Dynah turned to make sure the others were following her. As she did, Felicity came up on her right, Music a blot of midnight amidst the clouds. Penelope and Willow joined them on the left. And they rode side by side through the clouds, their horses creating rumbles of thunder as they galloped. Dynah wondered for a moment if there were other horses up here, other hoofbeats that caused the storms she’d seen her whole life, before everything changed. Before she knew what she now knew.
Her question was soon answered as she spotted a steel-gray bank of clouds ahead, too far away to be created by their movement. It rose up taller than a mountain, with pockets of purple and black like bruises. Inside, lightning cracked and sparked, illuminating the whole sky. Dynah could taste the electricity, could feel the shake of thunder in her bones.
She rode Moon straight into the thickest part of the storm. Wind whipped her hair, rain pelted her face. A bolt of lightning passed by like a spear, shooting for the earth. Searing heat coursed through her. For a moment, everything became so bright that Dynah thought she’d gone blind. And then it was gone, the bolt of fire just an afterimage on the backs of her eyelids.
As they moved through the majesty of the storm, she felt both powerful and powerless. No human could survive this, nor any horse. She drank in the thrill of it, felt her magic swirl within her, and for just a fraction of a moment, it had nothing to do with death. Simultaneously, she knew was nothing compared to the storm. Mother Nature could tear the earth asunder, make humanity tremble as no god or goddess ever could, and she asked for no worship in return. Dynah felt her insignificance in each crash of thunder, in each bolt of lightning, in each drop of rain.
Then they were clear of the storm, bursting into an expanse of blue sky free of clouds. Dynah realized she was soaked to the bone. Her heart pounded in her chest as if she’d just ridden a wild mustang. She’d never felt so alive as she had in those moments. And she knew then something with absolute certainty: she would die before she’d let Heaven take her magic away from her.
A sparkle of light far in the distance caught her eye, and she swept her gaze north to south. She could see it then, where the earth ended, a faint jagged line. Beyond, a deep, deep blue. The blue of mountains, but these were no mountains. It was the ocean. A vast stretch of color, a far horizon. She’d barely traveled outside Colorado before. Now she saw the edge of the whole continent and beyond.
The others saw it, too, she could feel the song of it thrumming between them. Wind, sky, clouds, horizon, magic. Where the earth ended, the ocean began. What lay beyond was a complete unknown. Dynah knew practically nothing of Egypt. Or goddesses. But that other part within her, the collective consciousness of the Riders before, felt a pulse of recognition. Newness and knowledge intertwined in her thoughts and feelings.
It seemed barely a moment elapsed and then the great expanse of blue was passing beneath them. They were far, far above the water, but Dynah could still see the sparkle of sunlight on the waves. Could smell the salt in the air. Here and there, the flash of a ship caught her eye. And far below the waves, the part of her that was Death could feel the lives it had claimed. The shipwrecks, the bones, both human and animal. Creatures small and large. Sharks and whales and things in deep, deep chasms that nearly reached the center of the earth.
A flash of gold in the distance and she felt the tug of the orb even stronger. She could see the distant shores of Africa, a tawny expanse that grew larger and larger. The blue abyss fell behind them and they passed over shimmering sands. In places it looked almost white. Pyramids rose up here and there, and the girl who had once dreamed of being Rodeo Queen felt the smallness of her life before.
Dynah shifted her weight back in the saddle and steered Moon toward the earth. They spiraled down in a slow circle, like hawks riding the air currents. When Moon’s hooves touched the sand, he snorted, his nostrils flaring to take in this new land. A few palm trees were the only thing in sight.
“Is this where the fifth seal is?” Penelope asked, looking around at the empty expanse of desert they’d landed in.
“No,” Dynah said. “I figured we’d better come up with a plan before we go in guns blazing.”
Willow patted the iron at her hip. “But that’s my favorite part.”
Dynah opened her mouth to argue, but the air shimmered next to them, and a winged figure stepped forth.
