Horus’s embrace relaxed, as did his hard expression, and for a moment I witnessed a flash of something in his eyes. Innocence? Remorse? Something else? So fleeting, I would have missed it if I weren’t looking right at him, because he quickly threw up the wall and hid behind a mask of jealousy.
He had no response and continued to dance us around the courtyard. Bypassing guests and onlookers as he vibrated with a heat that rattled me inside. He was pissed, that much I could tell. Clearly, he didn’t like the truth being shoved in his face. I felt his fingertips dig into the tender skin of my back and I winced. This man could end me in the blink of an eye.
I had to calm him.
I inhaled a nervous breath. “Nice party. I bet you’re just loving the attention.” I attempted a light grin and hoped it was enough to rein him back.
Horus waited a beat and then let out a harrumph. “One would assume.” He craned his neck and stared longingly toward the front where the king stood talking to Silas. “But tonight, the attention is not on me. No matter how much I wish it to be.”
I shook my head. “I don’t get it. If you can control people’s minds, why don’t you just use that power to make everyone love you?”
His brows rose, impressed. “It doesn’t work that way. I need to be close to them, and as many as a city’s worth is simply too much.”
A coy grin twitched the corner of his mouth and he spun me around again as the music picked up. When he brought me back to his chest this time, his finger reached up to caress my cheek and I couldn’t help but cringe away.
He leaned in, mouth touching my ear. “Besides, I have other ways of getting what I want.”
I shoved at him, but it was useless. He was much stronger than me without even trying. “What is this, Horus?” I demanded. “Are you trying to prove to everyone, even the king, how you can control your brother? Because no one cares.”
He threw his head back and laughed, a sound that unnerved my soul. He was clearly unhinged. In one swift move, his hand cupped the back of my head, twisting his fingers in my hair and tugging to the point of pain. But I refused to let out a sound, to give him the satisfaction of knowing he was hurting me. Slowly, he pushed my head toward him as he leaned into my face, his heaving breaths spilling over my skin. His mouth neared mine and panic shot through my veins, followed by a slight relief as he veered to the side and whispered in my ear.
“It’s so much more than that.”
A harsh shove sent me stumbling back, struggling to remain on my feet. I noticed how he stood calmly and faced the front where his brother was chatting with the king. Most of the crowd watched with him, admiring their ruler on his birthday. But something sinister lurked in the way Horus stood in wait. His hands together in front of him, chin held high with a smug grin.
I stared with them, watching, waiting for something to happen. Silas handed the king the chalice of wine and Menakaure accepted it graciously. He put it to his lips and drank, a long drawn out gulp, before raising it to the crowd. They all cheered and joined him in raising their own glasses.
Eirik appeared by my side. “What’s going on?”
“I’m not sure–”
Suddenly, the king’s hand shot to his throat and he choked as his face filled with crimson. Silas, who still stood next to him, tried to help but the man hit the floor like a rock. My heart pounded in my chest, a dose of panic coursing hot through my veins. Screams from the crowd pierced the air and Horus’ devious expression turned to look at me before he disappeared into the mass of frightened people.
“Oh my…” Eirik whispered in shock. “Horus…just poisoned the king.”
My stare cut through the waves of guests and locked with Silas’ panicked eyes. “And he made it look like his brother did it.”
Chapter Ten
“Amun killed the king!” a woman shouted from the mass of crowd pushing around.
Chaos ensued in a matter of seconds. Fists flying, bodies stumbling to the floor. People rushed to the front of the party where their monarch lay dead on the stage and Silas fought off those who were trying to detain him. He shoved someone down and then searched for me.
“Run!” I screamed at him. “I’ll find you!”
But he wouldn’t go. We worked our way toward one another while the panicked guests slammed into me, tossing me to and fro. I lost Eirik and Shadow in the disorder, but I knew they could handle themselves.
I could hardly move, the air was constantly knocked from my lungs as I got thrown about.
“Andie!” I heard Silas’ cry.
