Part 18 (1/2)
”Don't lie,” answered Tuthmes ”Simply hint to him of your own suspicions After all, even if a de suht Perhaps Tananda is behind this, after all So go quickly!”
When Afari, , intensely over his patron's commands, had departed, Tuthmes stood for awith tapestries of barbaric h a domed censer of pierced brass in one corner Tuthmes called: ”Muru!”
Bare feet scuffed the floor An arras of dull cri athwart one wall, was thrust back, and an immensely tall, thin man ducked his head under the lintel of the hidden door and entered the room
”I am here, master,” he said
The e piece of scarlet cloth, hung like a toga froh his skin was as black as jet, his features were narrow and aquiline, like those of the ruling caste of Meroe” The woolly hair of his head was trimmed into a fantastic, crested shape
”Is it back in its cell?” inquired Tuthmes
”It is”
”Is all secure?”
”Aye, my lord”
Tuthmes frowned ”How can you be sure that it will always obey your commands and then return to you? Ho you that some day, when you release it, it will not slay you and flee back to whatever unholy dimension it calls home?”
Muru spread his hands ”The spells I learned froian wizard, to control the deave the sorcerer a piercing look ”Meseems you wizards spend most of your lives in exile How do I know that some enemy will not bribe you to turn the monster loose on hts! Without your protection, whither should I go? The Kushi+tes despise me, for I am not of their race; and for reasons you know, I cannot return to Kordafa”
”Hood care of your deued fool, Afari, loves nothing more than to appear wise in the opinions of others He will spread the tale of Amboola's murder, embellished withears The breach between Tananda and her lords iden, and I shall reap the benefit”
Chuckling with rare good humor, Tuthaunt sorcerer, who accepted it with a silent bow Tuthmes continued:
”Of course, he will not an the whole charade with his false accusations against Amboola and Aahmes-without orders from me, too He knows not that-thanks to your necromantic skill, friend Muru -I know all about this He pretends to be devoted to my cause and faction but would sell us out in an instant if he thought he could gain thereby His ultimate ambition is to wed Tananda and rule Kush as royal consort When I a, I shall need athe wine, Tuth, her brother, perished in battle with the Stygians, Tananda has clung insecurely to the ivory throne, playing one faction off against another But she lacks the character to hold power in a land whose tradition does not accept the rule of a woman She is a rash, i power is to slay whatever noble shethe rest
”Be sure to keep a close watch on Afari, O Muru And keep your deain”
When the Kordafan had left, ducking his head once h the doorway, Tuthany He came out upon the flat,over the parapet; he saw below him the silent streets of the Inner City of Meroe He saw the palaces, the gardens, and the great inner square into which, at an instant's notice, a thousand black horse barracks
Looking farther, he saw the great bronze gates of the Inner City and, beyond thereat plain of rolling grasslands, which stretched-broken only by occasional low hills-to the horizon A narrow river, es of the Outer City
A lofty,caste, separated the Inner and Outer Cities The rulers were descendants of Stygians who, centuries ago, had come southward to hack out an empire and mix their proud blood with that of their black subjects The Inner City ell laid out, with regular streets and squares, buildings of stone, and gardens
The Outer City, on the other hand, was a sprawling wilderness of ular open spaces The black people of Kush, the aboriginal inhabitants of the country, dwelt in the Outer City None but the ruling caste lived in the Inner City, except for their servants and the black horselanced out over that vast expanse of huts Fires glowed in the ragged squares; torches swayed to and fro in the wandering streets
Fro, a barbaric chant that thrummed with an undertone of wrath or blood lust Tuthmes drew his cloakacross the roof, he halted at the sight of a figure sleeping under a palarden When stirred by Tuth up
”There is no need for speech,” cautioned Tuthmes ”The deed is done
Amboola is dead; and, before dawn, all Meroe will knoas murdered by Tananda”