“Oh, one last thing, though this could be difficult. I need somewhere quiet where I can experiment. There’s no way I can do anything where I’m staying.”
Kate said she would see what she could do. They arranged to meet at the same time the next day—she hoped she would have everything he needed by then. Just before he left, AP asked her if she was still wearing the abacus. “It’s safe,” she said, patting her chest.
AP spent the rest of the afternoon exploring. After a long walk, he found himself in a fashionable neighborhood of luxury homes. The narrow streets where Nekhti lived were always crowded with people, but the broad avenue he was on was deserted. Remembering the lesson from Talking Cloud, AP turned around several times to make sure nobody was following him.
AP had not expected to see ruins in ancient Egypt. He was therefore surprised to come across the relics of an old temple, in the middle of an open space. Intrigued, he decided to take a closer look. All that remained were a few columns, part of the floor, and a colossal statue lying in several pieces. He was so intent on clambering over the largest piece that he didn’t hear the approaching footsteps. One moment he was crouching on the statue’s massive shoulders. Next instant he was slammed down hard against the stone. Before he could struggle to his feet, he felt a hand patting his kilt—searching. Then he fell to the ground, knocking his head hard against the temple floor. Everything went black.
AP lay there for several seconds trying to remember what happened. Feeling the lump on his forehead, he remembered. Somebody had just attacked him. It was Snakebite—it had to be him. That explained the uneasy feeling of being watched when they had first arrived. Snakebite must have seen him slip the abacus into his kilt, which is why he searched him. But wouldn’t he have wanted to know where the abacus was when he didn’t find it? Maybe he just panicked when he saw his victim knocked unconscious.
By suppertime, the lump on his head was much smaller. Nefret still insisted on treating it with herbs.
Wild duck was on the menu that night and Shedou was tearing handfuls of meat from the carcasses for everyone. “I’ve finally found the seeds I’ve been looking for,” he proudly announced. “There’s not enough daylight to plant them tonight, but I’ll put them in the ground first thing in the morning, before work. And you, young Aypee, will have the honor of giving them their first water from the Nile.” He made a sprinkling gesture with his greasy fingers.
* * *
To AP’s surprise, Kate was on time for their rendezvous the following day. As soon as she saw the bruise on his forehead, she wanted all the details.
“So Snakebite’s back on our track,” she said at the end of his story.
“Yes, which means you’ve got to be especially careful.”
“You can be sure of that! But it’s you I’m worried about.”
“I’ll be fine,” said AP. Then, changing the subject, “Did you get the things I needed?”
Kate patted the large bag on her shoulder. “I’ve also found the perfect place for your experiments. I’ll show you.”
They left the temple and set off across the grounds, passing the artificial lake which reminded AP of a large swimming pool. “They call it the Sacred Lake,” Kate explained. “The priests bathe there each dawn to purify themselves for morning service.”
“You get there that early?”
“I decided to miss that particular ceremony,” she said, smiling. “Just while I’m resting for my new role.”
“Sounds like you’re enjoying yourself.”
“I’m having a ball! Tamit’s good fun, and I’m being treated like a princess.”
“Priestess,” he corrected.
“Her parents are having a big dinner party tonight. Their dressmaker created a gown especially for me. You should just see it!”
“Here we are,” said Kate a few minutes later. They had arrived at a small mud-brick building, well secluded from all the others. “The priests sometimes use it for silent meditation, though it’s now reserved for my private use.”
Stepping inside, it took several moments for their eyes to adjust to the dim light. The great thickness of the walls made the room feel deliciously cool.
“Look, there’s a table, and chair, even a bed.”
“It’s perfect. But what happens if someone comes along and finds me here instead of you?”
“All taken care of,” she said proudly. “I had another one of my “dreams.” There was a wab, about your size, standing by my side. Hathor came along, holding a loaf of white bread. She broke it in two, and gave one half to me and the other to the little wab.”
“Not so much of the ‘little’,” AP interrupted.
“Hathor smiled and then departed.”
“That’s good. I bet Tamit loved it.”
“She said there must be a very special wab looking after my interests.”
“Okay, let’s see what you’ve got.”
Ten minutes later, they stepped out into the sunshine and said their goodbyes. As Kate headed toward the temple, AP called out after her, “Same time and place tomorrow.”
AP would have preferred a smaller flowerpot, though this one would do. The first job was to make the pinhole. Tearing off a piece of papyrus the size of a Post-it note, he painted both sides with black kohl. When he held it up to the tiny window, he was pleased to see it did not let through any light.
After pricking a hole in the center with the needle, he glued the papyrus over the hole in the bottom of the flowerpot. While waiting for this to dry, he held the linen up to the window to make sure it was thin enough to let through the light. Draping the material over the top of the flowerpot, he tied it in place with string. Then, pulling it tight like a drum to form the screen, he trimmed off the surplus material with a knife.
“Now for the scary part,” he said to himself, “will it work?”
He couldn’t risk being seen outdoors, so he stood on the chair and aimed the bottom end of the flowerpot through the window. Then, looking like an old-time photographer, he draped the black cloth over the flowerpot and over his head, making sure it didn’t cover the screen. Holding the device at arm’s length, he moved it from side to side, focusing his eyes on the screen. The faint image that appeared on the screen was not the bright picture he had expected. Maybe the pinhole was too small. He enlarged the hole and tried again.
