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Taita tried to force a last turn of speed out of the horses； but felt the weariness overtaking them。 They held on until the last possible moment； but the enemy was charging head…on at them； and it gradually became certain that they could not reach the crossroads before them。 At last Taita held up his clenched fist in the mand to halt。 'Enough！' he cried。 'We can never win this race。'
They halted across the track； the horses lathered and heaving for breath。 The charioteers were pale under the dust that coated their features and despair bloomed in their eyes。
'Which way； Pharaoh？' Hilto shouted。 They were already beginning to turn to Nefer for leadership。
'There is only one way open。 Back the way we have e。' And then； so low that only Mintaka could hear him； 'Into Trok's arms。 But at least it gives me a last chance to settle the score with him。'
Taita nodded agreement； and was the first to swing his chariot into a tight full turn。 He led them back towards the sinking sands。 The others wheeled around and followed in his dust。 At first the dust covered their view of the pursuit； but then a puff of hot wind blew it aside momentarily and they saw that they had already lost ground。
They tore onwards； but Nefer felt his horses start to fail。 Their gait was heavy and laboured； their legs flopping and their hoofs starting to throw out sideways。 Nefer knew that it was nearly over。 He placed one arm around Mintaka's waist。 'I loved you from the first moment I saw you。 I shall love you through eternity。'
'If you truly love me； then you will never let me fall into Trok's hands again。 At the end； it will be the way for you to prove your love。'
Nefer turned to look down at her； puzzled。 'I do not understand；' he said； and she touched the captured sword that hung at his side。
'No！' He almost screamed the word； and hugged her to him with all his strength。
'You must do it for me； my heart。 You cannot give me back to Trok。 I do not have the courage to do it myself so you must be strong for me。'
'I cannot；' he cried。
'It will be quick and painless。 The other way 。。。'
He was in such distress that he almost ran full tilt into the back of Taita's chariot as it came to an abrupt swerving halt across the track ahead of them。 Taita pointed ahead。
Trok was there。 Even at distance they could make out his bear…like form at the head of his moving column； ing straight towards them。 They looked back and the other enemy was closing in as fast。
'One last fight！' Hilto loosened his blade in its scabbard。 'The first the worst。 The second the same。 The last the best of all the game。' It was one of the adages of the Red Road； and he quoted it with genuine anticipation。
Taita looked up at the bile…coloured sky as another sultry gust rippled his hair； like wind through a field of silver grass。
Mintaka tugged Nefer's arm。 'Promise me！' she whispered； and his eyes filled with tears。
'I promise you；' he said； and the words scalded his mouth and throat。 'And afterwards I shall kill Trok with my own hands。 When I have done that I will follow close behind you on the dark journey。'
Taita did not raise his voice but it carried to all of them： 'This way。 Mark well my wheel tracks and follow them faithfully。'
To their astonishment Taita turned his horses off into the sand heading at a right…angle from the track； north into the unmarked shifting dunes。 Nefer expected him to sink to the hubs immediately； but somehow he must have found a hard crust under the soft surface。 He went on at a steady trot and they followed him closely； although they knew that this was a last； doomed attempt。
Looking back Nefer could still make out both clouds of dust from the two enemy divisions converging on them from the east and the west。 There was not the least chance that； when they reached it； they would not find the place where the three chariots had left the track。 Unless； of course； Taita could weave a spell of concealment to outwit Ishtar； but that was a despairing chance。 Ishtar had proved that he was not susceptible to such trivial witchcraft and Trok with his own eyes must have seen them turn aside from the track。
Yet when he looked ahead he saw that Taita had the golden Periapt of Lostris in his right hand and around his wrist he had wrapped the necklace that had been the gift of Bay。 He was not looking back at the pursuit； but his face was raised to the menacing sky and his expression was rapt。
Their plight seemed hopeless； but Nefer felt an illogical and perverse glow of hope。 He realized that； in some mysterious fashion； the gift of Bay had enhanced the old man's already formidable powers。 'Look at Taita；' he whispered to Mintaka。 'Perhaps it is not yet the end。 Perhaps there will be one more move of the bao stones left to us before the game is decided。'
* * *
Trok galloped down the track until he reached the spot where he had seen the three chariots turn aside and head into the dunes。 Their tracks were so deeply etched into the sand that they might have been made by a single pair of wheels。 At that moment Zander rode up from the opposite direction at the head of the second column。
'Well done！ You have turned the quarry。 We have them now；' Trok shouted at him。
'It has been a good chase；' Zander roared back。 'What formation do you want me to keep？'
Take the rearguard once again。 In column of fours。 Follow me。' As he turned off to follow the fugitives； his two divisions of chariots fell in behind him。 He looked ahead。 Taita and his tiny party had already disappeared into a funnel of high sandhills； whose tops were purple and blue。 The depths between them were sombre and shaded under the lowering sky。 He had not gone two hundred cubits when the outside chariots of the column were bogged down in the soft sand。 He knew then why Taita had maintained such a tight formation。 Only in the centre line was the earth hard enough to support a chariot。
'In single line ahead！' He altered his formation。 'Stay in my tracks。' The two bined divisions stretched out over half a league as they followed Trok into the uncharted wilderness； and the troopers looked up with mounting trepidation at the towering sand walls and the ugly sky above。 Trok could not press his horses at the same killing pace and they came down to a walk； but he could judge by the tracks Taita had left that he； too； was moving more slowly。
They kept on for almost another league until abruptly the land ahead changed character。 From the soft sand waves rose a dark island of rock。 It was like some small craft lost in the ocean of the dunes。 Its sides were honeybed and eaten away by the abrasive sand…laden winds of millennia； but the peak was as sharp as the fang of some fabulous monster。
On the peak； tiny with distance； stood an unmistakable figure； sparse and tall with a wild bush of silver hair that glinted like a helmet in the strange and awful light。
''Tis the Warlock；' Trok gloated to Ishtar。 They have taken refuge in the rocks。 I hope they try to fight us there。' Then to his trumpeter； 'Sound the battle call。'
* * *
When Nefer and Mintaka saw the rockpile looming ahead they were both astonished。 'Did Taita know it was here？' Mintaka asked。
'How could he have known？' Nefer replied。
'You told me once that he knows everything。' And Nefer was silenced。 He looked back to cover his uncertainty； and saw the dust of the pursuit close behind； rising to mingle with the yellow glare of the sunless sky。
'It matters not at all。 How can it avail us？' he asked。 'We might be able to defend those rocks for a very little while； but there are hundreds of Trok's men。 This is almost the end。' He touched the waterskin that hung from the rail beside him。 It was almost empty； not even enough left to keep the horses alive for another day。
'We must trust Taita。' Mintaka said； and he laughed bitterly。
'It seems the gods have deserted us。 Who else