Tutankhamun: The Book of Shadows

19

Pentu was pacing backwards and forwards, his hands clenched behind his back, his angular, haughty face desiccated with tension. As soon as I entered, and the curtain was drawn behind us, he efficiently assessed me, as if I were an annoying patient.

‘Why do you need to see me?’

‘I appreciate you are busy. How is the King?’

He glanced at Khay, who nodded, indicating he should reply.

‘He has suffered an attack of anxiety. It is not the first time. His mind is sensitive, and easily affected. This will pass.’

‘And how do you treat him?’

‘I contended with the affliction by reciting the effective prayer of protection by Horus against the night demons.’

‘And was it effective?’

His brow furrowed and his tone implied this was none of my business.

‘Of course. I also persuaded the King to drink a curative water. He is much calmer now.’

‘What kind of curative water?’ I asked. He huffed.

‘To be magically efficacious, the water must be passed over a sacred stele and, once it has absorbed the effectiveness of the carving, collected.’

He gazed at me, daring me to question him further.

We paused.

‘Thank you. The world of medicine is unknown to me.’

‘Clearly. Now, if that is all…’ he said, exasperated, making as if to leave, but Khay made soothing gestures, and he stayed.

It was time to make my mark.

‘Let me be plain and to the point. There have now been three successful attempts to infiltrate the very heart of the royal quarters. On each occasion, an object has been left which has threatened the King in ways both physical and, at least in intention, metaphysical. I also have reason to believe whoever is doing this has knowledge of pharmacopoeia-’

‘What are you implying?’ Pentu shouted. ‘Is this man implying that I or my staff are under suspicion?’ He glared at Khay.

‘Forgive me if I spoke carelessly. My reasons are drawn from other things, events outside the palace. But I would say this state of affairs, and the consequences for the King’s state of mind, should be our absolute priority. For if the instigator of all this can do the things he has done so easily, then what else might he not do?’

He and I looked at each other in silence.

‘Why don’t we all sit down?’ suggested Khay, diplomatically, taking advantage of the moment.

So we sat on low benches placed against the wall of the chamber.

‘Firstly, since I have reason to believe this man may indeed be a physician himself, it would be helpful to understand how the palace physicians are organized, and who has direct access to the King,’ I said.

Pentu cleared his throat stiffly.

‘As the Chief Physician of the North and the South, only I have access directly to the King. No other physician may be in his presence unless I am there also. All treatments are authorized and prescribed by me. Of course, we are also charged with the care of the Queen and the other members of the royal family, and with that of all members of the royal quarters, including the servants.’

‘You said other members of the royal family. Who else is there, apart from the Queen?’

He glanced at Khay.

‘I meant by that members of the extended families who serve the King and Queen,’ he replied, with a curious indifference.

‘How many physicians are affiliated to the palace?’

‘All physicians in the Two Lands are under my ultimate authority. There are only a few of us who are fully competent in all aspects of the mysteries, but there are specialists of the eye, either the left or the right, the belly, the teeth, the anus, and the hidden organs, who can be called upon instantly as required.’

‘And as I understand it, there are distinctions between the different professional hierarchies?’

‘Obviously there are distinctions. Don’t you think it is important to discriminate between marketplace bone-setters, and those of us with academic training and knowledge of the books, which qualify us to administer proper healing through plants and magic?’ he hissed.

‘I am intrigued about these books,’ I said.

‘You may be intrigued, but they are secret books, that is the whole point.’

I smiled, pleasantly.

‘I apologize. Is the King receiving any treatment at the moment? Apart from the curative water?’

‘He is strong, physically, and his health is perfect; but I have also prescribed a sleeping potion. He has suffered a severe shock. He must rest before tomorrow. He must not be disturbed. I will sit with him throughout this night.’

Simut had made sure this time the security of the royal quarters made it into a sealed sanctum. At every turn of the corridors, pairs of guards were stationed. And when we arrived at the chamber itself, there were two guards on either side of the door, and two others stationed opposite them. The doors were closed, but Pentu quietly opened them, and gestured for me to look briefly within.

The King’s temporary bedchamber was lit with oil lamps; they were set in the wall niches, and on the floor, and in even greater numbers around his bed, so that he appeared like a young god in a constellation of lights. The candles were lit to banish the darkness of the world around him, but they looked weak against such threatening, dangerous forces. Ankhesenamun was holding her husband’s hand, and talking quietly to him. I saw the intimacy between them, how she made him feel safe, and secure, and how she was the braver and the more powerful one of the pair. But I still could not imagine how such a delicate couple could, tomorrow, assume authority from demagogues and dictators of ambition such as Ay and Horemheb. However, I knew I would prefer Ankhesenamun’s rule to either of theirs. And I knew she was clever. They had underestimated her. She had watched and learned from their example, and perhaps too she had now learned some of the absolute ruthlessness she would need in order to survive in this labyrinth of monsters. They both looked up for a moment, and saw me framed in the doorway. I bowed my head. Tutankhamun, Lord of the Two Lands, stared at me coldly, then flicked his hand with a gesture of dismissal.

Pentu closed the door in my face.