Eater of souls

"Father?"

"Mmm."

"You have remembered something?"

"What?"

"You've remembered something."

"I–I'm not certain."

"Tell me, and I might be able to help."

Meren didn't answer at first, then he shook his head. "I must consider well before I speak. It's too dangerous."

"I consort with thieves, a murderous Greek pirate, and Ese. What more danger could I face?"

Meren's gaze focused on him at last, and Kysen saw a flicker of pain quickly disguised. "Oh, much more, Ky. Much, much more."

Chapter 16

His absence had caused the evening meal to be late. Distracted by his discovery on the boat with Kysen, Meren had eaten without paying much attention to his food until he realized Bener had been putting more helpings of lotus roots, roast crane, and shat cakes before him. Now, although it was late, he still felt overstuffed. Bener said it was his fault for failing to eat enough to keep his belly from shriveling. He didn't argue because he was still chasing an idea, following it as one tracks an antelope down a crooked desert path between steep-sided cliffs, carefully and with the wariness of a lion.

Finally Bener had ordered him out of the hall so that the servants could clean. He was instructed to go with Kysen to the roof, where the night breeze would be the strongest. After surveying the darkened city, they had perched on the wall top that formed a balustrade around the roof. Meren took a goblet of wine from Kysen, but he was distracted from his deliberations only when he heard music. Looking across the roof, he saw three musicians seated on a mat. One played the double pipes, another a harp, and the third a flute that produced deep, mellow tones.

"Bener thinks you have forgotten how to be at ease," Kysen said.

Meren glanced at the musicians again. "Bener is perceptive, but I haven't the time to correct my bad habits at the moment. Ky, we've been looking for Eater of Souls in the wrong places."

"But she attacked most of her victims in the foreign district and near the docks."

"All of the dead ones inconvenienced people."

Kysen frowned at this sudden change of subject. "I thought we were discussing where to find the demon."

"We are." Meren set his goblet aside. "The farmer nearly caused a chariot to crash. The tavern woman deserted a customer. Tcha's partner robbed someone."

"I see."

"Ky, Eater of Souls, if she is a living person, has to be a noble."

"A noblewoman."

Meren shook his head. "You still don't follow my path. The tavern woman's customer, the chariot driver, the one who was robbed, I think they are the same man."

"A man who disguises himself and kills because he is inconvenienced?" Kysen asked with a stare.

"You sound doubtful."

"Father, you've plucked this notion from your imagination more than from knowledge." Kysen sighed when Meren folded his arms over his chest and said nothing. "What signs are there that Eater of Souls is a nobleman?"

"I told you."

"You told me things you've surmised."

"There's also the ax."

"An ax can be borne by any man, or woman."

"This wasn't an ax used by a carpenter or chariot maker," Meren replied. "Those axes are plain, and you've seen the ones used by woodchoppers. Their handles are long, and many have semicircular blades. This was a battle-ax, Ky."

"Which any common soldier possesses."

"Not this one." Meren stood and leaned against the roof wall. "I should have noticed before, but I've been paying attention to the more frightening features of Eater of Souls-the claws, the crocodile's head and jaws, the feather placed where the heart should be. What I saw was a battle-ax, but not one used by an ordinary soldier. It was like those given to great warriors by generals and kings."

Kysen said nothing for a moment, then whispered, "By the gods. Are you certain?"

"It had an elongated blade, like the ones we use in battle," Meren said. "But I think there's engraving on the flat of the blade, and the handle has sets of parallel grooves inset with gold. The wood isn't ash or sycamore. I think it must be stained cedar or dark brown ebony. The leather thongs that bind the blade and support the handle are gilded with red gold. When I stopped concentrating on Eater of Souls and began to search for other memories that were as clear but not so frightening, I finally recalled the ax."

"By the gods," Kysen repeated softly. He turned to meet his father's eyes. "Who have you inconvenienced of late?"

"Should you not ask whom I haven't inconvenienced?"

"This isn't a time for jests."

"Bener says I need merriment and leisure." Meren held up his hand. "Very well, don't frown like a priest-instructor faced with a dozen inattentive pupils. The list of those I've annoyed is long, even if I include only recent weeks. There's the Great Royal Wife."

"Father, please be serious."

"And Princess Tio."

"Hmm."

"You don't appreciate my humor, Ky. I also annoyed Mugallu, but he's dead. Then there's Djoser, who's mad because I won't support Lord Reshep, and there's Reshep himself. Of course, I could include others at court and General Labarnas."

"Not a Hittite."

"Of course not," Meren said. "And I've managed to make Rahotep furious."

"I saw him at Ese's. He was in one of his drinking miseries."

"These black moods of his are growing more foul. I shall have to do something about him if he doesn't cure himself."

"Who else have you inconvenienced, Father?"

Meren smiled. "Apparently one of the three men so feared by Othrys."

"May Amun protect us."

"Yes, and that list contains only those I've annoyed recently and directly. A great man offends many, even if he tries not to, Ky."

They lapsed into silence as each contemplated the possibilities.

Meren rubbed his chin, feeling the rough stubble of a day's growth of beard. "Who have Mugallu and I both offended?"

They stared at each other, scowling, but a sudden din of female chatter caused them to break off. Bener marched up the interior stairway to the roof, turned, and snapped at her younger sister.

"I told you to instruct Mutemwia to watch her."

Isis stalked up the stairs, her perfectly arranged robes askew from the climb. "I don't have to do your bidding. You're only my sister."

"I'm mistress of the house," Bener said as she marched over to Meren. "And unless you're going to do all the work that entails, then that means I can give you orders. Now look what's happened, and it's all your fault."

"I'm not the one who lost her. You're the mistress of the house, so it's your fault."

"What's wrong?" Meren asked.

The girls turned to him and spoke at the same time.

"She lost Satet."

Meren shoved away from the wall. "What are you talking about?"

"I told Isis to tell Mutemwia to watch Satet so that she didn't leave the house and wander the city again, but she didn't do it."

Isis pinched a pleat in her robe and jerked it into shape. "I'm not a slave to be commanded by her."

"Luckily," Bener said with a scowl at her sister, "I noticed Satet was gone and told Abu. He followed her and just returned."

Meren headed for the stairs. "Ky, stay here with the girls." His son caught up with him halfway down the stairs.

"Bener and Isis have a houseful of servants and guards to protect them. You're the one who is apt to go about without protection."

"I'm not wasting time arguing," Meren said. They reached the bottom of the stairway, where Abu waited for them.