Gene of Isis

by Traci Harding

  Thanks for calling me back to reality, Albray, I bethought my knight, as we both warily eyed the spaces beyond the central golden dome.

  Did you go somewhere? he replied uneasily.

  Now that I thought about it, the voice had not been Albray’s, and yet not entirely unfamiliar. Well, if you did not order my return from my ecstatic state, then who—? My thoughts turned briefly to my son. Could it have been him? I need you now, the voice had said, and it was hardly like Albray to need me consciously present. More the other way around, really.

  I gasped when I saw the shoes, attached to legs, attached to the rest of their bodies, floating down to stand in front of all four pathways that led from the dome—there was one man per direction. I recognised Molier, and Mr Jenkins from the Arsenal Library. Mr Jenkins’ light-body had quite a few more dark patches than when last I’d seen him…his undead status was obviously a recent development.

  It seems Molier has been initiating others. I drew my sword as Albray backed up toward me, preparing to enter my form.

  But we have the vial? Albray didn’t understand.

  ‘The vial is self-filling.’ Molier answered our unspoken query, exposing the fact that he could perceive Albray’s presence. ‘I have enough barrels of the Fire-Stone stashed away to keep a small army going for a century!’ His eyes turned red, and he drew his sword. I noted that he carried a pistol on his belt also. Clearly his choice of weapon was for Albray’s benefit—a sentimental gesture of challenge. ‘And now that you are going to release both keys into my possession, my days of darkness and dependence on the Fire-Stone substance shall be over.’

  ‘There is nothing here that can save you from damnation.’ All I had to do was look at him to see how heavily the events of his abnormally long life weighed on his spirit.

  Molier laughed in the face of my confidence, and started to walk toward me. ‘I love the way you can say that, having only just set foot in this temple for the first time. Whereas I spent six hundred years trapped in this place!’ His raised voice conveyed his unhappiness at this fact. ‘And, unlike anyone else who has stepped foot in this temple since it was abandoned by Moses, I have deciphered every hieroglyph and studied every artwork by the red glow of the Fire-Stone. I can assure you that as far as man’s use of this site is concerned, there are a few hidden clauses.’

  Albray stepped into my form and I felt his powerful presence take control of my physical body. He raised our weapon to block Molier’s attack.

  FROM THE HONEYMOON JOURNAL OF LADY SUSAN DEVERE

  I had never been so glad to arrive anywhere as I was to arrive at the plateau atop Mt Serâbit. I knew I had the gruelling journey back through the stifling desert heat to endure, but at least I could be assured that the journey was half over. Even my lightest long-sleeved frock was not appropriate for these conditions, but since other Frankish women in the East managed to maintain their dignity and countenance, so could I. I did not feel comfortable dressing as the Arab women did, and could not dress as a man; I just didn’t have Ashlee’s daring or social abandon.

  Our party arrived to find ten or so heavily laden camels, and the round gateway leading to the Star-Fire Temple open.

  As Mr Devere jumped from his mount, Cingar ran to meet him. ‘Praise the Great Mother you have arrived. I thought you’d never catch up!’ The gypsy confessed to keeping the pace of his journey as slow as possible in the hope that Devere might be able to make up the distance between them. ‘I delayed the opening of the gate long enough—’ Cingar glanced to the gateway and was surprised to find it open. ‘Perhaps not,’ he was forced to concede, as he scratched his head. ‘Well, I guess that might explain where the missing camels disappeared to, at least.’

  ‘What missing camels?’ Lord Malory came to stand beside Devere.

  Cingar told us of the four strays they’d encountered upon arrival and of how he had feared they might belong to bandits. This also explained why he was not aware that Ashlee had already managed to open and enter the temple.

  Something our party had failed to fathom was how Molier, intolerant to sunlight, could possibly travel into the middle of the desert. The only solution to his problem, we imagined, was that he would have to travel by night. We could not guess where he might seek shelter by day, but we had assumed that he was no threat during the daylight hours.

