faced Thabit. The young man, somewhere in his mid-twenties, had walked up beside him unnoticed. He sipped wine from a bronze goblet with a twinkle in his eye. He must have seen something in Rondel’s expression because he eased back a step and offered a slight bow.
“Please, forgive me. I seem to have offended you which was not my intention. Unfortunately, I have a curse of speaking my thoughts without considering how others might perceive them.”
Rondel offered a slight bow, barely more than a nod. “It’s quite all right. I’ve suffered from such a character flaw myself.”
Thabit cocked an eyebrow as if considering whether what Rondel said was an insult.
Oh, it was, you pompous little prick.
Rondel might have cared what others thought of him when confronted in the middle of a large audience, but in private he would not accept someone belittling him.
Thabit took another sip. “Just so. A word of advice, and I mean this with the sincerest of hearts, I would refrain from asking people to declare allegiances. There is too much uncertainty for anyone to feel comfortable doing so, especially in light of Dendera’s return.”
“What do you mean?”
“It changes things. Some were ready to denounce their support of Horus, quietly and with tact of course, since it appeared that his alliance with King Kafele was negated with his daughter’s disappearance. Now, the marriage seems to be back on. People may have already reached out to Horus’s enemies, and now they must decide who will be the least offended at losing support.”
“No one wants to be on the losing side,” Rondel muttered.
“Well said.” Thabit seemed suddenly distracted. “If you’ll excuse me, I believe someone is looking for me.”
Thabit walked toward two men waving him over. They patted each other on the back like old friends.
Give them a knife and they’d be stabbing instead of patting without a second thought. How did I ever enjoy these events?
A ribbon dancer wrapped in blue silk and smelling of lavender brushed by Rondel. She threw him a wink on her way to Thabit’s small group. She began flirting with them immediately.
Ah, now I remember, he thought wistfully, trying to suppress a grin.
Thabit slipped an arm around the dancer’s slender waist. She leaned into him.
I hate him.
“He is obnoxious, isn’t he?”
Rondel’s eyes rose at the comment. It was spoken louder than most would have dared. Horus’s son appeared next to him, arms crossed like a man twice his young age.
“I’m sure he has a few positive traits somewhere.”
Jahi snorted. “None that I’ve seen. I don’t know why my father invited him.”
“He needs all the help he can get. A man in your father’s position can’t afford to be picky.”
“I’d normally agree with you,” said the boy. “Except it is well known that Thabit is supporting Menetnashte. Everything he says or hears will go back to him. Father still thinks he can win Thabit's support if the alliance with Kafele is cemented.”
Rondel grunted, surprised to hear a boy so young speak like a man seasoned in politics. “You don’t think that’s possible?”
“No.”
“Too bad. Your father is a good man. I hope everything works out for him.”
“You could help, you know.”
“How?”
Jahi’s young face tightened as he guided Rondel off to the side. “The Cult of Sutek. Have you heard of it?”
“In passing. I’ve heard the name in a few conversations tonight. Your sister also brought it up while traveling.”
“It’s ancient, centuries old. It’s gained a great deal of power recently, and I believe it’s because my father’s enemies are using it to strengthen their position against him.” He gestured to where Thabit stood. “Some of those people are here even now.”
“Do you have proof of this?”
“Yes.”
“And have you presented it to your father?”
“I can’t. It’s complicated.”
“How can it be complicated? Either you have proof or you
“Please, forgive me. I seem to have offended you which was not my intention. Unfortunately, I have a curse of speaking my thoughts without considering how others might perceive them.”
Rondel offered a slight bow, barely more than a nod. “It’s quite all right. I’ve suffered from such a character flaw myself.”
Thabit cocked an eyebrow as if considering whether what Rondel said was an insult.
Oh, it was, you pompous little prick.
Rondel might have cared what others thought of him when confronted in the middle of a large audience, but in private he would not accept someone belittling him.
Thabit took another sip. “Just so. A word of advice, and I mean this with the sincerest of hearts, I would refrain from asking people to declare allegiances. There is too much uncertainty for anyone to feel comfortable doing so, especially in light of Dendera’s return.”
“What do you mean?”
“It changes things. Some were ready to denounce their support of Horus, quietly and with tact of course, since it appeared that his alliance with King Kafele was negated with his daughter’s disappearance. Now, the marriage seems to be back on. People may have already reached out to Horus’s enemies, and now they must decide who will be the least offended at losing support.”
“No one wants to be on the losing side,” Rondel muttered.
“Well said.” Thabit seemed suddenly distracted. “If you’ll excuse me, I believe someone is looking for me.”
Thabit walked toward two men waving him over. They patted each other on the back like old friends.
Give them a knife and they’d be stabbing instead of patting without a second thought. How did I ever enjoy these events?
A ribbon dancer wrapped in blue silk and smelling of lavender brushed by Rondel. She threw him a wink on her way to Thabit’s small group. She began flirting with them immediately.
Ah, now I remember, he thought wistfully, trying to suppress a grin.
Thabit slipped an arm around the dancer’s slender waist. She leaned into him.
I hate him.
“He is obnoxious, isn’t he?”
Rondel’s eyes rose at the comment. It was spoken louder than most would have dared. Horus’s son appeared next to him, arms crossed like a man twice his young age.
“I’m sure he has a few positive traits somewhere.”
Jahi snorted. “None that I’ve seen. I don’t know why my father invited him.”
“He needs all the help he can get. A man in your father’s position can’t afford to be picky.”
“I’d normally agree with you,” said the boy. “Except it is well known that Thabit is supporting Menetnashte. Everything he says or hears will go back to him. Father still thinks he can win Thabit's support if the alliance with Kafele is cemented.”
Rondel grunted, surprised to hear a boy so young speak like a man seasoned in politics. “You don’t think that’s possible?”
“No.”
“Too bad. Your father is a good man. I hope everything works out for him.”
“You could help, you know.”
“How?”
Jahi’s young face tightened as he guided Rondel off to the side. “The Cult of Sutek. Have you heard of it?”
“In passing. I’ve heard the name in a few conversations tonight. Your sister also brought it up while traveling.”
“It’s ancient, centuries old. It’s gained a great deal of power recently, and I believe it’s because my father’s enemies are using it to strengthen their position against him.” He gestured to where Thabit stood. “Some of those people are here even now.”
“Do you have proof of this?”
“Yes.”
“And have you presented it to your father?”
“I can’t. It’s complicated.”
“How can it be complicated? Either you have proof or you
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