The soldiers cheered.
His eyes on the oncoming Djinn, Narmer held his position and stance as they closed.
As they drew closer still.
It was an act of courage simply for him to hold.
The army grew restless, seeing the enemy before them.
Narmer lowered his blade with a shout and snapped the reins of his chariot.
With that the armies of Egypt almost seemed to leap forward to meet the enemy.
The two armies came together with a tremendous crash, the Djinn striking the leather shields of the foot soldiers as spears and arrows flew. Swords flashed in the sunlight. Chariots charged into the mass of fighters and stopped as the horses went down, then those within them as the Djinn drove or pulled them out of the chariots.
Djeserit’s priests and priestesses were at the fore in support of the army.
Within seconds the army’s front line had utterly vanished beneath the onslaught, falling to the Djinn as horrific screams rang out to echo against the vault of the sky. One or two of Sekhmet’s servants found themselves suddenly fighting alone in the midst of the enemy and struggled to fight free of the horde.
On the rise behind them Kahotep let his falcons fly.
Irisi conjured up the wind.
This time, though, the Djinn were prepared for the attack. As they’d feared, the Djinn had learned. Or someone had.
As the birds dove, ifrit leaped, crushing them in their jaws while others were swatted out of the air. The Djinn who could leaped out of the path of Irisi’s conjured sandstorm. More of the birds were lost…
Suddenly, Irisi’s lions spun on their heels, clearly sensing danger not before them but in their midst.
“My Lord King,” a voice shouted derisively, his voice pitched over the sounds of battle.
Kamenwati.
Startled, Narmer yanked back on the reins of his chariot and turned at the sound of a once beloved voice that was both familiar and unfamiliar…and far too close.
Irisi, with Djeserit in the chariot next to her, felt the dark magic rise up behind them. Turning, they saw Kamenwati raise his arms, calling up power, and laughing… The body of Kamenwati’s charioteer tumbled from the chariot to fall to the ground, the source of the sudden surge.
Feeling dark magic stir as well, Kahotep wheeled his chariot around.
Irisi threw up a ward around the King even as she felt Kamenwati unleash his dark magic. The King’s Guard closed around him to protect him as ifrit seemed to appear from nowhere. One of them fell instantly, disemboweled. Another threw his sword up just in time to save his own life. Others flung salt at the Djinn, some of which howled as if burned when the salt touched their skin, as the Guard drew their swords.
Her lions leaped for the ifrit even as a mass of dark magic struck Irisi’s wards and shattered there. Irisi wheeled her horses, driving her chariot around the King’s toward Kamenwati, drawing her sword at the same moment.
Instinctively, Narmer flinched from the burst of power that exploded before his eyes even as his cousin’s chariot closed with his.
To Narmer’s horror and astonishment Kamenwati’s face went black, literally, with rage, swatting Djeserit away when she leaped from her chariot at him.
Sekhmet’s priestess tumbled back among the charging army, disappearing beneath their feet.
In shock, Narmer could only stare in shock at his cousin, seeing now behind the mask what had been hidden, and flung up his sword to defend himself.
Even Irisi was taken aback at the change. She’d seen no sign of this when she’d been Kamenwati’s slave, but she recognized it, shuddering in revulsion at what he’d done.
None of the priests or priestesses had sensed this, cloaked as he was in human form.
Glancing back across the battlefield, Irisi saw the Djinn fully engaged, chewing slowly but steadily through the army. At any moment, Khai would lead his forces in a flanking maneuver to surprise the enemy and drive them toward the Nile. Which Kamenwati knew, having been a part of the planning. They hadn’t been able to deny him that, with no proof of his involvement that they could present to the King. Something of which Khai had been well aware.
Soon Khai’s men would strike.
The Grand Vizier planned something…but what…?
Irisi raced to put herself between the Vizier and the King.
Alu leaped at Kamenwati, and Irisi’s heart wrenched, but the agile lion twisted in midair to avoid the quick slash of Kamenwati’s sword, the blade scoring his flank as Kiwu circled and Emu raced by Irisi’s side.
The motion of the strike at Alu tugged at Kamenwati’s reins though, and Kamenwati’s horses tossed their heads, fighting the conflicting instructions.
A tremendous crash and a massed cry to the south spoke of Khai’s forces striking at the flank of the Djinn.
Whatever Kamenwati was planning, Irisi knew he would do it soon.
Behind them, the army battled its way forward, heartening as the Djinn wavered at the impact of Khai’s men. Arrows flew but Irisi couldn’t help them with magic if she was defending the King.
Emu circled behind her, crouching low to creep around to attack from the rear.
His eyes glowing red, Kamenwati looked at his cousin the King and the High Priestess Irisi. He laughed.
Chilled by both Kamenwati’s expression and voice, Narmer stared at the man he’d once considered as close as a brother.
He remembered wrestling together as boys, fishing and hunting together. The betrayal went deep.
“Kamenwati,” was all he could say.
“Did you think these are all there were, my Lord King Narmer?” Kamenwati asked, derisively, as he lifted something from the floor of his chariot. “Pray you don’t survive. I’ll let the Djinn decide your fate.”
