priest, can work only small magics above the deeps out yonder. For the most part we must use our human intelligence.'
He lifted a bony finger. 'Now. The freighter Ateniti sails out on tomorrow morning's tide. Her captain and crew believe they are conveying cargo south to Umr. That course is such that Bêlit's Tigress will soon intercept her – given the minor guidance that I am able to impose on winds of these shores. The matter is so vital that this is but a small sacrifice to make. You go aboard this evening, in the role I explained days ago.' He pointed to a scroll lying wrapped about its rollers on a table. 'There is the documentation you require. Is all clear to you?'
'No, lord,' Amnun admitted. 'I am supposed to pretend familiarity with a person I have never encountered. How?'
Tothapis beckoned to Nehekba. She came forward. Amnun regarded her with the strife between lust and fear that she ever found delectable. 'Know you who I am?' she asked.
He bent his knee. 'You are the lady Nehekba, high priestess of Derketa, and I am humble before you,' he answered.
'I am she who has gathered the knowledge you must have,' she told him, 'and who is about to impart it unto you. Look up.'
He lifted his eyes. She turned the mirror at her throat. A light-ray sprang from the side now exposed. He shivered and froze. His features went blank. She kept the beam in his eyes while her left hand gestured and her tongue whispered words.
After a few minutes, she let the talisman dangle free on its chain. 'Amnun, arouse!' she exclaimed.
He shivered again, blinked, returned to awareness. 'You now know what I have learned from Jehanan,' Nehekba said. 'Use it well, and great shall be your reward.'
Astonishment made the man stagger. 'I – I know, I know!' he cried. 'It is as if I myself heard -'
'Peace,' Tothapis said from beneath the carven cobra hood. 'You will have this evening, and tomorrow, and the night that follows, to consider what our lady of Derketa has imparted to you, and order it
in your mind. Thereafter... for a while, Amnun, you will be the embodiment of fate. Set prosper you, Amnun, who go forth in his place.'
There was a little more talk, before the agent bowed and was Conducted out. Silence lingered after him, while the wizard sat in deep reverie. Nehekba shifted restless from foot to foot. At last she asked, 'Have I your leave to go, lord?'
His attention locked onto her. 'Where?' he demanded. 'The hour draws nigh for us and for Conan. We must not rest idle meanwhile.'
'I will not,' she said. 'Rather, I think I should return to the Keep at once – to Falco.'
Tothapis frowned. 'The Ophirite spy? What more can you do with the ignorant boy?'
'Bind him closer to me. Remember, my lord, we ascertained he too is in some unfathomable way linked with Conan's future. Best he be our tool.'
'Have you not already made him your own, as you did Jehanan?'
The midnight tresses stirred as Nehekba shook her head. 'Not absolutely. He loves me, yes, but he nourishes still an idea of duty above self. Let me keep trying to undermine that. It must needs be done slowly, subtly.' She flashed an impudent grin. 'Not unpleasantly, though. For all his youth, he is an excellent lover.'
'No, let him wait,' Tothapis said in glacial anger. 'You spend too much of your vitality in carnal matters.'
'I serve Derketa, to whom they belong,' she challenged.
'You serve great Set before her – before all else in his universe, Nehekba. Have you dared forget?' Chilled, the witch fell silent. The wizard pursued: 'I have urgent need of your assistance. This day I received a message through the homunculus we sent to Luxur. It was from Hakketh. He is bound here with a prisoner of war, a daughter of the ringleader in the Taian revolt. He has sensed fate in her, danger. He knows not what, but he brings her to me. Surely she too is enwebbed with Conan. I stand aloof from the female mind and soul, Nehekba. You must help me prepare the plans and the spells that
He lifted a bony finger. 'Now. The freighter Ateniti sails out on tomorrow morning's tide. Her captain and crew believe they are conveying cargo south to Umr. That course is such that Bêlit's Tigress will soon intercept her – given the minor guidance that I am able to impose on winds of these shores. The matter is so vital that this is but a small sacrifice to make. You go aboard this evening, in the role I explained days ago.' He pointed to a scroll lying wrapped about its rollers on a table. 'There is the documentation you require. Is all clear to you?'
'No, lord,' Amnun admitted. 'I am supposed to pretend familiarity with a person I have never encountered. How?'
Tothapis beckoned to Nehekba. She came forward. Amnun regarded her with the strife between lust and fear that she ever found delectable. 'Know you who I am?' she asked.
He bent his knee. 'You are the lady Nehekba, high priestess of Derketa, and I am humble before you,' he answered.
'I am she who has gathered the knowledge you must have,' she told him, 'and who is about to impart it unto you. Look up.'
He lifted his eyes. She turned the mirror at her throat. A light-ray sprang from the side now exposed. He shivered and froze. His features went blank. She kept the beam in his eyes while her left hand gestured and her tongue whispered words.
After a few minutes, she let the talisman dangle free on its chain. 'Amnun, arouse!' she exclaimed.
He shivered again, blinked, returned to awareness. 'You now know what I have learned from Jehanan,' Nehekba said. 'Use it well, and great shall be your reward.'
Astonishment made the man stagger. 'I – I know, I know!' he cried. 'It is as if I myself heard -'
'Peace,' Tothapis said from beneath the carven cobra hood. 'You will have this evening, and tomorrow, and the night that follows, to consider what our lady of Derketa has imparted to you, and order it
in your mind. Thereafter... for a while, Amnun, you will be the embodiment of fate. Set prosper you, Amnun, who go forth in his place.'
There was a little more talk, before the agent bowed and was Conducted out. Silence lingered after him, while the wizard sat in deep reverie. Nehekba shifted restless from foot to foot. At last she asked, 'Have I your leave to go, lord?'
His attention locked onto her. 'Where?' he demanded. 'The hour draws nigh for us and for Conan. We must not rest idle meanwhile.'
'I will not,' she said. 'Rather, I think I should return to the Keep at once – to Falco.'
Tothapis frowned. 'The Ophirite spy? What more can you do with the ignorant boy?'
'Bind him closer to me. Remember, my lord, we ascertained he too is in some unfathomable way linked with Conan's future. Best he be our tool.'
'Have you not already made him your own, as you did Jehanan?'
The midnight tresses stirred as Nehekba shook her head. 'Not absolutely. He loves me, yes, but he nourishes still an idea of duty above self. Let me keep trying to undermine that. It must needs be done slowly, subtly.' She flashed an impudent grin. 'Not unpleasantly, though. For all his youth, he is an excellent lover.'
'No, let him wait,' Tothapis said in glacial anger. 'You spend too much of your vitality in carnal matters.'
'I serve Derketa, to whom they belong,' she challenged.
'You serve great Set before her – before all else in his universe, Nehekba. Have you dared forget?' Chilled, the witch fell silent. The wizard pursued: 'I have urgent need of your assistance. This day I received a message through the homunculus we sent to Luxur. It was from Hakketh. He is bound here with a prisoner of war, a daughter of the ringleader in the Taian revolt. He has sensed fate in her, danger. He knows not what, but he brings her to me. Surely she too is enwebbed with Conan. I stand aloof from the female mind and soul, Nehekba. You must help me prepare the plans and the spells that
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