Son of the Serpent

by Vashti Quiroz-Vega

  Miriam turned to her father, her face wet with tears of desperation and sorrow. “Please father! I implore you. Allow me to go with them.”

  Amram frowned and waved her to go. She grabbed my arm, pushing me forward and out the door, perhaps afraid her father would change his mind.

  We rushed through the streets. The babe fell asleep and remained silent. He looked comfortable, wrapped in soft cloths.

  “The witch they spoke of—it must be Lilith,” Gadreel whispered.

  “It is she. I am sure of it,” I said, moving quickly while scanning my surroundings. “I do not know what makes me so certain, but I am. I will save this child, and then I will deal with her.”

  As we reached the bank of the Nile we stopped to look out to the water. Gadreel gasped, slapping a hand over her mouth, stifling screams. Miriam was shrieking so Gadreel rushed to her side, holding her tight as the girl sobbed on her chest. I stood frozen by a sight so astonishing in its level of horror that I had to bite my lower lip hard enough to draw blood to be certain I was not having a nightmare. A myriad of dead and mangled babies floated downstream on the Nile.

  I turned away, forcing my eyes shut, unable to watch any longer, my heart thumping against a hollow chest.

  “What is your plan?” Gadreel asked, clutching my garment and pulling hard on it until I opened my eyes and turned sluggishly to look at her.

  Miriam, still hanging on to her, also peered at me.

  I pointed to an enormous softshell turtle. “I will place the basket on the back of that turtle and—”

  “No!” Miriam cried, staring at the turtle, wide-eyed, and then whisking her head toward me. She let go of Gadreel and tried to snatch the basket from me. When she could not, she turned back to her. “Please do not let him do this. He is foolish! My brother will drown!”

  Gadreel glowered at me as she held Miriam in her arms once more. “State your intentions.”

  “I will possess the turtle and carry the child along the river to Princess Tumerisy,” I said. “The princess longs for a child. She sings of it as she bathes in the river. The infant is beautiful. How could she resist taking him as her own?”

  My plan was brilliant, and I watched as acknowledgement bloomed on Gadreel’s face. However, it seemed that Miriam needed more convincing.

  “Gadreel, you will possess a crocodile. Since you have power and control over animals, you will grant us safe passage until we have reached our destination,” I said, turning to Miriam. “You may follow along the bank of the river. When we reach Princess Tumerisy’s palace, you may watch the result hidden among the reeds of the Nile.”

  When I was done speaking, Gadreel dove into the river, disappearing before breaking the surface of the water. Soon after, the biggest crocodile I had ever seen approached us and wagged its tail, spraying water on us.

  “Is that you, Gadreel?” I asked as I wiped the river water from my face.

  Miriam gasped in disbelief as she watched the reptile nod its head. “What? How is… where did… ?” She stared at me, still pointing at the crocodile.

  I placed a hand on her shoulder. “Gadreel and I are different from you and your family, but we intend to do what we can to save your brother. You must believe that.”

  Saying nothing, she just stared at me while chewing the inside of her mouth, and then finally she gave me a nervous nod.

  “Remember what I told you; follow along the bank of the river, and when we arrive at the palace keep out of sight,” I said as I exhaled, relieved to see she was finally having faith in my plan. Soon after, a turtle floated within the rushes by the river’s brink. I laid the papyrus basket containing the male infant on the turtle’s back and disappeared into the animal.

  I kept the basket balanced on my shell and swam as fast as my little turtle limbs could take me. Gadreel swam by my side in possession of the immense crocodile. Every so often, I glanced toward the riverbank and saw Miriam running along it, trying to keep up with us.

  The day was hot, and Princess Tumerisy had come out to the river, accompanied by her maidens, to bathe in the cool waters of the Nile. She removed her vestment and sauntered down the marble steps leading into the water. As before, I heard her singing about her longing for a child of her own.

  I guided the basket closer. The babe awoke and began to coo and gurgle. Gadreel hid within the tall grasses, as did Miriam.

