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b； and a magnificent bao board made of coloured agate； with stones of carved ivory and black coral。 She was sweet； infinitely gentle and concerned with his suffering； excusing herself for having neglected him。
'My dear husband； the Regent of the Upper Kingdom； the illustrious Lord Naja； has been away all these weeks；' she explained； 'and I have pined so much for his return that I was not fit pany for anyone as ill as you have been。 I was afraid that my unhappiness might affect you badly； my poor darling Nefer。' She stayed an hour； sang to him； and related some of the doings of the court； much of it scandalous。 At last she excused herself： 'My husband； the Regent of the Upper Kingdom； does not like me to leave his side for long。 We are so much in love； Nefer。 He is a wonderful man； so kind and dedicated to you and Egypt。 You must learn to trust him pletely； as I do。' She rose to her feet and then； as though as an afterthought； she remarked lightly； 'You must have been relieved to hear that Pharaoh Trok Uruk and my dear husband； the Regent of Upper Egypt； have agreed for reasons of state to cancel your betrothal to that little Hyksosian barbarian； Mintaka。 I was so sorry for you when I heard that such a disgraceful marriage was thrust upon you。 My husband； the Regent of Upper Egypt； was against it from the very beginning； as I was。'
After she had gone Nefer sank back weakly on the pillow and closed his eyes。 When Taita came to him a little later he was puzzled by the way in which he had relapsed。 He removed the bandages and found that the infection in his injuries had flared up again； and that the malodorous pus streaming from the deepest wound was thick and yellow。 He stayed with him through that night； exerting all his skill and his powers to ward off the shadows of evil that surrounded the young Pharaoh。
At dawn Nefer was in a a。 Taita was truly alarmed by his condition。 It could not be explained entirely by the boy's grief。 Suddenly he was startled and angered by a motion at the door。 He was about to call for silence when he heard Lord Naja's manding voice ordering the guards to stand aside。 The RRegent strode into the chamber and； without greeting Taita； stooped over Nefer's still form and peered into his pale； drawn face。 After a long moment he straightened up and signed to Taita to follow him on to the terrace。
When Taita came out behind him he was gazing across the river。 On the far bank a squadron of chariots was practising their evolutions； changing formations at full gallop。 Strangely； there had been much warlike preparation since the treaty of Hathor。 'You wished to speak to me； my lord？' Taita asked。
Naja turned to him。 His expression was grim。 'You have disappointed me； old man；' he said； and Taita bowed his head but made no reply。 'I had hoped that my way forward； my destiny as predicted by the gods； would be cleared by now of impediment。' He stared hard at Taita。 'Yet it seems that； far from allowing this e to pass； you have done all in your power to prevent it。'
This has been pretence。 I have made a show of caring for my patient； while in reality I have been fostering your interests。 As you can see for yourself； Pharaoh hangs over the great abyss。' Taita made a gesture towards the sick chamber where Nefer lay。 'Surely you can sense the shades drawing in more closely around him。 My lord； we have almost obtained our object。 Within days the way ahead will be cleared for you。' Naja was not convinced。 'I am reaching the limit of my patience；' he warned； and strode from the terrace。 He passed through the chamber without another glance at the still form upon the bed。
During that day Nefer's condition fluctuated between deep a and bouts of restless sweating and delirious ravings。 When it became clear that the leg was giving him intense agony； Taita removed the linen bandages and found the whole of his thigh grotesquely swollen。 The stitches holding the wound closed were strained and cutting deeply into the hot； purple flesh。 Taita knew that he dared not move the boy while his life hung on such a slender thread。 The plans that he had laid so carefully over the past weeks could not go forward unless he took drastic action。 To interfere further with the wound in this condition was to risk a fatal poisoning of the blood； but there was no other course open to him。 He laid out his instruments and bathed the entire leg in a solution of vinegar。 Then he forced another heavy dose of the Red Shepenn between Nefer's lips； and while he waited for the drug to take effect he prayed to Horus and to the goddess Lostris for their protection。 Then he took up the scalpel and cut one of the stitches that held the lips of the wound together。
He was taken aback by the way in which the flesh burst open and at the gagging flood of yellow corruption that poured out。 He used a gold spoon to scrape it clean； and when he felt the metal strike some hard obstruction in the depths of the wound； he probed with ivory forceps and gripped the object in the jaws。 At last he prised it free。 He took it to the light from the doorway and found that it was a ragged splinter of the lion's claw； half as long as his little finger； which must have broken off as the beast was savaging Nefer。
He placed a gold tube in the wound to allow it to drain； then rebandaged it。 By evening Nefer's recovery was miraculous。 In the morning he was weak but the fever in his blood had abated。 Taita gave him a tonic to fortify him； and placed the Periapt of Lostris on his leg。 While he sat beside him in the noonday； gathering his resolve； there was a soft scratching at the shutters。 When he opened them a crack； Merykara slipped into the chamber。 She was distraught and had been weeping。 She flung herself against Taita and hugged his legs。
'They have forbidden me to e here；' she whispered and she did not have to explain who 'they' were； 'but I know the guards on the terrace and they let me pass。'
'Gently； my child。' Taita stroked her hair。 'Do not distress yourself so。'
'Taita； they are going to kill him。'
'Who are they？'
'The two of them。' Merykara started sobbing again and her explanation was barely coherent。 'They thought I was asleep or that I would not understand what they were discussing。 They never said his name； but I knew they were talking about Nefer。'
'What did they say？'
'They will send for you。 When you leave Nefer alone； they say that it won't take long。' She broke off and gulped； 'It's so horrible； Taita！ Our own sister； and that awful man…that monster。'
'When？' Taita shook her gently to brace her。
'Soon。 Very soon。' Her voice steadied。
'Did they say how； Princess？'
'Noom； the surgeon from Babylon。 Naja says that he will push a thin needle up through Nefer's nostril and into his brain。 There will be no bleeding or any other sign。' Taita knew Noom well： they had debated against each at the library of Thebes； arguing the correct treatment for fractured limbs。 Noom had e away smarting from the lash of Taita's eloquence and knowledge。 He was deeply jealous of Tai