At first, he saw only a blue haze. Then AP tilted the flowerpot down. “Yes!” he shouted, as a perfect upside-down image of the temple jumped onto the screen. He spent several minutes scanning the terrain, identifying the miniature images that paraded across the screen. Satisfied with the results, he stepped down from the chair and set the camera on the table. He decided to spend the rest of the afternoon exploring the town. If he kept to well-populated areas and stayed alert, there’d be no chance of Snakebite attacking him again.
AP met Nekhti at sunset and they had a leisurely stroll home.
Nefret met them at the door in a terrible state. “Something awful has happened,” she said, wringing her hands. “Come and see for yourselves.” She led the way to the garden. “Your father will be so upset.”
Nekhti and AP stared down in disbelief. In the patch of soil where Shedou had so carefully planted his seeds that morning there was now a gaping hole and mounds of soil.
“Who would do this?” she asked, completely bewildered. “And why?”
AP asked if she and her daughters had been at home all day.
“No. We visited the temple just before noon, as we do every day.”
“Has anything been touched inside the house?” he continued, sounding like a police officer.
“Not as far as I know, though I haven’t checked the roof yet. I thought I’d wait until you boys came home.”
“What a mess!” said Nekhti, moments later.
Somebody had turned both beds upside down, scattering linen everywhere. They’d pulled everything else apart too, leaving no doubt they were searching for something. AP knew exactly what the
intruder was after, but said nothing.
“Whoever it was,” said a gloomy Shedou at supper that night, “they were after my seeds.”
Nefret suggested the seeds were probably still there, in the mounds of soil, but he couldn’t be consoled
“I wouldn’t be surprised if it was Merab,” he said, naming someone he knew from the tavern. “He’s been searching for some of those seeds for ages.”
* * *
While AP ate boiled fish and cabbage, Kate had the choice of beef, antelope, wild goose and quail, with a wide assortment of vegetables. Dessert was a selection of fresh fruits and a tempting array of pastries. Serving girls darted between the small tables throughout the meal, making sure everyone had all they wanted. And while musicians played and sang, a troop of acrobats performed remarkable tricks.
Like all the women at the party, Kate wore a cup-sized cone on her head, held in place with a string. Made of perfumed beeswax, it melted and ran through her wig during the evening, scenting the air all around. Kate enjoyed the most amazing night of her life.
* * *
AP lay awake long after Nekhti had fallen asleep. He had gone over the events of the last few days so many times, but he still came up with the same answers. Snakebite must have followed him to Nekhti’s house on the first day and been spying on him ever since. He could easily have hidden in the garden and watched him and Nekhti climb up to the roof to sleep. Discovering how many people lived there would have been easy, and when he saw Nefret leaving with her two daughters, he had seized his opportunity to search the house. He probably noticed the freshly dug soil from the roof, so when he didn’t find the abacus upstairs, he must have thought it was buried in the garden.
What would Snakebite do next? Would he realize Kate had the abacus?
AP was up at first light and while everyone else slept, he set to work in the garden. First, he sifted through the soil until he found the seeds—fortunately, they were large and easy to spot. Then he replanted them in rows, the way Shedou had done, and gave them a good watering. Everyone was still asleep when he crept into the bathroom to wash.
Although AP made no mention of the seeds at breakfast, the family soon realized who had replanted them. Shedou was overjoyed.
“I can’t thank you enough,” he told AP, yet again. “My garden and those seeds are so important to me.”
AP felt embarrassed by all the attention, especially as he was the reason for the damage in the first place.
AP’s third morning working with Nekhti was like the others—natron-shoveling followed by bandage-making—little wonder his friend was so keen to succeed in the priesthood. As they worked away in the heat and the smell, AP asked, out of interest, whether they ever embalmed anyone important.
“We’ve got one in there now,” said Nekhti, jabbing a thumb toward the workshop. “His name’s Nehy, the vizier for Upper Egypt. You must have heard of him, he was the second most powerful man after the Pharaoh.” [26]
“Yes, of course,” AP fibbed.
When Kate failed to show up for their afternoon rendezvous, AP suspected the worst—Snakebite must have attacked her. But suppose she just couldn’t get away from Tamit? If that were the case, she would have left a note. AP hurried to the healing stone. There was no note. What to do now? Without knowing where Tamit lived, and unable to search the innermost parts of the temple, he could do nothing.
AP spent an agonizing afternoon in his secluded workshop, trying to think positively. With Kate’s busy new social life, there could be many reasons why she hadn’t shown up. What if Snakebite had captured her though? At best, he would have taken the abacus, leaving them stranded. At worst? AP didn’t want to think about it.
The sun was low in the sky when AP emerged from his seclusion. Maybe Kate had now left a note. He checked the healing stone. Still nothing. Would she be at their sunset rendezvous? He dashed across the courtyard.
“Hey, where are you going?” shouted a familiar voice. “What’s the rush?”
AP swung around, bewildered.
