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y were chanting and shaking sistrums over the brazier in one corner in which cauterizing tongs glowed red hot。 Taita's professional feud with these quacks went back two generations。
Apart from the healers； twenty others were gathered around the sickbed in the centre of the floor； courtiers and army officers； scribes and other officials； all looking solemn and funereal。 Most of the women were kneeling on the floor； wailing and keening。 Only one was making any attempt to nurse the young boy who lay on the couch。 She seemed not much older than her patient； probably thirteen or fourteen years of age； and she was sponging him down with heated； perfumed water from a copper bowl。
With a single glance Taita saw that she was a striking…looking girl； with a determined； intelligent face。 Her concern for her patient was evident； her expression loving and her hands quick and petent。
Taita switched his attention to the boy。 His naked body was also well formed； but wasted by disease。 His skin was blotched with the characteristic stigmata of the plague； and dewed with perspiration。 On his chest were the raw and inflamed wounds where he had been bled and cauterized by the priests of Isis。 Taita saw that he was in the final stages of the disease。 His thick dark hair was sodden with sweat； it hung over his eyes； which were sunk into plum…coloured cavities； open and bright with fever but unseeing。
'This is Khyan； my youngest son；' Apepi said； as he went to the bedside； and looked down at the child helplessly。 The plague will take him； unless you can save him； Magus。'
Khyan groaned and rolled on to his side with his knees drawn up in agony to his lacerated chest。 With an explosive spluttering sound a mixture of liquid faeces and bright blood spurted from between his shrunken buttocks on to the soiled bed linen。 The girl who was nursing him at once cleaned his backside with the cloth； then wiped up the mess on the sheets without any sign of distaste。 In the corner the healers renewed their chants； and the high priest took up a pair of hot tongs from the charcoal brazier and came towards the bed。
Taita stepped forward； barring the man's way with his long staff。 'Get out！' he said softly。 'You and your butchers have done enough damage here。'
'I must burn the fever out of his body；' the man protested。 'Out！' Taita repeated grimly； then to the others who crowded the chamber； 'Out； all of you。'
'I know you well； Taita。 You are a blasphemer； and a familiar of demons and evil spirits。' The priest stood his ground； and brandished the glowing bronze instrument menacingly。 'I do not fear your magic。 You have no authority here。 The prince is in my charge。'
Taita stepped back and dropped his staff at the feet of the priest； who shrieked and sprang back as the rod of tambootie wood began to writhe； hiss and snake towards him over the tiles。 Suddenly it reared up head…high； its forked tongue darting between thin grinning lips and its beady black eyes glittering。
Instantly there was a yelling stampede for the door。 Courtiers and priests； soldiers and servants panicked； clawing and elbowing their way through the press to be the first out。 In his haste to escape； the high priest knocked over the brazier； then screamed as he danced barefoot on the scattered coals。
Within seconds the chamber was deserted except for Apepi； who had not moved； and the girl at the sickbed。 Taita stooped and picked up the writhing serpent by the tail。 Instantly it was straight； rigid and wooden in his grasp。 He pointed the restored staff at the girl at the bedside。 'Who are you？' he demanded。
'I am Mintaka。 This is my brother。' She laid her hand protectively on the boy's sweat…damp curls； and lifted her chin with a defiant air。 'Do your worst； Magus； but I will not leave him。' Her lips trembled and her dark eyes were huge with terror。 She was clearly overawed by his reputation and by the serpent staff that Taita was pointing at her。 'I am not afraid of you；' she told him； then moved around the bed until it was between them。
'Good；' said Taita briskly； 'Then you will be of more use to me。 When did the boy last drink？'
It took a moment for her to gather herself。 'Not since this morning。'
'Can't those quacks see that he is dying of thirst as much as of the disease？ He has sweated and voided most of the water from his body；' Taita grunted； and picked up the copper jug from beside the bed to sniff the contents。
'This is foul with priest poison and plague humours。' He hurled it against the wall。 'Go to the kitchens and find another jug。 Make sure it is clean。 Fill it from the well； not with river water。 Hurry； girl。' She fled and Taita opened his bag。
Mintaka returned almost immediately with a brimming jug of clean water。 Taita prepared a potion of herbs； and heated it on the brazier。
'Help me give it to him；' he ordered the girl when it had brewed。 He showed her how to position her brother's head and to stroke his throat as he dribbled the water into his mouth。 Soon Khyan was swallowing freely。
'What can I do to help you？' the king asked。
'My lord； there is nothing for you here。 You are better at destroying than at healing。' Taita dismissed him without looking up from his patient。 There was a long silence； then the tramp of Apepi's bronze…studded sandals as he left the chamber。
Mintaka soon lost her terror of the Magus； and as a helper she was quick and willing。 She seemed able to anticipate Taita's wishes。 She forced her brother to drink while Taita brewed up another cup of medicine from his bag on the brazier。 Between them they were able to get this down his throat without losing a drop。 She helped him smear a soothing ointment on the burns that covered his chest。 Then between them they wrapped Khyan in linen sheets and soaked them with well water to cool his burning body。
When she came to sit beside him to rest for a moment Taita took her hand and turned it palm up。 He examined the red lumps on the inside of her wrist； but Mintaka tried to pull her hand away。 'Those are not plague spots。' She flushed with embarrassment。 'They are only flea…bites。 The palace is crawling with fleas。'
'Where the flea bites； the plague follows；' Taita told her。 Take off your shift。'
She stood up without hesitation and let her it drop around her ankles。 Her naked body； though slim and nubile； was also athletic and strong。 Her breasts were in first bud； the perky nipples pricking out like ripening mulberries。 A triangle of soft fluff nestled between her long shapely legs。
A flea hopped from her pale belly。 Deftly Taita picked it out of the air and crunched it between his fingernails。 The insect had left a chain of pink spots around her neatly puckered belly button。
Turn round；' he ordered； and she obeyed。 Another of the loathsome insects ran down her back towards the deep cleft between her hard round buttocks。 Taita pinched it between his fingers and crushed its shiny black carapace。 It popped in a spot of blood。 'You will be the next patient if we don't get rid of these little pets of yours；' he told her； and sent her to fetch a bowl of water from the kitchens。 On the brazier he boiled up the dried purple flowers of the pyrethrum plant and washed her down from head to toe in the brew。 He snapped four or five more fleas that tried to escape the pungent douche by leaping off her drenched skin。
Afterwards Mintaka sat beside him while her naked body dried； and chatted unselfconsciously as they picked over her clothes panionably； removing the last fleas and their eggs from the seams and pleats。
They were fast being good friends。
Before nightfall Khyan's bowels voided once more； but sparingly； and there was no blood in the stool。 Taita sniffed the faeces； and the stench of the plague humours was milder。 He administered a stronger distillation of the herbs； and between them they forced Khyan to drink another jugful of well water。 By next morning the fever had broken and Khyan was resting more fortably。 He urinated