“Neti, child, what brings you here?” Her father asked, as he continued to rub oil over the body.
“Mamma said to call you for dinner,” Neti said stepping closer and looking at the body with its slightly hollowed torso. “I can help,” she offered, stepping towards the bandages.
“After dinner,” her father said, reaching to pull the sheet over the man’s body…
“Neti?” Shabaka’s voice called her back to the present, startling her slightly and causing her to look at him questioningly.
“Are you all right?” he asked, touching her shoulder.
Neti nodded her head in response, clearing her throat slightly, a lump having settled within it.
Just then, Karndesh spoke up as pulled the sheet over the body he was working on, “The mayor said I was not to let her anywhere near the body.”
Marlep indicated Shabaka, and spoke up, “Prefect Shabaka was appointed by the pharaoh himself. His authority supersedes that of the mayor’s when it comes to these matters.”
Karndesh acknowledged this and pointed over to the other platform, where a body lay covered with a sheet. “I have not yet started on him. I need to finish wrapping this one first.”
Neti and Shabaka made their way over to the other body, Neti looking around the room, sniffing the air slightly. A frown formed on her brow at an unfamiliar scent.
“Something wrong?” Shabaka asked quietly.
Neti turned to look at him, tilting her head slightly, before giving him an almost imperceptible nod.
They stopped next to the platform, with Marlep grasping the sheet and drawing it back from the body.
Neti gasped when she saw the face, “By Osiris!” Neti exclaimed, clamping her hand over her mouth and stepping back from the body.
“What is it?” Shabaka asked turning toward her.
Neti pointed at the body, for a moment struggling to breathe. “That is the mason I met the other day who gave me mud for my parents’ room.”
Marlep made to cover the body again, but Neti halted him, “No, it’s fine.” Then she stepped forward to look at the body.
“Are you going to be all right?” Shabaka asked again, coming to stand next to her.
Neti nodded her head, before replying. “Just shocked.” She looked at the man’s chest, inspecting the gashes and their crude manner, then stepping back and drawing Shabaka with her, “I need to have a look at the other body.” She indicated the body Karndesh was still standing next to.
“Why?” Shabaka asked, confused.
“Something smells wrong, and I think it’s that body,” Neti professed.
“I thought you wanted to see this body,” Shabaka replied, for a moment put out.
“He is the only embalmer I do not know,” Neti said quietly, “The gashes in this body were made in anger. Not many know exactly where to find the heart. It also takes a lot of strength to open the chest.”
“You think he will let us?” Shabaka asked, glancing toward the scarred embalmer.
“Something is strange. He does not want us here. See how he glances about. People who are nervous of my presence do that. No embalmer has ever feared me,” Neti decreed.
“So what do we do?” Shabaka asked in a low voice.
Neti calmly enunciated, “Have Marlep escort him out. You have the authority to order it.”
“Very well,” Shabaka replied, nodding his head firmly, and then turning towards Marlep. “Marlep, I would like you to escort Karndesh from the chamber.”
“What! No! You can’t do that,” Karndesh fiercely retorted.
“And my reason for such action?” Marlep calmly requested.
“Neti wishes to discuss matters pertaining to our inquiry, while looking at the body,” Shabaka calmly assured him.
“Yes it is understandable. Come Karndesh, we shall leave them,” Marlep beckoned the embalmer to accompany him.
“But this is my chamber. They have no right to do this,” the embalmer protested.
“Shabaka’s position means his requests are sanctioned by the pharaoh,” Marlep started, “Come, we will go and have some bread and beer while they discuss matters.” Marlep gestured for the man to precede him from the room, before pointedly looking over his shoulder at Neti.
Neti nodded her head slightly, before moving closer to the body on the platform. Once they were out of the chamber, she went over to the other body.
“So what are you looking for?” Shabaka asked as Neti lifted the end of the sheet and drew it away from the body.
“Before he covered it, I noticed that something was wrong with the skin’s color, and the smell is wrong,” Neti said examining the body.
“What do you mean? Do bodies smell differently then?” Shabaka asked looking down at the one before them.
“Yes, each embalmer uses herbs when they prepare a body. Depending on the combinations the smell obtained differs. Some of them are so distinct that one could identify an embalmer by it.” Neti, glanced for a moment in the flagon, sniffing its contents. “Cedar oil,” she stated aloud, before turning to the body. “See here.” She indicated the skin over the ribs and torso, “The skin usually darkens on preservation. It will eventually turn black. This body has not been in natron for long, or at least not long enough for wrapping.”
“How do you know he is going to wrap it?” Shabaka asked, looking at the body.
“The presence of cedar oil and bandages tells me that. The body is rubbed down with the oil and wrapped with bandages, and amulets inserted in certain areas.”
“You should tell me more about this sometime,” Shabaka commented, watching as Neti inspected the corpse’s face.
