Mystery of the Temple Read online

  The Mummifier's Daughter - Book 8

  MYSTERY OF THE TEMPLE

  by

  Nathaniel Burns

  © Copyright 2017 Nathaniel Burns

  Edited (USA) by Usnea Lebendig

  Chapter One

  The sun warmed Neti's skin as she followed the messenger along the dusty road, an action that had become so familiar that she gave little thought as to where he was leading her. Several children were running and playing in the streets, their feet kicking up dust as they chased after the bloated goat’s bladder. She smiled as she watched them shout at one another before running farther up the dirt road. The scene in itself was so different from the one that had marked her return from Nubia.

  Ramesess’ departure had marked the end of the plague. And while many still mourned the loss of their loved ones, the atmosphere within the city had eased. The people were once again focused on reviving the adjacent lands and continuing on with their lives.

  The river had risen as well, covering the banks with its fertile silt, which had in turn filled the citizens with hope.

  Neti frowned and then shook her head in an attempt to disperse the sense of apprehension that suddenly overcame her. There had been a marked decline in deaths requiring investigation since the Pharaoh’s departure. While it was possible for deaths to lessen after a plague, it seemed almost too quiet. Her father had always told her to never trust the calm, having always claimed “that people die everyday just as babies are born, and if that don’t happen something is very wrong.”

  While Shabaka and Moses had remained an ever-present presence in her day-to-day life, a considerable amount of time had passed since she had last been called to a crime scene. Much of her time had been spent finalizing the arrangements for Dalva’s burial and consoling Sutten-Anu, with the opening of the mouth ceremony scheduled within a few days. And from experience, Neti knew it was the most difficult aspect of the burial rites for loved ones.

  The messenger turned down a road, the action drawing her from her thoughts, resulting in a different type of confusion. From the location within the city and the appearance of the houses, their victim was not a prominent member of society. Her apprehension rose, leaving her to wonder whether she should not have at least brought a mask with her. Her father’s words of caution haunted her as she followed the messenger to a house approximately midway down the road.

  She looked about, somehow expecting a group of onlookers to appear out of nowhere as they usually did. Their disinterest either meant the body had already decomposed or the event was so recent that the body had not yet bloated. She inclined her head in greeting towards the mejay stationed at the door, entered the house, and then immediately halted. The body lay in an awkward position just within the entrance, as if it had simply fallen there. There were no signs of a struggle or a fatal blow to the head.

  Shabaka and Moses stood farther within the room, along with several unknown figures.

  Her attention was drawn from the victim when Moses came to stand next to her.

  “What’s the matter?” she asked Moses, at the same time turning her attention towards Shabaka and the others.

  “He dropped dead,” Moses stated flatly. “That is, if we were to believe his companions.”

  Shabaka turned to look towards them and then made his way over, inclining his head in greeting.

  Neti looked at Moses for a moment, at the body, and then shook her head. By that time Shabaka had joined them. “You doubt their sincerity,” Neti said, when her quick perusal only served to confirm her first assessment.

  Shabaka looked about the room and then lowered his voice. “They claim he was perfectly fine moments before dropping to the ground. And that when they got to him, he was dead.”

  Neti nodded and then turned her attention towards Moses, lifting a brow. Moses understood the unasked question and said, “I couldn’t find anything. Well, none of the things you’ve taught me to look for.”

  Neti shifted her gaze to the body, moving a few paces to the side before lowering to her haunches. She considered the man’s position, which appeared consisted with a fall. She shifted to look at his face asking, “Did he eat anything?” She got no response, however, which caused her to look at both Moses and Shabaka. She noticed that their attention had shifted to the others present. One of the men realized the question was aimed at them and shook his head.

  She then returned her gaze to Shabaka. The presence of the other men confused her, since any scene was usually cleared before their investigation. She beckoned Moses to step closer and he complied, before also lowering to his haunches.

  “You find anything?” he asked.

  Neti shook her head but then nodded in the direction of the others, “Why are they here?”

  Moses shrugged and then shook his head. “Our record, it seems, precedes us.”

  “What?” Neti asked, confused.

  “Apparently one of them – the one that claims we have a reputation – told the others that they would look guilty if they left.”

  “So this happened recently?”

  “Yes. They came to call us. Shabaka sent the runner not long after our arrival.”

  Neti reached down and touched the man’s neck, finding it still warm. “Very recent,” Neti confirmed.

  “Shabaka at first thought it a hoax. But when we got here I found nothing to support their claims. And since the entire matter is confusing, Shabaka thought you should have a look.”

  “Anything?” Shabaka asked.

  Neti looked at the body and then tilted her head slightly to the side. “Well, my initial assessment is that of a fall. But a fall in itself could not have led to his death, especially since his position does not indicate that he could have hit his head. There’s no blue around his mouth and no marks along his neck, so he could not have died from lack of breathing. Also, there is no sign of fighting.”

  “What about his heart?” Moses asked.