The man lifted something to his lips.
It was a horn, a great copper-chased ram’s horn, but a horn like no other Narmer had ever seen. In color it was a deep crimson. It was studded with rubies with hearts of darkness and dark jewels whose depths glittered red in the sunlight.
Kamenwati blew.
The sound that came out of that Horn was eerie and terrible. The potency of the magic in it pierced like a knife.
It nearly drove Kahotep to his knees. He wavered as Irisi did, as Djeserit did, emerging from the ranks of soldiers. The priestess’s eyes glimmered red, and Irisi knew she fought the blood lust.
Like a ripple of wind through grain, Irisi watched as the army shuddered when the sound passed over them. In that one moment the army was decimated as the Djinn took advantage of that momentary weakness.
Irisi braced herself against her chariot, steeling herself against that blood-curdling wail.
“Watch him die,” Kamenwati said to her, viciously, wrenching at his reins and driving his chariot toward her. “The Djinn will tear him to pieces. And you will watch.”
There was no doubt who it was Kamenwati meant.
Khai.
Kamenwati knew. Her heart locked.
With her own life forfeit, Irisi dared not look or Khai would have no chance whatsoever.
She wrenched her horses’ heads around, turned them out of the way of Kamenwati’s chariot by mere inches, shifting her weight within her own chariot to tilt it if only a little. Securing the reins to take up her sword, she twisted to avoid the slash of his, catching it with her own as he went past, slashing at him on the backhand and had the satisfaction of opening a gash across his chest as she did.
Then he was past, riding through and over the army as men scattered and tried to scramble out of his way.
Irisi dragged her horses’ heads around to go after him…and then caught sight of the King’s expression.
The King stared past her, aghast.
Irisi turned.
Darkness flooded the hills behind Khai’s divisions.
More Djinn.
Somehow, Kamenwati had called up more Djinn with that blow of the ram’s horn.
And Khai was caught betwee
n them.
Her heart went cold, but suddenly she understood.
Kamenwati had created the Horn to summon the Djinn. The Horn was the key.
Calling up the wind, she sent a burst of it after Kamenwati but the line of Djinn closed around him and the gust struck them instead, bowling a few of them over but causing no real harm.
It was disaster.
Narmer saw that clearly.
Their only chance now was to take advantage of this brief wavering, fight and pray to survive. And fight he would. He had no choice.
Narmer shouted orders, rallying the army.
Irisi looked at the Djinn closing on Khai, glancing back to the King. Had Khai seen them, did he know of the danger closing behind him?
He had to be warned.
Seeing where her gaze went, knowing that if Khai was caught off guard they were surely lost, Narmer shouted, “Go!”
“I’ve got him,” Djeserit called, as she ran to the King’s side.
Irisi lashed at her horses, her lions racing alongside. Dodging soldiers and chariots, she slashed at the Djinn who tried to intercept her.
Alu caught one, tumbling with it out of sight among those fighting.
She couldn’t stop to see if Alu was all right…as much as it grieved her.
Then Kahotep drove up beside her to guard her flank, his strong face grim. She glanced at him.
He met her look.
Whatever came, he would have her back. Heartened, she tightened her hand on her sword, her other firm on the reins of her chariot.
As always it was Irisi’s hair that caught Khai’s attention, the long brilliant golden of trail of it gleamed in the sunlight, streaming behind her like a comet’s tail as she drove through the lines.
By God or by all the Gods, she was beautiful.
At the same instant her eyes met his. She straightened to stand taller in her chariot, pointing with her sword toward the back of his lines.
Khai, his heart sinking, turned to look.
To see a mass of Djinn closing on his rearward divisions.
Shouting orders and gesturing signals to his commanders, he turned those divisions to face the enemy just in the nick of time.
Now it wasn’t just his troops who were caught in the pincer but the Djinn as well. It wouldn’t last long, the numbers were too great.
Irisi…
He turned to look as she fought her way through a knot of Djinn, her sword flashing and slashing to drive the Djinn away, her lions tearing into them as Kahotep guarded her back,.
Signaling to his men Khai sent a group to help them cut their way through to him.
“Irisi,” he shouted as she turned toward him.
“I know how Kamenwati’s doing this. He’s created a Horn that will call the Djinn.”
He stared at her in near disbelief.
“We have to get it, or he can simply summon more.”
She looked at him, her blue eyes steady, resolute…accepting…
A silence seemed to settle around them despite the shouts and cries, the clash of swords.
Her moment had come…
“If I can reach him,” she said, “if I can get the Horn…I might be able to stop this.”
She would have to go into the heart of them, fight through them somehow.
Khai felt his heart go still…
Blood, gore, and ichor spattered she was so beautiful. Her glorious hair streamed in the breeze, her eyes were determined, and her love for him was brilliant in them.
Irisi’s throat was tight, looking into Khai’s dark eyes, the sun warming the gold in them. Everything she needed was there in them.
“I love you,” he said.
“And I love you,” she answered.
Khai looked out across the battlefield around them, hearing the sounds of battle now behind and around him as well.
It was suicide, but either way they would die. She and this – whatever it was she planned – was their only chance.
He called up a squad of archers and two squads of his foot soldiers.