Beziel.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Willow
The golden eyes of the Fallen matched the sand of the desert. His red wings flared as he landed before them.
“Riders,” he said, bowing his head in greeting. “Have you discovered the location of the fifth seal?”
Willow cast a glance at the others. “We’re working on that. It seems we’re close.”
“Egypt,” Beziel said, looking around. “That means Sekhmet.”
There seemed no sense in denying it, so Willow nodded.
“And what about you?” Dynah asked. “What have you been doing this whole time while we’re risking our lives?”
Beziel looked taken aback. “I have also been searching for the seals. I think I’m close to the seventh,” he said. “But we’re running out of time. The fifth seal will be broken at midnight. As soon as you find it, it’s imperative you summon me, so I can place the seal in the realm of the Fallen where it will be safe.”
“About that,” Willow said. “We’re not sure that’s the best choice any longer.”
Beziel’s eyes widened. “What makes you say that?”
Willow crossed her arms over her chest. “You’re asking us to place a lot of trust in the Fallen. To hand over the most powerful magical artifacts on earth. Artifacts highly sought-after by every magical being in existence.”
“By that logic, there is no one you can trust,” Beziel said. “And you cannot do this alone.”
“We’re already doing this alone,” Felicity said quietly.
“You have yet to produce any information that can help us,” Penelope said.
“I gave you a choice,” Beziel said, brow furrowed. “Where Heaven would have enslaved you.”
“It appears that way on the surface,” Dynah said. “But the bottom line is that we can’t trust you. Not unless you can somehow prove you’re not just playing us to gain control of the seals. Imagine the revenge against Heaven, who cast you out, if you possess the final three?”
“Sassafras told us the Fallen have no allegiances,” Penelope added. “So, why start now?”
Beziel narrowed his eyes. “It seems that my own trust in Sassafras was misplaced. But she was the only one I knew for sure had knowledge of the location of the seals. I’ve been searching, but they move them so often, and guard that information with utmost secrecy.”
“You didn’t answer the question,” Felicity said pointedly.
“I have known the angel Alinar for… well, for all of time.” Beziel took a deep breath and let it out. “Since before I was Fallen. Since before there was such a thing as Fallen.” He stopped there, his gaze distant, seeming lost in memories for a moment. “The Fallen have a reputation for disloyalty because we fell from Heaven. But it was the Apocalypse itself that drove us apart. I chose as you did—to save humanity rather than cleanse it. And for that I was cast out, along with many others. Ironic, that it is this that has lost me your trust.”
“Ironic, or a convenient tale,” Willow said.
“I’m not sure what I can say to change your mind,” Beziel said. “But if you do not trust me, you’re risking all of humanity.”
“I don’t think you’re in any position to judge our actions,” Dynah said. “You’ve already asked us to risk many, many lives. At some point we have to wonder when it’s too many to be worth it.”
“If you do not remove the seals from this world, from those who would use them for evil, it won’t just be one Apocalypse, but many. They will reap all the souls of this earth, then rebuild and do it all again in a few centuries.” Beziel let out a guttural groan. “You are
making a terrible mistake.”
“Prove us wrong. Come back with something that proves your true intentions,” Felicity said.
Beziel’s golden eyes flashed over them all once more. Willow couldn’t tell if he was angry or just afraid. They were often so similar, at their core.
“I would take you to my realm, show you, but there is no time now.”
“Then I suggest you prove yourself by finding one of the seals,” Penelope said. “Perhaps we will reconsider if you turn it over to us, since you are asking us to do the same on blind faith.”
The Fallen’s red wings flared out around him. “I’ll do my best. And pray humanity survives in the meanwhile.”
And he vanished, leaving nothing in his wake.
“So, what are we going to do with the seals when we find them?” Willow asked.
Penelope said, “We still have the option of Spider Woman’s realm. My grandmother sent us there to begin with. She seems the most trustworthy of all the options thus far.”