  Noticing the basket, the princess stopped singing. She craned her neck this way and that, listening.

  “Silence!” she said, and her maids instantly quieted. “That is the sound of an infant.” She waded through the water toward the basket.

  I submerged into the river so the basket could float on its own and then came up behind it and shoved it in the direction of the princess.

  Princess Tumerisy’s maids ran to the marble steps.

  “What is it?” one of them whispered.

  “Oh, be careful, my princess.”

  The princess stared into the basket and smiled. “Leave me!”

  After brief chattering, the maids departed. Alone, the princess took the infant from the basket and carried him gently in her arms.

  “You are a gift,” she said, “a gift from Sobek, god of the Nile.” She kissed his cheek. “I will call you Moses, for I have drawn you from the waters and will save you from death. You are a delightful child. I will make you my own, and you will be a prince of Egypt.” She chuckled as she embraced the child.

  I emerged from the water in my human form. She flinched, and pressing the infant against her chest, she turned away from me.

  “Do not fear me, Princess Tumerisy. I am son and servant of Sobek. Your words are indeed accurate. This child is a gift from him, for he has heard your many songs.” I grabbed the basket and sunk it in the river. Gadreel, still in her crocodile form, came forth. The princess gasped and recoiled when she saw the reptile. I placed my hand over the crocodile’s head and caressed it. The princess bowed her head to me, convinced I had spoken the truth.

  “You must care for this child for he is special, as any gift from a god would be.” I beckoned Miriam, and she made her way through the tall papyrus reeds into view. She advanced toward us, her face etched with concern.

  “Do not fret, child. Procure for Princess Tumerisy a nurse for the infant,” I said.

  Miriam’s eyes expanded with growing realization. Grinning, she proceeded to the riverbank.

  The princess waded to the marble steps and climbed out of the water. I followed her and held Moses while she clothed herself. As soon as she was done, she took him from me.

  “I will raise him as my own, an Egyptian, and he will be loved.” She gazed at the infant as she spoke, and I sensed she would be a great mother and Moses would receive care, love, and attention.

  Before long, Miriam returned with her mother, Jochebed, and introduced her to the princess as an experienced nurse. The princess accepted her.

  I gave Jochebed and Miriam an ecstatic grin. “The child is home, and he will be loved.” I bid farewell to all and joined Gadreel in the water. I possessed a crocodile lurking within the rushes and we, in our reptilian forms, swam away from the palace knowing we had done well.

  We waited until nightfall before returning to our human forms. We had no desire to frighten the many fishermen at the banks of the river during the day. When everyone had gone home for the night, we shifted.

  “Will you leave Egypt now that you have saved the infant Moses?” Gadreel asked, biting her lip and fidgeting.

  “Lilith is here. You know this. I must seek her out.”

  “I understand now why you must walk on this path. Lilith is evil beyond anything in this world. Growing up in Floraison together, I would have never guessed she would become this… monster. Then again, we are no longer children playing in paradise. She is as powerful as she is evil now, and as long as she lives I shall fear for my life and for my family. However, as much as I desire her death, I cannot ask you to do this for me. She would slay you before you got
close enough to do her harm.”

  “I do not intend to kill her for you. I have plotted her death since I discovered she tried to kill me and discarded my body in a forest to rot or be torn apart and consumed by wild animals. I survived, but she will not. Besides, she must have a weakness—and I will find it.” I stood straighter and lifted my head.

  “I know where she lives,” Gadreel said, avoiding my eyes.

  I grabbed her by the shoulders. “Show me! Gadreel, you must reveal the witch’s lair!”

  “If I tell you where she resides you must vow to heed my counsel.” She finally met my stare. “I can be of help to you.”

  “What is it you ask of me?”

