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'We must trust Taita。' Mintaka said； and he laughed bitterly。
'It seems the gods have deserted us。 Who else is there to trust but Taita？'
They went forward； with the horses down to a hampered walk。 Behind them they heard the faint sounds of the pursuit： the cries of the captains urging their troopers to keep the line； the jingle of loose equipment and the groan and whine of dry wheel hubs。
At last they came up under the hill of black and ochre…coloured rock。 It was a hundred feet high and the accumulated heat radiated from it like a bonfire。 Not a single plant had found a foothold on it； but the wind had carved fissures and cracks in its cliffs。
'Drive the chariots close in against the cliff；' Taita ordered； and they obeyed。 'Now free the horses and bring them this way。' Taita set the example by leading his own team around the angle of the rockface。 Here there was a deep fissure with sheer sides cutting into the rock pile。
'This way。' He led them as far as they could go along the sandy floor of the deep； vertical crack。 'Now make the horses lie down。'
All cavalry horses were trained to perform this trick。 At the urging of their handlers they lowered themselves to their knees and then； grunting and blowing； they went flat on their sides on the floor of the fissure。
'Like this！' Taita told them。 He had brought a bedding roll from the chariot。 With strips torn from it he blindfolded the horses to keep them quiet and submissive。 Then he drove a javelin deep into the loose earth and used it as an anchor to tie down the horses' swathed heads and prevent them from rising again。 The others followed his example。
'Now bring what remains of the water。 'Tis a pity there is not enough to give the horses a last drink； but we will need every drop for ourselves。'
Almost as if he knew of its existence； Taita led them to a shallow overhang in the cliff。 The head room under the overhang was so low that anyone trying to enter would have to go down on hands and knees。
'Use the loose scree from the cliff to wall this in。'
'A zareba wall？' Nefer looked puzzled。 'We cannot defend this place。 Once we are in the cave we could not even stand； let alone swing a sword。'
'There is no time to argue。' Taita glared at him。 'Do as I tell you。'
Nefer's nerves were raw with fear for Mintaka； and he was wearied by the hardships they had lived through these last days。 He glared back at Taita。 The others watched with interest： the young bull challenging the older one。 The seconds drew out until abruptly Nefer realized his own foolishness。 Only one person could save them now and he capitulated。 He stooped and picked up a large rock from the scree pile and staggered with it to the shallow cave。 He placed it in position and ran back for another。 The others joined in the work。 Even Mintaka carried her share of the rough lumps of schist。 The skin of her hands was raw and torn before they had closed in a narrow space behind the wall。
'What do we do now？' Nefer asked stiffly； still smarting from his encounter with the Magus。
'Drink；' said Taita；
Nefer poured from the skin into a leather bucket and handed it to Mintaka。 She took a few sips then offered it to Taita。
He shook his head。 'Drink； and drink deep。'
When they had all drunk as much as their stomachs would hold； Nefer turned on Taita again。 'What now？'
'Wait here。' Taita ordered and picked up his long staff； he began to climb the jagged side of the hillock。
'What about this zareba？' Nefer shouted after him； 'What purpose is it to serve？'
Taita paused on a narrow ledge thirty feet above them and looked down。 'Your Majesty will know when the time es。' Taita began to climb again。
'A hiding…place？ A tomb； perhaps？' Nefer called sarcastically after him； but Taita did not answer or look back。
He climbed without rest or pause until he reached the peak of the hillock。 He stood there gazing back in the direction from which Trok would e。
The little party in the gully at the foot of the hillock watched him； some puzzled； some with hope and one angrily。
Nefer roused himself。 'Fetch the javelins and the rest of the weapons from the chariots。 We must be ready to defend ourselves。' He ran to where they had left the chariots。 He came back with an armful of javelins； and Meren and Hilto following behind him similarly laden。
'What is Taita doing？' he asked Mintaka。 She pointed up at the crest。
'He has not moved。'
They stacked the weapons then settled down at the entrance to the rough shelter。 All their eyes went up to Taita again。
He was outlined against that dreadful sulphur sky。 Nobody spoke； nobody moved； until they heard that dreaded sound again。 They turned their heads to listen to the faint rattle and squeal of chariot wheels； hundreds of them； the voices of men； sometimes muffled by the dunes； at others clear and menacing。
Slowly Taita raised both arms and pointed them to the sky。 All their eyes followed the movement。 In his right hand he held his staff； in the left the Periapt of Lostris； and at his throat he wore the gift of Bay。
'What is he doing now？' Hilto asked； in an awed tone。 Nobody answered him。
Taita stood as still as if he had been chiselled out of the living rock。 His head was thrown back； his hair fluffed out silver on his shoulders。 His robes were belted up； so that his thin shanks were exposed。 He looked like an old bird at roost。
The heavens swirled with low； heavy cloud。 The light was transient； fading as the hidden sun was covered more heavily； flaring as the clouds thinned and fumed。
Still Taita did not move； his staff aimed at the pregnant belly of the heavens。 The sound of the approaching column became clearer still； and suddenly there was a distant blare of a ram's horn trumpet。
'That is the battle call。 Trok has seen Taita；' Mintaka said quietly。
* * *
Trok shouted at his trumpeter； 'Sound the advance！' but the warlike sound seemed to be swallowed up by the empty desert and the low； angry heavens。
'Wait！' said Ishtar the Mede。 He was watching Taita's tiny figure on the peak of the rock hill。 'Wait！'
'What is it？' Trok demanded。
'As yet I cannot fathom it；' Ishtar said； without taking his gaze off the Warlock； 'but it is pervasive and powerful。'
The column remained halted； every man in it staring at the figure on the peak with awe。 A terrible silence fell on the desert。 There was no sound at all。 Even the horses were still…there was no rattle or jingle of equipment。
Only the sky moved。 It formed a whirlpool over the head of the Magus； a great turning wheel of smouldering cloud。 Then slowly the centre of the whirlpool opened like the single eye of an awakening monster。 From the heavenly eye a shaft of dazzling sunlight burst forth。
'The eye of Horus！' Ishtar breathed。 'He has called up the god。' He made a sign of protection； and at his side Trok was silent and rigid with superstitious dread。
The brilliant shaft of light struck the peak； and lit the figure of the Warlock like a bolt of blinding lightning。 Around his head it spun a nimbus of silver radiance。
He made a slow circular pass with his long staff； and the Hyksosian charioteers cringed like curs under the whip。 The clouds opened wider； and the sky was clear。 The sunlight danced on the dunes and was reflected like a sheet of polished bronze into their eyes； dazzling and blinding them。 They lifted their shields or their hands to protect their eyes from the strange radiance； but they made no sound。
On the peak Taita described another deliberate circle with his staff； and there was a sound at last： soft as a lover's sigh； it seemed to issue from the very heavens。 Men's heads turned questioningly as they sought the source。
Once again Taita gestured and the sigh became a soughing； a gentle whistling。 It came from the east； and slowly all their