“Most trustworthy among the current slim options, perhaps, but that doesn’t mean it’s the right choice for something so crucial,” Felicity said.
“Felicity is right,” Dynah said, earning a smile from Felicity and a scowl from Penelope. “I’m not sure she’s the right choice, either.”
Willow said. “But where, then?”
Silence fell, so great it could swallow the desert itself.
“What about the old mine north of Hawk’s Hollow?” Penelope said.
“You would just hide the most powerful objects in creation in a mine?” Dynah asked.
“With the addition of some magic,” Penelope said stiffly. “We can go back to my grandmother. She’ll know a way.”
Willow knew her expression was anything but hopeful. The other two didn’t look optimistic, either.
Penelope shrugged. “Does anyone else have a better idea?”
“Well,” said Felicity shyly, “In theory, if we do this properly, no one will know we took the seals. Because if we’re discovered, this all ends today. Heaven will know our plan and will make sure we never reach the last two seals. So, if they don’t know it was us, they won’t think to look near Hawk’s Hollow.”
“That’s true,” Dynah said. “Heaven might suspect one of the other religions of stealing it. After all, they’d have more to gain. We’re risking our lives for this.”
“I hate to ruin the mood, but don’t forget our angelic tail,” Willow said. She saw a flash of those blue eyes in her head and her blood went cold.
“You mean your angelic tail,” Dynah said.
Willow glared at her.
“Just saying! You’re the only one he seems interested in talking to.”
“Either way, it’s a problem,” Willow said flatly.
“Let’s focus on what we can control,” Penelope said. “Felicity is right. Above all, we have to stay undiscovered, or all of this was for nothing.”
“We’re going in a bit blind, here,” Dynah said. “I for one don’t know anything about Sek—Sak—anything Egyptian at all. We’re from Colorado for crying out loud. They don’t exactly teach this stuff at school.”
“Actually…” Felicity said.
Willow and the others turned their gaze to her, and she flinched.
“My mother insisted that I learned classical mythology. Greek, Norse, and others. I have some familiarity with Egyptian lore.”
“And? What are we up against?” Willow asked.
“Well…” Felicity trailed off, fidgeting with the hem of her cloak. “Sekhmet is known by several names… the Destroyer, Lady of Terror, the Red Lady. She was once called upon by the sun god Ra to punish humanity. She slaughtered thousands upon thousands until Ra actually took pity on them and called a halt to it. But her blood lust was so great that she wouldn’t stop. So he tricked her by creating a flood of beer mixed with pomegranate juice, which she mistook as blood, and she gorged herself until she passed out. When she woke back up, her thirst for vengeance had dissipated and humanity was saved.”
Silence fell between the Riders.
“Well, she sounds lovely,” Willow said wryly.
“She’s not all bad,” Felicity said quickly. “It’s actually somewhat fascinating, she has a lot in common with us. She’s known as a bringer of war, and she can cause a pestilence. Obviously, there’s the death part. But when she’s not angry, she’s known as the patron of healers. She can cure all sorts of things.”
Part of Willow thrilled at the idea that they shared so much in common with a goddess as powerful and terrifying as Sekhmet. But another part felt a wave of nostalgia for the time when she was just a girl with her mustang, practicing for the cross-country race. She’d been so sure that her life was about to change. So confident. And she’d been right. It had indeed changed, just not at all in the way she had hoped.
“So, this goddess is just sitting here in Egypt amidst the humans and modern society?” Penelope asked with eyebrows raised. “That can’t be right.”
Dynah lifted the dark orb. “Not exactly. I can feel it tugging me toward her still, but it’s not quite…it’s like the direction of the tug changed. It’s almost as if it’s coming from underground.”
“Well, many of the pyramids and temples were buried by sandstorms over time,” Felicity said. “That might be exactly right.”
“Let’s go, then,” Willow said. “Let’s find Sekhmet, or rather, wherever it is she’s keeping the seal, get in and out quickly without being noticed, and save the world.”
