‘It seems your master’s decision has been blessed by the gods,’ Myssa said.

Puzzled, Piay followed her gaze. A grey cat was winding its way towards them among the tents. Piay blinked, not sure if he could believe what he was seeing.

Kneeling, Myssa reached out and rubbed her fingers.

‘Bast!’ she exclaimed.

Piay shook his head. ‘No, that cannot be the same cat.’

Myssa scrubbed the cat’s forehead and it purred, slinking around her.

‘See, she has the same white patch under her chin.’

‘No, it cannot be. You abandoned her in the land of the Great Apes. No cat could find its way back to you over that distance, or even survive the journey.’

Myssa smiled. ‘No earthly cat.’

Hannu folded his arms and said, ‘Now there is no backing out. The gods have decided the way ahead. There will be no rest for us. A life of adventure calls.’

About the Author

About the Author

Wilbur Smith was born in Central Africa in 1933. He became a full-time writer in 1964 following the success of When the Lion Feeds, and has since published over fifty global bestsellers, including the Courtney Series, the Ballantyne Series, the Egyptian Series, the Hector Cross Series and many successful standalone novels, all meticulously researched on his numerous expeditions worldwide. An international phenomenon, his readership built up over fifty-five years of writing, establishing him as one of the most successful and impressive brand authors in the world.

The establishment of the Wilbur & Niso Smith Foundation in 2015 cemented Wilbur’s passion for empowering writers, promoting literacy and advancing adventure writing as a genre. The foundation’s flagship programme is the Wilbur Smith Adventure Writing Prize.

Wilbur Smith passed away peacefully at home in 2021 with his wife, Niso, by his side, leaving behind him a rich treasure-trove of novels and stories that will delight readers for years to come.

Mark Chadbourn is a Sunday Times bestselling author of historical fiction novels about the Anglo-Saxon warrior Hereward, published under his pseudonym James Wilde. His Age of Misrule books, under his own name, have been translated into many languages. As a screenwriter, he’s written for the BBC and is currently developing a series for Lionsgate and several of the streaming networks. He began his career as a journalist reporting from the world’s hotspots.

Also by Wilbur Smith

Also by Wilbur Smith

Non-Fiction

On Leopard Rock: A Life of Adventures

The Courtney Series

When the Lion Feeds

The Sound of Thunder

A Sparrow Falls

The Burning Shore

Power of the Sword

Rage

A Time to Die

Golden Fox

Birds of Prey

Monsoon

Blue Horizon

The Triumph of the Sun

Assegai

Golden Lion

War Cry

The Tiger’s Prey

Courtney’s War

King of Kings

Ghost Fire

Legacy of War

Storm Tide

The Ballantyne Series

A Falcon Flies

Men of Men

The Angels Weep

The Leopard Hunts in Darkness

The Triumph of the Sun

King of Kings

Call of the Raven

The Egyptian Series

River God