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here immediately。'
Soleth came cringing and wringing his smooth； plump hands。 'Divine Pharaoh！ Greatest of the gods！ Might of this very Egypt！' He threw himself at Trok's feet。
Trok kicked him with a full swing of his armoured sandal。 'Who were these men you allowed to enter the zenana？'
'On your orders； gracious Pharaoh； I allowed any vendor of fine merchandise to display it before the Queen。'
'Who was the carpet…seller？ The last one to enter these quarters。'
'Carpet…seller？' Soleth seemed to ponder the question。
Trok kicked him again。 'Yes； Soleth； carpets！ What was his name？'
'I remember now。 The carpet…merchant from Ur。 I forget his name。'
'I will help your memory。' Trok called the eunuch sentries to him。 'Hold him over the bed。'
They dragged Soleth to the rumpled couch and pinned him face down。 Trok picked up his discarded sword…belt and drew the weapon。 'Lift his robes。' One of them hoisted Soleth's skirts and exposed his chubby buttocks。 'I know that half the palace guard have passed this way；' Trok touched his anus with the point of the sword； 'but none of them were as hard or as sharp as this one will be。 Now； tell me； who was the carpet merchant？'
'I swear on bread and Nile water that I never saw him before。'
'For you that is a great pity；' Trok said； and ran the point of the sword the length of a forefinger up Soleth's rectum。 Soleth shrieked on a high； quavering note of agony。
'That was only the tip；' Trok warned him。 'If you are enjoying it so much； I can give you another cubit of bronze right up to your gullet。'
'It was Taita；' Soleth screamed； with the blood spraying out of him。 'Taita took her away。'
'Taita！' Trok exclaimed with astonishment and jerked the blade free。 Taita the Magus。' There was superstitious dread in his tone。 Then he was silent for a long pause。 At last he ordered the eunuchs who still held Soleth。 'Release him。'
Soleth sat up moaning。 At the movement the gas from his bowels rushed out through the slack opening in a long； bubbling fart。
'Where has he taken her？' Trok ignored the sound and the sickening faecal odour that filled the chamber。
'He did not tell me。' Painfully Soleth bundled the linen bed…sheet and thrust it in between his legs to staunch the bleeding。 Trok lifted the point of the sword and touched one of his naked pendulous breasts。
Soleth whimpered and farted again。 'He did not tell me； but we spoke of the land between the two rivers； the Tigris and the Euphrates。 Maybe that is where he intends taking the Queen。'
Trok thought about it only briefly。 It was logical。 By now Taita would know of the strained relationships between Egypt and the eastern kingdoms。 He would know that he might find sanctuary and protection there； if he could run that far。
But what was his reason for abducting Mintaka？ Surely it could not be for ransom。 Taita was famous for his scorn of gold and riches。 It could not be for some salacious desire。 As an ancient eunuch； Taita was not capable of physical lust。 Was it the friendship that had grown up between the old man and the girl？ Had she appealed to him to help her escape from Avaris and the marriage that was so insufferable to her？ Certainly； she must have gone with him willingly and probably gladly。 The manner in which her slave girls had tried to cover her escape proved that； and clearly she had made no outcry； for if she had the sentries would have heard it。
He put aside those considerations for the moment。 The main concern now was to get the pursuit in hand and to recapture her and the Warlock before they reached the shores of the Red Sea and crossed into the territories loyal to Sargon of Babylon。 He smiled down at Soleth。 'I hope that your paramours will find the alterations I have made to your joy passage to their liking。 I will deal with you further when I return。 There are hungry hyenas and vultures to be fed。'
The two colonels were still in the banquet chamber； hogging the food and wine； although they had not been at it long enough to drink themselves stupid。
'How many chariots can we have manned and running eastward before midnight？' Trok demanded。 They looked startled； but they were warriors and responded swiftly to his angry mood。
Colonel Tolma spat out the mouthful of wine he was about to swallow and leaped to his feet； only slightly unsteadily。 'I can have fifty on the road within two hours；' he blurted。
'I want that to be a hundred；' Trok demanded。
'I will have a hundred under mand before midnight。' Colonel Zander sprang up； eager not to be outdone。 'And another hundred running east before dawn。'
* * *
Taita led them through the night under a moon only days from full。 The tip of his staff clicked on the stony path； and his shadow flitted ahead of him like a monstrous black bat。 The others had to stretch their legs to keep him in sight。
After midnight Mintaka began to fail。 She was limping heavily and falling back steadily。 Nefer shortened his stride to stay with her。 He had not expected this from her： usually she was as strong as any boy he knew； and could outrun most of them。 He murmured encouragement to her； not loud enough to reach the ears of Taita。 He did not want the Magus to realize Mintaka's weakness； and to shame her in the sight of the others。
'It is not far now；' he told her； and took her hand to lead her faster。 'Bay will have the horses ready for us。 We will ride the rest of the way to Babylon in royal style。' She laughed but it was a strained； painful sound。 It was only then that he realized something was wrong with her。
'What is it that ails you？' he demanded。
'Nothing；' she said； 'I have been locked up in the palace too long。 My legs have gone soft。'