“Just go!” I yelled, hoping he could hear me.
Eirik appeared and grabbed the few people near me and shoved them out of the way. They came to my side, breathy and tired, and put a protective arm around me.
“Go!” they shouted to Silas. “I’ve got her! Just run and hide!”
I caught sight of him through the people that zipped by, his angry and tortured expression. He didn’t want to leave me any more than I wanted to leave him. But he was trapped on the elevated platform with a mob of pissed off worshipers who’d turned on their beloved Amun in the blink of an eye. He had to get away.
Two winged guards narrowed in on him, but Silas hauled back and punched his way through before leaping out an open window arch. A trembled gasp escaped my throat but Eirik held me in an assuring embrace.
“It’s okay, he’ll be fine,” they told me. “It’s a long way down but Amun can do it with ease, I promise.” They shoulder shoved another body out of the way. “No, let’s go!”
It was just too much. The angry mob of guests were either panicked or enraged and cared very little for those around them. Horus’ guards struggled to keep order and safely usher everyone to the exit. But it was no use. A glass fell from somewhere and smashed at my feet, ricocheting off my bare legs and leaving tiny, painful gashes on my skin. I veered to the right, to go around the mess, but was knocked into a table and separated from Eirik once again.
I searched through anarchy for my friend, heaving breaths burning in my chest. Two hands reached out and grabbed my arms, spinning me around to face them. Horus. His fingers dug into my skin and I winced, but it only made him grip tighter.
His dark, crazed eyes drilled into me. “Never underestimate what I’m willing to do to get what I want.”
He violently pulled me closer and put his mouth on mine in a kiss so painful it drew blood as my teeth tore the skin of my lips. A hefty and unexpected push threw me to the floor before he disappeared once more.
Unable to get to my feet, I cried out for help as legs trampled over me. Driving into my gut and kicking my face. My mouth filled with blood and I spat it on the floor while I fought for air. All the noise melded together, my mind spinning and sinking into hyperventilation. I curled into a ball in one last attempt to protect myself and, finally, two able hands hauled me to my feet.
“Eirik!” I said through sobs. The relief was palpable. “Can you get us to an exit?”
“Yes, I found the way we can go backward through the palace,” they replied. “Follow me.”
Shadow was there now with my bag in tow, our clothing dragging from it. I scooped him up in my arms and we fought our way through the rising chaos until we found an empty, dark hallway. I had to stop and catch my breath.
“We’re going to need to cover you,” Eirik said. “You were seen dancing with Amun, and someone’s bound to make the connection.”
They pulled their old cloak from my bag and threw it over my shoulders. I stuffed my arms inside the too-long sleeves, grateful for the total coverage, and Eirik flipped the hood up over my head, shadowing my face.
“There we go,” they said with a comforting smile then their expression changed with concern. “Are you alright?”
I struggled to wade through the mess in my head, but I nodded. “I’m okay. W-we need to find Silas.”
Eirik looked up and down the abandoned corridor we stood in. “It’s doubtful he’ll run directly back to the colony,
for fear of being followed. But he can’t be far.”
I held Shadow in my arms and could feel his warmth seeping into my skin. He was scared and worried. We hurried through the palace and found an exit near the west side. The second we stepped onto the cool sand, sounds of more rioting could be heard from the city square not far in the distance. We snugged the massive stone wall that surrounded Horus’ home and managed to sneak out into the city where we were met with even larger crowds of chaos. People yelled, chanted, cheered. Fires billowed from piles of what looked like garbage. We kept our distance, careful not to bring any attention our way.
“Jesus, this didn’t take long,” I said.
“Menakaure was loved deeply,” Eirik replied. “Even with Horus dictating his every move.”
“It doesn’t make any sense.” I cuddled Shadow. “Why kill a king you already control?”
“I’m not certain.” They tugged at my sleeve to veer us away from an approaching guard. “My only concern right now is getting us out of here safely.”
