathed。 'Bak…her； Mintaka； bak…her！'
'I will get this off you。'
She could see that the enormous weight of the dead beast was crushing the wind from his lungs。 She jumped up and tugged at its head。 The tail；' Nefer whispered painfully through a running mask of blood。 'Roll him over by the tail。'
She was quick to obey him； and seized the long tufted tail then heaved with all her strength。 Slowly the hindquarters began to swing； the whole carcass flopped over and he was free。
Mintaka knelt beside him and helped him into a sitting position； but he swayed drunkenly and reached out to her for support。
'Hathor help me；' she pleaded。 'You are desperately wounded。 There is so much blood。'
'Not all of it is mine；' he blurted； but from his right thigh rose a feathery crimson fountain where the claws had ripped open a blood vessel。 Taita had instructed him long and earnestly in the treatment of war wounds； and he thrust his thumb down into the torn flesh and pressed until the jet of blood shrivelled。
'Get the waterskin；' he said； and Mintaka ran to the chariot and brought it back to him。 She held it for him while he drank thirstily； and then； tenderly； she washed the blood and filth from his face； relieved to find it unmarked。 However； when she inspected his other injuries she had difficulty in hiding her shock at how grievous they were。
'My bedroll is in the chariot。' His voice was weaker。 When she brought it to him he asked her to undo the bundle； where she found his housewife roll。 She selected a needle and silk thread。 He showed her how to tie off the spurting blood vessel。 It was work that came easily to her； and she did not hesitate or flinch from it。 Her hands were bloody to the wrists as； with nimble fingers； she pulled a thread around the open artery then closed the deeper rents in his flesh。 Still under his instruction she used strips torn from his tattered chiton to bind up the wounds。 It was rough； rudimentary surgery； but sufficient to stem the worst of the bleeding。
'That is all we can do now。 I must help you into the chariot and get you to where a surgeon can do the rest。 Oh； if only Taita were here。'
She ran to Stargazer's head and led the pair back to where he lay。 Nefer was up on one elbow staring longingly at the carcass of the lion that lay beside him。
'My first lion；' he whispered ruefully。 'Unless we skin it； the trophy will spoil。 The hair will slip and slough off。'
In the heat of emotion and her terrible concern for him； she lost her temper。 'That is the most stupid piece of man's nonsense I have ever heard uttered。 Would you risk your very life for a stinking bit of fur？' Angrily she came to help him to his feet。 It took the extreme efforts of both off them to raise him up。 He leaned on her with all his weight as he hobbled to the chariot and collapsed weakly on to the footplate。
Mintaka used the sheepskin from the bedroll to make him as fortable as she could； then climbed up and stood over him with the reins in her hands。
'Which way？' she asked。
'The rest of the squadron will be far up the valley by now； and they will be driving too fast for us to catch them。 Also they are heading in the wrong direction；' he told her。 'The other hunters are scattered across the desert； We could search for them all day without finding them。'
'We must return to where the fleet is lying at Dabba。 There is a surgeon with the ships。' She had reached the only feasible conclusion； and he nodded。 She urged the horses into a walk； and they left the grove and climbed to the high ground heading south once again。
'It's three hours or more to reach Dabba；' she said。
'Not if we cut across the loop of the river；' he answered。 'We can shorten the return by at least four leagues。'
Mintaka hesitated and looked eastwards into the bleak desert； which he wanted her to attempt。 'I might lose the way；' she murmured fearfully。
'I will guide you；' he answered； confident in the instruction that Taita had given him in desert travel。 'It's our best chance。'
She swung the team to the left； marking a blue shale hillock in the direction Nefer had pointed out to her。
When they were strong and well they both delighted in the motion of a chariot running hard over broken ground； and they rode the pitch and roll with young legs。 But now； even though she kept the horses down to a walk or a trot； the collision with every stone or hump； the drop into every hole； was transmitted through the rigid chassis into Nefer's torn body。 He winced and sweated； but tried to hide his pain and disfort from her。 Yet as the hours wore on； his wounds stiffened； and the pain became unbearable。 He groaned aloud at a particularly nasty impact； and slumped into unconsciousness。
