The Spitting Cobra by Gill Harvey Read Free Book Online

and unclenching his fists. He seemed on the verge of losing control, and Hopi watched him carefully. But then he spotted something else, out of the corner of his eye.
    It was a cobra.
    The cobra’s body was olive brown, with a dark patch on its head, and Hopi knew exactly what that meant. This cobra could spit, right into the eyes of its victim. Cornered on a ledge, its hood fully extended, it was ready to attack.
    Hopi stood perfectly still, and averted his eyes.
    ‘What is –’ began Seti.
    ‘Don’t look,’ ordered Hopi.
    Seti opened his mouth to speak, and began to turn his head.
    ‘DON’T look!’ shouted Hopi.
    Seti’s face went rigid. Hopi’s stern order glued him to the spot. Seconds ticked past.
    ‘Walk towards me.’
    Seti did as he said. One step, two . . . the snake saw its chance. It lowered its guard, slithered down the ledge and disappeared between the rocks.
    Hopi relaxed. ‘It’s all right now. It’s gone.’
    Seti spun round, scanning the rocks. ‘What’s gone?’
    ‘A cob—’
    ‘NO!’ The word burst from Seti like an explosion. ‘We found a cobra and you didn’t let me see it!’
    ‘But if you’d looked it would have –’
    Seti wouldn’t let him finish. He had worked himself into a rage. ‘You have no idea what this means!’ he cried. ‘Meretseger is not your goddess. You didn’t even know who she is, and now you’ve interfered and stood between us. How dare you! How dare you!’ He reached out and gave Hopi a shove.
    Hopi nearly lost his balance. He staggered back, then turned and began to hobble up the mountain track. ‘Look for cobras yourself!’ he cried. ‘I’m not helping you any more! I want nothing to do with you or your goddess!’
    Seti stayed where he was. ‘Go!’ he shouted after Hopi. ‘Go, and see what will become of you! May the mountain swallow you up and the goddess rain down her punishments upon you!’
    Hopi struggled on, the words of the curse whirling around in his head.
    .
    Isis slipped quickly between the chapels of the cemetery, her slight form barely making a sound. She wasn’t worried about being seen. One of her greatest skills was being able to melt into shadows and disappear. She gazed up at the mountain to assess her options. There was a pathway winding up beyond the cemetery, but it looked like a long way round. Apart from that, the cliff directly above the tombs sloped fairly gently, and there were plenty of footholds. Isis was nimble – she’d save time if she went straight up.
    The first section was easy. But then came a slab of smooth, sand-blasted rock that was much steeper than it had looked from below. Isis took a deep breath, and dug her fingernails into a little crevice. Scraping her ankles and knees, she hauled herself up. This was harder than she had imagined. The sun was growing hotter, beating down on her head. She looked up. Not far now , she told herself. Not far now . . .
    By the time she reached the top of the cliff, Isis was covered in grazes and white limestone dust. Nefert wouldn’t be happy about that, she reflected, but what were a few grazes compared to Hopi’s safety? She brushed herself down and clambered on. Along the way, she crossed the path, which zigzagged off to the right. Perhaps Hopi would have followed it; it might lead to the Great Place itself.
    She hesitated for only a second, then took the path and trotted along it quickly, taking little leaps through the gullies and over jutting boulders. Soon she could see the Temples of a Million Years down in the valley and the view beyond them to the Nile. But she didn’t stop. Hopi had to be here somewhere. Isis scanned the horizon constantly, but there was no sign of him. Her anxiety mounting, she began to run, leaping from rock to rock and calling for her brother.
    Slowly, the pathway opened out. She was on a ridge, and to the left a vast desert landscape stretched on for ever: endless mountains and gullies, all made of bare, sun-parched rock. A strange