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than a desert lioness – in her ka, if not in her rather slender body. An improvement over my previous wife, and no mistake , he thought as he rummaged through the basket of scrolls beside his couch.
    “This one is from one of my agents in Damas: ‘My sources in Kadesh tell me that King Niqmad has been in close contact with Huzziya, King of Hatti. They have seen Hittite soldiers drilling with Kadeshi soldiers, and more Hittite troops arrive every day. Multiple men have confirmed this.’” Thutmose laid that scroll aside. “Here’s another from Damas: ‘Word from the city of Tadmor is that recruiters came to speak to the young men of the area. They flew both Hittite and Kadeshi banners.’ One from Katna: ‘King Huzziya of Hatti paid triple the usual price for strong horses. He said they were to be taken to Kadesh.’ From Ugarit: ‘A large contingent of troops from Ebla and Alep were noted moving south toward Kadesh, under the banners of King Huzziya of Hatti along with the banners of their own city-states.’” Thutmose tossed the scrolls aside in disgust.
    Meryet sat very still, her hands folded neatly in her lap. Her fine, red-painted mouth pressed into a tight line.
    “So?” said Thutmose.
    “Kadesh, Tadmor, Ebla, Alep – all Retjenu city-states, and all of them under the influence of Hatti.”
    “Yes.”
    Her mouth twisted as she chewed her own cheek in thought. “I suppose Damas’s city-king is allied with Huzziya of Hatti, too.”
    “If he’s not now, he soon will be.”
    “Your grandfather’s fortress at Ugarit…”
    “Is Egypt’s only real stronghold in Retjenu. Kadesh and Damas are the only major cities between Egypt and Ugarit. If Huzziya thinks to cut Ugarit off from Egypt, the way to do it is to ally with Kadesh and Damas.”
    “If E gypt is cut off from Ugarit, much trade will be lost.”
    “I know,” he said. “It would be too great a blow. It would set the Two Lands back to where we stood in the days of King Ahmose.”
    “Or back further still. To the days when the Heqa-Khasewet ruled.”
    “Never. I won’t allow it to come to that.”
    “And yet that is precisely what Huzziya and thi s Niqmad of Kadesh are planning: a gradual takeover. And an invasion of the northern sepats, once they’ve gathered enough city-states to make an attempt on Egypt’s borders. You see that, surely.”
    “Of course.”
    Meryet clenched her fists against the fine, soft linen of her gown. “Hatshepsut saved Retjenu from starvation. And here they are, plotting with the Hittites. Are their memories so short?”
    Thutmose waved a hand as if shooing away flies. “The Retjenu live in tents – most of them, those who aren’t in the cities. Their men lie with ewes; they tile their floors with sheep shit. They can hardly be called civilized. Surely you don’t expect men like the Retjenu to remember that the Pharaoh saved them from famine. Not when Huzziya comes waving his banners and talking of bringing Egypt to its knees. No doubt he’s promised Retjenu a tribute of Egyptian grain if they’ll help put him on the Horus Throne.”
    “Hatti is very powerful, Thutmose. I know this; I grew up in the north. Hatti was never far from anyone’s thoughts in my father’s house.”
    “Until these reports came in, I thought Huzziya was content with our alliance.”
    “Hittites are never content with anything. They have always been Egypt’s most dangerous enemy, even when they’ve played at honoring an alliance.”
    “If they get a toehold in Kadesh…”
    “They’ll cut you off from your forces in Ugarit. Not for long; not permanently. But it will give them enough time to swarm over our northeastern border and take Lower Egypt, or at least damage it.”
    “You’re right. I know you’re right.”
    “You should sail for the north, Thutmose. Take two-thirds of your troops and move them to Lower Egypt.”
    “I can send them, but…”
    “You must go yourself. The gods know I don’t want you so far