  ‘Of course.’ Lord Malory had to restrain himself from cursing in my presence. ‘It has been suggested that vampires, if they drink the blood of an animal, can then assume its form! Perhaps the camel’s form has protected Molier during his journey through the desert.’

  ‘But there are four missing camels, you said?’ Mr Devere directed the query at Cingar, and when the gypsy nodded his head, the concern of all increased.

  ‘The creature has increased its number.’ Malory was clearly horrified by the prospect. ‘We must destroy them all.’

  Lord Devere, Mr Devere, Lord Malory and Cingar drew their weapons. They were all armed with swords in addition to their pistols, as no bullet could kill our adversaries.

  ‘If what you say about these creatures is true, then they all possess the strength of ten men!’ I objected.

  ‘She’s right,’ Lord Malory conceded. ‘We need the Fire vial, for at least three of us could drink from it and even up the odds a little.’

  ‘I couldn’t possibly.’ Lord Devere was repulsed by the notion.

  ‘It’s amazing what you’ll do when your life is at stake,’ Malory challenged.

  ‘We have backup.’ Mr Devere gestured to Malory’s men. ‘They can surround the entrance and ensure nothing escapes.’

  ‘Torches.’ Cingar ordered the Bedouins to oblige his request with the greatest haste.

  ‘Not for us,’ Mr Devere decreed. ‘We need the cover of darkness if we hope to surprise them. I know the layout of the temple. It was detailed in Hereford’s journal.’ At another thought, Mr Devere added: ‘Have torches lit for Lord Malory’s men.’

  ‘So I am just expected to wait here, I suppose?’ I folded my arms, annoyed that I could not wield a sword. ‘I’ll have you know I’m not a bad shot with a hunting rifle.’

  ‘That’s good to hear.’ Devere handed me his pistol. ‘I need you to operate the lever.’

  ‘No.’ My lord flatly rejected the idea. ‘Get one of Malory’s men to do it.’

  Mr Devere’s expression was dark—he was obviously not keen on the suggestion nor was he eager to state why, openly.

  ‘My dear pupil does not entirely trust his brothers any more,’ Malory explained.

  ‘But I do trust your wife,’ my brother-in-law told his brother.

  Lord Devere did not have to ponder for long to realise he had to agree with his brother. ‘The lever is right by the door,’ he supposed. ‘So, as soon as you execute your part, you are to return out here in the greatest of haste.’

  ‘Of course,’ I assured him. Anything to get a look inside this great temple of mystique.

  FROM THE TRAVEL JOURNALS OF MRS ASHLEE DEVERE

  Molier was better with a sword than anyone Albray and I had challenged to date, but then he’d had centuries to perfect his skill. He was cautious of the torch in my hand, until he managed to nick the hand that held it and the torch dropped to the floor. He was also exceedingly strong and when we locked swords, Molier thrust me clear off my feet, then willed my sword into his possession. The extent of Molier’s psychic aptitude took both Albray and myself off guard.

  ‘Give me the keys,’ our antagonist requested, the tone of his voice smug with victory. ‘I’ve killed you once, Devere. Would you have me sacrifice this woman due to your stubbornness?’

  I felt Albray’s resolve weaken and yet I was truly fuming, insulted not to be considered a threat. How dare this man be so arrogant in a temple of the goddess! Obviously, this pathetic creature was not aware that I’d had a bit of experience with psychophysics myself. I dispelled Albray from my form as I rose to stand and confront Molier’s extended sword.

  Molier sm
iled, believing that I was submitting.

  I smiled too, noting the other three members of Molier’s party closing in on me, swords drawn.

  I cast my mind back to my darkest hour—a memory I had always done my best to repress. I realised in this moment that my reluctance to return to the asylum tower of the Black Rose was not fear of reliving my abandonment to the devices of such an evil man. What I feared was my own destructive potential, which I had not dared to unleash since that day. I knew that the child victims of Dr Rosen had achieved their revenge thanks to my underdeveloped and untrained psychic talent; the ability to control physical matter I had only temporarily lent to those dispossessed souls so that the murders might be stopped.

