The voice sent waves of cold crashing through Meren's body. It wasn't Reshep's. This voice slithered through muddy, sluggish water. It basked motionless in the boiling heat of the sun for hours, then slid beneath the water close to the shore and lunged at unsuspecting and thirsty gazelles. And yet there was an undertone of grit, a rumbling purr that belonged in the deserts and savanna where it stalked prey through the tall grass.
Meren exchanged glances with Kysen and Abu. Neither had moved once they heard that voice. Kysen lifted his brows in a question. Meren shook his head.
'Reshep, I know it's you under that mask. Stop now.'
'The gods have sent Eater of Souls.'
'Reshep?' Kysen gaped at Eater of Souls. 'Are you certain? Reshep has such a vain, lazy heart.'
Abu shifted his weight, his arm still cocked to throw his dagger. 'He's possessed.'
Eater of Souls paid Abu no heed. The dead yellow eyes seemed to stare at Kysen, but then the snout turned and pointed toward Meren. In the shadowed light he could see that the preserved crocodile's head fit over Reshep's. The lower jaw came down to conceal half the man's face, while the lion's mane attached to it covered his neck and shoulders. A hippo hide emerged from the lion's mane in front and back and was attached to Reshep's kilt by leather thongs.
Reshep raised his arm to point at Meren. His hand was covered by a thick leather gauntlet. Finger stalls of polished bronze ended in curved, clawlike razors. One of them pointed at Meren.
'Evil one, source of pain and emptiness. Usurper of glory, worship, and power. You steal what is rightfully the favored one's, and you must be devoured.'
The ax lifted, but Meren spoke quickly. 'The favored one is Reshep?'
The ax paused.
'All who cause pain to Reshep must be devoured?' Meren asked softly.
Kysen's voice rose. 'Father-'
'Be quiet!' Meren whispered sharply.
'The gods are merciless to those who deserve annihilation,' Eater of Souls replied. The ax arm lowered. 'The father of the chosen one, he caused much pain. His mouth poured forth scorn and reproach, endlessly, destroying the praises of the mother. There was great relief when the father was devoured.'
'And the mother?'
'She praised the favored one, but only when he became a mirror by which her own perfections could be reflected. And she was a bottomless well, always needing, always empty, never content. She drained the Favorite of glory and perfection to feed herself.'
'The gods decreed that she be devoured,' Meren said.
There was no answer.
'And the farmer, he nearly caused your-Reshep's chariot to overturn.'
Eater of Souls uttered a rumbling purr of assent. 'The cursed simpleton stepped into the street without looking.'
'The tavern woman?'
Eater of Souls raised the ax once more. 'Judgment must be carried out.'
'What about the Hittite?' Meren said loudly.
The Devouress hesitated, then raised her snout as if to test the scent of Abu and Kysen. Turning back to Meren, she lowered her weapon and rested the handle in both hands.
'The foreigner insulted the favored one. As you insult him by your existence.'
When a crocodile is hungry, it lurks just beneath the surface of water near the bank, still, with soulless patience. When some small or weak creature ventures into the open to drink, it lunges out of the water and closes its jaws around a leg or neck. In a heartbeat the creature is dragged underwater, to be crushed and drowned under the weight of that slithering body. There is no sign of the attack, no warning snarl or growl. There was no warning when Eater of Souls lunged at Meren and swung the ax.
Meren threw himself aside, tripping over Satet's prone body. He felt the ax slash the air beside his ear as he tumbled to the floor. Landing on his side, he rolled even as Eater of Souls turned and swung the ax up. At that moment Meren heard a thud. Eater of Souls paused in swinging the ax overhead, two daggers protruding from his chest. Meren jumped up as the demon stumbled and fell. Kysen ran to his side while Abu approached the Devouress.
'He still lives, lord.'
Meren and Kysen knelt beside the crocodile head, gripped the snout, and lifted it. Reshep's burning eyes appeared. Meren shoved the mask aside and turned back to Reshep, who was staring at Kysen. Then his gaze fastened on Meren. Sudden recognition flared. Meren heard a low, watery growl. Kysen and Abu shouted. Bronze claws struck, slashing at Meren; but Kysen rammed the battle-ax against Reshep's forearm. Reshep howled as Abu shoved one of the daggers deeper into his chest.
Shaken, Meren rose and stood looking at the body of the man, the crocodile's head, the mane and hide. Abu recited a banishing spell. Meren's lips moved silently as well. Kysen muttered an appeal to Amun for protection, then turned his attention to Satet, who was rousing from her faint. Beauty immediately flapped her wings at him and clacked her beak. Swearing, Abu grabbed the bird by the neck and thrust it into a large cage that sat beside the stairs.
While Kysen helped the old woman to a stool, Meren found a water bottle. He handed Satet a cup and poured her a drink.
'Reshep,' Kysen said over Satet's head. 'It was Reshep all this time. And he wanted to marry Isis, by the gods. What kind of unspeakable evil lodged in his heart that he could-'
Kysen's half-moon eyes narrowed as he and Meren stared at each other.
'He was possessed,' Abu said. 'Did you hear that voice? It was the voice of a fiend.' He pulled his dagger from Reshep's body and began cleaning it on the hippo hide.
No one spoke. Satet began rocking back and forth while she hugged herself. Kysen stared at Reshep's body with a speculative look.
'A strange possession,' Meren murmured.
Kysen turned to him. 'What do you mean?'
Meren set the water jar aside, rose, and went to stand over the dead man. 'I have been pondering something for a long time. Have you ever heard of one possessed by a demon or evil spirit only by night?'
Kysen shook his head.
'Or a demon who took the part of protector of a man?'
'Then why, lord?'
'I don't know,' Meren said. He studied Reshep's unmoving features, now as immobile as those of his crocodile mask. 'Perhaps I'm wrong, but I cannot understand why the great gods of Egypt would concern themselves with a petty noble and send the great Ammut, the Devouress and Eater of Souls, to protect him. Perhaps some other fiend made him sick so that Reshep imagined that he was this favored one simply because that is what he wished to believe. From what we've learned about him, his mother certainly told him that often enough.'
'Then all this death, all this terror, was about Reshep and the things he wanted,' Kysen said.
'I think his heart was crazed, possessed of some evil fiend,' Meren said, 'but not by Eater of Souls, and I'm almost certain not at the behest of Osiris, Amun, and Ra. The only chosen one of the gods in Egypt is pharaoh, may he have life, health, and prosperity.'
'Reshep,' Kysen said, shaking his head. 'How did you know he was Eater of Souls?'
'Remember what I asked you? Whom had Mugallu and I both offended? I thought of several, but of those, I believed only Reshep truly had the kind of heart that would think small offenses deserving of death.'
Meren was looking at Satet. The old woman was still rocking herself.
'Aged one?' Meren asked. She didn't reply.
He tried again. 'Satet.'
No answer.
'Ky, we should take Satet home. Abu, remain here, and I'll send Reia to you.'
'Here, lord? What if our spells haven't banished the demon?' Abu was eyeing the crocodile head and making a sign against evil.
'Post yourself before the front door, and I'll send priests along with Reia,' Meren said. He, too, wouldn't want
