be saved. Then I motioned Khety towards me and climbed over onto his boat. As quietly as I could I pushed my skiff away into the reeds with my foot. It slowly disappeared into the rising mist, the cat on the prow staring balefully back at me.
We poled the skiff as silently and as deeply as we could into the dark reed forest and sat waiting.
‘Good throw,’ I whispered.
‘Thanks.’
‘Where did you learn that kind of accuracy?’
‘I’ve hunted all my life.’
‘Luckily for me.’
Then we heard it: the reeds parting stiffly to allow a skiff to pass. It was no more than twenty cubits from us. We could see nothing. I tested the bow, prepared an arrow. The bow’s pure energy sang beneath my fingers. We waited, our breath held absolutely silent. Then came an urgent exchange: they had found the bloodied boat. We crouched down and waited for fate to take its course. Would they take the bait? We could hear them talking, as if they were in the next room. Then their voices gradually faded as they moved away, taking the other boat with them.
We sat there for a long time, still as crocodiles. Gradually the voices and the night lamps of the boats faded into the darkness, and we were left alone with the noisy evening life of the marsh, the newly appearing stars and, luckily, an early-risen half-moon: there was enough light in the sky to help us home, and the lengthening shadows would be our disguise.
‘Thanks for saving my life,’ I said.
I could tell Khety was smiling, pleased, in the dark.
‘It seems that someone dislikes me here, Khety.’
‘I didn’t tell Mahu anything. Believe me.’
This time I decided I did.
‘But why would he take such an obvious risk? Surely if he wanted me out of the way he would have found a subtler way to do it than inviting me on a hunt.’
‘He’s not that bright,’ Khety said, with some kind of pleasure.
‘Let’s head back.’
‘And then what?’
‘Pick up the trail. The Harem. A night visit.’
18
The city came into view, its pale new buildings gleaming in the moonlight, the desert around it dark but for the cliffs and boulders lit by the same light, as if giving back what the sun had granted by day.
We jumped ashore into the shadows near the harbour. Khety led the way, keeping to the moonless side of the passages and thoroughfares. ‘There are three royal palaces,’ he said, ‘the Great, the North, and the Riverside. The Great contains the main women’s quarters.’
‘And where does Akhenaten sleep at night?’
‘No-one knows. He moves between the palaces, according to the Duties of the Day. He shows himself to the people as he progresses between temple worship, official business and receptions. I suppose he has sleeping quarters in each palace.’
‘It’s a hard life.’
Khety grinned at me.
We crossed the Royal Road and came to the Great Palace. It was enormous, a long structure that ran along the western side of the road. At the main gate stood two guards. ‘We’re in luck,’ said Khety quietly. ‘I know them.’
‘This is a bit late for you,’ said the younger one, clapping Khety on the shoulder. ‘Still working? And who’s this?’
‘We’ve business on the authority of Akhenaten.’
There was a moment of uncertainty between the guards.
‘Your permissions?’ said the older one.
I took them from my case without speaking.
He glanced over the papyrus, and shook his head slowly as he puzzled over them. Eventually he nodded. ‘Go on then.’ He looked me over, noting the bow. ‘You must leave that here. No unauthorized weapons in the palace.’
I had no choice but to hand it over.
‘Take care of it. You realize its value, I hope?’
‘I’m sure it was very expensive, sir.’
And with that we passed into the palace’s main court, contained by high mud-brick walls. The court itself reminded me of the columned halls of Thebes, except that this was open, with small groves of trees planted within. Khety knew where he was going, and we moved ahead through the shadows cast by the moonlight, trying to be as silent as the proverbial thieves.
‘This place is enormous!’ I whispered.
‘I know. In the centre are the Halls of the Festivals and the private shrines. The north side consists of offices, residences and storerooms. In truth, everyone complains about the accommodations. They say everything’s too small and it’s all falling apart already. The plaster’s cracking and crumbling, and the insects are everywhere. They say the wood is cheap, painted to look expensive, and it’s already a feast for the beetles.’
Through hall after columned hall, we made our way onwards. Everything seemed deserted, silent. Sometimes we heard faint voices, and once we hid ourselves behind a stone column while a trio of men passed by, deep in earnest discussion. Many other rooms gave off the central halls, but all seemed uninhabited.
‘Where is everyone?’
Khety shrugged. ‘The city is built for a great population. Not everyone is here yet. Many have yet to be born who will inhabit these halls and offices. And don’t forget, they’re anticipating a huge influx of people for the Festival.’
We came to the edge of a lovely courtyard garden, rich with cool night scents. I looked down and saw that the floor had been painted with a matching scene depicting a pool surrounded by blue and silver marsh flowers and plants.
‘Here we are again, walking on the water.’
Khety looked down. ‘Oh yes,’ he said, surprised.
‘What is it with these people and their river scenes?’ I asked.
‘Aten’s creation. They need to see it everywhere.’
We walked across it anyway, and came to a great door. It was beautifully panelled, and within it was a smaller door, and within that a smaller shutter the size of a little window. The mural beneath our feet showed nothing but still water. Khety knocked quietly on the shutter. We waited, and again I experienced the prickling sensation that we were being watched. I looked around. There was nothing to be seen. Then the shutter was opened from within.
‘Show your faces,’ said an odd, strange-pitched voice.
Khety gestured for me to approach the shutter, and as I did so a strong light shone directly into my eyes. Then the little door swung open on silent hinges and a patch of light fell onto the floor. I stepped into it, and through the portal.
Inside, the light continued to dazzle me. I held my hands up to shield my eyes. I seemed to see now a multiplication of little lights, a repetition of small moons, all shifting about. Suddenly I realized they were decorated papyrus lanterns bobbing and turning on slender reed stems. And holding these lanterns were girls. Pretty young girls. The lantern directly in front of me was lowered and I saw a face, large-boned but elegant, with painted lashes and mouth, and skin whitened thickly with powders. And a body dressed in the most elaborate costume yet belonging, in stature, to a prize-fighter or a cart-driver.
