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I tried again to overlook Mintaka。 This time I saw something； Taita； but only dimly and I did not understand it。〃
'Your love for her has made you sensitive to her aura；' Taita explained。 'What did you see？'
'I saw only shadows； but I felt devastating sorrow and grief。 I sensed despair so insupportable that it made me wish for death myself。 I knew that these were Mintaka's emotions and not my own。'
Taita stared expressionlessly into the fire； and Nefer went on； 'You must overlook her for me。 There is something terribly wrong。 Only you can help her now； Taita。'
'Do you have anything of Mintaka's？' he asked。 'Any gift or token that she gave you？'
Nefer's hand went to the necklace at his throat。 He touched the tiny golden locket that hung in the centre of the chain。 'It is my most precious possession。'
Taita held out his hand across the fire。 'Give it to me。' Nefer hesitated； then opened the clasp and held the amulet in his closed fist。
'Other than my own； hers were the last fingers to touch it。 It contains a lock of her hair。'
'Then it is highly potent。 It contains her essence。 Give it to me； if you wish me to help her。' Nefer passed it to him。
'Wait here；' Taita said； and stood up。 Although he had squatted cross…legged through all the hours of darkness； there was no stiffness in his movements； which were those of a young； virile man。 He went out into the dawn and climbed to the crest of the dunes； then gathered the skirts of his chiton around his skinny shanks and squatted in the sand； facing the dawn。
He pressed Mintaka's amulet to his forehead and closed his eyes。 He began to rock slightly from side to side。 The sun cleared the horizon and struck fully into his face。
The amulet in his right hand seemed to take on some strange life of its own。 Taita felt it pulse softly in rhythm to his own heartbeats。 He opened his mind and let the currents of existence enter freely； swirling around him like a great river。 His own spirit broke free of his body and he soared aloft。 As though he was borne on the wings of some gigantic bird； he saw fleeting； confused images of lands and cities； forests； plains and deserts far below him。 He saw armies on the march； the squadrons throwing up thunderclouds of yellow dust in which spearheads glinted。 He saw ships on high seas battered by wave and wind。 He saw cities burning as they were sacked； and he heard strange voices in his head； and knew they were from the past and the future。 He saw the faces of those long dead； and those not yet born。
He moved on； his spirit ranging wide； always with the amulet his lodestone。 In his mind he called for her； Mintaka！ and felt the amulet grow warm then burning hot in his hand。
Slowly the images cleared away； and he heard her sweet voice reply； 'I am here。 Who is it that calls？'
'Mintaka； it is； Taita；' he replied； but he was aware that something evil had intervened and broken the stream between them。 Mintaka had gone and instead there was a fateful presence。 He focused all his powers upon it； trying to disperse the dark clouds。 They seemed to coalesce； and took the shape of a rearing cobra； the same baleful influence that he and Nefer had encountered in the nest of the royal falcon on the cliffs of Bir Umm Masara。
In his mind he wrestled with the cobra； extending his powers to drive it back； but rather than succumbing； the image of the serpent became clearer and more menacing。 Suddenly he knew that this was not a psychic manifestation； but a direct and mortal threat exerted against Mintaka。 He redoubled his efforts to break through the curtains of evil and to reach her； but so much pain and grief was interposed between them that it was an impenetrable barrier。
Then； suddenly； he saw a hand； slim and graceful； reach out towards the sinister scaly head。 He knew it was Mintaka's hand； for the blue lapis lazuli ring on the index finger was engraved with her cartouche。 He held the venomous serpent in check with all his life force； and prevented it striking at Mintaka's hand as she stroked the back of its extended hood。 The cobra turned half away from her； almost like a cat offering its head to be caressed。
'Make it do what has to be done。' Taita heard Mintaka's voice； and another voice he recognized replied； 'This I have never seen before。 You must strike the messenger with your hand。 That will surely make him deliver the gift of the goddess。' It was the voice of the high priestess of the temple of Hathor in Avaris； and Taita understood。 Mintaka； overwhelmed with grief； was about to take the way of the goddess。
'Mintaka！' He exerted himself to reach her； and was rewarded at last。
Taita？' she whispered； and because Mintaka was at last aware of him； Taita's view expanded so that he could see it all clearly。
Mintaka was in a stone…walled bedchamber。 She was kneeling in front of a basket。 The holy priestess was at her side； and in front of her reared the deadly snake。
'You must not take this road；' Taita ordered her。 'It is not for you。 The gods have prepared a different destiny for you。 Do you hear me？'
'Yes！' Mintaka turned her head towards him； as though she could see his face。
'Nefer is alive。 Nefer lives。 Do you hear me？'
'Yes！ Oh； yes。'
'Be strong； Mintaka。 We will e for you。 Nefer and I will e for you。'
So fierce was his concentration that he dug his fingernails deeply into the palms of his hands until the blood welled； but he could hold her no longer。 She began to slip away from him； her image blurred and faded； but before she was gone he saw her smile； a beautiful thing； full of love and renewed hope。
'Be strong！' he urged her。 'Be strong； Mintaka！' The echo of his voice came back to him as though from a great distance。
* * *
Nefer was waiting for him at the foot of the dunes。 When Taita was only halfway down the boy realized that something momentous had taken place。 'You saw her！' he shouted； and it was not a question。 'What has happened to her？' and he ran forward to meet Taita。
