Henry Bedford-Jones

Red Sky Over Thebes

Warsaw 2022

Contents

Red Sky Over Thebes

Red Sky Over Thebes

The Sphinx Emerald passed into other hands–to reappear centuries later when conquering Cambyses came storming into Egypt with his Persian legions...

NEKHT was his name. With a wooden-fork plow and a bullock, he was tilling his field outside the tiny Nile village of peasants, when the Greek captain came from Thebes with the news. An odd fellow, Nekht–tall, thewy, bronzed as any other farmer in the village, but with a hawk-nose and quick eyes of striking intelligence. He usually kept them half shut, and in the village itself passed for a fool. No one here knew or suspected his secret.

He lived alone with his mother, who told the Greek, named Peleus, where to find him. Nekht saw him coming along the edge of the fields, and recognized him; for although the soldier wore a tunic over his armor, the proud lift of the head and the step of authority could not be hidden.

“The captain of the temple guards,” Nekht said, and pulled the bullock out of the furrow. “That means a message for me. What now, friend Peleus?”

“Greetings,” said the other, who knew him well, “and news. I have a boat waiting; the high priest of Amon wants you.”

“And the news?”

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This is a free sample. Please purchase full version of the book to continue.