Neti lifted her gaze from the body to look at him, “You should come around for dinner one evening. I’ll show you my scrolls,” Neti replied before checking the corpse’s eyes. “Just as I thought,” she proclaimed, turning from the body and moving over to the implements. She selected a curved hook before returning to the body and inserting the end on it into the left nostril. She pushed it up until it stopped and then knocked it hard. A cracking sound emanated from the body, followed by a gagging sound beside her, causing her to turn and look at Shabaka, who had his hand over his mouth. “The first one is always the worst,” Neti said, before pulling the hook out and looking at the matter on the end, her nose wrinkling slightly at the smell.
“This body has not been properly prepared,” she decreed, turning to show Shabaka the hook. Shabaka in turn just stepped back from her. “He has not taken out the brain and the eyes have not been replaced with resin balls,” Neti said placing the hook to the side. She moved to check the mouth, before stating, “It also has not been filled.”
Shabaka remained at a distance as he watched her stroke her hand over the body.
“He is still too rounded to be wrapped. There should be slight indentions over the ribs, especially if he had his organs removed.” Neti ran her hand over the stomach, suddenly stopping to feel the area, her brow furrowing.
“What is it? Shabaka asked, stepping closer again.
“This is wrong,” she stated as she felt the area, then turning to look at Shabaka, “Look in those jars there, and see if his intestines are in there,” she requested, lifting the hook again and causing Shabaka visibly to shudder. She placed it back in its place, instead picking up the flint knife and turning back to the body.
“There’s some stuff in here mixed with salt,” Shabaka replied, holding one jar askew for her to see.
“He did not even clean them properly before placing them inside,” Neti said, shaking her head.
“What are you doing?” Shabaka asked, slightly distraught, as Neti cut away the stitching.
“He’s put something in here, and I want to know what it is,” Neti stated, as she pulled away the stitching, decreeing, “He should not be so disrespectful of the dead. I’ll report him.”
Neti parted the skin, opening the cut and pulling the resin bandage away from it, placing it on the side. She reached into the b
ody and extracted a hard lump of cloth from it. “What in Horus’s name has he put in here?” Neti asked, opening the piece of fabric, revealing an unpolished emerald. Her heart started racing, as she dropped it in shock, her hand flying to her mouth. “Oh dear Osiris, what is he doing?”
Shabaka bent down to retrieve the gem, looking at it before righting himself, watching as Neti once again reached into the body, extracting another wrapped lump and unwrapping it to reveal a lump of amethyst.
“So that’s how they are doing it,” Shabaka quietly rejoined next to her.
“Who?” Neti asked, turning to look at him in disbelief.
“This is how they’re getting the gems out of the city,” Shabaka said looking at her, “How many gems are in there, do you think?”
“It would take a lot to fill a body of this size, and it feels quite full,” Neti replied pushing on the abdomen of the body, and then suddenly turning to Shabaka, “You knew of this,” Neti firmly said, “and that is why you are not surprised.”
Shabaka nodded his head, “It is the reason the pharaoh appointed me here.” Shabaka looked about them for a moment before stepping closer to Neti. “There were discrepancies in the records, between that which was mined, and the gems arriving at the palace. I was tasked with uncovering the dishonesty. Up until today I have not managed to find anything. Whoever is behind this is cunning, and resourceful. They have done this for seasons already without being caught, and now I understand how. No-one is going to search a body being escorted from town.”
“What are we gong to do now? We cannot just leave it like this,” Neti replied, pointing to the body.
“Can you close him up?” Shabaka asked.
“The stitching was a bit crude, but yes, I could,” Neti replied.
“Put these back and close him up,” Shabaka said handing her the two gems, “We will make as if we have found nothing. I will have guards monitor the building. I want to know who else is …’
“You’re not going to approach Karndesh?” Neti asked, surprised.
“I think he just prepares the body and gems for transport. I want to know how they get these bodies out of the city, and who is bringing the gems to them. I want to capture them all,” Shabaka stated before turning to Neti, “Thank you.”
“What for?” Neti returned surprised.
“For noticing the differences,” Shabaka replied sincerely, helping to right the chamber while she stitched up the corpse. They replaced the sheet, and glanced about the room one last time before stepping past the heavy drape and into the passageway.
“So you’re certain that the cut was made by someone familiar with bodies?” Shabaka asked as they approached Marlep and Karndesh.
“Yes, the person had to know where the heart was situated to take it out,” Neti replied.
“So you are finished?” Karndesh asked, looking from one to the other.
“Yes, we are, Neti here can be very informative,” Shabaka said, looking sideways at her, “She explained to me how you remove the intestines for preservation.”
“Yes, I hope her papers come soon. The loss of her father will be felt. But she is truly capable of filling his shoes,” Marlep professed.
Neti and Shabaka left not long after that.
“You think Marlep might be in on it?” Shabaka asked as they moved from the building.
“I’m not sure. He might be. He’s always been respectful to me though,” Neti honestly replied.
“And Asim?”
“Oh I don’t think so. Theft from the pharaoh is punishable by execution. He would not be so foolish. He loves his wife too much to expose her to something like that,” Neti remarked, “They are happy and comfortable.”
“And your parents?” Shabaka chanced to ask.
“Definitely not!” Neti firmly decreed, “I have helped my father process bodies, and there were only natron, cloth and sawdust ever placed within them.”
