Chapter Nineteen: Stranded
Kiya heard Laylos scream and Huy shout, “Watch out – a crocodile.” An enormous mouth opened, revealing teeth like scythes. It was as if the world had gone into slow motion, with sounds louder and details more vivid. The creature’s scaly lips and flaring nostrils, the redness of its inner mouth, the ravenous purpose in its eyes, all were seared into Kiya’s brain.
Huy whipped the knife from his belt and threw it into the gaping mouth. The creature paused, just a few cubits away from them. Its head thrashed as it tried to dislodge the weapon from its tongue. For a moment, Kiya could see the handle sticking up like an extra tooth, then a swipe of its clawed forefoot sent the knife tumbling into the water. The mighty beast focussed upon them once more, and braced itself, ready to continue the attack.
"Go, go, go!" yelled Huy at the top of his voice.
"No, Huy!" cried Laylos as the soldier ran towards the crocodile, his arms waving and water churning around his legs. The animal, still bleeding from the knife wound, hesitated until Huy was almost upon it. Then it turned and swam away, its tail making long, lazy strokes as if it was not fleeing but had thought of somewhere else to go.
Kiya’s heart was pounding like a drum as she watched Huy look around to make sure no more crocodiles lurked in the shallows. He seemed unperturbed by the incident. One might think he had seen off a marauding baboon rather than one of Egypt's fiercest predators.
“Congratulations, Captain! That was brave,” said Dennu.
“What a hero,” murmured Laylos. She sounded as shaken as Kiya felt.
Beside them Enno stood trembling and Kiya patted him gently. “Come we must get you out of here,” she said and led the donkey through the flood to the road. She had expected the others to follow, but when she turned she saw that Laylos was still standing in the midst of the flood, looking dazed, while the men hunted for the knife. “Hurry up,” Kiya called. “There may be more crocodiles lurking.”
“Don’t worry, Huy will see them off,” said Dennu as he peered into the murky water.
“All crocodiles are cowards at heart,” said Huy. "Show them aggression and they run away to find an easier meal.” He bent down, fished out his knife, dried it on his shirt and put it back in his belt. Then he waded to Laylos and slid an arm around her waist. “We cannot allow you to collapse into the water,” he said.
She leant against him. "You were wonderful, Huy.” She allowed him to support her through the flood and, even when they were safely on dry land, she made no attempt to move away from his protective arm.
"I think Enno has recovered," said Kiya.
"In that case we must be on our way," said Huy and disengaged himself from Laylos. “It’s vital to keep in front of the floodwater.”
They set off at a brisk pace with Huy leading the way. Gradually the memory of the attack became less vivid and Kiya thanked Horus that they had been saved. Never again would she step into the Nile without checking for lurking danger. Dennu dropped back to talk to her.
“Did you see what happened on the island?” he said.
“What do you mean? When Huy rescued us from the crocodile?”
He shook his head. “No, when my magic failed to work.”
“What were you trying to do? Part the waters?”
“Yes, I have always been successful before.”
“Perhaps it is an effect of your father’s poison.”
“Whatever the reason, without my magic powers I am nothing.”
“What nonsense,” said Kiya. “We all manage perfectly well without being able to perform magic.”
Dennu frowned. “It’s all your fault, Kiya. I kept my abilities hidden from my father. Then you carelessly allowed him to see the wax donkey.”
She had been expecting this accusation and was quick to apologise. “I’m sorry, Dennu. But the donkey stopped before it reached home and I had to hide it.”
“You obviously failed to hide it well enough.”
"And you failed to give it enough magic to get me home."
"What? Have you any idea of the skill required to animate an animal of that size?"
"At least I came back to try and help you, Dennu. Anyway, why should you keep your abilities hidden from your father? How was I to know? A normal man would be proud that his son had inherited such skill."
"A normal man?" Dennu gave a sharp laugh. "There’s nothing normal about my father, and yet I thought he loved me."
"Poor Dennu." Kiya’s heart went out to the boy.
He sighed. “I wish you could have known him in the old days, Kiya, when my mother was alive. We were all so happy.” Dennu's voice was full of pain. “I have been orphaned twice. I have lost both my mother and now my father’s love.”
Kiya put her hand on his arm. “You are no longer a child, Dennu. You are a man. You must learn to put the problems of childhood behind you and live your own life.”
“A man, eh? That might be one of the nicest things you have ever said to me.” He kissed her on the cheek and then quickened his pace so he was once more walking behind Huy.
Kiya stared after Dennu as he walked away from her. Even dressed in her late uncle’s baggy tunic he cut a striking figure, moving gracefully and showing little signs of the ordeal he had been through.
“What a sweet boy he is,” said Laylos, moving forwards to walk beside Kiya. “And how much he has to come to terms with. I fear the loss of his magic will hit him hard.”
Kiya watched as Dennu’s shoulders gradually slumped and he began to stumble on the uneven path. She longed to comfort him, but dared not give him any hope of romance. Her heart belonged to another, one who had haunted her dreams and thoughts ever since they had walked together around the Sacred Lake.
They walked on as Ra’s chariot rose in the sky. Far ahead and to the south, Kiya could see the escarpment that marked the edge of the Nile valley. They were leaving the delta and were well on the way home. Despite her fear of the temple guards she longed to be home and close to the god of her dreams.
The path meandered close to the rising flood waters but, to Kiya’s relief, it eventually took them up the side of the valley and connected with the top road. There, they stopped and rested on a grassy bank. Huy drained the last of the beer into a jug and filled the goblets, while Laylos handed around a late breakfast of dates, cheese and bread.
“This bread is stale,” complained Dennu.
“Until we reach a bakery, it is all we possess,” said Huy, dunking his bread into the beer to soften it. “And we must thank Laylos for providing us with sustenance.”
Dennu ate without further protest. When he had finished, he poured the dregs of his beer into the sandy soil and shaped the wet sand into a worm.
Kiya was curious. “What are you doing?”
“Just testing,” said Dennu. He muttered an incantation and dashed his hands downwards, as if throwing magic at the worm. Nothing happened. He repeated the spell. Still nothing. Dennu stamped on the worm and glared at Laylos. “Even the simplest of spells is beyond my powers. What in Seth’s name did you put into your medicine, woman?”
Huy leapt to his feet. “How dare you speak to Laylos like that! It was your father who poisoned you - she saved your life!”
“You ungrateful pup!” shouted Laylos. “I’ve left my house, my business, my everything for you!”
“I never asked you to do any of those things!” Dennu yelled back. He spun round to face Huy, “And I never asked you to take me from my home! I would rather be dead than lose my powers.”
“That’s stupid,” said Kiya.
Dennu focused upon Kiya, his face livid with anger. “How dare you call me stupid! I hate the lot of you. I’m going back!” With that he turned away from them and headed north, towards Gesem.
Kiya and the God of Chaos Page 19