  “There is no blue on his feet or hands.”

  “So we must let them go?” Shabaka asked, his voice conveying his reluctance.

  “We can move him to my per-nefer and wait until morning,” Neti said, rising.

  “What would that achieve?” Moses asked.

  “Some injuries show up only once the body has stiffened and the blood line established.”

  “So we would know if something happened in that way?” Moses asked.

  Neti nodded.

  “But he is to go to the main per-nefer for processing,” one of the men said, only to fall silent when Shabaka glared at him.

  “Is there something you are not telling us?” Shabaka demanded of the man.

  The man quickly shook his head, “It’s just, he cannot pay for a burial and neither can we.”

  The men shifted uncomfortably, which caused Neti to look at Shabaka. “Something is not right here. I think you should put them in chains with the medjay for the evening.”

  “You can’t do that, we haven’t done anything! We’ve told you all we know. We came back from the beerhouse…” the one started but was cut short.

  “Beerhouse?” Moses questioned in disbelief. “But it is the middle of the day. If you are what you said you are then you should have been working.”

  “It is our rest day,” one of the others said, adding for clarification, “We work together as a team.”

  Neti placed a hand on Shabaka's arm, effectively drawing his attention to her. “I’ll send the messenger for my bearers.”

  He nodded and she turned to leave the room.

  “So you were at the beerhouse? What did you have there?” Moses demanded.

  “We each had a pot of beer and some flatbread.”

  “You all had the same?” Sha
baka asked.

  The men nodded.

  “Did he have anything else, anything different from you? A slice of meat perhaps?” Moses asked as Neti stepped from the house, indicating for the messenger to approach her. She issued instructions to him and told him to hurry. After his departure, she looked about the street, noticing how several of the neighboring women were watching her. She knew it would not be long before their speculation would start, followed by rumors and curious onlookers.

  She turned back to the house in time to see the first of the men leave, followed by the others moments later.

  Neti watched as they moved down the street, instinctively knowing when Shabaka and Moses came to stand by her side. “You’re letting them go?”

  “They are masons. We know where to find them,” Shabaka stated flatly.

  “We have onlookers,” Moses announced.

  “I don’t think they saw anything,” Neti said, turning towards Moses. “If they had, there would have been more people here.”

  “There’s still a chance of that,” Shabaka said.

  Neti nodded. “If they suspect something interesting. But I think with those men leaving, they might just think it was a small, legal concern.”

  “A legal matter does not even begin to explain the body indoors,” Moses said.

  Neti shrugged and indicated the departing men, “You think they know anything?”

  “I think they are scared, but telling the truth,” Shabaka said.

  “How so?” Neti asked.

  “Because they are more concerned about losing their work if we detain them than providing conflicting statements.”

  “And they can’t remember anything out of the ordinary,” Moses added.

  “I doubt that after the plague they would be let go of as easily,” Neti said. “There is a shortage of certain skills.”

  “Even if they were not, they would still lose a day’s worth of bartering grain.”

  Shabaka turned to Neti, “It sees that once again it is up to you to find the real cause of death, or they will lose more than their work and bartering grain.”

  Neti nodded, “I will go see Marlep and explain the situation to him once my bearers have collected the body.”

  “But why not just send him there? Surely they would have the space at the moment,” Moses asked.

  “Because he would not be left overnight,” Neti replied and added when she noticed Moses’ confused expression. “Marlep will assign a junior to him, one that has to learn the procedures. It was why the main per-nefer was established, to train new embalmers, not just to process the bodies of those who could not afford burial rights. They would not look for the cause of his death, they would look to wrap and move him to a grave as quickly as possible.”

  “You mean, then, that not everyone receives full burials?” Moses asked, surprised.

  Neti shook her head, “There’s not enough space or natron.”

  “So I could not have gone there for training?” Moses asked.

  “Only if you wanted to be the first Hebrew embalmer,” Neti teased.

  The following morning Neti entered her per-nefer, only to come to an absolute standstill. She sniffed the air and frowned before turning to Hamez, “Where did you put that body you collected yesterday?”

  Hamez pointed to the second chamber. “The empty one.”

  Neti nodded and made her way there, pulling her nose up at the pungent odor. The stench increased as she reached for the cloth partition that hung in the doorway. She entered the chamber and looked about, seeking out the origin of the stench.

  It increased as she approached the platform on which the sheet-covered body lay. The appearance thereof confusing her even more, since it was apparent that the body had not swelled overnight – as it should have.

  She moved closer and reached for the sheet. It was an action she’d done so many times in her life that it had become second nature, yet she hesitated. Everything seemed wrong somehow. It was not as if she would be repulsed by the sight, she had seen all kinds of dead bodies. It was the fear of finding something she had not seen before that caused her hesitation. Especially since the stench originating from it was not one she was familiar with. Even more terrifying was the idea that Shabaka’s suspicions had been correct, that something far more sinister could have occurred between the men.

