“You let them escape!” Tahnoon glared at Manetho and at the snap of a finger two fearsome warriors with sand scarred face drew long knives and approached. A hundred nomadic horsemen were in their saddles all around the Broken Pyramid although there was no sign of the Black Rider; the sun stood high in the sky its tremendous heat bearing down on them.
Manetho shrugged, “What real value did they offer, Tahnoon?”
“That is not for you to say,” spat out the rotund nomad as he shook his finger in the face of wizard as sweat and spittle rained down. “You are a servant of Sheikh Ming; you are a servant to me. You will follow my orders and they were, specifically, to hold the prisoners here so that we might interrogate them away from the city.”
“You meant to torture them,” said Manetho with a steady expression on his face.
“So what if I did?” said Tahnoon and stomped his foot onto the hard packed sand around the pyramid. “It is my decision as how to dispose of prisoners, not yours. You allowed a terrible danger to the Black Horsemen to escape. I might well call you a traitor to our people.”
“Your decision?” said Manetho with raised eyebrows. “I think not.”
“You dare!” screamed Tahnoon and raised his hand to the two warriors who moved quickly to the side of Manetho with knives in hand. Their eyes watched the wizard closely although they did not make any move to restrain him. “I can have you killed right now. These are my nephews and they will obey my every command.”
“The bonds of family are strong among our people,” said Manetho, “this is true. However, if you order them to kill me then you will live with the consequences. I will be dead and beyond the punishment of Black Rider. You, on the other hand, will not.”
Tahnoon’s face seemed to contract on itself with a terrible grimace and spittle danced on his lips as he gazed at the wizard. “I should do it just to see the surprise on your face when the knife slides into your flesh.”
Manetho stood quietly.
“Have it your way then,” said Tahnoon, spitting on the sand and dragging his left boot through it. “You will have to face Ming and explain yourself. He will be here within the day.”
“I am prepared to do so. Now, if you do not mind, I have work to attend,” said Manetho who gave a short little bow and walked towards a yellow tent with a red banner depicting a black horse flapping in the strong desert breeze.