Immediately Mintaka reined the pair to a halt； and tried to revive him。 She soaked a pad of linen with water and squeezed a few drops between his lips。 Then she sponged his pale； sweating face。 But when she tried to rebandage his wounds she found that the gash in his thigh was bleeding again。 She worked to staunch it； but succeeded only in reducing it to a slow leak。 'You are going to be all right； my darling；' she told him； with a confidence she did not feel。 She embraced him gently； kissed the top of his dusty blood…caked head； and took up the reins again。
An hour later she gave the last of the water to Nefer and the horses； not drinking herself。 Then she stood as high as she could on the dashboard of the chariot and looked about her at the gravel and shale hills that danced and wavered in the heat mirage。 She knew she was lost。 Have I drifted too far eastwards？ she wondered； glancing up at the sun and trying to calculate its angle。 At her feet Nefer stirred and moaned； and she looked down with a brave face and smiled。 'Not much further now； my heart。 We should see the river over the next crest。'
She rearranged the sheepskin from the bedroll under his head； then stood up； gathered the reins and braced herself。 Suddenly she realized how exhausted she was： every muscle in her body ached and her eyes were sore and red from the sun's glare and the dust。 She forced herself and the team onwards。
Soon the horses were showing signs of distress。 They had stopped sweating and the salt rime dried white across their backs。 She tried to urge them into a trot but they could not respond； so she climbed down； took the stallion's head and led them on。 Now she was staggering herself； but at last she found the tracks of a chariot in a sandy valley bottom； and her spirits lifted。
'They are heading west；' she whispered； through lips that were beginning to swell and crack。 'They will lead us back to the river。' She kept moving along the wheel ruts for some time； until she stopped in confusion as she found her own footprints in front of her。 It took her some time to realize that she must have walked in a circle and was following her own tracks。
At last despair overtook her。 She sank down to her knees； helpless and lost； and whispered to Nefer as he lay； still unconscious； 'I am sorry； my darling。 I have failed you。' She stroked the matted hair from his face。 Then she looked up at the low hilltop to the east； and blinked。 She shook her head to clear her vision； glanced away to rest her burning eyes； then looked back。 She felt her spirits surge upwards once again； but still she could not be sure that what she was seeing was illusion or reality。
On the crest of the hills above them； a gaunt figure stood on the skyline； leaning on his long staff。 His silver hair shone like a cloud； and the hot light breeze off the desert flapped his skirts against his heron…thin legs。 He was staring down at them。
'Oh； Hathor and all the goddesses； it can't be so；' she whispered。
Beside her； Nefer opened his eyes。 Taita is near；' he murmured。 'I feel him close。'
'Yes。 Taita is here。' Her voice was faint； and she held her own throat in shock。 'But how did he know where to find us？'
'He knows。 Taita knows；' Nefer replied； closed his eyes and slumped back into unconsciousness。
The old man was striding down the rugged slope towards them now； and Mintaka pulled herself to her feet and tottered to meet him。 Swiftly her fatigue fell away and she waved and screamed greetings at him； almost delirious with joy。
* * *
Taita drove down the escarpment towards the river and the village of Dabba。 The horses responded to his touch； moving to an easy motion that cosseted the wounded boy on the footplate。 Taita seemed to have known with some deep instinct just what medicines and dressings Nefer would need； and he had carried these with him。 After he had re…dressed the wounds he had led the horses to a hidden water seep nearby； where the bitter water had revived them。 He had taken Mintaka up on the footplate and turned the horses' heads unerringly in the direction of Dabba and the river。
Beside him； Mintaka had pleaded with him； almost tearfully； to explain to her how he had known that they needed him； and where to find them。 Taita had smiled gently； and called to the horses； 'Gently now； Hammer！ Steady； Stargazed'
On the floorboards Nefer was deep in the drugged sleep of the Red Shepenn； but his wounds were staunched； cleaned and bound with linen bandages。
A red and angry sunset was fading over the Nile like a dying bush…fire。 The boats of the fleet were still anchored in the stream； like children's toys in the fading light。
Apepi and Naja rode out to meet them from the village of Dabba。 Lord Naja was highly agitated； and Apepi bellowed at his daughte