  Her bosom rose and fell in rapid breaths. “I shall help you find your mother. I now know it is what I must do. I stopped searching for my daughters years ago. The thought of Lilith finding me and hurting them, in retaliation for me abandoning her cause, did not allow me to continue my search. While Lilith lives I cannot reunite with my family. You have walked on this planet in solitude for years because of her. But these are not the core reasons she must die.” Her face soured. “Lilith is a plague on mankind. The world was destroyed once because of her wicked influence. Cities have been burned to the ground, for she had led them to perversion. Everywhere she goes, evil, sorrow, and depravity follow. She will not be satisfied until the world of man is annihilated. This is why she must be stopped. Fear for my family’s safety and your revenge should have no part in this.”

  Letting out a grunt, I kicked a stone on the ground as hard as I could.

  “I know you are angry. You have every reason to be. What she did to you is unforgivable, but you must put away your anger for now and focus on what must be done.”

  “I am focused.” My words sounded more vicious than I intended.

  Gadreel shot me a wounded look.

  “Apologies. I am not angry at you. I have been preparing for this my entire life. I do not care what reasons we tell ourselves—I just want her dead.”

  “Pharaoh Ahmose holds her to high regard, and his personal guards protect her. Although we both know what she is, you must never refer to her as a witch or demon, for this infuriates the pharaoh. I shall tell you what I know, and perhaps you can use this knowledge to get close to her and one day rid this world of her evil.”

  She began walking. I followed. We strolled through the streets in darkness as she spoke. “I had already told you that Lilith had eaten the fruit from the Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden. Eating of this tree has given her immense powers. You would not triumph by engaging her physically. Her body, tail, and wings are powerful beyond compare. Her tail can crush any man with one blow, and her strength is only the beginning.

  “She can read and control the minds of some humans and most demons. Several powerful creatures have allied with her. Asmodeus, a powerful demon that was once an angel of the order of Thrones in Floraison, is one of them. He followed Lilith in the rebellion and was also exiled to Earth. Gremory was a powerful Cherub. He too fell under Lilith’s spell and was banished to Earth. He is highly intelligent and creative, which makes him all the more dangerous. And Sila, a talented shape-shifter, born of a fallen angel and jinn. These three have been loyal comrades of Lilith for centuries. She also uses lesser demons as submissive slaves to serve her and do her dirty deeds.

  “Her power of suggestion has not weakened in exile but instead has become powerful beyond comprehension. Her ability to use nature—plants, flowers, fungi, water—to treat illnesses and diseases is outstanding. The cost of her curative services is usually revealed after health is restored, and usually it is much more than a person valued their health.”

  I frowned and aggressively raked my hands through my hair in frustration. “She must have a weakness. All creatures do. If you know what it is, tell me!”

  She stopped for a moment and leaned forward, letting her forehead touch mine. “If you are to succeed, you will have to be clever—and patient,” she said in a soft voice and then let out an exasperated sigh. “You must listen.”

  “You are right,” I said.

  Moving her head back from mine she waited a moment before continuing to saunter and speak. “While the tree enhanced the abilities she already had and gave her many powers, it also took something from her—her ability to procreate—and because of this, she has grown to hate mothers and their children. She probably manipulated the pharaoh into issuing the nefarious decree to massacre the newborn males of Israel.

  “However, creatures called Seers, hideous abominations conceived by the union of demons and humans, known to have mighty gifts of sight, have convinced her that an extraordinary man shall appear in her life and change it for the better. According to the Seers, this being shall love her, fill the emptiness in her core, and with him she shall produce many beautiful offspring. This in particular appeals to her, for there is a hole inside her she wishes to fill, and she believes it would take the love of this being and hundreds of offspring to fill it. She truly has faith in this prophecy.” She paused for a moment and caressed my cheek before beginning again. “That is where you come in.”

  “I do not understand. What is your meaning?”

  Gadreel stopped walking again and stood before me. She kissed me on the forehead. “You must become this remarkable being the Seers prophesized. In her eyes, her mind, and heart, you must be the companion she has been searching for, the one who will love her so deeply that her womb shall blossom and give forth numerous progenies.”

