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he deadly snake。
'You must not take this road；' Taita ordered her。 'It is not for you。 The gods have prepared a different destiny for you。 Do you hear me？'
'Yes！' Mintaka turned her head towards him； as though she could see his face。
'Nefer is alive。 Nefer lives。 Do you hear me？'
'Yes！ Oh； yes。'
'Be strong； Mintaka。 We will e for you。 Nefer and I will e for you。'
So fierce was his concentration that he dug his fingernails deeply into the palms of his hands until the blood welled； but he could hold her no longer。 She began to slip away from him； her image blurred and faded； but before she was gone he saw her smile； a beautiful thing； full of love and renewed hope。
'Be strong！' he urged her。 'Be strong； Mintaka！' The echo of his voice came back to him as though from a great distance。
* * *
Nefer was waiting for him at the foot of the dunes。 When Taita was only halfway down the boy realized that something momentous had taken place。 'You saw her！' he shouted； and it was not a question。 'What has happened to her？' and he ran forward to meet Taita。
'She needs us；' Taita said； and laid a hand on Nefer's shoulder。 He could never tell him of the extremes of sorrow and despair in which he had found Mintaka； nor of the fate she had prepared for herself。 Nefer could never bear that。 It might easily drive him to some wild endeavour that would destroy both the lovers。 'You were right；' Taita went on。 'All my plans to leave this land and find sanctuary in the east must be set aside。 We have to go to Mintaka。 I have promised her that。'
'Yes！' Nefer agreed。 'When can we leave for Avaris？'
Taita replied； 'There is great urgency。 We will leave at once。'
* * *
It took them fifteen days of hard travel to reach the tiny garrison and remount station of Thane a day's travel south of Avaris。 They had changed horses four times on the road…Taita used the royal requisition order that Naja had given him to replace the worn…out animals and to replenish their supplies at the military garrisons and camps they had passed along the way。
Since leaving Gebel Nagara they had discussed their plans endlessly； knowing that they were pitted against the might of Pharaoh Trok Uruk。 The officers they spoke to at the garrisons estimated that Trok now had twenty…seven fully trained and equipped regiments at his disposal； and almost three thousand chariots。 To oppose this multitude they had a wagon showing the effects of long； hard service with a back wheel that showed a marked propensity to fall off at the most inappropriate times and bodywork held together with twine and leather strips。 There were only the four of them： Nefer and Meren； Hilto and Bay。 But the fifth was Taita。
'The Magus is worth twenty seven regiments at least；' Hilto pointed out； 'so we are evenly matched against Trok。'
Hilto knew the captain in charge of the encampment at Thane； a scarred and grizzled old warrior named Socco。 Long ago they had run the Red Road together。 They had fought； roistered and whored together。 After they had reminisced for an hour and shared a pot of sour beer； Hilto handed him the requisition scroll。 Socco held it upside down at arm's length and looked wise。
'See the cartouche of Pharaoh。' Hilto touched the seal。
'If I know you at all； Hilto； and by Horus I do； you probably drew that pretty picture yourself。' Socco handed the scroll back to Hilto。 'What do you need； you old rogue？'
They selected fresh horses from the herd of several hundred in the remount herd； then Taita went over the ranks of parked chariots in the garrison pool that had just been sent out from the makers in Avaris。 He selected three vehicles； and they harnessed the fresh horses。
When they left Thane； Taita was driving the old wagon。 Meren； Hilto and Nefer each drove a chariot； while Bay brought up the rear herding twenty spare horses。 They did not head directly for Avaris but made a detour to the east of the city。
On the edge of the desert there was a small oasis used by the Bedouin and by merchant caravans heading out to and returning from the Orient。
While the others unloaded the fodder they had carried from Thane in the wagon； hobbled the horses and greased the wheel hubs of the new chariots； Taita went to barter with the Assyrian master of the caravan that was encamped nearby。 He bought an armful of dirty； tattered clothing； and twenty woollen rugs woven in the land along the Further Sea。 They were of inferior workmanship and material； but he was forced to pay an extortionate price for them。 'That Assyrian ape is a cut…throat and a robber；' he muttered； as they loaded the carpets on to the wagon。
'Why do we need them？' Nefer wanted to know； but Taita pretended not to hear the question。
That night Taita dyed his mane of silver hair with an extract of mimosa bark； which altered his appearance dramatically。 In the darkness of early morning they left Bay in charge of the herd of horses and the chariots； climbed into the dilapidated wagon and； sitting high on the pile of dusty carpets； headed west towards Avaris。 They were dressed in the rags and cast…offs that Taita had procured。 Taita wore a long robe and sash； and the lower half of his face was veiled in the fashion of a citizen of Ur of the Chaldeas。 With his dyed dark hair he was unrecognizable as the Magus。
It was evening when they reached the royal city of the north。 There was a permanent encampment of several thousand souls outside the walls； mostly beggars； itinerant players； foreign traders and other riff…raff。 They set up camp among them； and early the next morning they left Meren to watch the wagon and went to join the throng waiting outside the city for the gates to open at sunrise。
Once they were past the city guard； Hilto went to tour the taverns and brothels in the narrow streets of the old quarter where he hoped to find some of his cronies and former rades…in…arms and gather the latest news from them。 Taita took Nefer with him and they made their way through the crowded streets of the awakening city to the palace gates。 Here they joined the beggars； tradesmen and supplicants。 Taita made no effort to gain entry to the palace； rather they spent the morning listening to the chatter of those around them； and gossiping with the other idlers。
At last Taita struck up a conversation with a merchant from Babylon； dressed in similar style to himself； who introduced himself as Nintura。 Taita spoke the Akkadian language like a native of Mesopotamia； which was why he had chosen this particular disguise。 The two shared a pot of coffee brewed with rare and expensive beans imported from Ethiopia； and Taita exerted all his wiles to charm Nintura； who had been loitering outside the palace for the last ten days； waiting for his turn to display his wares to Trok's new bride。 He had already paid the exorbitant baksheesh demanded by the palace vizier to be allowed to enter the presence of the young consort； but many others were ahead of him。
They say