Suzanne Robinson (26 page)

Seth’s voice rose. “I used no magic. She loves me. Is that so hard to believe?”

Sennefer regarded his brother quietly.

“No,” the master said. “No, it’s not hard to believe, little brother.” Sennefer spoke with genuine affection. As he came closer to Seth, the older man drew a dagger from a gold-and-lapis sheath. He smoothed the flat of the blade against his palm. “I didn’t expect it to be this hard,” he said, as if resuming a conversation already in progress. He smiled lovingly at Seth.

“After all these years of working to gain power,” Sennefer said, “all these years of waiting for the right opportunity to destroy you and take back what is mine, I didn’t expect to feel any regret about killing you. It seems you’ve winnowed your exasperating self into my ka. It will be difficult.”

Anqet shivered. Sennefer spoke as if they were all sitting in the garden discussing a servant problem.

“Sennefer,” she said. She made her tone gentle. “You don’t want to do this. You’re brothers. I know you love each other, in spite of all the pain. Don’t you see? How can you be so devout and do this?”

“Why, it’s because of my faith, of course.” Sennefer made a sudden movement that brought the point of the dagger to the base of Seth’s throat. The count stood relaxed, his arms at his sides. “God of sin and evil,” Sennefer said to his brother, “I have come to end your
reign in the Two Lands. Mighty Amun-Ra has given me this task, and now I have succeeded. I shall rescue the flower of Egypt and make her pure.”

Seth mimicked his brother “Might Amun-Ra. Flower of Egypt. Spare me. If you’re going to kill me, at least admit it’s because you hate me. For once admit the truth. You’ve always hated me, no matter how much I tried to earn your love. You’ve always wanted what I had, and that includes Anqet.”

Anqet watched the two men. For the moment they’d forgotten her She was afraid. They looked like two lions in a pit.

Seth slapped the dagger away from his throat and raised his voice. “What I don’t understand is why you waited so long after you tried to kill me the first time,”

“I didn’t mean it that first time!” Sennefer glared at his younger brother. “You fell out of the chariot, and the bull charged.”

“You left me to face it. You waited for it to charge. You waited.”

Sennefer shouted back. “You stole my father You stole my future. I’m taking back what’s mine.”

Sennefer lunged at Anqet and tossed her to Merab and Paheri. “Hold her, and let no one interfere. How much longer will the men be in the house? No, Seth.”

Sennefer pointed the dagger at his brother as the younger man headed for Anqet. Seth stopped out of reach of the blade.

“You see,” the master said, “my men are busy planting Akhenaten’s stolen tomb furnishings in your chambers and around the house. Pharaoh will at last be faced with proof of your depravity. I and the high priest of Amun-Ra will be there to comfort him, and to urge him to put his trust where it belongs—in the wisdom of the servants of Amun-Ra.”

Seth edged carefully toward his brother “At last we get to the truth. The truth is that you and your priestly cohorts want to own Pharaoh, but you’ve made a mistake.
I never ruled Tutankhamun. He accepts my guidance, if he wishes. Pharaoh is young, but he is truly Pharaoh.”

“Stay back,” the master said.

Sennefer placed himself between Anqet and his brother, his dagger pointed at Seth. “I helped teach you to fight, brother, and know better than to let you approach. Merab, take the lady Anqet to the count’s chambers.”

Anqet had no intention of being herded like a she-goat. The sun was finally showing itself. In the meager light she took aim, stomped hard on Paheri’s foot, and bit Merab’s arm. Sennefer and Seth both cursed, but the noise produced by the two was nothing to the war cry that shrieked at them from the grounds outside. Everyone stopped. One of the Paheri’s men, Yellow Teeth, stumbled through the double doors from the outer court, a spear embedded in his gut. Several others rushed past him in panic. Yellow Teeth was trampled as his eyes went vacant in death.

Tomb robbers stampeded into the inner court under a hail of spears and arrows. A second great war cry echoed just beyond the doors. This time Seth shouted a reply.

Anqet was dragged to the protection of a column near the sanctuary by her two captors while they shouted orders at their men. Neither man showed any sign of joining the battle. Anqet had to watch helplessly as Seth’s warriors engaged the thieves in a bloody, hand-to-hand contest. Frantically she searched the wrestling figures for Seth. She saw Lord Dega. The young commander dashed inside the entrance at the head of a group of warriors.

