. . . Khen said in shock.
"Sleepy?" Sankhkare repeated. He looked at Khen-neferu incredulously. "How could you possibly be —"
"Honest! My eyes are starting to get . . . hey, maybe it's not sleepy. Maybe I'm going blind! No! I thought when you went blind everything got dark. It doesn't. Everything has gone white. I can barely see you guys."
"It's fog," Nykkulis said.
"What?"
"The Thick Fog. The second obstacle?"
"We could really use Re's help here," Sankhkare agreed. "Okay, Re. I know I forgot the words to your hymn yesterday, but you know what went on the day before —"
"— which is more than he knows," Khen interrupted.
"I'll be talking to you later," Sankhkare said with a threatening glare. "Re, you know everything I've done for you in the past. I need one tiny little favour here. Burn off some of this fog for us so we—"
"Nykkulis, turn the boat that way!" Tomilcar said suddenly.
"Are you sure, Tomi?"
"Who's closer to the front of the boat, you or me? I can see a little bit ahead. Wait, it's getting clearer. Sankh, keep praying. Yes, I'm sure. Turn or we'll end up on the way to Rus."
"He's right," Khen agreed. "I can see the shore there, and the cliffs. Row harder, Nykk!"
Nykkulis turned the little vessel and soon they could see the cliffs of the fjord getting narrower. "Okay, I think we'll be alright. For now. At least until . . . we run across the Midgard Serpent," he added, wiping a hand over his mouth as he spoke.
"What? What was that?" Khen demanded.
"Nothing. Sankh, I'll never cease to be thankful for your relationship with the Sun God. No matter what you call him."