wilbursmith_warlock-第127节

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s　voice；　and　shout；　'Give　them　quarter。　They　are　our　brother　Egyptians。　Give　them　quarter！'
　　
　　As　Nefer　slumped　down；　Taita　materialized　at　his　side　and　helped　Mintaka　lower　him　to　the　ground。　While　the　two　of　them　dressed　his　wounds；　and　staunched　the　bleeding　from　the　deep　cut　in　his　thigh；　his　officers　came　to　report　to　Nefer。
　　
　　Nefer　discounted　his　own　injuries　as　he　demanded　to　know　who　had　survived　the　battle　and　who　had　been　wounded　and　killed。　With　joy；　and　thanks　to　Horus　and　the　Red　God；　Nefer　saw　that　his　trusted　captains；　Hilto；　Shabako　and　Socco；　were　among　the　men　who　crowded　around　him；　exulting　in　the　victory；　proud　of　themselves　and　their　men；　filled　with　joy　to　see　him　alive。
　　
　　They　made　a　litter　of　lances　and　carried　him　back　down　the　valley　to　Gallala；　but　it　was　a　long　journey　for　Trok's　captured　officers；　and　men　crowded　the　roadside；　kneeling　unarmed　and　bare…headed　to　plead　for　his　mercy；　shouting　repentance　and　remorse　that　they　had　ever　taken　up　arms　against　the　true　Pharaoh。
　　
　　Three　times　before　they　reached　the　gates　of　the　city；　Nefer　signalled　for　his　litter　to　be　lowered　and　allowed　the　captured　centurions　and　captains　to　e　forward　and　kiss　his　feet。　'I　spare　you　from　the　traitor's　death　you　so　richly　deserve；'　he　told　them　sternly；　'but　you　are　all　reduced　to　the　rank　of　sergeants　of　the　Blue；　and　you　must　prove　once　more　your　duty　and　loyalty　to　the　House　of　Tamose。'
　　
　　They　praised　him　for　his　mercy；　but　Nefer　frowned　and　shook　his　head　when　they　addressed　him　as　a　god。　'I　am　not　one　of　the　pantheon；　as　the　blasphemers　Trok　and　Naja　claim　they　are。'　But　they　would　not　be　dissuaded；　and　renewed　their　praises　and　entreaties；　and　his　own　men　led　by　his　brother　warriors　of　the　Red　Road；　joined　their　voices　to　those　of　the　defeated；　begging　him　to　declare　his　divinity。
　　
　　To　distract　them　Nefer　issued　his　orders　with　a　frowning　mien。　'The　corpse　of　Trok　Uruk；　the　false　claimant　to　the　double　crown　of　this　very　Egypt；　shall　be　burned　without　ceremony；　here　upon　the　battlefield　so；　that　his　soul　shall　wander　through　all　eternity　seeking　but　never　finding　a　home。'
　　
　　They　murmured　with　awe　for　this　was　the　most　dreadful　punishment　that　could　be　devised。
　　
　　The　other　enemy　dead　are　to　be　treated　with　all　respect；　and　allowed　embalmment　and　a　decent　burial。　The　name　of　Trok　Uruk　shall　be　erased　from　every　monument　and　building　in　the　land；　and　the　temple　that　he　erected　to　himself　in　Avaris　shall　in　his　stead　be　dedicated　to　the　winged　Horus　in　memory　of　the　victory　that　he　gave　us　this　day　before　the　city　of　Gallala。'
　　
　　They　shouted　their　approbation　at　this　decree；　and　Nefer　went　on；　'All　the　possessions　of　Trok　Uruk；　all　his　treasure　and　estates；　his　slaves　and　buildings；　his　warehouses　and　goods　of　whatsoever　nature　shall　be　forfeited　to　the　state。　Send　water　wagons　back　along　the　road　to　Safaga；　with　grooms　and　surgeons　to　bring　in　all　the　horses；　chariots　and　men　that　Trok　Uruk　left　along　the　way　during　his　arrogant　march　on　our　capital　here　in　Gallala。　If　they　repudiate　the　false　pharaohs　and　swear　allegiance　to　the　House　of　Tamose　the　prisoners　shall　be　pardoned　and　recruited　into　our　armies。'