A flash of red-black hair told Anqet Seth’s location. She saw him swerve to avoid a club, only to go down beneath Sennefer’s charge. The two rolled over and over in a cruel embrace, and Sennefer’s face contorted with rage. He shouted Seth’s name. The count fastened his hands on the arm that sought to plunge a dagger into his heart.

Unlike Sennefer’s, Seth’s face was devoid of emotion. The count ignored the vituperative stream of phrases his brother spat at him. Suddenly Sennefer pulled his weapon
back. Seth, who had been pushing against the force of the master’s arms, went off-balance and slipped toward his brother Sennefer grabbed the count and pulled, adding to Seth’s momentum.

Anqet screamed as Seth was forced onto the point of Sennefer’s dagger. Her view was obscured by the flow of combat. When she could see again, Seth lay beneath his brother, blood streaming from a wound in his left arm. His muscles strained with the effort to keep Sennefer from plunging the dagger into his heart The injured arm gave way. Anqet watched unbelieving as Sennefer touched the point of the blade to the flesh between the count’s ribs.

“Sennefer, no!” Anqet screamed.

Seth’s brother must have heard her, though he never took his eyes from the man beneath him. He paused, and Anqet saw the rage drain from him. Anqet prayed to all the gods while Sennefer held her lover’s life at daggerpoint. She could see the blade make a dent in Seth’s flesh; then it pulled back. Sennefer said something to the count. Seth grinned at his brother even as his hands gripped Sennefer’s wrist below the weapon. Anqet heard Sennefer utter a growl of mingled exasperation and amusement. The dagger sought its target, but the force behind it had dissipated with the exchange of words.

A high shriek came to Anqet’s ears, followed by a growl. A war-ax hurtled into Sennefer’s dagger arm. The handle slammed the master’s forearm. Sennefer cried out and dropped the dagger Seth rolled from under his brother and to his feet. A black streak flashed across the court. The dog Meki raced to Seth and took up a stance in front of his owner.

Anqet and Seth shouted at the same time: “Khet!”

Anqet traced the path of the war-ax back to the double doors where the slim youth craned his neck to see over the broad shoulders of two of Seth’s lieutenants. At their shout, Sennefer turned to glare at his younger brother before being forced to retreat from a fresh assault led by Dega.

Paheri and Lord Merab held Anqet and dodged spears
and knives. Occasionally one of them would kick at an enemy as the fighting drew close. Otherwise, both seemed content to let their men and Sennefer take all the risks.

Without warning, Anqet found herself the object of a combined effort by Dega and Seth. The two men worked their way toward her from opposite directions, with Meki clearing a path for Seth with his snarling jaws. Seeing them, Merab pulled Anqet close in front of him as a shield. Paheri tugged at her, trying to hide his bulk behind her as well.

Dega reached the column and swiped at Paheri with his scimitar Anqet took advantage of the distraction and smashed at the scarred head with her foot when the man ducked. Paheri scrambled out of range on all fours.

Dega turned to the two approaching thieves just as Seth pounced at Merab, and the head thief squealed in panic. Seth reached for the mans neck, but Sennefer appeared behind him, lifted him bodily, and threw him against a pillar.

Anqet was squirming and biting at Merab when the man let out a yelp. Khet had crouched, a club in his hand, and was pounding the mans feet. Anqet joined him, snatching the club and beating Merab about the shoulders. Like a crazed beetle, Merab scurried toward the exit without a thought for his compatriots.

Anqet took Khet’s arm and dragged the boy after her. She dodged a scuffle between a charioteer and a bloody sailor With Khet in tow, she headed for the men who had been assigned to protect this adventuresome youth, but Sennefer curled his arm around her waist and lifted her in the air.

Lunging for Khet, Sennefer caught an ankle and brought him slamming to the stone floor Anqet saw Khet’s head crack against a flagstone. The boy went limp. Sennefer dragged at his brother’s leg, but Seth broke through the fighting with Meki as a vanguard and snatched the boy away. Anqet couldn’t see what happened to the count and the unconscious boy, for Sennefer lifted her in his arms and plunged into the dark sanctuary.

The sounds of warfare faded as they crossed the vestibule and entered the home of the gods. Sennefer set Anqet on her feet, keeping one arm around her shoulders to prevent her from running. He muttered a prayer to the holy ones in apology for violating their sanctity.