Just then, the volume of nearby rioters increased, and I turned around to find a group of men hauling on ropes tied around a giant flaming monolith. I squinted to make out the symbols and realized it was a monument dedicated to the worship of Amun. It towered overhead and slowly began to move, leaning to one side.
And headed right for us.
Someone grabbed me from behind as Eirik pushed and I stumbled into the cover of trees where Silas secured me in his grasp. I let go of Shadow and he scampered over to Eirik while I flung my arms around my savior’s neck.
“Oh my God, I thought you were dead,” I said with a tremble in my voice. I kissed his mouth, over and over and mauled his face in my hands.
Silas kissed me back, his sweaty muscles tensing in desperation. “We have to get back to the colony before we’re followed.”
“Yes, we should get moving,” Eirik urged.
“Amun!” someone shouted form the crowd. I whipped my head to the side to find people pointing right at us in the treeline. “Amun is there!”
“Murderer! Make him pay! Kill him!” The sounds of violent cries hit us like a wave as the crowd moved like one being, making their way toward us.
Silas spun in my arms. “Go.”
I shook my head frantically. “No, not without you! Just come with us!”
He broke free of our embrace and looked to Eirik. “Take her into the forest, as far away as possible.”
They nodded dutifully. “Of course.”
“What? No!” I protested. “Silas, just come with us!”
His chest heaved. “Just trust me. Please.”
I didn’t have any fight left in me and watched with tear-filled eyes as he turned to face the oncoming mass. Eirik continued to pull me along, taking me farther into the forest as instructed. I tripped over roots and rocks, struggling to keep my footing while watching for Silas.
Eirik picked up speed. “We have to get as far as we-”
Suddenly, a blast of energy cut through the air, booming in my ears and tossing me from my feet. Eirik slammed into a tree and I landed on the ground where I skidded across the dirt. My ears thrummed as if a bomb had gone off. In the distance, the disjointed sound of bodies–so many bodies–hitting the sand made my stomach roll.
Shakily, I pushed up from the ground. “What the hell was that?”
Eirik fumbled to their feet and scooped up Shadow in one arm while hauling me up on wobbly legs. Their silver stare fixed on me.
“Just one example of the great power that Amun possesses.” They pulled my hood back up over my head. “It should have bought him time to get away. Now, come on!”
Without a word, I obeyed my friend and followed them through the darkness, plunging deeper and deeper into the cover of forest. But with every step I took, I put more distance between me and Silas. With every passing second, my mind raced to justify what had just happened. What did he do? Where did that blast of energy come from? It was as if a small bomb went off. My heart ached, unable to reconcile with the drastic turn of events that just unfolded before my very eyes. I was pretty sure Horus didn’t want me dead, but now I worried for the life of the man I loved.
Chapter Eleven
I couldn’t stand it anymore. I had to sit up. The lumpy rocks of the cave floor that had jabbed my side all night left me feeling bruised and defeated. I hadn’t slept for a single second. Not that I expected much from a dirty, wet cave in the middle of nowhere. But there were other things that kept me staring into the darkness. Like the impending doom that constantly hovered overhead. What would Horus do next? Would he ever stop? Would he leave his brother alone? How long could I survive in this time when a God of Vengeance didn’t know whether to use me or kill me?
The tease of early morning sun crept inside the small cavern we’d taken refuge in the night before. That wretched black netted dress sat in scraps a few feet away and I hugged my knees to my chest from inside Eirik’s old cloak as I stared at it in the floor. Last night was one I’ll never forget. I’d played out the entire sequence of events as I lay on the cave floor for hours, and I still couldn’t reconcile any of it. The whole thing felt like a vivid dream stuck on repeat in my short-term memory.
From behind me, Shadow stirred and Eirik moaned as they rolled over. I half turned and looked at them.
“Morning,” I muttered.
Eirik sat up and stretched their long arms in the air. “Did you sleep well?”
I closed my eyes. “I’m not even going to dignify that with an answer.”
They waited a beat. “That’s fair.”