  Trembling, I gathered my will unto me, drawing on the mastery of my mighty foremothers. My arms were crossed at my chest, and I abruptly thrust them, palm out, away from my body, whereupon all four of my attackers were sent rocketing backwards.

  Molier, who was directly before me, was impaled on a sword, and as he dropped to his knees, I saw my dear Mr Devere at the handle of the debilitating stroke. As I turned full circle I saw that the same fate had befallen Molier’s three accomplices, for all had been struck dead-centre in the chest and their spinal cords severed. It was only Molier who was still moving, for his injury was just right of centre.

  ‘The lever,’ Mr Devere cued Susan, who was standing by the control at the door.

  Molier released a strange unearthly sound and, raising himself to standing, he walked forward to relieve himself of the sword through his chest. Then he turned to Susan, who seemed mesmerised. ‘Back away from that lever, Lady Devere…there’s a good woman.’

  When Susan did as instructed, Mr Devere protested. ‘Don’t listen to him, do it!’

  Although Susan appeared regretful, she shook her head and backed up to the entrance.

  ‘She cannot disobey me,’ Molier informed us. ‘Lady Devere and I have an understanding.’

  Susan raised her pistol and aimed it at my husband.

  ‘Hypnosis,’ guessed the man who had threatened Lord Hamilton, who I later learned went by the name of Lord Malory.

  Molier gave a chuckle of confirmation. He must have hypnotised Susan during her kidnapping.

  ‘Release my wife, demon!’ Lord Devere withdrew his sword from the dead man at his feet, of a mind to finish the creature himself.

  ‘Ah. We wouldn’t want your wife held responsible for killing your brother now, would we?’

  Lord Devere halted, frustrated by the threat, when a hand clamped around his foot and pulled him to the ground. He turned to find his adversary clawing his way toward his throat; the creature may no longer have had use of its legs, but it still harnessed great strength in its upper body. Cingar and Lord Malory found they had the same problem on their hands.

  ‘Now,’ Molier turned back to face me, ‘give me the keys or your best friend will kill your husband.’

  My eyes narrowed in challenge, as I saw how my response would unfold. With a thought, I flipped the lever, unleashing a river of liquid into each of the canals; I recognised the smell of the substance at once. The sound of the lever being activated distracted Susan and provided my dear Devere the opportunity to overpower her. With a satisfied grin in Molier’s direction, I casually kicked the idle torch into the closest canal and the liquid immediately ignited into flame. ‘This woman will be the end of you, Molier.’ I focused on his form and levitated him into the air.

  The creature was panicked as he witnessed his fellow vampires being cast to the flames by my allies, where they perished beyond salvation, changing into several animals before they burned to cinders.

  ‘The goddess can go to hell, the like of which she condemned me to!’ Molier spat, shattering into a white mist, which, although I cast it to the flame, would not burn.

  My body was crumpling under the duress of the concentration it took to contain the evil being and I fell to my knees for more stability. Albray could feel the vitality being sucked from my life force and he rushed to kneel at my side. Let him go, before he kills you. There will be other days.

  But your freedom and Lillet’s? I strained, feeling my internal organs were going to burst.

  Think about your son.

  The pressure on his poor little being must have been enormous! With a deep exhalation of defeat, I let Molier go and the mist whipped out the exit and was gone.

  Exhausted, I gasped for air to fill my pressured lungs. ‘I’m so sorry,’ I uttered aside to my knight. ‘I failed you.’

  On the contrary, you can now accomplish exactly what we came here to do, Albray assured me.

  ‘Ashlee!’ My husband fell on his knees before me and embraced me for dear life. ‘I’ll never make you compromise your purpose again,’ he swore.

