“Have you no sense of mercy? I have a wife, children who still wear the sidelock of youth. You would leave them to starve?”
Rae stopped at the path through the shepherd’s field, where three dozen sheep stood, grazing. Up ahead, a group of people stood by the house. Baki gripped his long shepherd’s crook in one hand, but the others’ backs were toward her. Even so, she knew who had come calling. The nomarch’s boat was anchored down by the riverbank, its ram-head sail billowing in the breeze. She took a few steps closer to better hear what they were saying.
“Watch your tongue, lest you wish to part ways with it,” replied the nomarch. “It is very simple, so I’ll say it again, more slowly so you understand. You will pay the king’s tax and hand over half your flock in two days’ time. The welfare of your women and children is your problem, not mine.”
“The king’s tax!” the shepherd exclaimed. “When is the last time King Amunmose has observed the Shemsu Hor and paid Sakesh a visit? How do we know that you aren’t simply taking our livelihood for yourselves in his name? How do we know the king still lives? There are men who say he is ill, that his death comes on swift wings, that it is only a matter of time before—”
He never finished the sentence.
Quick as a flash, the nomarch pulled a leather flail from his belt and whipped Baki across the face. The shepherd cried out,and his crook clattered to the ground. Startled, some of the sheep bleated and scattered.
“On his knees,” the nomarch said to his men. He sounded almost bored.
Two of the nomarch’s guard stepped forward, grabbing the shepherd by the arms and forcing him to the ground.
Rae’s fists clenched at her sides.
Father is waiting for you at home, she told herself.
A moment later, a naked boy, no more than four years old, came tearing out of the shepherd’s house. The long braid that trailed from one side of his head bounced as he ran.
“Yati!” He ran to wrap his arms around the shepherd’s neck.
“No, no!” Baki cried. “Go inside!”
The shepherd’s wife appeared in the doorway, an infant in her arms and terror in her eyes. Rae watched her clutch the child to her breast, watched her realize she dared not intervene if she wanted to keep her children safe.
Rae’s fists clenched, her body trembling.
Don’t you ever think about it, Rae?
Ignoring the presence of the little boy, the nomarch raised his flail again to bring it down on the man’s back. His son, still clinging to him, let out a high, thin wail.
Rae’s peripheral vision faded, until all she saw was the nomarch’s face and the smile touching the corner of his lips. He was enjoying himself.
Don’t you ever wonder why you’re so angry?
“Stop!” she shouted.
Before she fully knew what she was doing, Rae had dropped her sack and run up the path toward the nomarch and his men.
The nomarch paused in mid-swing. He and his entire guard turned to her, but she closed the distance between them before they could respond. Catching the nomarch’s arm under hers and pinningit to her body, she swiveled her hips until the flail fell from the man’s grip. Then she stumbled back, stunned at what she’d just done.
Nobody moved. When the blow didn’t come, Baki raised his head. His eyes widened at Rae standing there among them.
The nomarch stared at her, his face scarlet with rage. “By Amun, look who it is,” he said through gritted teeth. “Ankhu’s girl.”
Rae raised her hands in the air.Shit, shit, shit.What was I thinking? Father is going to kill me.
She spoke quickly. “My apologies, nomarch. But I was worried for the boy. He could have gotten hurt.”
Rae knew she should stop talking, but the words kept coming. “You can’t blame the shepherd for his anger. He only speaks out of concern for his family.”
The nomarch blinked, as if deeply considering her words. Then he nodded to the guards, who released Baki and grabbed Rae instead. She grunted as they shoved her forward, her arms pinned behind her back.
“Well, Raetawy,” the nomarch said, calm and in control once more. “I knew you were stupid, but this…” He opened his hands to encompass the entire situation. “This is really something, even for you.”
Rae struggled in the guards’ grip, and one of them wrenched her wrist higher on her back until her shoulder nearly broke.
