Escape from Ancient Egypt (Neiko Adventure Saga Book #2)

Chapter 8

It was the night for the pit fights to begin, and the Indians' imprisonment to end—or so they hoped. Many rich families brought in their finest combatants to do battle in the fights Kenes was hosting. The Indians were dressed in their clothes, and they all possessed weapons, including Neiko. Neiko was shown before the contests in her warrior regalia, along with her weapons. Guards and Kenes himself watched her closely to make sure she didn't try anything. Many people paid to see her, and they looked at her amazed. But she looked at them sternly, folded her arms, and stood in a proud Indian stance.

"Attention, everyone. Let the fights begin!" said Kenes loudly, and everyone herded to the arena. Several fights passed on, and each Indian dreaded when he would be next.

"Okay, we're all outside and armed. When the first one of us fights and wins—hopefully, then yell out a hawk's call for a signal. We need to strike like lightning. Neiko will follow our lead just like we went over. Everyone understand?" asked Panthero.

"Roger," Tito and Mactalon said in unison.

"You're next, savage," snapped Het as he shoved Mactalon toward the arena.

Mactalon walked into the arena to meet his opponent with his shield and sword. A tall Philistine met him on the field with a spear. He laughed at Mactalon's appearance because he was taller than the poorly armed Indian was. The signal was given, and the fight began. The two fought skillfully as people cheered. Mactalon's three friends yelled to him to wish him luck. The Philistine kicked him and sent him to the ground. He raised his spear, ready to kill Mactalon, but he defended himself with the shield. Without thinking, he sliced the Philistine in the leg and got up.

"I will kill you, painted warrior!" snarled the Philistine in pain.

"C'mon, kill me!" Mactalon challenged.

The wounded Philistine charged and tried to stab again, but Mactalon fended off the attack. Mactalon lashed out and cut the spear in half, scoring a cut down his opponent's chest. The Philistine howled in pain and tried to use the spear as a club to pound him. Mactalon defended himself, but the angry opponent cuffed him in the side of the head, sending him falling to the ground. He tried to stab again, but Mactalon painfully jerked to the side to dodge the spearhead. He thrust out his sword and stabbed the Philistine in the chest. He groaned, crumpled to the ground, and then lay still. Mactalon staggered to his feet, panting. The crowd was taken aback because this Philistine had been a longtime champion.

"Way to go, Mack!" Neiko yelled from a distance.

"Way to show 'em!" called Tito and Panthero in unison.

Mactalon raised his shield and bloodied sword in victory. He took a deep breath, threw back his head, and let loose the shrill call of a hawk, which was the signal. Tito and Panthero knocked out their guards and sprinted to meet Mactalon. Seeing them and following their lead, Neiko cuffed her two guards, drew her sword, and wounded two more who were trying to catch her. She found a rope she could use to slide down to make a shortcut to the field because Egyptians were coming from both sides, cutting her off. She put the sword in between her teeth and slid down onto the field to her friends. The four ran out of the arena, with a mob of Egyptians chasing them. They found four bareback horses, unhitched from a chariot, and tied up at a watering hole. They grabbed the reins, jumped on the backs of the horses, and rode off toward the south—toward Thebes—as they lifted their weapons in triumph and yelled in victory calls. Kenes sent men after them as he went to his house to gather a band to hunt them down.

* * *

The four traveled in the desert, along the river, heading south for days. They made a rest stop for supplies at Abydos. They also had to give Kenes' scouts the slip at this riverside town before they could cross the river by ferry to Dendera. The next day they crossed the river to the east to Dendera and continued following the river south for around a day. They could now see the city, Thebes, clearly in the distance.