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placing his hand on her shoulder.
    ‘And that’s why you like it?’
    Nebo shrugged. ‘Yes.’
    Isis thought about it. ‘Perhaps it’s the same when I dance,’ she said. ‘Then I don’t think about anything. I just am .’
    ‘Then you understand this.’
    ‘I think so.’ Isis nodded gravely. ‘You won’t let those men hurt us, will you?’
    Nebo’s grip on her shoulder tightened. ‘I am very strong, Isis. I keep you safe.’
    Isis leaned against him. He felt solid, as though nothing could make him falter. And she believed him. Nothing could happen while he was guarding them. She just hoped that Hopi was not in danger, either.

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    CHAPTER FOUR
    Hopi stopped halfway down the barren hillside. There was no sign of Hat-Neb or Nebo; there was only Tutmose, beckoning to the crew. Hopi watched as the tug drew steadily closer. The barge was much too heavy to come to shore, so instead it was being anchored, and the tug cut loose. The twelve rowers were landing alone.
    Hopi scrambled down the last stretch of hillside, ducked behind a few scrubby trees near the riverbank and crept along towards the rowers, who were pulling the tug into the shallows. He could hear them talking among themselves.
    ‘This is the perfect opportunity,’ said one. ‘A quiet stretch of river. No one will ever know.’
    ‘Yes,’ agreed someone else. ‘But we’ll have to be quick.’
    Another sounded more uneasy. ‘I don’t like the look of the crew,’ he said. ‘Who are they? They’re not Egyptian.’
    ‘That’s a good thing,’ said their leader. ‘Who cares about them?’
    They moved off up the bank. Peering through the shrubs, Hopi saw that Tutmose had led the crew to meet them. The two groups stopped, facing each other.
    ‘Greetings, Senmut,’ said Tutmose. ‘This is an unexpected encounter.’
    ‘Greetings,’ said the man. ‘Unexpected! Yes indeed. What a stroke of luck!’
    ‘Ah, now there I cannot agree with you,’ said Tutmose. ‘I can guess what you have in mind, but this is neither the time nor the place.’
    Senmut snorted. ‘It is the ideal time and the ideal place!’
    ‘Believe me,’ said Tutmose, ‘these men have been promised a fortune when we get to Djeba. They will not let you pass. You are making a mistake.’
    ‘Enough talk!’ cried one of the rowers. ‘Let’s just get on with it! Come on, men!’
    There was a flash of metal as the rowers drew axes and daggers. Just as quickly, Hat-Neb’s crew drew daggers, too. The two groups of men eyed each other, their bodies tense. Suddenly, one of the rowers leaped forward. Tutmose, unarmed, scuttled out of the way. The rower lunged with his axe, and slashed the arm of one of Hat-Neb’s crew. The man gave a cry of rage as blood spurted out, and thrust his dagger wildly. All the men began to howl – great bloodthirsty yells – and threw themselves into battle.
    Hopi was horrified. He had never seen anything like it. They would all kill each other! Already, blood was flowing. He tried to swallow, but his mouth was dry. What could he do? What could he do? He felt rooted to the spot, nothing but a useless cripple!
    Then he had an idea. He ripped open his linen bag and pulled the lid off his basket, reached inside and grasped the viper behind its neck. Then he half-limped, half-ran out from behind the bushes.
    ‘Stop this!’ he screamed. ‘Stop this violence! Or I will release this creature upon you!’
    One by one, the men caught sight of the viper and recoiled in terror.
    ‘A snake!’ cried the rowers. ‘A viper! It is Apep himself!’
    Hat-Neb’s crew called and jabbered to each other in their own language, backing away from Hopi, who waved the snake high in the air above his head.
    ‘I am a priest of Serqet!’ he cried, hardly knowing what he was saying. ‘The goddess will punish you! Shame, shame on you all!’
    The men on both sides cowered, their eyes great pools of fear. Some of them began to groan, gripping the wounds they had received,