“Oh, is that all?” Penelope asked. She elbowed Willow and the hint of a smile tugged at the corners of her mouth.
“Sounds like a good plan to me,” Willow said.
Dynah nodded and lifted the orb. “Okay, then. Follow me.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
Penelope
They rode across the golden sands. Domino seemed to reflect the sparkle of it, a streak of white-heat, hotter than the desert, hotter than the sun. Penelope felt a pang of homesickness. It reminded her of the lands surrounding Hawk’s Hollow, and yet it was so very different.
Never in her life had she imagined she’d travel this far. Wyoming had seemed a distant and exotic land just two weeks ago. And now she’d crossed an ocean, traveled over lands only dreamed of. Now she sought a goddess whose power made their own seem paltry in comparison.
Felicity’s words rang in her head and she saw fields running red with blood, saw a woman with black hair and dark skin like her own covered in that same blood. Eyes alight with fury and vengeance and thirst. She shivered, and beneath her, Domino faltered for just a moment before regaining his stride.
Penelope wished she could deny understanding the goddess, wished she could feel nothing but horror and disgust. But she didn’t. Because rage lived within her, too. Molten anger and the desire for revenge. For reckoning. It was the reason they’d become Riders, the reason Heaven had chosen them. Her darkness had called to them. And deep within her, the Riders that had come before stirred in the acknowledgement of it.
Across the sands, rising in the distance, Penelope saw an enormous something, something out of place with the flat desert. At first, she thought it was a mountain, but the edges were too perfectly flat. A pyramid, she realized. The temple of Sekhmet.
Clusters of palm trees began to pop up here and there, and then small dwellings, and then they saw a small city ahead. They rode without their powers now, as it wouldn’t exactly do to have their tell-tale wake of destruction so close to the scene of the crime. But even so, they were too distinct to risk being seen by the locals.
Dynah, who still rode out ahead, cut north to go around the city. As they passed, Penelope caught far-off glimpses of people going about their daily lives. It was a bustling place at least ten times the size of Hawk’s Hollow. Did they live in daily fear of the goddess, or had the march of time erased the dark days of magic from their memories?
Angels and demons and gods and goddesses really existed, but m
ost of the world didn’t know that. People still went to church and other places of worship, but they didn’t fear like they once did. They didn’t believe. It had all become metaphorical, distant. Penelope had gone to church every Sunday with her family like all the good Christians, but she hadn’t ever really believed that God would strike her down. Or that a plague could cover the earth.
Now she was that plague. And she understood, even if she didn’t agree with it, why the angels and the other deities wanted this Apocalypse. They had to do something to regain control. The people had forgotten. And what better way to make them remember? Remember, and never, ever forget again?
Dynah brought Moon to a stop, pulling Penelope from the swirl of her thoughts. She raised a hand and squinted at the pyramid, which now loomed over them, casting an enormous shadow in the late afternoon sun. A sun that, while waning, burned down on them vindictively. Waning, as was the time they had to find the fifth seal.
“What is it?” Penelope asked her sister.
Dynah didn’t answer for a moment, lifting the orb and turning it this way and that, staring into it. “I don’t know. It’s like, we’re here, but we’re not.”
“Is the tug still underground?” Felicity asked. “Maybe we need to find an entrance beneath the pyramid?”
A frown pulled at Dynah’s lips. “I can’t… it doesn’t feel like that exactly.”
Felicity pulled Music alongside Moon and placed her hand on the orb over Dynah’s. Penelope saw, to her surprise, a spark move between them that had nothing to do with magic.
“I feel…” Felicity said, and then stopped, her brow furrowed. “You two, come and touch the orb.” She pointed with her free hand at Penelope and Willow.
They did as she said, shuffling the horses around until they were all fanned out around Dynah. Dynah held the orb cupped in her palm, and the other three each placed two fingers on it. Felicity first, then Willow, then Penelope last. As she touched flesh to orb, a pulse of power shot out.
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