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water。
While the mixture cooled； Taita brought the tanned leather bag that contained the Mazes from its hiding…place at the back of the cave。 Sitting over the fire； he poured the ivory discs into one hand and rubbed them gently between his fingers as he began to chant the incantation to Ammon Ra。
The Mazes prised ten ivory discs； which Taita had carved。 Ten was the mystical number of the greatest potency。 Each carving depicted one of the ten symbols of power； and was a miniature work of art。 As he sang he fondled the discs so that they clicked between his fingers。 Between each verse of the invocation； he blew on the discs to endow them with his life force。 When they had taken on the warmth of his own body he passed them to Nefer。
'Hold them and breathe upon them；' he urged； and while Nefer obeyed these instructions； Taita began to sway in rhythm to the magical verses he was reciting。 Slowly his eyes seemed to glaze over as he retreated into the secret places in his mind。 He was already in the trance when Nefer stacked the Mazes in two piles in front of him。
Then with one finger Nefer tested the temperature of the infusion in the clay pot as Taita had taught him。 When it was cool enough not to scald the mouth； he knelt before the old man and with both hands offered it to him。
Taita drank it to the last drop； and in the firelight his face turned white as building chalk from the quarry at Aswan。 For a while longer he kept up the chant； but slowly his voiice dropped to a whisper； the descended into silence。 The only sound was his hoarse breathing as he succumbed to the drug and the trance。 He subsided on to the floor of the cave； and lay curled like a sleeping cat beside the fire。
Nefer covered him with his woollen shawl； and stayed beside him until he started to twitch and groan； and the sweat streamed down his face。 His eyes opened and rolled back in their sockets until only the whites glared blindly into the dark shadows of the cave。
Nefer knew there was nothing he could do for the old man now。 He had journeyed far into the shadowy places where Nefer could not reach him； and he could no longer bear the terrible distress and suffering that the Mazes inflicted upon the Magus。 Quietly he stood up； fetched his bow and quiver from the back of the cave and stooped to see out through the entrance。 Across the hills the sun was low and yellow in the dust haze。 He climbed the western dunes； and when he reached the top and looked out across the valleys he felt so strongly his disappointment at the lost bird； his concern for Taita in his agony of divination； and his sense of foreboding at what Taita would discover in his trance； that he was seized by the urge to run； to escape as though from some dreadful predator。 He bounded away down the face of the dune； the sand cascading and hissing beneath his feet。 He felt tears of terror brim in his eyes and stream down his cheeks in the wind； and he ran until the sweat poured down his flanks； his chest heaved and the sun was on the horizon。 Then at last he turned back towards Gebel Nagara and covered the last mile in darkness。
Taita was still curled under the shawl beside the fire； but he was sleeping more easily now。 Nefer lay down beside him； and after a while he； too； fell into a sleep that was restless with dreams and haunted by nightmares。
When he awoke dawn was glimmering at the entrance to the cave。 Taita was sitting at the fire； grilling gazelle cutlets on the coals。 He still looked pale and sick； but he skewered one on the point of his bronze dagger and offered it to Nefer。 The boy was suddenly ravenous； and he sat up and gnawed on the bone。 When he had devoured the third portion of sweet tender meat he spoke for the first time。 'What did you see； Tata？' he asked。 'Why did the godbird refuse？'
'It was obscured；' Taita told him； and Nefer knew that the omen had been unpropitious； that Taita was protecting him from it。
They ate in silence for a while； but now Nefer hardly tasted the food and at last he said softly； 'You have freed the decoys。 How can we set the net tomorrow？'
'The godbird will not e to Gebel Nagara again；' said Taita simply。 'Then am I never to be Pharaoh in my father's place？' Nefer asked。
There was deep anguish in his voice； so Taita softened his answer。 'We will have to take your bird from the nest。'
'We do not know where to find the godbird。' Nefer had stopped eating。 He stared at Taita with pitiful appeal。
The old man inclined his head in affirmation。 'I know where the nest is。 It was revealed in the Mazes。 But you must eat to keep up your strength。 We will leave before first light tomorrow。 It is a long journey to the site。'
'Will there be fledglings in the nest？'
'Yes；' said Taita。 'The falcons have bred。 The young are almost ready for flight。 We will find your bird there。' Silently he told himself； Or the god will reveal other mysteries to us。
* * *
In the darkness before dawn they loaded the waterskins and the saddlebags on to the horses then swung up bareback behind them。 Taita led the way； skirting the cliff face and taking the easy route up the hills。 By the time the sun was above the horizon they had left Gebel Nagara far below them。 When Nefer looked ahead he started with surprise： there ahead of them was the faint outline of the mountain； blue against the blue of the horizon； still so far off that it seemed insubstantial and ethereal； a thing of mist and air rather than of earth and rock。 The sensation that he had seen it before overcame Nefer； and for a while he was at a loss to explain it to himself。 Then it came rushing back and he said； 'That mountain。' He pointed it out。 'That is where we are going； is it not； Tata？' He spoke with such assurance that Taita looked back at him。
'How do you know？'
'I dreamed it last night；' Nefer replied。
