One that told me I wouldn’t survive.
One that told me this man in front of me was out for blood and would win regardless of how much we tried to stop him.
Set’s eyes had gone completely black which meant only one thing: his soul was dying. I wondered how much this had cost him, traveling into this space in time. I wondered what he had sacrificed in order to do it.
In order to use me.
The memories that had been fuzzy were now clear as day. My love for Timber, as weird as it seemed wasn’t weird at all, but a tethered connection, like an invisible rope between us that made me feel like I belonged.
He immediately shoved me behind him.
I loved him for that.
For being willing to put his life on the line every single time. I think that was what I had noticed about him first, his supreme control, his desire to do right over wrong every single time even if he suffered for it.
And then I had fallen for the way he cracked a smile when I pushed him too far. We’d had sixty days of love together, not just sex but love, laughter, talked of a family even though we knew it would be impossible to bring a child into a world we wouldn’t be a part of anymore.
And I remembered that night, being absolutely terrified, when he gave me one last kiss.
“I’ll love you forever.” The gold from his eyes had left, they were so black and flashed red scaring me to death as he closed them and before my very eyes grew two horns on his head.
“I did this to you.” I wept against his chest. “Our love did this!”
“No!” He roared his fangs descending like he couldn’t control them. “Our love didn’t destroy anything. We chose love, and Set chose to punish us because of it. Don’t worry.” He winced like something was breaking inside his chest.
I thought it was his heart, since mine was breaking too.
I thought wrong, as his soul slithered from his body in one last attempt to touch mine.
I reached out and grabbed it in my fingertips and watched his god-like soul die in the palm of my hand, turning to the black of ash.
And when I looked up, the Anubis I knew was gone.
A red tear slid down his cheek as his father slapped him across the face. “You don’t deserve the name of the gods!” Another slap. “From here on out, you will be known as nothing but Timber that burns day in and day out without ever truly disappearing, you are nothing but wood that refuses to burn out, and every damn time you wish for death, I’ll remind you of what you are! A Demon King from Hell!”
Timber fell to his knees and raged while I stumbled backward.
“As for you,” Set rasped. “Daughter of Apollo, I no longer have any use for you. But I curse you to walk this earth in search of the one you love who will never be reborn! I curse you to a continuous life in search for the very soul that died by your hand. And I hope you have nightmares of this life over and over again, knowing that in the end you could have been a queen! Instead, you’re nothing but a human with a good bloodline. I rebuke you in the name of the Creator!”
“Not so fast.” Ra appeared. “It is true, there are consequences to every action, but as her grandfather, I choose to offer a gift.”
Set glared. “Give your gift and be gone from my temple!”
“One day,” Ra pressed a searing hand to my cheek. “You will wake up and the world will not be filled with monsters. One day, you will find what your soul searches for. One day, a race will be restored, and he will make another choice that will set about something so wonderful your heart won’t be able to contain it. I will make it so.”
Set grumbled. “Only the Creator can make such a promise.”
“I know.” Ra smiled brightly. “Chin up, dear girl. Love is the strongest gift we are given! And it is now my love, my unconditional love for you, that gives you this gift.” He closed his eyes, and in a flash, I saw the very essence of the sun leave his body in tiny particles that lifted toward the heavens. “I sacrifice my life so that you have your future.”
“No!” Set roared. “She must be punished!”
Ra ignored him, and in a flash, his body collapsed against the marble steps.
A warm wind picked up as the sound of trumpets filled the air, so piercing I covered my ears.
At least three thousand angels descended, all wearing black armor, helmets so huge it would fit three of Set’s heads inside them, and in the very middle, a boy.
The small boy smiled at me and nodded toward two angels who very gently picked up my grandfather’s body and brought it to the middle of the circle.