Shadow crawled into my lap and put his hand to my neck, releasing that familiar warmth.
“He wants to go home,” I said.
“It should be clear,” Eirik replied. “Any of Horus’ men who may have been searching for us would surely be gone by now.”
“Good.” I painfully rose to my feet. “Let’s go.”
But if I were being honest, I wasn’t worried about us. All my thoughts were consumed with whether or not Silas was alive and made it back to the colony.
I guess we’d soon find out either way.
***
Eirik made a beeline for their medical supplies to treat my wounds, while I sped off to my father’s quarters. Exhaustion pulled at my every muscle, threatening to drag me down, but pure adrenaline fueled my steps. We’d made it back in one piece. I just hoped I could say the same for Silas.
I cut through the Great Hall, just in case he was there. Breakfast had just finished and most of the colonists had cleared out. All except a few that lingered, Anubis among them. When he spotted me storm into the room, he shot up from his chair as his jackal form melted away and Niya appeared at his feet, trotting alongside him.
He met me in the middle. “Andie! Where have you been? What’s going on? We just got word of rioting that happened in the city.”
I sucked in a deep breath, stomping down the rising grief that formed in my gut. He didn’t make it back. Anubis’ questions affirmed it. With one hand on my hip and the other bracing my sweaty forehead, I paced the few feet in front of him as Eirik’s too-long cloak dragged on the floor.
“Andie…” Anubis stepped closer, hesitant and worried. “Your father’s been worried sick. What’s happening? Are you alright?”
“No,” the word spattered over my bottom lip. Tears swelled in my eyes. “I don’t know what…it’s all messed up. I can’t…”
“Sit down.” He ushered me over to a chair. “Just breathe.”
“Did Silas come back here?” I asked.
He slowly shook his head, his expression waiting. “No. I thought he was with his brother?”
“Eirik and I snuck to Horus’ palace yesterday to get him out,” I told him and tried to ignore the immediate look of disapproval. “We expected to find him locked up somewhere, like…” I swallowed nervously, “Like I was. But Silas was just strolling around the place like it were any ordinary day. His brother caught us, then mad
e us attend this stupid party for the king.”
“Your father said you left, but we’d no idea you actually went to the palace.” Anubis’s wide eyes stared at me, trying to keep up. “Is that when you got separated?”
I shook my head. “No, that’s when Horus poisoned the king and framed Silas in front of half the city. I didn’t even have time to blink before the rioting broke out.”
He leaned back in his chair and nodded slowly. “Hence the destruction we heard about.”
I rocked back and wrapped my arms tight around my torso. “We barely made it out alive. Eirik and I ran for a cave. Silas stayed behind to deal with a mob. He used some kind of…” I really fought to work through that detail in my mind. “There was this blast of energy.”
Anubis nodded knowingly. “He would have gotten away, then.”
“Where would he go if not here?” I asked.
He thought for a moment as he absently reached down to pet an affectionate Niya. His stare turned blank as he drifted off, thinking. “He wouldn’t go to his mother’s. That’s the first place Horus would look. And he wouldn’t dare stay in the city.” Anubis looked at me from across the table. “He’d come here. I know he would. But he’d stay away for a while, to lose any followers.”
I rubbed my hands over my face and willed myself to calm. “Yeah, that’s what Eirik and I did. Found a cave for the night.”
“He would have done the same. And he won’t use the main entrance.”
“What do you mean?” But then it dawned on me. He’d take a less risky way. A front. I lit up with the idea. “Osiris’ temple on the other side of the colony.”
Anubis stood up and I shot to my feet. “You go to the temple. I’ll head to your father’s and fill him in on everything that’s happened.”
I nodded once and dutifully before bounding off toward the temple that Osiris built as a hidden entrance to the colony. It was the perfect cover and I suddenly felt bad for not thinking of using it when Eirik and I returned. But I was so desperate to get inside. To safety. To Silas.
Tempest Minds: A Time Travel Fantasy Romance (Kingdom of Sand & Stars Book 2) Page 7