　　
　　By　the　time　Nefer　had　given　his　last　order；　and　issued　his　last　decree　for　that　day；　his　voice　was　hoarse；　he　was　pale　and　almost　exhausted。　As　they　carried　him　through　the　city　gates　he　asked　Mintaka　quietly；　'Where　is　Taita？　Has　anybody　seen　the　Magus？'　But　Taita　had　disappeared。
　　
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　　Taita　watched　from　the　hillside　above　the　battlefield　as　the　jaws　of　the　trap　closed　on　Trok's　army　and　his　chariots　were　smashed　by　the　rock…filled　wagons；　the　arrows　and　the　javelins　falling　like　nights　of　locusts　upon　the　survivors；　when　a　single　bizarre　figure　caught　his　eye　in　the　chaos。
　　
　　Ishtar　the　Mede　scampered　between　the　rocks。　Like　a　running　hare　he　disappeared　from　sight　only　to　reappear　further　up　the　slope；　ducking　and　dodging。　By　some　chance　or　magical　charm　he　avoided　the　arrows　and　javelins　of　Nefer's　troops　and　at　last　dived　over　the　crest　and　disappeared　from　sight。
　　
　　Taita　let　him　go。　There　would　be　time　for　him　later。　He　watched　the　climax　of　the　battle；　extending　all　his　powers　to　act　as　a　shield　over　Nefer　during　his　single　bat　with　Trok　at　the　base　of　the　rock。　Even　at　this　distance　he　managed　to　deflect　many　of　Trok's　blows　that　should　have　been　fatal；　and　when　Trok　went　for　the　final　thrust　into　Nefer's　thigh　his　blade　might　have　found　the　great　femoral　artery　if　Taita　had　not　used　all　his　influence　to　turn　the　point　aside。
　　
　　Since　that　time　long　ago　when　Taita　had　saved　Mintaka　from　harm　during　the　encounter　with　the　cobra　of　the　goddess；　she　had　bee　a　subject　who　responded　readily　to　his　influence。　She　had　the　intelligence　and　imagination　that　opened　her　mind　to　him。　It　was　impossible　to　influence　a　fool。　He　had　summoned　her　back　to　Gallala　to　show　herself　to　Trok　at　the　head　of　the　valley；　and　to　lure　him　into　the　trap。　Then；　when　she　had　stood　frozen　with　horror　on　the　rock　above　the　fighting　pair；　Taita　had　bent　her　to　his　will　once　again　and　put　into　her　mind　the　impulse　to　reach　down　for　the　javelin　that　lay　at　her　feet。　He　had　bolstered　her　right　arm　as　she　steadied　her　aim　and　threw。　Then；　as　the　life　went　out　of　Trok；　he　had　rushed　down　the　slope　to　minister　to　Nefer　and　to　bind　up　the　wound　that　had　cut　so　perilously　close　to　the　pulsing　artery　in　his　thigh。
　　
　　When　his　brother　warriors　of　the　Red　Road　lifted　the　young　pharaoh　on　to　the　litter　of　spears；　Taita　with　his　duty　done　for　the　present　drifted　away　into　the　throng。　Nobody　paid　him　any　heed　as　he　went。
　　
　　He　picked　up　the　tracks　that　Ishtar　had　left　as　he　escaped　out　of　the　narrow　valley　and　followed　them　until　they　were　impossible　to　discern　on　the　earth　on　the　top　of　the　hills；　which　was　baked　hard　as　mosaic　tiles　by　the　sun。
　　
