mad sister, and is now clearing a path for himself up the military tree by galvanizing the whole force.’
‘Who is this mad sister?’
‘Mutnodjmet. She has a palace role as lady-in-waiting, but she has always been kept away from the court. Something happened when she was a child, they say, and she has suffered from black depressions, hysterias.’
‘And he married her?’
Nakht nodded. ‘He must be very hungry for something. I can’t imagine it was a match made from the necessities of the heart.’
‘And he will be coming here?’
‘I believe in the next day or so. And also Ay.’
‘Who is Ay?’
‘He is a courtier who rarely appears in public. As far as I know, his titles do not extend beyond Master of the Horse. But he is the King’s uncle, and it seems the King listens to him.’
‘So, the jackals are gathering.’
20
The early sunlight under the still curtain, and the sound of people stirring and talking beyond it, did little to contradict a feeling of deep unease as I woke, as if after a bad dream. I needed to move, to challenge it with activity, so I dressed hurriedly, splashing my face and hands with water to bring the reality of the new day a little closer. I smoothed my hair into some appearance of order. My mouth was as sour as tainted milk. I rinsed it out. I was hungry. And I needed to piss.
‘Did you sleep well?’ asked Nakht, who was waiting for me along with Khety.
‘Fine. Apart from some strange dreams.’
‘What dream isn’t strange? That’s the point of them. Should we consult a Compendium of Shadows and interpret them?’
I shook my head. He smiled.
‘What are your plans now?’ he asked.
‘Given the level of my unpopularity in the city at this point, the likelihood that the story of my apparent death will only protect me for a short while longer, and the cruel fact that the days are passing fast, I’ve decided to request an audience with Akhenaten. I think it’s time to bring him up to date. Besides, I can’t do my job if I have to run around the city in disguise.’
Nakht shook his head, thinking. ‘There is to be a public ceremony honouring Meryra today. He is to be named High Priest of the Aten. Akhenaten may be too busy to see you.’
‘High Priest? I thought Akhenaten was the High and indeed the only Priest of the Aten? I thought that was the whole point?’
‘Yes, it’s interesting he has felt it necessary just now to elect a deputy. Meryra is totally obedient. And totally ruthless. Plus, he is the chief opponent of Ramose, who has been encouraging a more conservative approach to the government of the Great Estate for some time now. Meryra will support Akhenaten against Ramose. All religion now is about politics.’
Khety had been listening with a look of profound anxiety. ‘But even if you get in, what are you going to say to Akhenaten? We’re no closer to solving the mystery.’
‘I’m going to tell him the truth.’
‘Yes, but you can’t just go in there and say, “Oh, and by the way, your loyal chief of police Mahu, who wields almost as much power as you do, wants my skin for a donkey’s nosebag.” Besides, if Mahu finds out you’ve made accusations he’ll be after me. He’d kill me.’
‘Well, he tried that already.’
‘No, sir, he tried to kill
He had a point. ‘Khety, I’m not so stupid as to turn up in Akhenaten’s court with no evidence making wild accusations with no ascertainable connection to the mystery, which will only alert the very people we want to keep out of this. What we need to do is give him some kind of progress report to make him feel like we’re getting somewhere, even if we aren’t. Then, having bought some time and some renewal of my authority, we need his permission to interview the Queen Mother and the princesses.’
‘Tiy? What do you want to see her for?’
‘Because I need to get to the heart of this strange family. I want to find out what she knows.’
‘She’s said to be vile. They say she has gold teeth and her breath rots fruit.’
‘Nevertheless, she is the mother-in-law to the missing woman, and as such she has a, let’s say, particular point of view on all this. And we can hold our breath for as long as required.’
Nakht grinned. ‘Your friend is right, she’s an evil bitch. Give her my fondest regards.’
The ways were busy with officials going to work. Carts and kiosks sold honey-cakes, bread in a variety of shapes, and beer. Most people ate and drank as they walked, already too busy, like us now, to spare the time for a proper breakfast. Khety bought some honey-bread with figs, which was wonderful, and beer, and we consumed it all like hungry dogs round the back of a building, along a side street where only labourers passed. No-one took any notice of us, preoccupied as they were with the appalling prospect of another long day of hard labour under the all- powerful sun.
Food always cheers me. It is a weakness. I wish I were the kind of man who can survive for days and nights without a single mouthful, thinking of nothing but truth and beauty. But I am not. I like to eat, as well and as often as possible. Even after a funeral, I look forward to the feast. Tanefert’s cooking is adequate, but mine, I have to say, is superior. I go about it like a mystery, tracking down unusual condiments and assessing the mysterious complexities of flavour for the constituent, and sometimes surprising, elements. I take pride in knowing where in the market and among the maze of shops to buy the richest meats, the freshest herbs, the best honey. My favourite dish is leg of gazelle marinaded in red wine, with figs. I wish I could prepare it now. My old life, in which I cook gazelle while the girls prepare the beans, Tanefert talks to my mother over wine, and my father dozes or plays with the girls, seems like a lost world.
As we ate, the pain of absence flashed through my bones. To take my mind off it, I asked Khety how and where we could find Akhenaten.
‘It depends,’ he replied. ‘Some mornings he undertakes a progress with the sun from the North Palace along the Royal Road, before the people. He worships at the Aten Temple, usually the Small. Then he receives officials and makes decisions of policy, and conducts audiences and hears petitions-’
‘With what sort of people?’
‘All kinds. Civil servants, provincial governors, representatives from the councils of judges, army commanders…everyone, right up to the northern and southern viziers.’
‘And then?’
‘And then he might distribute Collars of Honour at the Window of Appearances. In fact not many people know this, but there are two windows: the main one on the bridge, which he uses for the bigger audiences, and a smaller, less well-known one within the Great Palace, where he meets dignitaries, foreign ambassadors and envoys.’
‘Extraordinary. And if he doesn’t undertake the progress?’
‘Well, he usually does, but if he doesn’t then no-one knows where he stays. There are palaces and residences throughout the city, and as far as anyone knows he moves among them for security. But probably the North Palace by the river; it’s surrounded by the highest walls, and almost no-one from the administration ever goes there. They say it has a great artificial lake for fish and birds, and a sanctuary park for all the animals of the kingdom. They say he spends his free time there, among the living creatures, at the centre of the world.’
Khety cast me a quick glance to see what I thought of that.
‘The things people say,’ I said, and smiled in a general kind of way. We still could not trust each other with regard to heresy.
We hurried through the crowds to a point where a side passage opened out on to the Royal Road, and chose
