north toward his home. A note of irritation crept into the strains, but he played and sang on.
Despite the efforts which Aldriss put forth, a storm came up which would have demanded a major expenditure of supernatural power to suppress. The captain furled most of the sloop's sails and ran before it. The ship made safe harbor in Galicia, but they had to lie at anchor for three days before the stormy seas quieted sufficiently for them to set sail again. They had not, however, had to significantly alter their course. The following wind was stiff and would carry the sloop to Lyonnesse, making the lost days almost insignificant. Between the magick of the bard's spinning and good fortune, the five wayfarers would soon be in the port of Caer-Mabd. From that town, it was only a single day's ride to the capital, Camelough, the Behon explained.
"You haven't spoken of the involvement of your gods in the terrible business," Tallesian mentioned as they came within hours of their destination.
"Terrible business?"
"These murders and the blackmail behind them," the druid said a trifle crossly.
"Oh, now I comprehend your meaning," he responded in offhanded manner. "You see, I wasn't sure because of the erroneous assumption you made."
"Just what do you mean, Inhetep?" the Behon interjected. "His comment sounded quite proper to me."
"It might have, but that's due to your own incorrect assumption. If you must know, Anubis is the son of Osiris by Nepthys, once the wife of Set and sister to Isis, Lord Osiris' chief consort. Anubis is no more involved in these murders than you or I, and I question strongly the possibility of the dark-minded Set having any part, either—although he would not be above all this and would certainly love to discredit the Guide, bring Tep-tu-f down from his high place, but . . ."
"But what, Magister?! Tep-tough? What is it you mean?"
"That no entity of Tigypt—nor even one associated with the Near East—is involved here. That is most obvious. What magick or hekau do any such ones have in the frozen north? Your own isles? Stony Ys? So few honor them, even know of the gods of my land, that they have but minor force in such places. Yet it was you who spoke of the great magicks which masked these crimes. Anubis is the Lord of Jackals, but your Master of Jackals is naught but a trickster in that regard, of this I am positive," Inhetep added. "For now, I'll say no more on that subject. I must see all of the materials you have, study the clues."
Tallesian was not ready to let the matter drop, and the fact that the wizard-priest denied any connection between Anubis and these murders and extortion did not clear the matter in his mind. In truth, the Behon looked skeptical as well. It was time to reveal some new information. "Do you know there are secret cults of a strange sort in the Teutonic lands? Brettony and Ys itself? There are undoubtedly such hidden shrines and devotees even in Camelough."
"Doesn't every land have its fringe elements?" Inhetep countered. He was obviously becoming bored with this conversation.
The ovate decided to add his weight to the discussion. "What my associate is driving at, Ma-gister, is that there are cults honoring your Egyptian deities, specifically a triad of them."
Setne turned so quickly that he startled his two companions. He towered over them as would a king cobra readying an attack. "What's that you say?!"
"A whole network of secret shrines have been discovered," the Behon supplied blandly. Then, in a voice heavy with meaning, the magus went on: "The three gods are none other than Set, Sobek, and the jackal-headed Anubis."
"You should have told me that long before now," Setne said in a level tone. His face was expressionless, unreadable, but there was a distinct chill in his voice, a message reinforced by his posture. "Had I known that, I would have insisted we put in at Ys to investigate these so-called cults and interrogated any worshippers who could be found."
Tallesian
Despite the efforts which Aldriss put forth, a storm came up which would have demanded a major expenditure of supernatural power to suppress. The captain furled most of the sloop's sails and ran before it. The ship made safe harbor in Galicia, but they had to lie at anchor for three days before the stormy seas quieted sufficiently for them to set sail again. They had not, however, had to significantly alter their course. The following wind was stiff and would carry the sloop to Lyonnesse, making the lost days almost insignificant. Between the magick of the bard's spinning and good fortune, the five wayfarers would soon be in the port of Caer-Mabd. From that town, it was only a single day's ride to the capital, Camelough, the Behon explained.
"You haven't spoken of the involvement of your gods in the terrible business," Tallesian mentioned as they came within hours of their destination.
"Terrible business?"
"These murders and the blackmail behind them," the druid said a trifle crossly.
"Oh, now I comprehend your meaning," he responded in offhanded manner. "You see, I wasn't sure because of the erroneous assumption you made."
"Just what do you mean, Inhetep?" the Behon interjected. "His comment sounded quite proper to me."
"It might have, but that's due to your own incorrect assumption. If you must know, Anubis is the son of Osiris by Nepthys, once the wife of Set and sister to Isis, Lord Osiris' chief consort. Anubis is no more involved in these murders than you or I, and I question strongly the possibility of the dark-minded Set having any part, either—although he would not be above all this and would certainly love to discredit the Guide, bring Tep-tu-f down from his high place, but . . ."
"But what, Magister?! Tep-tough? What is it you mean?"
"That no entity of Tigypt—nor even one associated with the Near East—is involved here. That is most obvious. What magick or hekau do any such ones have in the frozen north? Your own isles? Stony Ys? So few honor them, even know of the gods of my land, that they have but minor force in such places. Yet it was you who spoke of the great magicks which masked these crimes. Anubis is the Lord of Jackals, but your Master of Jackals is naught but a trickster in that regard, of this I am positive," Inhetep added. "For now, I'll say no more on that subject. I must see all of the materials you have, study the clues."
Tallesian was not ready to let the matter drop, and the fact that the wizard-priest denied any connection between Anubis and these murders and extortion did not clear the matter in his mind. In truth, the Behon looked skeptical as well. It was time to reveal some new information. "Do you know there are secret cults of a strange sort in the Teutonic lands? Brettony and Ys itself? There are undoubtedly such hidden shrines and devotees even in Camelough."
"Doesn't every land have its fringe elements?" Inhetep countered. He was obviously becoming bored with this conversation.
The ovate decided to add his weight to the discussion. "What my associate is driving at, Ma-gister, is that there are cults honoring your Egyptian deities, specifically a triad of them."
Setne turned so quickly that he startled his two companions. He towered over them as would a king cobra readying an attack. "What's that you say?!"
"A whole network of secret shrines have been discovered," the Behon supplied blandly. Then, in a voice heavy with meaning, the magus went on: "The three gods are none other than Set, Sobek, and the jackal-headed Anubis."
"You should have told me that long before now," Setne said in a level tone. His face was expressionless, unreadable, but there was a distinct chill in his voice, a message reinforced by his posture. "Had I known that, I would have insisted we put in at Ys to investigate these so-called cults and interrogated any worshippers who could be found."
Tallesian
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