Filtered light from the vestibule showed Seth’s men in a final roundup of thieves. A scream made Anqet shudder, and she watched a tomb robber fall to his death, a scimitar piercing his abdomen. Abrupt silence followed, and she listened for Seth’s voice.

In the stillness, she felt Sennefer’s hard, armored body tremble. He held Anqet from behind, clasping both her arms so that they were pinned to her body. Together they stood listening and waiting at the sanctuary entrance. Anqet felt Sennefer’s cheek resting against her head.

Sennefer broke off the quotation. Anqet had recognized the lines from the play
Horus and Seth.

The master sighed. “I’m afraid it is I and not the evil Seth who may be slaughtered. In this performance, the wicked one will triumph. Unless …” Sennefer shifted his hold on Anqet. He drew a dagger from the sheath at his belt. “Unless my captive serves as safe conduct.”

Anqet could hardly believe him. Safe conduct to where?

“Sennefer,” she said, “Sennefer, he was trying to warn you before Dega attacked.” Anqet twisted her head around to look up at the master’s face. “Don’t you understand? Seth has been Pharaoh’s agent all along.”

There was a long pause. Anqet could barely make out the deceptively pleasing outline of Sennefer’s face.

“He was always a clever child, my Falcon.”

The dagger angled toward Anqet’s throat; she cringed
against Sennefer as he rested the edge of the blade on her neck.

Sennefer’s voice sounded as empty and dead as the shell of a locust. “There is another escape for me, and for you.”

Light violated the sacred darkness of the temple. Sennefer dragged Anqet toward the altar. He stopped with his back to the golden effigy of Amun-Ra on its pedestal. Seth stood inside the doorway between two men holding torches.

“Sennefer, it’s over. Come out now.”

“It isn’t over, wicked one. Others will fight you after me.”

The master pulled Anqet’s head back. She felt the sharp edge of the dagger begin to move across her throat. She dared not move.

“I’ll have one small victory,” Sennefer said. “My rose lotus will be beyond the reach of your defiling hands. I only wish I could have saved Khet as well.”

The dagger stung Anqet’s throat. Amidst the roar of panic in her mind, she heard a calm voice.

“Wait,” Seth said. “Don’t be stupid. “It’s me you want dead, not Anqet.”

The master lowered his weapon. Anqet’s legs trembled. She knew they would give way if Sennefer let her go. She looked at Seth. He hadn’t moved. She could see the sheen of perspiration on his brown shoulders and the ugly red gash on his biceps. The count’s next words filled her with terror.

“Release Anqet. I will come to you in her place.”

“No!” she cried.

Sennefer clamped a hand over her mouth. He tightened his grip on her as she struggled. The master paused, then placed his hand on the back of Anqet’s neck and reversed the dagger so that he held it ready to throw.

“Come die with me, beautiful and sinful brother.”

“I won’t go,” Anqet said. “Stay back, Seth.”

“Silence,” the master said. “You will go, or I’ll kill him now. See. He stands unprotected. Go.” Sennefer
pushed Anqet toward the door. “Come, Seth. If you betray me, the blade will end up in Anqet’s back.”

They met halfway. Anqet dared not endanger Seth’s life, nor he hers.

“This is a terrible idea,” Anqet said. “If you get yourself killed, I’ll be mad at you throughout eternity.”

Seth smiled down at her. “You frighten me more than Sennefer.”

“Good.”

At Sennefer’s impatient demand, they moved away from each other. Anqet reached the safety of the doorway where Dega was waiting for her Pale and frightened, Khet joined them there, leaving the shelter of his guardians and attaching himself to her side. They stood, helpless, watching the two men in the sanctuary.

When Seth was an arm’s length away, Sennefer stopped him.

“Hold your arms out from your body.”

Seth complied, and the master brought his dagger to rest beneath his brother’s chin. Sennefer drew the count closer. “I’ll be much happier in the next world knowing that you will suffer in the Lake of Fire for your sins. You may lower your arms. I can kill you at the slightest move.”

“Then why aren’t you doing it?” Seth asked.

“You want to die?”

“No. I’m curious.” Seth stared into his brother’s eyes. “You could have killed me when I was wounded. You had this blade poised above my heart.” Seth frowned at his brother. “Come to think of it, you could have done away with me any time. You had no need to wait. A chance snakebite. An attack by robbers. A sudden illness. Any excuse would suffice.”