Free The Horned Viper by Gill Harvey Page A

Powder. It was foul-smelling powder.
    .
    The women and girls watched as Tutmose examined Hat-Neb, peering down his throat and pulling back his eyelids.
    ‘You will be perfectly well tomorrow,’ he said. ‘You are right. There must be something wrong with your wine.’
    ‘Thought so.’ Hat-Neb gave a satisfied grunt. ‘Well, I know how to deal with bad wine merchants. He’ll regret it. Now I’m going to sleep.’
    The fat overseer rested his head on a pile of cushions and soon began to snore loudly. He didn’t seem the slightest bit sorry about Hopi. Isis felt distraught.
    ‘Don’t worry,’ whispered Sheri. ‘Hopi will be fine. We’re arriving tomorrow. It’s not for long.’
    ‘But Tutmose lied ,’ Isis whispered back. ‘I know he did.’
    Sheri squeezed her hand. ‘Isis, Hopi shouldn’t have brought a snake on to the boat. Whatever the doctor may have done, Hopi had to be punished. It will do him no harm.’
    Isis didn’t think so. Hopi had nothing but rats and a viper for company. And if he said he hadn’t wanted to bring the snake on board, then he hadn’t. She got up and went out on to the deck. Perhaps she would be able to communicate with him somehow. But when she stepped outside, she saw at once that there were other problems on board. Kerem and Nebo were in the middle of a big argument.
    ‘Half the crew not working,’ Nebo was saying. ‘We do not pay lazy men.’
    Kerem shook his head furiously. ‘We fight for you. We injured for you. Two men are very sick.’
    Nebo towered over the captain. His face was ugly and menacing, and Isis was shocked. She had never seen him look like that before.
    ‘You do what I tell you,’ he growled.
    But Kerem wasn’t intimidated. He folded his arms. ‘We are many,’ he said. ‘And you are few.’
    Nebo drew himself up very tall. His eyes flashed, and he flexed his huge muscles. ‘I can snap you,’ he said. ‘You will see.’
    He turned away, and for the first time, he saw Isis watching him. But his expression didn’t change. His eyes were cold. Isis felt as though he looked straight through her. Then he marched past her and into the cabin.
    .
    Hopi put everything back into the pouch. Menna had taught him about many powders and potions, which he combined with magic to treat scorpion stings and snake bites, but he didn’t recognise any of the smells and textures he’d found here. He knew there was only one man on the boat who was likely to have a secret supply of such things, and that was Tutmose.
    Why had Tutmose hidden these supplies in the depths of the hold? He kept most of his medicines in the cabin, where they were easily reached. Hopi lay back on the sacks, thinking. Perhaps, after all, Isis was right – perhaps the doctor was up to something. Hopi remembered her story about Hat-Neb’s fan. It was a magical, powerful object, and deep down, Hopi knew that Tutmose had no business touching it . . . unless it was to tamper with its magic in some way.
    And then there was his mysterious visit to the town that morning. A doctor could have found normal medical supplies easily enough, if he’d wanted to. He didn’t have to sneak around using a false name. Hopi’s hand drifted to the viper’s basket. Tutmose had taken an interest in Hopi’s skills from the word go. And he had felt so flattered by it! He had thought that the doctor held him in genuine respect. Hopi’s heart clouded with anger once more as he thought of how Tutmose had betrayed him. Now he could see that the doctor had his own agenda. And slowly Hopi was realising what it might be . . .
    It was now very dark in the hold, and Hopi listened for signs that they were heading to shore. Someone would have to come down to the cabin for supplies before nightfall. Sure enough, there was a scraping of wood as the hatch opened, and feet climbed down the ladder. It was Kerem and two of the crew.
    Kerem bowed to Hopi respectfully. ‘We need to take food and shelter to the deck,’ he