"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't know there was anyone in here. I only came to brush Osiris." Martin looked round to see a young girl stood at the entrance of the tent. The stallion snorted in greeting and started to try and stand. It was quickly clear that his legs were no longer string enough to support him, as they kept giving way under him. Martin understood, the stallion was Paul.

"What craziness possessed you to do this to yourself? You are not young any more, you are not upto galloping the distance you did carrying Kieran." The young girl burst out.

"You mean I should have trusted his life to Michael? He would have not known where he was going, I would have had to guide him myself. I would have been less upto that than I was carrying Kieran, Sofia. Do not remonstrate with me on this. It is done and can not be changed." Paul shot back. Martin was worried to see him. He had been speaking to some of the French soldiers as they had followed the tracks along the riverbed. They had told him plenty about Paul, that he was held in the utmost respect by every High Priest. Some of them had spoken about his abilities as a fighter. They had been the remainder of a regiment that had ambushed Paul and the Highest of High Priestesses, Saska a few months previously. They told about the fight in graphic detail. One of them, Olivier, had been badly wounded and lucky to escape with his life. Even so, he spoke about Paul with admiration:

"We were led by Amun-Ra's High Priest, Ademus to a hiding place overlooking the main route between the temples of Bast and Isis. 2 horses were pointed out to our General, Marc, and identified as Highest of High Priests, Paul and Highest of High Priestesses, Saska. Saska was identified as a golden chestnut mare and Paul as a pure white stallion. They were travelling along the road, totally unaware of us. We were given the command to circle round them and close in by Marc. At this time Paul became aware of us and started to canter, urging Saska to do the same. Suddenly, with out warning or reason, Saska stopped and started back towards us. This seemed to enrage Paul, and I heard him shout her name, even though he was still in the form of a stallion. After trying to turn Saska away from us, Paul turned back towards the temple of Isis, only to find that we had cut off his escape. He seemed to know that we were going to kill Saska as he moved to the side of her, trying to protect her. Eventually he had to move slightly away from her in order to give himself room. We took our chance and closed round her. Marc had his gun ready and shot her. We thought that Paul would run off towards the temple of Isis, and were prepared to chase him. He didn't, he whipped round, changing shape, becoming a tiger. Marc had no time to lift his gun to defend himself, and I doubt it would have done him much good if he had. In the split second it took us to realise that Paul was going to fight us, Marc was dead. We were so shocked that we started backing away from him, we were not prepared for anything like that. No one had ever trained us to deal with a situation where your adversary can change shape at will. I have never been so worried for my life as I was at that time. I knew that, if we fought him, we might kill him, but our losses would be significant, maybe only one of us would survive if we were lucky. Paul challenged us, he dared us to take him on, told us what would happen if we did. 7 of our men thought they might stand a chance and rushed at him, they emboldened the rest of us, or we would have stood where we were, too frightened to take him on. Their heroism did not last long, they hard barely drawn blood from Paul, before they too were dead. We continued to fight him because it was what we had been trained to do. I was lucky, I anticipated his attack on me and managed to jump clear as he struck out at me. By this time we knew that our numbers were starting to take a toll on him, but his strike at my chest still went deep, and I was lucky that I jumped back when I did or I would have been dead also. Only a few seconds after he had struck me, Paul dropped to the ground. We thought that we had managed it, that he was dead. One of the men walked over and bent over his body, to see if our hopes were confirmed. Paul moved like lightening, his head lifted from the ground, his jaws clamped round the neck of that young man and dragged him down to his death. In the distance we saw some of the tribesmen of the desert charging towards us. Some of the men were supporting me by this time, lest I should fall. They almost carried me to safety, running for our lives as the tribesmen came after us. I was shocked to later hear that Paul had survived."
"But you still did this to yourself father. Do you think I am filled with joy to see you like this, unable to stand, weak? You say that you are going to your rest this year, but how long for, a year? You are never able to rest as long as you need. Mother was right about you, you do not possess the sense to rest sufficiently, to refresh your body. I know you need to find the successor of Saska as Bast's High Priestess, and prepare to appoint the Highest of High Priestesses, but there is no rush, you know that as well as I do." Sofia told him. Paul's face hardly betrayed his emotions, but Martin could tell that he was angered by her words.
" I am resting here am I not? I should be looking after my priests and priestesses and yet I am here, resting. I am Highest of High Priests in Egypt, I have no help for the moment in this. When Emma is ready to fulfil her role in life, then I will have a better chance to rest fully. Until that time I must concern myself with ensuring that our traditions are upheld. This is the reason I sent you here before the sacrifice. It was only afterwards that Francois knew of the switch, that he was enlightened to the sentence passed on Ademus this morning. Had you been there, the sentence would never have been carried out, as your impatience to avenge your mother would have given away the truth much sooner. I am here only to ensure the continues safety of you and Kieran. You are my daughter, you were brought up within the traditions, and should know by now how it must be. Yet you challenge me and question my desicions as if I am incapable of acting of my own accord." Paul replied, his voice sharp, his face full of anger. Then his expression softened slightly, "Speaking of traditions, this is for you, Sofia. It is only right that you avenge your mother." He said, handing a blood soaked bundle to her. Martin already knew that it would contain Ademus's heart. Sofia took the bundle from Paul and unwrapped it. "Why did you not eat it? You swore that you would avenge Mum and Saska." She asked.

