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light his way down the gloomy passages to the zenana。 In front of the doors to Mintaka's quarters the eunuch sentries had heard him ing。 They flourished their weapons and crossed them over their fat chests in salute。
'Open up！' Trok ordered。 He tossed aside the pork bone and wiped his greasy hands on the skirts of his tunic。
'Your Majesty；' one of the sentries saluted again nervously； 'the doors are barred。'
'By whose orders？' Trok demanded furiously。
'By orders of Her Majesty Queen Mintaka。'
'By Seueth； I'll have none of that！ The arrogant hussy knows I am here；' Trok stormed； drew his sword and pounded on the door with the bronze pommel。 There was no reply； so he tried again。 The sound of the blows echoed down the silent passages； but still there was no sign of life beyond the doors。 He backed away then charged the door with his shoulder。 It shook but did not yield。 He snatched the pike from the hands of the nearest sentry and hacked at the panel。
Splinters of timber flew under the blade and with a few more blows he had chopped a hole wide enough for him to reach through and dislodge the locking bar on the far side。 He kicked open the door and marched into the room beyond。 The slave girls were against the far wall in a terrified huddle。 'Where is your mistress？'
They gabbled and cackled incoherently； but could not prevent their collective eyes from turning towards the door of the bedchamber。 Trok went to it； and there was an immediate outcry from the girls。
'She is sick。'
'She cannot see you。'
'Her moon has e。'
Trok laughed。 'She has used that excuse too often。' He hammered on the door。 'If there is blood； then there had better be a river of it…more than I spilled on the field of Manashi。 By Seueth； I will wade through it to reach the happy portals。'
He kicked at the bedchamber door。 'Open up； you little witch！ Your husband has e to show you his duty and respect。'
At his next kick the door flew open； torn off its leather hinges； and Trok swaggered through。 The couch was carved from African ebony； and inlaid with silver and mother…of…pearl。 The feminine form upon it was hidden under a pile of linen bedclothes but one small foot protruded。 Trok let his sword…belt drop to the floor and called； 'Have you missed me； my little lily？ Have you been pining for my loving arms？'
He grabbed the bare foot and hauled the girl out from under the bedclothes。 'e my； sweet ewe lamb。 I have another gift for you； so long and hard； that you will not be able to sell it or give it away…' He broke off and gawked at the terrified； snivelling girl。 Tinia； you dirty little harlot； what are you doing in your mistress's bed？' He did not wait for her reply； but threw her on to the floor； and rampaged through the room； ripping down the curtains and wall hangings。 'Where are you？' He kicked in the doors to her closet。 'e out！ This childishness will serve you little。'
It took him only a minute to make certain that Mintaka was not hiding。 Then he rushed back to Tinia and seized her by the hair。 He dragged her across the floor。 'Where is she？' He kicked her in the belly。 She screamed and tried to roll away from his metal…shod foot。 'I will beat it out of you； I will flay every inch of skin from your miserable body。'
'She is not here！' Tinia screamed。 'She has gone！'
'Where？' Trok kicked her again。 His war sandals were studded with bronze nails。 They cut her tender flesh like knives。 'Where？'
'I know not；' she howled。 'Men came and took her away。'
'What men？' He kicked her again； and she rolled into a ball； sobbing and shivering。
'I don't know。' Despite Taita's instruction； she would not betray her beloved mistress。 'Strange men。 I had never seen them before。 They covered her with a carpet and carried her away。' Trok gave her a last brutal kick； then strode to the door。 He shouted at the eunuch sentries； 'Find Soleth。 Bring the fat slug here immediately。'
Soleth came cringing and wringing his smooth； plump hands。 'Divine Pharaoh！ Greatest of the gods！ Might of this very Egypt！' He threw himself at Trok's feet。
Trok kicked him with a full swing of his armoured sandal。 'Who were these men you allowed to enter the zenana？'
'On your orders； gracious Pharaoh； I allowed any vendor of fine merchandise to display it before the Queen。'
'Who was the carpet…seller？ The last one to enter these quarters。'
'Carpet…seller？' Soleth seemed to ponder the question。
Trok kicked him again。 'Yes； Soleth； carpets！ What was his name？'
'I remember now。 The carpet…merchant from Ur。 I forget his name。'
'I will help your memory。' Trok called the eunuch sentries to him。 'Hold him over the bed。'
They dragged Soleth to the rumpled couch and pinned him face down。 Trok picked up his discarded sword…belt and drew the weapon。 'Lift his robes。' One of them hoisted Soleth's skirts and exposed his chubby buttocks。 'I know that half the palace guard have passed this way；' Trok touched his anus with the point of the sword； 'but none of them were as hard or as sharp as this one will be。 Now； tell me； who was the carpet merchant？'
'I swear on bread and Nile water that I never saw him before。'
'For you that is a great pity；' Trok said； and ran the point of the sword the length of a forefinger up Soleth's rectum。 Soleth shrieked on a high； quavering note of agony。
'That was only the tip；' Trok warned him。 'If you are enjoying it so much； I can give you another cubit of bronze right up to your gullet。'
'It was Taita；' Soleth screamed； with the blood spraying out of him。 'Taita took her away。'
'Taita！' Trok exclaimed with astonishment and jerked the blade free。 Taita the Magus。' There was superstitious dread in his tone。 Then he was silent for a long pause。 At last he ordered the eunuchs who still held Soleth。 'Release him。'
Soleth sat up moaning。 At the movement the gas from his bowels rushed out through the slack opening in a long； bubbling fart。
'Where has he taken her？' Trok ignored the sound and the sickening faecal odour that filled the chamber。
'He did not tell me。' Painfully Soleth bundled the linen bed…sheet and thrust it in between his legs to staunch the bleeding。 Trok lifted the point of the sword and touched one of his naked pendulous breasts。
Soleth whimpered and farted again。 'He did not tell me； but we spoke of the land between the two rivers； the Tigris and the Euphrates。 Maybe that is where he intends taking the Queen。'
Trok thought about it only briefly。 It was logical。 By now Taita would know of the strained relationships between Egypt and the eastern kingdoms。 He would know that he might find sanctuary and protection there； if he could run that far。
But what was his reason for abducting Mintaka？ Surely it could not be for ransom。 Taita was famous for his scorn of gold and riches。 It could not be for some salacious desire。 As an ancient eunuch； Taita was not capable of physical lust。 Was it the friendship that had grown up between the old man and the girl？ Had she appealed to him to help her escape from Avaris and the marriage that was so insufferable to her？ Certainly； she must have gone with him willingly and probably gladly。 The manner in which her slave girls had tried to cover her escape proved that； and clearly she had made no outcry； for if she had the sentries would have heard it。
He put aside those considerations for the moment。 The main concern now was to get the pursuit in hand and to recapture her and the Warlock before they reached the shores of the Red Sea and crossed into the territories loyal to Sargon of Babylon。 He smiled down at Soleth。 'I hope that your paramours will find the alterations I have made to your joy passage to their liking。 I will deal with you further when I return。 There are hungry hyenas and vultures to be fed。'
The two colonels were still in the banquet chamber； hogging the food and wine； although they