“Why?”
“Because…” Anubis sighed. “He would not be able to come back.”
“Why?” I wanted to stomp my foot.
Timber cupped my chin. “Because it would mean he no longer existed in this timeline. He would be stuck in yours.”
I nodded. “But to save you… would he do it?”
“Yes.” A voice sounded behind Timber. He quickly covered me with his body. “When you didn’t return, I got worried. Good to know her dress is already on the grass, brother.” Horus gave him a sad smile. “I heard enough to know what this will cost me. Brother, know that there is nothing I will not do for you. I cannot imagine what the old Horus would have said.”
Timber sighed. “He would have warned me of what would happen. He would have helped curse me in order to try to save me.”
“Yes, probably.”
“Why the change of heart?” Timber asked the same question I was going to.
“Because…” Horus’s eyes danced between me and Timber. “I’m so damn tired of this existence. Maybe in the future I’ll find happiness because there sure as hell isn’t any here.”
“You’ll be limited,” Timber pointed out.
“I’ll be more normal after hundreds of years of being superior. I think I’ll make it.” Horus winked at me. “Let’s grab your protectors before it’s too late, and for the love of the Creator help her get her dress back on.”
We moved quickly. I frowned. Did my dress look different? Yes… but why?
“Hurry,” urged Horus.
He was right. There was no time to contemplate the meaning of the change. Timber and Horus walked ahead of me, back into the temple where it looked like Alex was the prime entertainment.
Set was drunk on something; whether it was wine or whatever story Alex was telling, it was working.
“What now?” I whispered, mainly to myself.
“I’ll take care of it,” Timber said gruffly. Leaving us, he approached his father and tapped him quickly on the chest, Sure enough a blue soul was pulled halfway out. Part of it was black with holes and a slime that looked like it was spreading, infecting the rest of it.
Is that what Timber meant when he said, the baser gods let their other instincts take over?
“Anubis!” Set’s voice boomed. “What are you doing?”
“Saving her,” Timber rasped, pulling his hand away and leaving the soul half hanging from Set’s body.
“That won’t last long,” Tarek pointed out. “The soul will default back into his body.”
“You need minutes.” Anubis nodded toward us. “Go.”
“Wait.” I grabbed his hand. “What do you mean go? You’re coming, aren’t you?”
His smile was sad. “I exist already in that time, so no, I need to stay.”
Tears stung my eyes. “I’m not leaving you!”
“Yes.” Timber pressed a kiss to my forehead. “You are.”
“But—”
“Thank you,” his voice boomed, “For showing me even for a few minutes, what it feels like to be whole.” He turned his back on me. “Now go.”
“But—”