Such a deed must mean a bitter war for Egypt, and to those who struck the blow--death, as Rames himself knew well.
Tua looked at him kneeling before her, and her heart ached.

Fiercely, despairingly she thought, throwing her soul afar to seek out wisdom and a way of escape for Rames.

Presently in the blackness of her mind there arose a plan and, as ever was her fashion, she acted swiftly.

Lifting her head she commanded that the doors should be locked and guarded so that none might go in or out, and that those physicians who were amongst the company should attend to the wounded, and to Pharaoh, who was ill.

Then she called the High Council of the Kingdom, all of whom were gathered there about her, and spoke in a cold, calm voice, while the company flocked round to listen.
"Lords and people," she said, "the gods for their own purposes have suffered a fearful thing to come to pass.