　　Taita　stopped　and　crouched　down。　From　his　pouch　he　took　out　a　sliver　of　dried　root　and　slipped　it　into　his　mouth。　As　he　chewed　on　it；　he　opened　his　mind　and　reached　out　to　detect　the　Mede's　aura；　the　trace　he　had　left　as　he　passed。　As　the　root　sharpened　his　senses　Taita　saw　the　aura　in　the　corner　of　his　vision。　It　was　a　shadow；　dirty　grey　and　ephemeral；　that　vanished　when　he　looked　directly　at　it。　Each　person　had　his　own　aura。　Nefer　Seti；　on　account　of　his　noble　and　divine　inner　being；　threw　a　rosy　essence　that　to　Taita　was　readily　detectable。　Taita　had　followed　that　faint　rosy　emanation　to　find　Nefer　after　he　had　been　mauled　by　the　lion　and　he　and　Mintaka　were　lost　in　the　desert　beyond　Dabba。
　　
　　Ishtar　the　Mede's　aura　was　dark　and　tainted。　Taita　stood　up　and　went　on　again　after　it；　striding　out　on　his　long　legs　with　his　staff　tapping　on　the　stones。　Every　so　often　he　saw　physical　confirmation　that　he　was　on　the　right　track；　by　a　smudged　footprint　in　a　softer　patch　of　earth　or　by　a　recently　dislodged　pebble。
　　
　　Ishtar　had　circled　round　to　the　south　then　e　back　towards　Gallala。　Taita　was　alarmed　and　lengthened　his　stride。　If　Ishtar　was　trying　to　get　close　to　Nefer　again　to　work　some　mischief；　Taita　must　intercept　him。　However；　the　pursuit　led　him　to　one　of　the　chariots　Trok　had　abandoned　on　his　march　up　from　the　coast。　From　the　wreck　Ishtar　had　salvaged　something；　and　Taita　closed　his　eyes　and　worked　out　what　it　was。
　　
　　'A　waterskin；'　he　murmured；　and　Taita　saw　where　he　had　scraped　away　the　earth　to　drag　the　skin　out　from　under　the　side　of　the　capsized　chariot。　Another　dry　and　empty　skin　was　still　hanging　there。　Ishtar　had　left　it；　probably　because　he　knew　he　could　carry　the　weight　of　only　one　full　skin。　Taita　picked　up　the　empty　skin　and　slung　it　over　his　shoulder。　He　left　the　chariot；　with　the　dead　horses　in　the　traces　already　beginning　to　stink；　and　followed　Ishtar　onwards。
　　
　　Carrying　the　waterskin　with　him；　Ishtar　had　gone　back　towards　Gallala。　When　he　topped　the　ridge　above　the　city　he　had　crept　down　to　the　bank　of　the　closest　irrigation　canal。　The　imprint　of　his　knees　was　clear　in　the　wet　clay　where　he　had　knelt　to　drink　and　then　to　fill　the　skin　he　carried。　Taita　drank　himself。　After　that　he　filled　his　own　waterskin。　Then　he　rose　and　followed　the　traces　Ishtar　had　left　as　he　started　back　eastwards　along　the　road　towards　Safaga　and　the　coast。　Taita　strode　after　him。
　　
　　Night　fell　and　Taita　kept　on。　Sometimes　the　aura　of　the　Mede　faded　away　pletely；　but　Taita　followed　the　road。　At　other　times　it　grew　stronger；　until　Taita　smelt　it；　a　faint；　musty；　unpleasant　odour。　When　it　was　this　strong　he　could　fathom　the　essence　of　the　Mede。　He　could　detect　his　vindictive　and　vengeful　nature。　He　divined　that　Ishtar　was　frightened　and　demoralized　by　the　turn　that　the　fates　had　taken　against　him；　but　his　powers　were　still　formidable。　He　constituted　a　great　and　real　danger；　not　only　to　Nefer　and　Mintaka　but　to　Taita　himself。　If　he　were　allowed　to　escape　and　regenerate　his　scattered　powers；　he　might　threaten　the　future　of　the　House　of　Tamose　and　Apepi。　Ishtar　was　one　of　the　higher　adepts；　an　evil　one；　which　made　him　all　the　more　dangerous。　He　could　certainly　overlook　his　selected　victims；　and　conjure　up　all　manner　of　profanitie