Lauren Haney - Path of Shadows

Bak returned the smile. The tribal chief and Amonmose had agreed that Nebenkemet could divide his time between the fishing camp and the mine, satisfying all concerned.

“I owe you far more than I can ever pay, but…” The smile faded away. “Did Minnakht take a wife from among my peo ple? That I cannot tell you.”

Bak understood. If Inebny learned he had grandchildren, he would not rest until they dwelt with him in Waset. Such would be intolerable to a tribal chieftain.

“Sir, look!” Imset caught Bak’s arm and pointed upward.

A flock of several thousand white storks glided through the air over the ridge of mountains that separated the eastern slope of the desert drainage from that of the west. They were some distance to the north, but Bak imagined he could hear the wind streaming through their wings. They came to a ris ing current of air and circled around, gaining height. As their angle to the sun changed, their color turned from white to black and turned again from black to white as they com pleted the circle. Safely over the ridge, they spread their wings wide and let the air carry them onward toward Kaine and the river that made fertile the land of Kemet.

While growing to manhood, Bak had watched these flocks of birds travel to and from their summer nestingplaces, and a sudden yearning for home struck him. He thanked the lord

Amon that his mission was finished and soon he would be re turning to a land of plenty.