“I should buy you a beer. I’m actually excited by our discovery.”
“So you will be following up on that instead?” Neti asked.
Shabaka looked at her, halting before turning to grasp her shoulders. “I made a promise to help you find your parents’ killer. I am a man of my word. However, I suspect their deaths may be connected to this. Maybe your father discovered something and was going to report it,” Shabaka reasoned, “It would be reason enough to kill him.”
“We should tell the mayor,” Neti grudgingly replied.
“No!” Shabaka said firmly, “This stays between us. The pharaoh was very specific in stating that I am to function independently from the mayor, and closing the gates could be obstructive for following this. But let’s hope it takes a few more days before the Vizier’s man returns.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
The half moon hung low over the plains of Thebes, its glow casting a gray glow against the city walls, with the light barely reaching the streets. The city’s inhabitants had long since gone to bed, rendering the streets still in the early morning hours, allowing him to move about freely without fear of being discovered. He moved unrestricted across the rooftops as he made his way to his destination, once or twice having needed to slip the flint knife back in place under his dark robe. It was always on his side in the evenings, having become his constant companion.
He finally came to the desired rooftop, his intended destination, and made his way down the outside stairs and into the house. Its arrangement was familiar to him as he moved about it with ease. It was neat, as he knew it would be, and he made his way to the small table where he knew he would find a lamp. He lit it and turned for the bedchamber, carefully moving the fabric from the doorway to allow him entry. He moved to the side of the bed, once again reaching for the knife that seemed to slip, before coming to a halt.
The pale glow from the lamp shone over the sleeping form, and he reached out towards her. It had been so long since she had last spoken to him, her attentions having gone to the Nubian prefect as of late. The dark skinned man did not deserve her attentions. She was too good a person, with too important a part, to spend her time with one so low, so unimportant. But that would soon be righted. He would soon be a god and she was going to help him with the powers in her heart …
A rattling noise nearby caused him suddenly to withdraw his hand from her. He glanced about the room, before stepping away from the bed, moving to check the surrounding areas. He slipped through the doorway, blowing out the lamp as he went. He progressed up the stairs and towards the small altar, expecting to find someone there. He chided himself for not checking the other bedchamber. For all he knew the Nubian prefect could be there … the dark skinned man was of a formidable size, which is why he had not bothered to do away with him yet. He knew his limitations when it came to his physical strength and agility, and the prefect was a fully trained soldier that could easily overpower him. However, once he was a god, he would vanquish the man, and do away with the threat he posed. His hands clasped at the thought of the man’s familiarity with her, as he descended the stairs again and returned to the main room. He placed the lamp back in its place before returning to the rooftops. The eastern horizon was already lightening. There would be another time to see her.
By mid morning, the Northern Gates of Thebes were congested by merchants and travelers alike, with the steady rise in temperature doing little to appease those awaiting authorization. Both visitors and merchants took offence at the guards’ sudden insistence on checking their wares and querying them as to their intended destination. Scribes noted down the larger merchants’ movements and loads, as smaller merchants and arriving travelers were allowed to pass through, almost undisturbed.
A runner arrived at the gates and was halted by one of the guards, gruffly demanding, “Reason for your visit?” while looking over the darkly tanned runner.
“I bring scrolls from the Anum,” the man quickly replied, lifting a scroll bearing the seal of Anum.
“All documents originating from the courts are to be taken
to the mayor’s house,” the guard commanded, before beckoning to one of the younger recruits to step closer. “Take this runner to the mayor,” the guard instructed, and the young recruit nodded his head in acquiescence, before turning to lead the way for the runner.
Once they were a few yards from the gates, the Anum runner spoke up, “Why the need for guards at the gate?”
The young recruit slowed his pace, for a moment looking towards the visitor, before answering, “The prefect stipulated that we are to regulate all activities at the gates, by checking all incoming and outgoing merchandize, as well as persons leaving the city. There is a killer on the loose, and he does not want the man to escape.”
“You are not concerned for your safety?” the runner asked, as they once again picked up their pace.
“No, there is no reason to. It seems that the killer only targets persons who have had contact with the Witch of the Dead,” the young guard stated, adding, “That is why everyone in town will not go anywhere near her, except the prefect. He does not seem too concerned for his safety.”
“I will make sure to leave at the soonest convenience,” the runner replied.
“Come, the mayor’s house is just along here,” the young recruit said, once again picking up his pace.
They entered the mayor’s home, with his footman showing them into a gathering room, where the mayor was seated with some of the town elders and merchants.
“We do not see the need for our merchandize to be checked on leaving the city,” one of the merchants spoke up, glancing around the room in hope of gaining support from the others seated there.
“He is correct,” another added, “Yesterday it took my men nearly half a day to exit the city with goods bound for Karnak. The trip has never taken more than half a day in its entirety, with the donkeys back in their stalls before the midday mealtime.”
“He makes a point,” Ma-Nefer remarked, “Few of us can afford delays like that, especially when we transport foodstuffs to the temple that might spoil. The gods will not be exultant at receiving rotten offerings.” Many of those in the room nodded their heads in agreement, murmuring amongst themselves.
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