Chapter Fifteen: A Narrow Escape.
Kiya rushed to the bedroom. “People are coming!”
“We must hide the boy,” said Huy. He lifted Dennu from the bed and carried him through to the bar where he deposited him on the floor behind the counter. Laylos came running in with her bag and managed to put the spell-writing equipment into it as a clatter of harness announced the arrival of the horsemen. The two soldiers entered the inn with drawn swords and stared at Huy in astonishment.
“What are you doing here, Sir?” asked one of them.
“More to the point, what are you doing, soldier?” said Huy.
“We are looking for Dennu, Sir.”
“So am I,” said Huy.
The soldiers hesitated. “I’m sorry, Sir” said the bolder of the two. “We have orders to search every building. Who are these women?” He indicated Laylos and Kiya, who stood behind the counter, trying to shield Dennu’s body without treading on it.
“That one is a barmaid,” said Huy, indicating Laylos. “And that one is a whore.” The man looked at Kiya with interest and gave her a wink. Kiya fluttered her eyelashes at him. “Get on with your duties, soldier. I have been too busy interrogating the women to check the building yet." Huy pointed at one of the soldiers, "You stand guard while we search this bedroom.”
The men obeyed orders. One stood at the main doorway while the other followed Huy into the bedroom. The door closed behind them and there was a muffled thud. Huy opened the door. “Help! The boy is in here!” he shouted.
The second soldier hurried into the room and Kiya heard another thud. She and Laylos stared at each other, stunned by the rapid turn of events. After a few minutes Huy emerged from the bedroom with a knife in his hand.
“Did you kill them? Surely not!” gasped Laylos, half in awe and half in horror.
“Of course not,” said Huy, sheathing the knife. “I have cut up the bedding to secure them. They should be unconscious for a while and by the time they free themselves we will be well away.”
“You were wonderful,” said Laylos gazing at him in admiration.
And I believed we couldn't be in worse trouble! thought Kiya.
“We must go,” said Huy. “At least we dressed the boy’s wounds before we were interrupted. Now, thanks to those stupid soldiers, we have a mount each so we can make faster progress.”
Kiya and Laylos hurried outside to where the soldiers’ horses were fastened to the rail beside Huy’s horse and the donkey. The new animals snorted and tossed their heads, showing the whites of their rolling eyes.
Laylos gave a yelp of horror. “I’m not getting on one of those!”
"They must have heard the ruckus and taken fright," Kiya said. She reached out a hand to calm the horses. They responded by backing away to the limit of their reins.
"Perhaps if you walk one around a bit," suggested Laylos, keeping a good distance.
Kiya untied one of the animals, her hands sweating with anxiety as she struggled with the knot. The horse lashed out with its hooves, missing her by a finger's breadth, then pulled away the loosened reins and bolted. They were watching it disappear up the road towards Qato when Huy emerged from the inn carrying Dennu in his arms.
"What in Thoth’s name are you doing?" he demanded.
"That crazy horse nearly killed Kiya," shrilled Laylos.
“Relax! Horses can smell fear,” said Huy. He put the boy down and hurried to help them. The second horse backed away snorting. “You've really spooked them. We cannot ride them when they are like this.” He untied the horse from the rail and let it gallop after its mate. His own horse side-stepped nervously as he approached. "I hope this one hasn't been frightened by the others."
His hope was in vain, for no sooner had he untied the reins than the horse bolted. Huy clung on, in an attempt to stop its escape, and was dragged up the road in a cloud of dust. When the dust cleared it revealed his prostrate body, lying face downwards.
"Huy!" screamed Laylos, pulling her shift to her knees and running towards him.
He lay unmoving as she knelt beside him and tenderly felt his neck for a pulse. Then he rolled over and grinned up at her. “I need to be rubbed all over with that healing salve of yours."
Laylos looked as if she could kiss him. “I might have known nothing would damage that thick skull!”
Kiya expected them to embrace, but Laylos stood up and turned away, leaving Huy to struggle to his feet alone.
“What do we do now?” asked Kiya.
“We continue walking,” said Huy. “The donkey can carry Dennu.”
They returned to the donkey, which showed no sign of concern as Laylos tied on her medicine bag and rearranged the packages to allow room for Dennu. "Thank Thoth for sending us a big, strong donkey," she said, “and one that does not take fright at any little thing.”
"You did well to buy it," said Huy, as he draped Dennu's body over the donkey. "How else could you bring half your possessions with us?"
"You never know what you might need," said Laylos with a sniff.
They set off again. Kiya and Laylos walked on one side of the donkey, Huy on the other. Despite its extra burden the animal kept a slow but steady pace. Huy walked in silence, his face grim. Kiya expected him to rebuke them for stopping at the inn. The alarm had been raised earlier than any of them had expected and delaying their escape had been foolhardy. On the other hand, if the soldiers had caught them on the open road, they would be prisoners by now.
"It was good of you to sacrifice your job to help us, Huy,” said Laylos, smiling up at him and Kiya was pleased that her aunt was making an effort to mollify their protector. “I heard you had gone to Helwan and found a wife. What made you return to Gesem?”
“I lost my wife,” he said, "and there were other reasons.”
"Look!" Kiya interrupted the conversation to indicate three horses beside the road, cropping grass under the shade of a palm tree.
“Those are our escapees,” said Huy.
“Shall we try and capture them?” asked Kiya.
“No, I have had enough of horses,” said Huy. “They seem happy, let them be.” The animals looked up blankly as the group passed, then returned to their grazing.
“Fortunate creatures,” said Laylos. “Only fools walk in the heat of the day.”
“Fools who have no other choice,” agreed Huy.
Kiya heard a groan. She stared at Dennu and noticed him move. “We must stop and make Dennu comfortable,” she said. “He’s waking up.”
“Thank Horus for that,” said Laylos.
“We have wasted enough time already,” protested Huy. Dennu groaned again and started to thrash about until he was in danger of falling from the donkey. “Oh very well,” said Huy. “But be quick.”
“Here’s a good place,” said Laylos and led the donkey off the road onto a grassy area half hidden by palms and bushes. Dennu struggled as Huy pulled him from the donkey. When he was laid on the ground he sat up, propping himself on his elbows, and glared around him.
“What’s going on? Am I being kidnapped?” His voice was weak.
“We have saved you,” said Kiya.
Dennu looked at her and his eyes brightened. “Kiya!” He thought for a moment. “I remember. You took me into the passageway. Why?”
“You were beaten by your father,” said Kiya. Dennu felt the bandages around his chest and winced. “Laylos has treated you and given you medicine against the poison.”
“Poison?” Dennu looked at Laylos and then back at Kiya. “What poison?”
“It was in the beer your father gave you. I saw him put powder into it.”
Dennu shook his head. “That's impossible.”
“Do you think you are safe then?” said Kiya. “In that case you can go back.”
While they were talking, Huy had poured a goblet of beer from the barrel strapped to the donkey. He brought it over and handed it to Dennu. “Here drink this,” he said. “You must be thirsty after such a fever.”
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“Thank you.” Dennu took the goblet and drank. “Where are you taking me?”
“Back to my home in Thebes,” said Kiya.
“Thebes? The most sacred of cities. It will serve my father right if I come with you after what he did to me.” His chin lifted and he regarded them with a haughty look. “A priest’s son should not be beaten like a common peasant.”
“Are you going to thank us?” said Kiya, annoyed by his arrogance. “We have all risked our lives to save you.”
Huy held up his hand to stop her talking her and, in the silence, they heard the distant sound of hooves on the road. “Quick!” he whispered. “We must hide."