'She needs us；' Taita said； and laid a hand on Nefer's shoulder。 He could never tell him of the extremes of sorrow and despair in which he had found Mintaka； nor of the fate she had prepared for herself。 Nefer could never bear that。 It might easily drive him to some wild endeavour that would destroy both the lovers。 'You were right；' Taita went on。 'All my plans to leave this land and find sanctuary in the east must be set aside。 We have to go to Mintaka。 I have promised her that。'
'Yes！' Nefer agreed。 'When can we leave for Avaris？'
Taita replied； 'There is great urgency。 We will leave at once。'
* * *
It took them fifteen days of hard travel to reach the tiny garrison and remount station of Thane a day's travel south of Avaris。 They had changed horses four times on the road…Taita used the royal requisition order that Naja had given him to replace the worn…out animals and to replenish their supplies at the military garrisons and camps they had passed along the way。
Since leaving Gebel Nagara they had discussed their plans endlessly； knowing that they were pitted against the might of Pharaoh Trok Uruk。 The officers they spoke to at the garrisons estimated that Trok now had twenty…seven fully trained and equipped regiments at his disposal； and almost three thousand chariots。 To oppose this multitude they had a wagon showing the effects of long； hard service with a back wheel that showed a marked propensity to fall off at the most inappropriate times and bodywork held together with twine and leather strips。 There were only the four of them： Nefer and Meren； Hilto and Bay。 But the fifth was Taita。
'The Magus is worth twenty seven regiments at least；' Hilto pointed out； 'so we are evenly matched against Trok。'
Hilto knew the captain in charge of the encampment at Thane； a scarred and grizzled old warrior named Socco。 Long ago they had run the Red Road together。 They had fought； roistered and whored together。 After they had reminisced for an hour and shared a pot of sour beer； Hilto handed him the requisition scroll。 Socco held it upside down at arm's length and looked wise。
'See the cartouche of Pharaoh。' Hilto touched the seal。
'If I know you at all； Hilto； and by Horus I do； you probably drew that pretty picture yourself。' Socco handed the scroll back to Hilto。 'What do you need； you old rogue？'
They selected fresh horses from the herd of several hundred in the remount herd； then Taita went over the ranks of parked chariots in the garrison pool that had just been sent out from the makers in Avaris。 He selected three vehicles； and they harnessed the fresh horses。
When they left Thane； Taita was driving the old wagon。 Meren； Hilto and Nefer each drove a chariot； while Bay brought up the rear herding twenty spare horses。 They did not head directly for Avaris but made a detour to the east of the city。
On the edge of the desert there was a small oasis used by the Bedouin and by merchant caravans heading out to and returning from the Orient。
While the others unloaded the fodder they had carried from Thane in the wagon； hobbled the horses and greased the wheel hubs of the new chariots； Taita went to barter with the Assyrian master of the caravan that was encamped nearby。 He bought an armful of dirty； tattered clothing； and twenty woollen rugs woven in the land along the Further Sea。 They were of inferior workmanship and material； but he was forced to pay an extortionate price for them。 'That Assyrian ape is a cut…throat and a robber；' he muttered； as they loaded the carpets on to the wagon。
'Why do we need them？' Nefer wanted to know； but Taita pretended not to hear the question。
That night Taita dyed his mane of silver hair with an extract of mimosa bark； which altered his appearance dramatically。 In the darkness of early morning they left Bay in charge of the herd of horses and the chariots； climbed into the dilapidated wagon and； sitting high on the pile of dusty carpets； headed west towards Avaris。 They were dressed in the rags and cast…offs that Taita had procured。 Taita wore a long robe and sash； and the lower half of his face was veiled in the fashion of a citizen of Ur of the Chaldeas。 With his dyed dark hair he was unrecognizable as the Magus。
It was evening when they reached the royal city of the north。 There was a permanent encampment of several thousand souls outside the walls； mostly beggars； itinerant players； foreign traders and other riff…raff。 They set up camp among them； and early the next morning they left Meren to watch the wagon and went to join the throng waiting outside the city for the gates to open at sunrise。
Once they were past the city guard； Hilto went to tour the taverns and brothels in the narrow streets of the old quarter where he hoped to find some of his cronies and former rades…in…arms and gather the latest news from them。 Taita took Nefer with him and they made their way through the crowded streets of the awakening city to the palace gates。 Here they joined the beggars； tradesmen and supplicants。 Taita made no effort to gain entry to the palace； rather they spent the morning listening to the chatter of those around them； and gossiping with the other idlers。
At last Taita struck up a conversation with a merchant from Babylon； dressed in similar style to himself； who introduced himself as Nintura。 Taita spoke the Akkadian language like a native of Mesopotamia； which was why he had chosen this particular disguise。 The two shared a pot of coffee brewed with rare and expensive beans imported from Ethiopia； and Taita exerted all his wiles to charm Nintura； who had been loitering outside the palace for the last ten days； waiting for his turn to display his wares to Trok's new bride。 He had already paid the exorbitant baksheesh demanded by the palace vizier to be allowed to enter the presence of the young consort； but many others were ahead of him。
They say