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he gathering dusk。
Taita； Mintaka and Nefer took the caravan road towards Gallala。 Twelve days later； with only a few drops remaining in the waterskins； they reached the deserted ruins。
* * *
The weeks became months； and still they waited at Gallala。 Taita spent days at a time in the hills that surrounded the city。 Nefer and Mintaka caught occasional glimpses of him from a distance as he prowled the valleys and harsh gullies。 Often they saw him tapping and prodding the rocks with his staff。 At other times he sat by the almost dried…up wells outside the city walls； staring down the deep shafts。
When Nefer questioned him obliquely； he was distant and evasive。 'An army needs water；' was all he would volunteer。
There is hardly enough water for us；' Nefer pointed out； 'let alone an army。' Taita nodded； stood up and walked away into the hills with his staff tapping against the rocks。
Mintaka set up quarters for them among the ruins； and Nefer roofed them over with the tattered tent。 As a royal Hyksosian princess； Mintaka had never been called upon to cook a meal or sweep out a chamber； so her first efforts were disastrous。 As he chewed a charred mouthful Taita remarked； 'If we want to destroy Trok's army the most effective way would be to send you to them as a cook。'
'If you are so skilled； then perhaps you might honour us with your great culinary skills。'
'It is either that or starve；' Taita agreed； and took her place at the hearth。
Nefer resumed his old role of hunter； and after his first day out in the desert returned with a plump young gazelle and four marvellously patterned giant bustard eggs that were only slightly addled。 Mintaka sniffed her share of the omelette Taita made and pushed it away。 'Is this the same man who plained of my cooking？' She looked across the fire at Nefer。 'You are as guilty as he is。 Next time I will go with you to make sure that what you bring back is edible。'
They lay side by side in one of the shallow wadis that cut through the hills and watched a herd of gazelle feeding towards them。
'They are dainty as fairies；' Mintaka whispered。 'So beautiful。'
'I will shoot if you have qualms；' Nefer told her。
'No。' She shook her head。 'I did not say I would not do it。' Her tone was determined； and by now he knew her well enough not to query hear decision。
The ram moved ahead of his herd。 His back was a delicate cinnamon shade and his underbelly was the silvery white of one of the thunder…heads that rose above the horizon。 His horns were lyre…shaped and polished between his pricked； trumpet…shaped ears。 He turned his head on the long curved neck and gazed back at his small herd。 One of the lambs began to stot； bouncing on stiff legs with its nose almost touching its bunched hoofs。 This was the alarm behaviour。
'The little creature is just practising and showing off。' Nefer smiled。
The ram lost interest in this juvenile display； and came on towards where they lay in ambush。 He picked his way over the stony ground with studied grace； stopping every few paces to look about warily for danger。
'He has not seen us； but he soon will；' Nefer whispered。 'We do not have Taita to gull him。'
'He is out of range；' she whispered back。
'Fifty paces； no more。 Shoot or he will be gone in an instant。'
Mintaka waited until the ram once more turned away his head。 Then she rose slowly to her knees and drew the bow。 It was one of the short recurved weapons they had salvaged from a buried chariot。 She released the arrow and it rose in a gently arc against the pale desert sky。
With those huge dark eyes； the gazelle had instantly picked out her small movement of rising。 His head switched round and he stared at her； on the point of flight。 At the twanging release of the bowstring he leaped forward while the arrow was still in the air。 He skimmed away； tiny puffs of dust rising where his hoofs touched the earth。 The arrow rattled against the stones； where moments before； he had been standing。 Mintaka jumped to her feet and laughed to watch him go； showing no sign of chagrin at having missed the shot。
'Watch him run； like a swallow in flight。'
Taita had taught Nefer that the true hunter loves and honours his quarry。 He admired Mintaka the more for her passion towards the creatures she hunted。 She turned to him； still laughing。 'I am sorry； my heart。 You will go hungry to bed this night。'
'Not with Taita at the cooking fire。 He will pluck a feast from the very air。'
They raced each other to retrieve her spent arrow。 She had a head…start； and reached it ahead of him。 She stooped to pick it up； and the back of her short tattered skirt flew up。 Her thighs were smooth and brown and her buttocks perfect rounds； the skin pale and unblemished where the sun had never touched it； lustrous as precious Oriental silk。
She straightened and turned in a flash to catch the expression in his eyes。 Though she was virgin and unversed in sensuality； her feminine instincts were full blown。 She could see what passion her innocent gesture had roused in him； and the knowledge stirred her too。 Seeing how he desired her made her want him with an intensity that was painful。 She felt her loins melt with love for him； overflowing sweet and viscous like a honeyb left in the heat of the midday sun。
Timidly she swayed towards him； but Nefer felt hot shame at the carnal desire that had almost overwhelmed him again。 He remembered his promise to her。 'I would rather die than break my oath； and bring dishonour upon you；' he had told her； and at the memory he forced himself to turn away。 He found that his hands were shaking and his voice was gruff as he said； with his eyes averted； 'I know where there is another herd； but we must hurry if we are to find them before dark。' He set off without looking back at her； and she felt bereft。 She had wanted more than anything on this earth to feel his arms around her and his hard young body pressed to hers。
