Amen

Black magicians (shezmu) have the abilities of oneiromancy (they can penetrate other people’s dreams) and necromancy (they can interact with the dead).

Euthys studies at the Temple of Thoth in Hermopolis, ancient Egypt. She trains an apprentice there and learns dark magic from her mentor, Remmao. Two others study with her.

The next evening, while walking with Isman, Euthys heard the voices of her mentor and Amen. They were heading in their direction. Amen (the supreme epistat) noticed them and told Remmao that he was interested in this boy and the girl beside him, and that he was gathering a detachment of scribes and hunters in Thebes to combat dark magic and study the deadly disease that kills.

A week later, Euthys was to ride a chariot to Thebes. And most importantly, the dreaded Amen didn't have to find out who they really were. Upon arrival, at least forty people were standing near the chariots, all of them occupying them. Unable to find a free one, Euthys stood at a table next to Amen. He asked her why she was standing there and not occupying a chariot. Euthys replied that she hadn't found one. Amen, looking at the sky, exhaled, said it was time to leave, and ordered Euthys to climb into his chariot.

Euthys sat up, slightly tense; this epistatus frightened her, and she tried to avoid him, trying not to catch his eye. The chariot swayed, and since Euthys was riding a chariot for the first time, she couldn't get used to it. Suddenly, the chariot shook so hard that Euthys couldn't sit still and was pulled forward. A strong hand caught her, saving her from falling. To avoid falling, she caught hold of Amen's cloak. Realizing what she was doing, she began to apologize, trying to get back into her seat, but it only made matters worse: her hand grabbed his bare torso, holding onto Amen's abs. —Damn...I...this is the first time I've ridden something like this! G-God, I'm so sorry! There was a second jolt, and Euthyda froze, clinging to the epistat. She no longer cared about propriety; she was simply afraid of falling out.

—Come on. Grab the sides of the chariot. Or are you going to ride like this all the way to Thebes?