Taita turned away so that the boy would not see his expression。 At last the eyes of his mind are opening like a desert bloom in the dawn。 He is learning to peer through the dark curtain that hides the future from us。 He felt a deep sense of achievement。 Praise the hundred names of Horus； it has not been in vain。
'That is where we are going； I know it is；' Nefer repeated； with utmost certainty。
'Yes；' Taita agreed at last。 'We are going to Bir Umm Masara。'
Before the hottest part of the day； Taita led them to where a clump of ragged acacia thorn trees grew in a deep ravine； their roots drawing up water from some deep source far below the surface。 When they had unloaded the horses and watered them； Nefer cast around the grove and within minutes had discovered sign of others who had passed this way。 Excitedly； he called Taita over and showed him the wheel…marks left by a small division of chariots； ten vehicles by his reckoning； the ashes of the cooking fire； and the flattened earth where men had lain down to sleep with the horses tethered to the acacia trunks nearby。
'Hyksos？' he hazarded anxiously； for the dung of the horses in their lines was very fresh； not more than a few days old…it was dry on the outside； but still damp when he broke open a lump。
'Ours。' Taita had recognized the tracks of the chariots。 After all； he had made the first designs of these spoked wheels many decades before。 He stooped suddenly and picked up a tiny bronze rosette ornament that had fallen from a dashboard and was half buried in the loose earth。 'One of our light cavalry divisions； probably from the Phat regiment。 Part of Lord Naja's mand。'
'What are they doing out here； so far from the lines？' Nefer asked； puzzled； but Taita shrugged and turned away to cover his unease。
The old man cut short their period of rest and they went on while the sun was still high。 Slowly the outline of Bir Umm Masara hardened and seemed to fill half of the sky ahead of them。 Gradually they could make out the etching and scarification of gorge； bluff and cliff。 As they reached the crest of the first line of foothills； Taita checked his horse and looked back。 Distant movement caught his attention； and he held up his hand to shade his eyes。 He could see a tiny feather of pale dust many leagues out in the desert below。 He watched it for a while and saw that it was moving eastwards； towards the Red Sea。 It might have been thrown up by a herd of moving oryx； or by a column of fighting chariots。 He did not remark on it to Nefer； who was so intent on the hunt for the royal falcon that he could not tear his eyes from the silhouette of the mountain ahead。 Taita thumped his heels into the flanks of his horse and moved up beside the boy。
That night； when they camped halfway up the slope of Bir Umm Masara； Taita said quietly； 'We will make no fire this night。'
'But it's so cold；' Nefer protested。 'And we are so exposed here that a fire could be seen for ten leagues across the desert。'
'Are there enemies out there？' Nefer's expression changed； and he gazed down over the darkening landscape with trepidation。 'Bandits？ Raiding Bedouin？'
'There are always enemies；' Taita told him。 'Better cold than dead。' After midnight when the icy wind woke Nefer； and his colt； Stargazer； stamped and whinnied； he rolled out of his sheepskin blanket and went to calm him。 He found Taita already awake； sitting a little apart。
'Look！' he ordered； and pointed down on to the lowland。 There was a distant glimmer and flicker of light。 'A campfire；' Taita said。
'They might be one of our own divisions。 Those who made the tracks we saw yesterday。'
They might indeed；' agreed Taita； 'But then again； they might be somebody else。'
After a long； thoughtful pause Nefer said； 'I have slept enough。 It's too cold； anyway。 We should mount again and move on。 We don't want the dawn to catch us here on the bare shoulder of the mountain。'
They loaded the horses and in the moonlight found a rough path made by wild goats that led them round the eastern shoulder of Bir Umm Masara； so that when the light began to strengthen they were already out of sight of any watchers in the distant encampment。
The chariot of Ammon Ra； the sun god； burst furiously out of the east； and the mountain was suffused with golden light。 The gorges were dark with shadow； made more sombre by the contrast； and far below the wilderness was vast and grand。
Nefer threw back his head； shouted with joy； 'Look！ Oh； look！' and pointed up past the rock peak。 Taita followed his gaze and saw the two dark specks； turning in a wide circle against the heavens。 The sunlight caught one； so that it glowed for a second like a shooting star。
'Royal falcons。' Taita smiled。 'A mating pair。'
They unloaded the horses and found a vantage…point from which they were able to watch the circling birds。 Even at this distance they were regal and beautiful beyond Nefer's ability to express it。 Then suddenly one of the birds； the smaller male； the tiercel； broke the pattern of flight； and angled up against the wind； his leisurely wingbeats taking on a sudden ferocity。
'He has discovered；' Nefer shouted； with the excitement and joy of the true falconer。 'Watch him now。'
When it began the stoop was so swift that to have taken the eye off it for even a moment would have meant missing the kill。 The tiercel dropped down the sky like a thrown javelin。 A single pigeon was coasting unsuspectingly near the base of the cliff。 Nefer recognized the moment when the plump bird became suddenly aware of the danger； and tried to avoid the falcon。 It turned so violently towards the safety of the rock face that it rolled over on to its back in full and frantic flight。 For an instant its belly was exposed。 The tiercel tore into it with both sets of talons； and the big bird seemed to dissolve in a burst of puce and blue smoke。 The feathers drifted away in a long cloud on the morning wind and the falcon bound on； locking its talons deep into its prey's belly； and plunged with it into the gorge。 The killer and its victim hit the rocky scree slope only