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He couldn t make empty threats.
No matter how he tried to justify it to himself, he couldn t stop
seeing that woman s face and hearing her husband call out her
name to his dying breath.
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At dawn he rose and untied Han, though left him to continue
sleeping, then stepped out, hoping this time it would be different. It
wasn t. The elders continued to refuse to open the gates. The
women continued to cry and beg. Another prisoner was executed.
Afterward, Itamun went to the tent of the captain of the troops,
Meriatum. He was too exhausted and troubled to deal with Han s
irrational behavior. He settled onto the reed mat on the floor and
drank several cups of beer, hoping that they might wash away the
tempest of thoughts and memories swirling around in his head.
They didn t.
 I don t like what you re doing, Meriatum said, startling
Itamun.
He looked to the captain, trying to figure out exactly what he
meant. The drinking was hardly to excess and the tactics in the
siege were standard.  What in Set s deserts does that mean?
 This business with the Hittite. It has the men talking.
Itamun s eyes flicked to the side as he thought, trying to figure
out where the captain would have heard anything of that. The scout
had seen Han in his bed, as had one of the standard-bearers. It was
entirely likely everyone was talking about it now, but it was hardly
the sort of thing worthy of comment. Many men relieved their
needs upon captives.
 There is no business with the Hittite.
The captain rose from his own chair to pace, clearly
uncomfortable yet unable to stop himself from pursuing the
discussion. Itamun wished desperately that he would let his
discomfort win and shut up.  He sleeps in your tent, which is
foolish enough, but I m told you re treating him as though he were
your& your woman.
Itamun snorted.  He is hardly my woman.
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 You know exactly what I mean.
 And if I choose to take a captive to my bed? It only proves the
dominance of Egypt.
 I think it could cloud your judgment where the Hittite is
concerned.
That was why Meriatum had brought it up, then. It was
insulting that the man thought Itamun could be led astray by
someone he was bedding. As much as he desired Han, it was clear
now that the man only wanted him for the most impersonal sex
possible. Itamun had plenty of willing servants and slave boys at
the palace. The idea that he could lose his judgment over a man
who wouldn t even kiss him would have been laughable if it
wasn t so insulting.
 What judgment do I need unclouded? He s a captive. He ll be
held until Pharaoh tires of him and he s released.
 And what if the Hittite has plans of his own?
 He can have all the plans he likes. They don t matter, Itamun
snapped.
 And what if he s tricking you? Manipulating you into
something?
 Such as? Releasing him? That s hardly going to happen.
 I don t know what he could be doing. I don t trust him,
though.
 Good. That makes two of us.
 You don t trust him either? Meriatum sounded surprised.
 Of course I don t! How stupid do you think I am?
 But you sleep with him. He could kill you in the night.
 He could have killed me the day we attacked his village. He
didn t. Why would he now? In fact, he d never seen Han kill
anyone. Even at the battle the day before, surrounded by the people
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who had attacked his village and armed with his favored weapon,
he d never shot a single arrow. Of that, Itamun was certain. He had
counted how many arrows Han had when they left the Hittite
village. He still had the same number in his quiver.
 You just said you don t trust him.
 And I don t.
 Except with your life?
Itamun was quiet for a long moment. If Meriatum had asked
him that question before the battle, it would have been easy to
answer.  That isn t the same at all.
 Then explain to me how it s different, your highness. Pharaoh
will have my head if I return with news that you were slain in your
sleep.
 He has honor. If he wished me harm, he wouldn t do it while I
was asleep. No, Han would simply watch while someone else
killed him. Itamun had been foolish to expect better from the man,
yet he had. Even now the memory of looking into Han s eyes and
seeing him put the bow down made his chest feel as though he d
been stabbed through the heart.
 How do you know that?
 When we took his village you saw him throw down his knife.
My back was to him and he could have killed me, easily.
Meriatum rolled his eyes and when he spoke scorn dripped
from his words.  He was surrounded by enemies. That isn t honor.
That s self-preservation. The act of a coward. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]