He didn’t dare speak of it widely. His father, Khawy, would have banished him to his room - the dangers were too great. The bandits had left trails of blood across all Egypt. Yet he imagined the Shrikes’ camp in the hills, swelled by captured girls to be sold into slavery and vast tents filled with unimaginable booty from their raids along the Nile’s fringe south of Dahshur. The bandits would no doubt be drunk, celebrating their great success and basking in the certainty that they were the ones who would be blessed by the gods. Drunk and sleeping it off and too stupefied to notice little rats scurrying among their tents to relieve them of their great prize.

Hui leapt from his rock. ‘Nothing great was ever gained by timid hearts. But if you wish to turn back, I cannot stand in your way.’

Kyky looked down the hillside to the empty wastes. ‘Alone?’

‘Or you could follow me towards a great destiny. Think: a gift from the gods themselves. What eminence would be heaped upon the man who brought that back to Lahun. Why even the pharaoh himself would shine his magnificence upon such a hero. Or heroes.’

Kyky bowed his head, undecided. ‘I am content with my lot. Hero sounds like a dangerous title. No, tell me once more what we stand to gain by risking our necks? Something I can hold in my hands.’

‘Riches beyond your wildest imaginings. Something so blessed, so rare, will be coveted by great and powerful men everywhere. They will pay anything to possess it. That is why the desert wanderers first took it. That is why the Shrikes stole it from them. Seize this moment, Kyky, and we will be the wealthiest most honourable men in all Lahun. You will never want for anything again. There is no prize more valuable in all the world.’

Before Kyky could make his choice, Hui heard footsteps crunching towards them. He whipped out his short-bladed knife from the folds of his kilt. He had no idea how to use it to defend himself, had never been in a fight in his life. He prayed the glint of moonlight on the copper would be enough of a deterrent.

Kyky let out a quavering moan.

A figure loomed out of the night, and with a shudder of relief, Hui saw that it was Qen. ‘Brother,’ he hailed. ‘Are you trying to frighten the ghost out of us both?’

‘Keep your voice down,’ Qen snapped.

When the new arrival skidded to a halt in front of them, Hui saw his elder brother’s eyes were darting around, wide with fear. He’d been scouting the path ahead now that they were closing on the bandit camp.

‘What is it?’ Hui asked.

Qen gripped his arm. ‘We must turn back.’

‘Are the Shrikes coming? Do they know of our plan? Are they going to gut us and leave us out for the vultures?’ Kyky’s panic edged his words.