The Forgotten God

Chapter 41

The sky yawned wide across the gardens, unlimited in its blackness, both comforting and menacing. Once, it had held some solace to Zuberi, able to lose himself in its infinity as he counted and admired the winking stars.

This evening the purple patchwork did little to quell his rising anxiety, it simply reminded him of bruised skin, beaten and blackened for grievous sin.

The emerald grass was soft under his feet, giving the feel of walking on crafted velvet. Tiny blooms peeked out from the blades, attracting strange insects that went on to pollinate the food of the Gods.

Around him, grand trees curved, forming a bower over the gravel path he was ignoring. Between them, exotic plants stood proud, emitting a perfume like no other.

Even in his haven of beauty, he felt the unsettling sensation of someone watching him from nearby by. Turning around he was only slightly relieved to see Mandisa, her canny eyes watching from the hood of her haik.

"Has no one told you not to startle people like that, woman?" He asked bitterly. "Had I have been armed then you could well have met your end!"

"I am quick on my feet."

"You are silent on them too." Zuberi grunted. "What is it you want? I cannot imagine you simply want to stare at me like a simpleton. As much as I like your eyes on me, they unnerve me today."

"You seem distant, like something is burdening you," Mandisa ignored the flirtatious remark "I was concerned. The air is dark enough without keeping our hearts closed. If you wished to speak, then I can be trusted."

Zuberi's face softened but he kept his wall solid. "I know. You are the only one here who can be relied upon fully. Let me guess, I am under the finger of suspicion for these egregious crimes? What a surprise!" Throwing his hand out he strode towards the shelter of a tree. "The fairness of justice never fails to astound me!"

Mandisa's eyes flitted to the right as a sparkling object flew from the folds of his clothing. She moved over before he had chance to react and picked up the shimmering disc. The golden coin was new and of a higher value than what servants were paid, and Zuberi, like herself, was not paid anything.

"A deben, I saw the cook with one once," she said, turning it over in her hand. "Where did you get this? Please, tell me you are not thieving, what good is it here? Even the paid servants have little, for sending for outside items is a hard task."

Zuberi snatched the gold from her, scowling unpleasantly. "None of your business. But no, I have not stolen it, I damned well-earned it!" He pointed a shaking finger. "And if you are wise, you'll keep quiet about this, or you'll end up being silenced, and probably not by myself! The bull is enraged easily!"

The words spewed like bile, and his heart jumped to his throat after he spoke, but he couldn't take them back, only hope she was ignorant enough to see some base explanation in the threat.

"Zuberi," Mandisa intoned sadly "Zuberi, Zuberi..."

Once, twice, thrice.

His look and reaction had was more than a thousand proofs and she turned away with a melancholy ache in her heart.

"By the time the birds roost in three days, all the evil of Duat will fall upon us."

----

Am-Heh kept a nightly vigil by Ishaq's body, embalmed to the best of ability and placed in a cold, empty room, lit by seven small candles.

The herbs wept a piteous perfume in their effort to chase away the scent of death but nothing could erase the sensation of gathering gloom.

Kisha lay in an adjacent chamber, the canopic jars set out with similar care but not attention. Ishaq'a had been more important, he had needed a shard of flesh and several droplets of the young man's blood if his task was to have any meaning.

His eyes had worked and watched with glassily, seeing the bare minimum about him, concentrated on fashioning the stone and chain.

The blood seeped into the naked gem, streaking and dying it a rich red to contrast with the spun gold twine that it hung from. There had been little heart left to finish the ritual but he had finally spotted the tiny fragment of a vessel which was weaved into the blend.

The embalmer was a strange figure, lanky and disproportioned, giving him the appearance of a panicked crane fly when he was in his master's presence and his limbs trembled.

Relief washed over him as Am-Heh offered a curt nod after surveying his work. It had been a hard task, the inner cavity torn and broken and what remained was barely discernible.

"I-I hope I have placed them correctly, great one," he stuttered. "It-it was hard to work with those in-in such poor condition."

"Indeed."

It was all the approval he needed.

With upmost care, Am-Heh tied the amulet about the bandaged neck, his fingers tracing the no longer recognisable cheek. The body was not that of his cherished slave, it was a sunken humanoid of coarse bandage and an empty shell. The very idea swelled in his heart, and a low growl rippled in his throat at the sensation of weakness.

"May your journey bring you peace," he whispered, sinking back down onto the stool. "For certainly I shall have none."

From the doorway, there was a rustle of movement. Abruptly Am-Heh looked up, his eyes cold and not thawing when he saw Mandisa stood nervously in the shadow. Her breath showed in small puffs, nervously escaping her lungs swifter as his eyes turned towards her.

"Why do you disturb me?" He snapped "you well I wish to be alone, unless you have good reason then you will soon lose the skin off your back!"

"You must forgive me, great one," Mandisa dropped to her knees, hands clasped before her in silent pray and plea. "But I have been sent with news that I fear to relate but know I must. To relay the name of he who caused the grief that has fallen upon this place, I beg lenience for him but it will be in your hands and will."

"I shall deal with things as I see fit. Speak and then leave in silence," Am-Heh snarled. "I will take no advice from mortals."

"Zuberi," she whispered and hung her head, feeling the fury radiate from him. "He said something about a bull also, I did not know if that meant anything."

Am-Heh's blood boiled and he looked away, his jaw clenched. "Go."

She didn't need to be told twice and scrambled hurriedly to her feet. Her nerves were on high alert and the fear grew ever stronger about her.

---

Zuberi's instinct was the flea. To gather the gold and to return to the side of his apish master, hurl it at his feet and beg for sanctuary.

Great God! He would be the ideal slave, he would carpet the filthy floor with his own body if that was what the beast desired, anything to avoid the ultimate wrath that would be befall him.

But he knew, if he went through the tunnels, Babi would be gone. Their business was closed now, and until the time he needed him again, Zuberi would be alone.

After mindlessly walking with no destination to aim for, he found himself in the servant's chapel. The space was thought to stand in the area once occupied by a suite of three rooms that were built around the same time. Am-Heh had built the walls and then had them torn down immediately to make room for the introduction of the chapel, the need for worship outweighing the desire for more room.

Much of the stone was decorated in inscriptions, detailing events and religious festivals, but other than the grass rug on the floor, it was bare. An ideal area for private thought and pray.

"Great ones," he whispered, appealing to any who would listen. "Protect me, keep me, wash me of my sin! I erred; I am but a mortal. O Atum! I adore thy name, grant you to me that I might understand thee!"

To his terror, it was not Atum who answered.

"Ignorance is slavery, and your chains are tight."

He gave a short cry as the clawed fingers clamped about his neck. His airways collapsed and the last thing his ears heard was the sound of his own neck break before his head was torn from his shoulders.