  Drawing in a deep breath, she flicked her wrist with practiced ease and cast the sheet from the body, only to gag.

  Instead of a bloated body that should have lain on the platform, it was already rotting, with the process occurring right before her eyes. The event itself too odd to fully comprehend, since only a body left to rot for several days could give off such a rank odor.

  “Hamez!” Neti urgently called.

  Within moments the bearer’s hurried footfalls could be heard outside the curtain. The rustle as the curtain was pushed aside was followed by a sharp gasp, “By Ra!” he cursed when he saw the body.

  “Run! Run as fast as you can and summon the prefects Moses and Shabaka. They need to see this.”

  “Yes, Neti,” he said and then turned from the room.

  Neti moved to place one of the pots below the platform outlet to capture any fluid runoff, then moved back to the doorway where she had a good view of the body and could observe events. The speed at which the body was decomposing astonished her. She even considered seeing a healer just to ensure her vision had not suddenly clouded.

  She stood watching the wasting body for what felt like an eternity, fearing that Shabaka and Moses would arrive too late.

  The scrape of sandals on the floor was followed by a harsh exclamation about the stench that filled her per-nefer. The cloth behind her rustled, admitting Moses and Shabaka.

  “Neti?” Shabaka asked, his voice laced with concern.

  “I'm going to be sick!” Moses said and glared at Neti accusingly, stating, “You could at least have warned us before we entered that we would be seeing…that! Whatever that is.”

  “That is yesterday's body,” Neti flatly stated.

  “What?!” Shabaka demanded, his voice conveying his disbelief as he turned to look at her. “Is that even possible?”

  Neti shook her head, “Not in all the time I have been around bodies.”

  “So something strange is happening?” Shabaka asked, seeking confirmation of his suspicions.

  “I think that kind of answers the question for you,” Moses deadpanned as he pointed to the body.

  “There is no way of knowing or confirming what is happening,” Neti said. “I arrived after it had started.

  “It looks like his flesh is dissolving into the air above,” Shabaka said, disbelievingly.

  Just then, as if out of nowhere, spiders entered the room from cracks and crevices in the walls.

  “Spiders!” Moses called, panicked.

  Neti and Shabaka looked around them as hundreds of spiders scurried across the floor, some even entering from the outer chamber behind them. As if lead by an invisible force, they parted around objects and made for the body.

  “What are they doing?” Moses asked, as the spiders settled over the pile of rotting flesh and threadbare clothing.

  “They’re eating it,” Shabaka said in disbelief. “Is that normal?”

  Neti again shook her head, “Flies are often a problem, but not spiders. If I wasn't standing here and actually seeing this for myself, I would not have believed it possible.”

  “Have you had a chance to determine the reason for his death?” Shabaka asked.

  Neti shook her head, “The body was already rotting when I arrived this morning.”

  They watched as the remaining flesh fell from the bones. The spiders quickly consumed whatever fluids were available in an orderly manner. Those having consumed their fill moved away to allow others access.

  “It’s like they’re being controlled somehow,” Moses said as the spiders retreated.

  The process continued until only the bones and cloth remained.

/>   “Well that’s enough to put anyone off their food,” Moses finally said, breaking the disbelieving silence.

  “I don’t think that is possible for you,” Neti flatly replied, stepping towards the platform again. She had no idea how long they had stood witness, but the bones were clean, as if they’d been boiled.

  “Hey, I grew up with people who eat to celebrate. We eat to mourn, and we eat just because food is good,” Moses said. However, no one replied.

  “Any idea as to what just happened?” Shabaka asked as he came to stand beside her.

  Neti shook her head. “I can think of some really bizarre things, none of which would be possible.”

  “How so?” Shabaka asked.

  “Because if he had been bitten by a spider, he would not have died as quickly. And this certainly would not have happened! But, oddly, that is the only argument that makes sense to me. I have never seen as many spiders together and they were different types of spiders coming together almost peacefully. That on its own is unbelievable!”

  “What should we do now?” Moses asked.

  “Well, you will need to find out where he was, what he did that could cause this. Until then, we will not have any way of establishing the true cause.”

  “And what are you going to do?” Moses demanded.

  “I’m going to take this to Marlep and ask him if he knows anything,” Neti answered. Turning towards the curtained doorway she called, “Hamez!”

  It took several moments for the bearer to enter the room and when he did, he carefully looked around before stepping inside. His gaze landed on the platform and he made to say something but then thought twice about it and instead said, “Yes Neti?”

  Please bring me two of the empty natron bags. Then tell Garah that he should gather the herbs and grasses for a cleansing ritual.”

  Hamez looked skeptically at the platform but nodded before leaving.

  Moses and Shabaka watched as the bones and cloth were placed into the bags of natron. Neti moved to the one pot that held natron and took two handfuls. She stepped up to the bags and recited a chant before scattering the natron into the first bag. She then repeated the process for the second bag.