Chapter Thirty Eight: The Golden Armlet
Kiya tore her eyes away from the vanishing dust that marked her father’s departure and turned to see Dennu rounding the farmhouse. She stood up and waved. He spotted her in the tree and came up to the edge of the water. He had lost his boyish clumsiness and moved gracefully, like the grown man he had become.
"Hello, Dennu."
Dennu raised his hand in greeting and from his outstretched fingers came a butterfly that flew in the zigzag flight of its kind until it landed on the tree beside her. Kiya touched it and it transformed into a folded sheet of papyrus paper. Amazed, she picked up the paper, unfolded it and saw the symbol of a heart. She stared at Dennu open-mouthed.
He grinned. “See? I have got my powers back.”
“How?”
“They gradually returned. I have been practicing, day after day. At first nothing happened but then I managed to animate a wax worm, and now...” He looked down, muttered a few words, then knelt and struck the surface of the water with the flat of his hand. Kiya stared in wonder as the waters parted, forming a low wall on either side of the pathway. Dennu walked dry-footed to the base of her tree.
“No need to get my sandals wet,” he boasted. “Are you coming down or are you expecting me to levitate?”
Levitate? Thought Kiya, how conceited - why not climb the tree like anyone else? But she was glad to see him and did not let her irritation show. “I will come down,” she said.
She climbed carefully, trying not to reveal too much leg to his watching eyes. When she got within reach, he put his hand on her waist to steady her. She could feel it tremble and knew that he still desired her.
“Follow me, I have something important to tell you,” he said and he led the way back along the pathway. She followed, staring in fascination at the shimmering walls of water on either side. When they were through the flood he turned and clapped his hands. The waters were released from whatever magical force held them back and swirled together, hiding the path beneath.
“That was fantastic,” she said, wondering what other magic he had in his repertoire.
He smiled in acknowledgement of her admiration, then said, “I have come to say goodbye.”
Kiya was stunned. First she had lost Laylos and Huy, now Dennu. Gone were the companions who had journeyed from Gesem and braved so many dangers together. She had thought that the bonds they forged would last forever.
“Where are you going?” she asked.
“To Akhetaten.”
“That is wonderful.” She tried to put more enthusiasm into her voice than she felt. “You will meet Huy and Laylos there.”
“I regret that I will be moving in very different circles. I have been summoned by the King.”
“The King? What does he want you for?”
Dennu raised his eyebrows. “What do you think? He wants me to become a priest of the Aten.”
Kiya nodded. Magical powers such a Dennu possessed would not have gone unnoticed. “That is good news. But I know nothing of this god you talk of. Who is Aten?”
“The Aten is not a person, it is the life-giving power and warmth of the sun, which represents the one true god.”
“What about the old gods? What about Anubis?”
“Anubis?” He spat the name out. “A man with a jackal head? He is a monster and should be cast into hell.”
“But Osiris, Isis and the others,” Kiya was almost pleading with him. “They cannot all be monsters. Why can’t the old gods be worshipped as well as the new? This has always been the way in Egypt.”
Dennu frowned and she recognised the gleam of a fanatic in his eyes. “There is but one true god. He is a jealous god and will allow the worship of no other.”
Kiya hurried to mollify him. “I am sure we will all be happy to obey the King and worship your new god.”
She had not meant to sound condescending but he took offence. "There is no need to talk to me like a child, Kiya. I have become one of the most powerful magicians in the land."
"The King must have been very impressed," she said, irritated by his self-importance. She preferred the old Dennu, with neither special powers not religious obsession.
“Unlike you, Kiya. Who knows what a man must do to impress you?”
“Be less boastful, for a start,” she retorted.
“Oh yes?” He sneered. “That must be easy when you have nothing to boast about.” After a pause, he added, “Eopei did not come back.”
At the mention of her friend’s name Kiya’s heart gave a lurch. “I’m so sorry, Dennu.”
“There’s no need to look upset,” he said. “It does not matter. I could never have taken her with me, she is hardly a suitable partner for a priest.”
Kiya was angry that he belittled Eopei. “You are becoming arrogant,” she said.
He shrugged. “You should know about arrogance. You were a High Priestess, although only briefly.”
“I never gave myself airs,” she said.
“That is because you had nothing to be proud of. You have no magical skills. How a peasant like you gained so high a position is beyond me.”
She felt anger stir within her. Dennu was right, but that increased the anger, which swelled within her until she felt herself tremble. “How dare you!” she said.
“Forgive me,” he said. “I have no wish for us to quarrel. I did not mean to be rude about Eopei. She is a lovely girl, but I will be too busy setting up this new religion to marry anyone for a while. I shall miss you, Kiya. I need hardly tell you how I once felt about you.”
As he spoke her anger evaporated and she felt a pang that his emotions were in the past. She smiled at him. “I will miss you too, Dennu. I regret my parents are not here, they would have liked to say goodbye to you.”
“I met them in the market and said my goodbyes there. I am fond of your parents, they have been very good to me.” He slid the golden armlet off his arm and held it out to her. “I have decided to give you this.”
She didn’t take it. “But it belonged to your mother!”
“I cannot wear it now I am to be a priest. That bull’s head represents the false god Apis and would be unsuitable in the light of the Aten.”
“But that is no reason to discard it.” Kiya was appalled that he should so casually rid himself of his only link to his mother.
“Discard it?” He was getting angry now. “I am trying to give it to you as a gift – a very valuable gift. Must you always belittle everything I do? Discard it? If that’s the way you feel, then there!” He threw the armlet with all his force into the field where it stuck half-buried in the mud.
“No!” cried Kiya. She ran to retrieve it, her bare feet squelching in the wet soil. Back on the path, she stood before Dennu, her head bent as she tried to clean the gleaming gold. Tears welled into her eyes and rolled down her cheeks. It was all going so horribly wrong. The last thing she wanted to do was upset Dennu, especially now he was leaving.
“I’m sorry.” He stepped forwards and embraced her. “I don’t understand why I am like this with you. I want us to part as friends.”
She rested her head against his chest and felt comforted by his encircling arms. “I wish things had worked out better between us,” she sighed.
“It’s too late,” he said and released her. “You made your choice and now we must follow different paths.”
“I will always treasure this,” she said, indicating the golden armlet.
“I’m glad.” He smiled. “Goodbye, Kiya.”
She thought that he might kiss her but he did not. He walked away without a backward glance.
Kiya and the God of Chaos Page 38