He would not accept it。 He took her arm and forced her to sit on 'a rock beside the path； lifted one of her small feet and unlaced the strap of the sandal。 He pulled it off and gasped； 'Sweet Horus； how did you manage a single step on this？' The rough ill…fitting sandal had galled her grievously。 The blood was black and shining in the moonlight。 He lifted the other foot and gently eased off its sandal。 Slabs of skin and flesh peeled away with it。
'I am sorry；' she whispered； 'but don't worry； I can go on barefoot。'
Furiously he hurled the bloodied footwear out among the rocks。 'You should have warned me of this earlier。' He stood up； lifted her to her feet； turned his back to her and braced himself to receive her weight。 'Put your arms around my neck and jump up'。 Then he set off after the others who； by this time； were merely a dark moving shadow on the moonlit desert far ahead。
Her mouth was close to his ear； and she whispered to him as he toiled on； trying to distract him； and to encourage him。 She told him how she had missed him； and how when she had heard of his reputed death she had not wanted to live without him。 'I wanted to die； so that I could be with you again。' Then she told him about the priestess of Hathor and how she had brought the serpent to her。 Nefer was so appalled that he lowered her to the earth and scolded her angrily。
That was stupid。' In his agitation he shook her roughly。 'Don't ever think like that again； whatever happens in the future。'
'You cannot know how much I love you； my darling。 You cannot imagine the devastation I felt when I thought you were gone。'
'We must make a pact。 We must live for each other from this day onwards。 We must never think of death again until it es to us uninvited。 Swear it to me！'
'I swear it to you。 From now onwards I will live only for you；' she said； and kissed him to seal their bargain。 He lifted her on to his shoulders again and they went on。
Her weight seemed to increase with every pace he took。 Where the road was soft and sandy he lowered her and she leaned upon him； hobbling along beside him on her raw and bleeding feet。 When the ground became rough and stony he lifted her again and trudged onwards。 She told him of how Taita had overlooked her and saved her from her resolve to die。 'It was the most extraordinary feeling；' she said； 'As though he stood at my side and spoke to me in a strong clear voice。 He told me that you were still alive。 How far away were you when he overlooked me？'
'We were at Gebel Nagara in the south； fifteen days' travel from Avaris。'
'He could reach so far？' she asked incredulously。 'Is there no end to his powers？'
Once more they stopped to rest in the darkness and she leaned against his shoulder and whispered to him； 'There is something I want to tell you； about my wedding night with Trok 。。。'
'No！' he said vehemently。 'I don't want to hear。 Do you think I have not tortured myself each day with the thought of it？'
'You must listen to me； my heart。 I was never wife to him。 Though he tried to force me； I was able to resist him。 My love for you gave me the strength to deny him。'
'I have heard that he displayed the red…stained sheepskin on the palace walls。' The words were painful to him and he turned away his face。
'Yes； it was my blood；' she said； and he tried to pull away from her embrace but she held him。 'It was not my virgin blood。 It was the blood from my nose and mouth where he had beaten me to force me to submit。 I swear to you on the love I have for the goddess； and on my hope to bear your sons； that I am virgin still and will be until you accept my maidenhead from me as a proof of my love。'
He took her in his arms and kissed her and wept with relief and joy； and she wept with him。
After a time he stood up again and he lifted her on to his back。 It was as though her vow had given him new strength and they went on more strongly。
It was after midnight before the others realized that something had befallen them； and came back to search for them。 Taita bound up Mintaka's feet and after that Hilto and Meren took their turns at carrying her。 They went on faster； but the stars were fading and the dawn light growing stronger when they finally reached the oasis where Bay waited for them with the horses。
All of them were exhausted by that time； but Taita would not allow them to rest。 They watered the horses for the last time and refilled the waterskins until they were tight and shiny； with drops of moisture oozing from them。
While they were doing this Taita half filled a bucket with water from the well； and； using some foaming unguent； washed the dye from his hair until once more it shone silver。
'Why does he wash his hair at a time like this？' Meren wondered。
'Perhaps it restores some of his force that he lost when he dyed it；' Mintaka suggested； and no one questioned this。
When they were ready to leave Taita forced them to drink again from the well； to fill their bellies with all the water they could swallow without vomiting。 While they were doing so Taita spoke quietly to Bay。 'Can you feel it？'
Bay scowled and nodded。 'It is in the air and I can feel it reverberating through the soles of my feet。 They are ing。'
Despite the urgency of the moment and the menace of an enemy close at hand； Taita took one last opportunity to treat Mintaka's feet。 He smeared the raw and bruised places with salve and re…bandaged them。 Then at last he ordered them to mount。
Taita took Meren in the leading chariot as his lance…bearer。 Nefer followed with Mintaka clinging to the dashboard to take the weight off her feet。 Hilto and Bay brought up the rearguard in the last chariot。
The Assyrian merchant who had sold them the carpets was supervising his servants and slaves as they loaded up his wagons and draught animals。 He turned to watch them as they passed； and he called a farewell to Taita。 But his interest quickened as he saw the girl in the second chariot。 Not even her dusty clothing and dishevelled hair could hide her striking looks。 He was still staring after them as they topped the last