caught it, and it parted with a rubbery snapping sound. The leg collapsed, and the giraffe went down, sliding on its haunches. It tried to heave itself upright again but the leg was crippled. Instead it overbalanced and rolled on to its side. For a moment its neck was stretched out along the ground and within his reach. Taita sprang forward and stabbed the point into the back, neatly parting the joint in the vertebrae. Then he jumped back as the giraffe kicked again convulsively. Then all four of its legs stiffened and were still. Its eyelids quivered and the lashes meshed shut over the huge eyes.
As Taita stood over the carcass, Fenn rode up to him, leading Windsmoke. 'You were so quick.' Her voice was filled with awe. 'Like a peregrine on a pigeon.' She jumped down and ran to him, her hair in a wind tangle, her lovely face flushed with the thrill of the chase.
'And you are so lovely you astonish my eyes each time I look at you.'
He held her at arm's length to study her face. 'How could you believe for a moment that I would ever leave you?'
'We will speak more of this later, but here come Meren and Sidudu.'
Meren had recaptured Sidudu's horse, and she was mounted again. As she came nearer they saw that her bodice was ripped so that her breasts bounced free. She was coated with dust and there were twigs in her hair.
One cheek was grazed but she was smiling. 'Ho, Fenn,' she shouted. 'Was that not rich sport?'
The four rode to the nearest clump of acacia trees and dismounted in the shade to rest the horses. They passed the waterskin round, and when they had slaked their thirst, Sidudu slipped her tunic over her shoulders and stood naked to allow Taita to assess her injuries. It did not take long.
'Put on your tunic again, Sidudu. You have broken no bones,' he assured her. 'All you need is a bathe in the river. Your bruises will fade in a few days. Now Fenn and I have something of great moment to discuss with you and Meren.' This was the true reason that Taita had taken the pair out hunting. He wanted them alone so that he could inform them of his plans.
The sun had passed its noon before he allowed Meren and Sidudu to return to the river where the flotilla waited for them. By then their mood had changed: they were worried and unhappy.
'Promise that you will not go away for all time.' Sidudu embraced Fenn fervently. 'To me, you are dearer than any sister could ever be. I could not bear to lose you.'
'Although you will not see us, Taita and I will be with you. It is just a small magic. You have seen it done many times before,' Fenn assured her.
Then Meren spoke out: 'I trust your good sense, Magus, although it seems that there is a great deal less of that than there once was. I remember a time when it was you who always cautioned me to prudence.
Now it is I who must play nursemaid to you. It is strange how reckless a man becomes when something dangles between his legs.'
Taita laughed. 'A wise observation, good Meren. But do not worry yourself unduly. Fenn and I know what we are about. Go back to the boats and play your part.'
Meren and Sidudu rode off towards the river, but kept turning in their saddles to look back anxiously. They waved farewell a dozen times before they were out of sight.
'Now we must set the scene for our disappearance,' Taita told Fenn, and they went to fetch their rolled sleeping mats which were tied behind the saddles. In the bedrolls they had brought with them fresh clothing.
They stripped off their dusty, sweat-stained tunics and stood for a moment to enjoy the breeze upon their naked bodies. Taita stooped to pick up his clean tunic, but Fenn stopped him. 'There is no great hurry, my lord. It will be some time before the others return to search for us.
We should take advantage of this moment, and that we are unencumbered by our clothing.'
'When Meren reports our demise to That, the whole company will race here to find our remains. They might arrive to find us very much alive.'
Fenn reached down between his legs. 'Do you recall what Meren said about this? How it makes a man reckless? Well, I propose that we be reckless together.'
'When you hold me like that, you could lead me anywhere, and I would make no protest.'
She smiled slyly and sank down on her knees before him.
'What are you doing now?' he demanded. 'This is something you never learnt from me.'
'Imbali gave me precise instructions. But hush now, my lord, I will not be able to reply to any more questions. My mouth will be otherwise engaged.'
They cut the matter fine, and were only just able to complete setting the stage for their subterfuge before they saw the dust of galloping horses
approaching from the direction of the river. They moved back into the grove of acacias and sat quietly together at the base of a tree. They held each other's hands and wove round themselves a spell of concealment.
The hammering of hoofs grew louder until That and Meren appeared out of the dustcloud, riding hard at the head of a large band of armed men. As soon as they saw Windsmoke and Whirlwind grazing at the edge of the grove, they swerved towards them and came up only twenty paces from where Taita and Fenn were sitting.
'Oh, by the guts and liver of Seth!' Meren cried. 'See the blood upon the saddles! It is even as I told you. The djinni have seized them and carried them away.'
The dark stains were giraffe blood, but That was not to know that.
'By the coupling of Isis and Osiris, this is a tragic business.' He swung down from the saddle. 'Search the area for any sign of the magus and his consort.'
Within a short time they had discovered Taita's ripped, bloodstained tunic. Meren held it in both hands and buried his face in it. 'Taita has been taken from us. I am a son without a father,' he sobbed.
