to stay here alone with Reshep, or Eater of Souls.
As they helped Satet out of the house, Kysen paused. Meren heard a sharp intake of breath as his son turned to him, his face barely visible in the dark.
'What do you suppose he did with the hearts?'
Meren had been asking himself the same thing, and the more he asked, the more he wished he hadn't thought of the answer. 'What does Eater of Souls do with the hearts of those condemned by the gods?'
He knew Kysen had understood him when his son pressed his lips together and swallowed. Silently they walked away from the house.
Chapter 17
Shortly before dawn Kysen strode down the corridor of the women's quarters and stuck his head in Bener's chamber. Bener was pacing but stopped when he appeared.
'You're back. Why were you so long?'
'Where is Isis? I expected to find her waiting with you.'
'She went to bed hours ago. What happened? Didn't you find Satet?'
Kysen muttered under his breath and plunged down the hall. Bener caught up with him as he reached Isis's door and started pounding on it.
'Isis! Isis, you worthless piece of offal, I'm coming in!'
'What's wrong?' Bener demanded. 'Where's Father?'
'He's gone to the palace.' Kysen shoved the door open and darted into the chamber with Bener close behind.
Isis slept as perfectly as she dressed. Lying on her back, her headrest supporting her head, she rested with a single sheet draped over her body. Her arms lay beneath the linen. Kysen reached out, grabbed a handful of artfully arranged hair, and yanked. Isis howled and shot out of her nest, spitting and clawing. Undaunted, Kysen pulled his sister off the bed and sent her spinning across the room. She bounced against a chest and knocked over a cosmetics table as she landed. Kohl tubes, tweezers, unguent pots, ivory combs, and several mirrors flew in different directions. A blue-and-yellow-striped cosmetics bottle shaped like a fish shattered at Kysen's feet.
Unhurt, Isis launched herself from the floor, snatching a pot as she went. She hurled it at him, screeching invectives. Kysen ducked and heard the pot hit a wall. Bener dodged flying shards. Several maids appeared in the doorway, but they vanished upon seeing Kysen. Isis bent to pick up a jar, but Kysen kicked it out of range and grabbed a handful of hair at the back of her head. He stuck his face close to hers and shouted over her shrieks.
'You spoiled, selfish spawn of a dung pit, you nearly got Father killed!'
Bener thrust herself between them. 'Stop this!'
She pulled on Isis's hair and Kysen's fist. Isis was screaming, jumping, and trying to kick Kysen. Rather than have Bener take blows meant for him, Kysen released his hold. Isis backed up, sputtering and breathing hard, but her curses didn't stop until Bener rounded on her.
'You shut your lips or I'll beat you myself.'
Isis's mouth snapped closed. She smoothed her hair back from her face while glowering at her brother. Kysen was wishing he'd thought to bring his chariot whip.
Bener faced him. 'What has happened?'
'We found Satet, and Father went into the house alone to fetch her. But Eater of Souls was waiting.'
Neither of his sisters said anything. Eyes widening, Isis made a little sound that might have been a gasp.
Bener asked quickly, 'Was Father hurt?'
'It was mere chance that the old woman warned him,' Kysen said, his gaze fixed on Isis with ka-shriveling contempt. 'But it couldn't have been chance that Eater of Souls knew where to find us. Isis has been seeing Reshep secretly, and I'll bet my finest thoroughbred it was their plan to use Satet to lure Father there.'
'It was not!' Isis shouted.
Kysen stared at her. Bener stared at her.
'It wasn't,' Isis said again, less loudly. When neither sibling replied, she burst out again. 'How was I to know the demon would be there? Reshep said he wanted to talk to Father, to convince him that our marriage would be a great alliance. We knew Father would never agree to see Reshep again. He's so stubborn. But I knew that Father was interested in the old woman, and that if she vanished he would chase after her. It's not my fault an evil demon followed him too. Is Reshep safe?'
Kysen shoved Bener out of the way and stuck his face close to Isis's. 'You stupid she-goat, Reshep was Eater of Souls. If we hadn't killed him, he would have murdered Father.'
He watched color ebb from his sister's face. Her great dark eyes stood out against the pale flesh. Her mouth half open, Isis shook her head.
'He's been killing anyone who got in his way, anyone who caused him the slightest annoyance.' Kysen straightened and folded his arms over his chest, still burning Isis's flesh with his stare. 'He knew he was the favorite of the gods. He'd convinced himself of it. And because he believed it, he knew that the gods would send help to ease his way in the world. That help was Eater of Souls.'
'You're crazed,' Isis whispered.
'You think I'd make up such a tale?' Kysen gave a snort of disgust. 'Why would you find it difficult to believe that Reshep thought himself chosen by the gods when you believe the same thing about yourself?'
'Oh, Isis,' Bener said with a look of disbelief.
Her sister's disapproval seemed to affect Isis as Kysen's had not. She winced, and silent tears began to trickle down her cheeks.
'I only wanted to-'
'Have your own wish!' Kysen bellowed. 'Without thinking of anyone else.' He poked Isis with a finger as he spoke. 'And you almost got Father killed. Had he not been quick, had Abu and I not been there, Reshep would have bashed in his skull, slashed his throat, and carved out his heart!'
Isis gave a shriek and buried her head in her hands. Bener rolled her eyes and shook her head. Kysen watched Isis for a moment, then turned and marched out of the room. Bener came with him, and together they went out of the house to the kitchen building. He found a bottle of wine in a pantry room, and Bener brought cups and a loaf of bread. They took their food to the family garden. Sitting under an old acacia tree, they each downed a cup of wine before they spoke.
'All she had to do was see that the old woman got out of the house at a time when Reshep was waiting to follow,' Kysen said.
'Does Father suspect?' Bener asked.
'You should have seen him,' Kysen said. 'We were looking at Reshep in his strange costume. He wore a preserved crocodile's head, you know. And Father suddenly said Isis's name in a voice so faint I barely heard it.'
Kysen shook his head slowly. 'The first thing he thought of was how Reshep had been in this house, on his ship, near you and Isis, and then he realized…' He took a long drink of wine. 'He actually shuddered. He closed his eyes so I wouldn't see his pain, but he shuddered.'
'She didn't know, Ky. She would never hurt Father on purpose.'
'No,' Kysen said. 'And do you know why? Because to do something to someone deliberately, you have to be thinking of them. Isis seldom thinks of anyone but herself.'
'You're angry. In a few days, when you're calmer, you'll see a different picture.'
'Why can't she be sensible, like you?'
Bener sighed and poured herself more wine. 'You and Father are always complaining about me, too. You're not satisfied with either of us.'
'You have a good ka, Bener. Isis has an evil one.'
'Not evil, just one in need of strong guidance. But I think this disaster will force her to see something in her mirror besides her pretty face.'