"I took my revenge on Ademus. Who do you think made his body scrifice to Amun-Ra, Kieran or Michael? No. As Highest of High Priests, and High Priest of the Triaxial Temple, with the authority of Amun-Ra I sentenced him to immediate death upon the altar of Amun-Ra for his crimes against our traditions. It was me who slit his throat and, as the human embodiment of Amun-Ra ate of his flesh and drank his blood. I have fulfiled my promise to avenge Saska and your mother. Now is the time for you to take your revenge." Paul replied. Saska looked uncertainly at Martin, he knew the question in her mind and answered it. "I am not going to stand in the way of your traditions." He said.

Saska nodded and lifted Ademus's heart to her mouth, biting into it. Within a spilt second of biting into it, she fell to the ground. The transformation in Paul was dramatic. He leapt to his feet, running over to his daughter. Kneeling by her side, he lifted her into a sitting postition and moved Ademus's heart away from her mouth. Martin was worried for the young girl. Had Paul know that this would happen?

"Get Saeed, tell him that Amun-Ra's High Priestess is in distress." Paul said. Martin didn't waste any time. He jumped to his feet, running from the tent, over to where the tribesmen were. Saeed looked up as he raced over. "What is wrong?" He asked.

"The young girl, Sofia, Amun-Ra's High Priestess, she is in trouble. Paul sent me to get you." Martin replied. He was shaking with fear at what he had seen. Saeed stood up, his face worried. "Come with me, there is obviously a problem, or the Highest of High Priests would not have sent you." He said, walking back towards the tent. Martin followed him, wondering what they would find when they got back.

Paul looked up as Saeed walked into the tent. "I must get her back to Amun-Ra's temple without Francois knowing what has happened. Her reaction is the most severe I have seen in my life." He said. Saeed shook his head. "That will not be possible to achieve. We can stop him looking in this tent and seeing what has happened, but trying to remove her from the camp will make far too much noise." He replied. Paul nodded, "Send Michael then. I must trust him with our lives." He replied.

Michael came into the tent frightened, "What do you want me to do, Paul?" He asked.

"Go to the temple of Isis. Tell Marie and John that Sofia is in dire need of their help. Once you have done this, return to Bast's temple until I send for you. Leave the sacred book on display until I get back. Read the copy in my quarters, and use it to help you prepare for the festival. Once Sofia is well, I will return." Paul told him. Michael nodded, turned and walked from the tent.