She gathered herself quickly and followed him； trying to push away the strange feelings that had so nearly engulfed her； but they would not so easily be set aside。 She caught up with him； and trotted a few paces behind him。
She studied his back。 She watched how his thick dark curls bounced on his shoulders。 She wondered at how wide his shoulders had grown since she had first met him。 Then she looked further down； and felt her cheeks burn as she watched his buttocks moving under the thin stuff of his short apron。 She enjoyed a delicious sense of shame at her own lascivious feelings。
Too soon they reached the rim of the long wadi that cleaved the mountains。 He turned his head to look back at her and almost caught her studying his body。 She raised her eyes to his just in time。
'There are hundreds of old tombs in the bottom of the cliff here。 I first saw them when my father brought me this way； just before he was…' He broke off； saddened by the memory of the last day he had spent with Tamose。
'Whose tombs are they？' she asked； to distract him from something so painful。
Taita says they are a thousand years old； from the time of Cheops and Chephren who built the great Pyramids at Giza。'
'Then they must be almost as old as the Magus himself。' She smiled and he laughed。
'Have you ever explored them？' she asked。
He shook his head； 'Since we first arrived here； I have thought of doing so often； but there has never been an opportunity。'
'Let us do it now；' she said。
He hesitated。 'We should have ropes and lamps。' But she was already scrambling down the cliff； and he was forced to follow her。
At its base； they soon found that most of the tombs were out of their reach； set high in the sheer cliff face with a deadly drop below them。
After a while Nefer picked out an opening he thought they might be able to reach。 They climbed a section where the cliff face had collapsed； and reached a narrow ledge。 They worked their way along it cautiously； Nefer leading。 He reached the dark opening and stooped to peer into it。 'Of course； it will be guarded by the spirits of the dead。' He tried to make it sound like a joke； but she sensed his unease and was affected by it。
'Of course！' she joked back； but behind her back made the sign against evil。
'It's very dark in there；' Nefer said thoughtfully。 'We should return tomorrow with an oil lamp。'
Mintaka looked over his shoulder。 A short passageway led at a slight upward angle into the solid rock。 Even after the passing of centuries； engravings were still clearly visible on the walls。
'Look。' Mintaka touched one。 'This is a picture of a giraffe； and this is a man。'
'Yes；' Nefer grinned； 'and a very friendly man； at that。 There is no mistaking it。'
She pretended to bridle； but could not hide her smile。 The ancient artist had endowed the figure with a huge erect member。
'Here。' She moved deeper into the passage。 'These are writings。 I wonder what they mean。'
'Nobody will ever know；' Nefer said； and stepped past her； 'The key to that ancient script has long been lost。 We should go back。'
The floor was covered with a layer of soft windblown sand。 After a short distance the recesses of the shaft were obscured by sinister darkness。
'We can explore just a short way further；' Mintaka said stubbornly。
'I don't think that's a good idea。'
'Here。' She pushed past him。 'Let me go first。'
'Wait！' He tried to restrain her； but she laughed and pulled away。 He placed one hand on the hilt of his dagger and followed her； shamed by her example and his own reluctance。
The gloom thickened with each step forward until even Mintaka stopped and peered uneasily ahead。 He stooped to pick up a chip of flint from the sandy floor and threw it over her shoulder into the dark reaches of the shaft。 It rattled on the stone walls。 'Nothing；' she said in the silence that followed； but before she could take another step forward something moved in the darkness ahead。 They heard a rustling sound that was magnified in the narrow space。 They froze in their tracks； and stared into the darkness。 There was a high…pitched shriek； echoed immediately by a chorus； the rustle became a rushing roar； and out of the darkness straight into their faces hurled a squeaking； fluttering cloud of darting shapes； whose wings lashed their startled faces。
Mintaka screamed； whirled around； ran straight into Nefer and threw both her arms around his neck。 He seized her and held her hard； drawing her down on to the sandy floor。
'Bats；' he told her。 'Only bats。'
'I know！' she said breathlessly。
'They can't hurt you。'
'I know。' Her voice was calmer； but she made no effort to unwind her arms from around his neck。 He pressed his face into her thick； springy hair。 It smelt rich and perfumed as new…mown grass。
She made a soft； murmuring sound of pleasure； buried her face against his throat； and moved softly against him。
'Mintaka；' he tried gently to push her away； 'I gave you my promise that this would not happen again。'
'I release you from that promise。' Her voice was so soft as to be barely audible。 She lifted her face to his。 Her breath was warm and sweet…smelling。 Her lips were tender and full； and quivered as though she were on the point of tears。 'I want to be your wife more than I have ever wanted anything in my life。'
He reached down and took her mouth with his own。 It was wet and so hot that it seemed to scald his。 He lost himself in it。 She felt that she belonged nowhere else but in his embrace。 Still kissing her he explored the angles and curves and plains of her back with his fingertips。 He traced the outline of her spine； like a string of pearls running down between the firm ridges of muscle。
He placed a hand on her hip； and felt the curve of her waist like the shape of a precious ceramic vase。 He reache