There wasn’t time for much instruction.
As much as he wished he could go himself, he couldn’t. The battle wasn’t over. Someone had to lead the Army. Someone had to guard her rear, to give her a place to retreat, if she could.
And if she failed...
Someone else had to try…
He could only pray that part of the prophecy was true.
Prophecies weren’t written in stone… It had been a warning, not a guarantee.
Irisi looked into Khai’s eyes, drawing strength from the steadiness she saw there in them. She drew in a sharp breath.
It was time.
They had a moment only to reach out, for their fingers to touch.
Khai’s eyes met hers.
Without breaking that glance, Khai gave his orders.
Some of his men formed up in a great flying wedge with archers in the center around Irisi and Kahotep. Four of his best men guarded them.
It was the best protection he could offer.
Behind him, his men were falling and the line in front wavered.
He had to go, to shore them up.
“At all costs,” he said, looking at his men, “You must get her there.”
He pointed.
Among them not an eye blinked, although he knew that they all knew it was likely their death. They would be cutting into the very heart of the Djinn, where so many had already fallen. It was suicide and every man and woman among them understood that.
The price for failure, though, would be paid by those they loved.
Not a one backed down.
Khai couldn’t have been more proud.
He signaled to the front lines to close up, to push forward as best they could, and directed the archers to focus their fire.
“Go,” he said.
Commanding the woman he loved into the heart of the enemy.
Irisi turned her chariot and went…
Her hair streamed behind her like a banner, her reins secured, and her swords in her hands.
Chapter Twenty Nine
At Khai’s command the men in the forward lines pounded forward as the archers behind them sent a hail of arrows into the mass of Djinn to clear the way for Irisi’s attack. That forward line slammed into the mass of Djinn, the surprise of the attack buying them cubits. Many died. Surprise held those who survived. They fought and parted to let Irisi’s wedge pass. Khai’s men at the fore braced themselves behind their shields as they drove into mass of the Djinn, spears thrusting and swords hacking.
It was horrific. The men before her seemed almost to melt away before her eyes as the Djinn cut them down. Still the army advanced, driving forward into the mass of Djinn, the soldiers clearly understanding that this was the only hope for the rest of the army and all of Egypt.
Even so, it nearly broke Irisi’s heart to watch them die.
She called up wind and water to lash at the Djinn as they howled and shrieked, driving the enemy back a little.
From behind her, arrows whirred, striking the force ahead of her. Djinn fell, staggering and snarling, but not all died.
Her lions took their own toll, but Alu had yet to find them again. In the back of her mind she feared for him.
Even so, it was a battle of attrition, gaining only a body length for each who died. They fell away at a terrible rate.
The archers took their toll but the Djinn still whittled steadily away at the foot soldiers. Soon the archers would be forced to draw their swords.
Irisi looked ahead, her heart catching… She wasn’t certain they would make it in time. They were still too far…
And yet they must.
Kamenwati, focused on the main body of the army which pressed forward in response to Narmer’s exhortations, turned, becoming aware of his more imminent danger.
A gesture and Baraka fell from his chariot, dead in an instant. In stunned shock, his men faltered, before one of Baraka’s commanders stepped up and bega
n to shout.
But it was a blow.
The front line wavered, gave on that flank.
At the same time, Kamenwati lifted the Horn once again.
Irisi didn’t know if Kamenwati could use the Horn to call up more Djinn, but if he pulled enough of them around him they wouldn’t have a chance of getting through, and then all these soldiers would have died for nothing.
So would everyone else. Khai, the King, Kahotep, Djeserit, Paniwi and the baby, gentle Nafre. If not now, then later as Kamenwati and the Djinn took Egypt and ground it beneath their heel, and after Egypt, the rest of the world. And they would. Kamenwati was greedy, and there would be nothing to stop them.
It was as if the soldiers around her understood her sudden urgency, even though she’d said nothing. Something seemed to communicate it to them. As one, they put on one more push, one more surge, driving themselves desperately forward into the ranks of the enemy. One of the men took a wound that at any other time would have been grievous, yet he pushed forward, driving ahead even as his legs buckled and gave out beneath him.
An ifrit took another, but his comrades cut the thing and him down before they could attack.
Closer, just another few feet closer…
Kamenwati’s head turned… He saw her…
Dark magic flared…
As her own magic did even as she tossed her sword up into the air, caught it, and threw it like a spear…
Kamenwati gestured and slapped it out of the air.
Half the archers redirected their efforts from the Djinn around them and turned them on Kamenwati…
Irisi felt the dark magic release. Something moved past her. A flash of magic intercepted it.
Behind her she heard Kahotep grunt as he took the brunt of the magical blow.
Then, to Irisi’s shock, one of her horses stumbled as a ghul took out its front legs and she was falling, tumbling out of her chariot.
Instinctively, she tumbled, rolling in mid-air to take the worst of the fall on her shoulders. She came to her feet with her swords already swinging…
Emu and Kiwu were beside her, guarding her back.
Then there was only the battle to stay alive, to reach her goal. Khai’s men formed up around her, all of them pushing forward through the mass of Djinn ahead of them.
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