  I stepped back, unable to believe what I was hearing. “Are you out of your mind? How could you suggest this repulsive plan? I thought you wanted to help me!” I swung around to leave.

  “Stop, Dracúl. Please!” She held onto my arm and pulled me toward her. I glowered at her. “It is the only way you can succeed. She is too powerful.”

  I released my arm from her hold. Heat burned my cheeks and, clenching my fists, I howled at the dark skies.

  “The many eyes on her powerful wings can see in every direction at once, with the exception of the area straight behind her. If she lets her guard down, you can come from behind, bite her on the nape of her neck, and drain her. The only way to slay her is to exsanguinate her and then burn her to cinders. No one can get close enough to do this—except perhaps someone she loves and trusts.”

  Teetering I leaned against a wall only to sag to the ground, holding my head.

  Gadreel wormed down next to me and ran her fingers through my hair. She kissed my head and cheeks and rubbed my shoulders. “It is the only way. If you feel you cannot do what must be done, I shall understand, but then you must promise to abandon the idea of finding her. Leave Egypt at once and live your life in peace far away from her and her evil deeds.”

  I grimaced. “Peace? As long as she draws breath, how can there be peace? Where is this place her evil has not reached? Do you know of such a place? Her influence is a monster with many tentacles, and these tentacles of evil are felt in the four corners of the world. I will never cease; the thought of destroying her is all that gives my life meaning.”

  “Then you must do as I said.” Gadreel slouched and a sigh escaped her lips. “You must become the companion she is searching for. You are an alluring young man; you have charm that can inspire devotion. You resemble your father in many ways. Well… your father as he used to be in Floraison.”

  I wiped the blood from my eyes and face with my forearm. “It will not be an easy task. I am not even convinced she is capable of love. How will I approach her? What if she is able to read my mind? She would sense the intense revulsion I feel for her—and then what?” My gut turned to icy water.

  “I have a strong suspicion she would not be able to read your mind, but that is a risk you must be prepared to take. Besides, you have the ability to control your own thoughts,” she said, doing her best to reassure me.

  I rubbed my head while pondering this insane plan, taking a deep breath once I had made up my mind. “I will do what I must to
end this fiend’s existence, but first tell me—how do you know so much about my mother?”

  Her shoulders tensed, almost reaching her ears, and then she lowered her head and spoke. “I once possessed one of her house servants. It was a huge risk, I know, but I was desperate to find out what she was up to and if she had my family in her sights. During this time I overheard many conversations between her and her allies, Gremory and Sila. After months of spying I was caught.” Her breath audibly hitched in her throat. “I was imprisoned in a dungeon to await my fate. I remained in that dark, foul prison many days and nights, having made up my mind to die along with the poor servant girl whose body I had possessed.” Her face wilted before my eyes as she clutched her chest and sagged against the wall. “In the end, I cowered and escaped, leaving the young servant girl to her fate. I learned later that Lilith had her demons build a massive fire, atop which they placed a great cauldron filled with water. When the water was bubbling and raging with heat, the girl, still alive, was dipped feet-first and boiled to death.” Gadreel pounded the wall with her upper back, shoulders, and head several times and wept. “Although I was no longer in possession of her body and did not witness her demise, her painful wails haunt me at night. Some nights it is hard to bear, but I must live with this for the rest of my life.”

  I reached for her and we embraced as she cried in my arms. “Lilith killed her—not you. There is no end to her cruelty. This is why I must stop her,” I said.

  Gadreel nodded and we both climbed to our feet.

  “I shall take you to where she lives,” she said.

  Chapter 14

  SPIES IN THE GREAT HOUSE

  Gadreel and I returned to the riverbank. The area was dark, silent and void of people. We took one of the bigger and sturdier boats tied to the dock and sailed upstream on the Nile River toward the southern boundary of Egypt. We sailed for hours, and soon we would not have the cover of night.

  “How much farther?” I asked, tapping my fingers on the top ridge on the side of the boat.