“You went straight past me, just as if I wasn’t here!”
“Oh, sorry, Nekhti. I didn’t see you. I…I was miles away.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. Nothing’s wrong at all.”
Nekhti was unconvinced.
“I’ve got a bad headache, that’s all. I get them sometimes.”
“My mother will have something for that. Come on, you can take it before supper.”
“You go ahead,” said AP. “I’ll be along in a while.”
Nekhti hesitated.
“Go on, I’ll be fine. I just need a bit of quiet time, while the sun goes down. Then the headache will go away.”
Darkness had fallen long before AP left the temple and headed for Nekhti’s house. He wanted to stay longer but knew it was hopeless. Something terrible had happened to Kate, he was convinced of that now.
Silent at supper, AP spent a sleepless night staring at the stars, wondering what to do. He must find Tamit and see if she knew what had happened to Kate. That would difficult because Tamit spent so little time in the public part of the temple. He had to find a way of getting into the inner parts of the temple. Sleep finally came shortly before sunrise.
“You’re very quiet,” said Shedou as they walked to the House of Embalming and Purification that morning. “Still got your headache?”
“Yes,” said AP. “Sometimes they go on for days.”
“There’s a healing stone at the temple. You should offer a prayer when you go there today.”
“Maybe I will,” AP replied.
On the remotest chance Kate had left a message overnight, AP headed for the healing stone. There was no note. Mind racing, he wandered over to his hideaway.
Just as he approached the building he saw the most incredible sight—Kate, heading straight for him. “Where have you been?” they sang in unison. After expressing relief at seeing each other, they worked out what had happened.
“The day before yesterday we’d agreed to make this the rendezvous,” said Kate, nodding toward his workshop.
“I thought we were still using the old one,” said AP. “But the important thing is you’re safe. I thought you’d been…hurt.”
He then told her how Nekhti’s house had been ransacked. “Snakebite must realize you’ve got the abacus now,” he said grimly. “He’s going to come after you, Kate.”
“Well, he won’t be able to get into Tamit’s house. It’s surrounded by a high wall, with a gate that’s manned 24/7.”
“He’ll likely try when you’re out on your own, like he did with me.”
“But I’m never alone. Tamit’s always there—or I’m in the temple, surrounded by priests.”
“Okay, but you must be extra careful now.”
Kate promised she would be. Then she had an idea.
“Snakebite’s already frisked you and searched Nekhti’s house, so he knows for certain that you don’t have the abacus. The smart thing now is for you to take it back. We can fix it so it won’t slip from your kilt. Let’s go inside and do it right now.”
After taking care of the abacus, AP wanted to tell her about the device he had built, but Kate was too preoccupied with the other night’s dinner party. AP listened patiently.
“I wish I’d had a camera, you wouldn’t believe some of the things I saw.”
“You could’ve taken one with you.” AP grinned. “I’ve made one for you—a pinhole camera. Come and take a look.”
“This is so cool,” said Kate a few minutes later. She was standing on the chair with the device pointing through the tiny window. “I can see a perfect picture of the temple, all upside down. Can you make it the right way up?”
“No, that’s it.”
“Do you have to use the black cloth?”
“Yes, the picture’s too faint otherwise. And it can only be used to see things outdoors, in bright sunlight. There’s not enough light indoors.”
“So how shoul
d I announce my new powers?”
“I’d start with another dream.” He paused, thinking. “I’ve got it. Hathor pays you a visit. She’s wearing a black cloth over her head and is holding this strange device. She tells you it’s how the world is seen in the afterlife—upside down and in miniature.”
“That’s good,” she said, beaming. “And they’ll be blown away when they see this. It’s so neat!”
“We just need some cloth to cover up the pot and make it look more mystical.”
Before leaving, they agreed to always meet at AP’s hideaway. Aside from avoiding further confusion, they could talk freely without being seen.
Chapter 30: Ramesses the Great
Within hours of Kate’s demonstrating the camera in the temple, word of the new priestess’s miraculous powers had reached the ears of the most supreme being in Egypt—the Pharaoh. Tamit’s father was duly summoned to the Royal Palace. After a brief consultation with the senior member of the Pharaoh’s council, the decision was made that the new priestess would attend the palace to demonstrate her celestial device to His Majesty.
“I can’t believe it!” Kate blurted the following day. “I’m actually going to meet a real living pharaoh, the Pharaoh, in his Royal Palace—in three days’ time!”
AP had never seen his sister so excited. “That’s absolutely fantastic! I’m really happy for you. I’d give a lot to be going too.”
“So come along!” she said enthusiastically.
“How can I? The Pharaoh’s asked to see you, not me. There’s no way I can tag along. You’re not visiting a friend’s house—you’re summoned to see Ramesses II!”
“I can fix that! I’ll tell the High Priest I had another vision. Hathor told me I must take a certain wab to the palace when I see the Pharaoh.”
“So how’s this mysterious wab going to appear on the scene?”
Kate thought for a minute. “What if I said he’d walk up to me at some particular time and place, on the day of the visit?”
“Okay,” said AP, “and suppose I were carrying something special that I handed to you?”
“Hey, I like that. What could it be?”
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