River of the Sun, chapter 16 – Old Friends, New Dangers

“Forgive me, high priest,” said Menascare. “Times have changed and we live in a dangerous age!  Had Rameses – or anyone else here, known that we were friends of old, the situation could have moved beyond my control!”

Sitting on the curved chair in his chamber, Anzety massaged the back of his head. The blinding headache that Menascare’s carefully delivered blow had induced was still taking its toll.

“We were hardly friends, Menascare. You were my least favourite teacher in that far-away temple, I was terrified of you. We called you the ‘Eye of the Cobra’. Did you ever know that?”

“Yes,” said the elder man, smiling ruefully. “thank you for that. The name grew in the fertile soil of the royal palace and is used today when I am not listening–and increasingly, when I am…  Nevertheless, you…