  ‘You won’t ever have to.’ I hugged him back. ‘My adventuring days are over.’

  ‘The storm is upon us!’ one of Malory’s men yelled down from the entrance.

  I dragged myself from Devere’s kiss and stood. ‘Get out! Quickly!’ I urged everyone, as I ran between the flaming canals toward the pillars of red.

  All my companions raced for the entrance, but when I returned from replacing the Fire vial in its annexe, Devere was still present.

  ‘Leave.’ I gave him a shove in the right direction as I raced past him on my way to the white-pillared annexe.

  ‘I am never leaving you again,’ he called after me defiantly. ‘That is a fate worse than death.’

  His words tore at my heart, for I knew the pain he spoke of all too well.

  Hurry, woman! Albray urged me on.

  With no time to be sentimental about it, I placed the Star vial in its shrine, did an about-face and sprinted back to Devere, who awaited me beneath the golden dome.

  His hand in mine, we raced toward the entrance passage, the deafening sound of buckling metal spurring us faster up the polished red incline. My body wanted to collapse so badly, and yet fear for my life ensured that I kept up my pace. Only a few paces short of escape the entrance shrouded in darkness and, with a mighty metal clap, Devere and I encountered a solid barrier. We were trapped!

  ‘No,’ I cried, bashing both my fists against the super-strong obstruction. The Star vial was now trapped inside with us, where its contents could not open the door. ‘Dear goddess, don’t let this be how it ends!’ I looked in Devere’s direction. I could not see him in the dim light, but I could hear him panting, as weary as I was. ‘You should have fled.’

  ‘My place is with you.’ His hand searched through the darkness until it found mine and squeezed it tight. ‘Come on.’ He urged me to follow him back down into the chamber. ‘If we don’t drain those canals below, we will suffocate all the faster.’

  ‘I’ve sealed the fate of our entire family…you, me, our son!’ I mumbled.

  ‘You know it’s a boy?’ my husband asked, still managing to maintain some cheer and pride.

  ‘Albray told me. Where is Albray?’ I wondered if he might have some bright idea for our release. I called for him, and for the first time ever, he did not respond to my summons. ‘Maybe he feels guilty?’ I couldn’t explain it. ‘Don’t abandon me now, old friend,’ I appealed, to no avail.

  Devere flipped the lever and immediately the flames began to die down, as the fluid drained from the canals. ‘There are a few ways we might avoid ending our days in this place,’ he said confidently. ‘Firstly, you could try moving through the gateway, just as you did with the door in Molier’s office. If you take the Star vial with you, then you can dispense with the door and let me out.’

  ‘But without the sun to warm the particles we might have to wait days! Ah, but if you consume the Fire-Stone, you would survive!’ I breathed a sigh of relief. ‘Or better still, you may be able to pass through the gateway with me.’

  ‘We’ll cross that bridge when, and if, we come to it,’ Devere suggested. ‘If you are unable to penetrate the gateway, I doubt very much that I shall be able to. The Fire-Stone should b
e revered, and I shall only take it if my life depends on it.’

  I was a little surprised that someone of the brotherhood would not be jumping at the chance to take the immortality-boosting substance, and this must have reflected in my expression.

  ‘I am not a pharaoh or a king,’ my husband explained. ‘I would not assume to abuse the treasure of the goddess as Molier has done…it certainly hasn’t done him any favours.’

  ‘But you are of the blood.’ I pointed out the obvious difference in their circumstances.

  ‘All the more reason for me to show respect and restraint,’ he argued winningly, before turning back to plan A. ‘However, if we remove the Star vial to attempt this, we are going to have to flood these pits again and set them ablaze, which is going to drain the oxygen supply. We’ll have to move quickly.’

  ‘By why must we set them alight?’ I queried, curious.

  ‘You obviously never read about this chamber in Lord Hereford’s journal,’ he teased. ‘I have. And trust me, we need to light the canals.’

  With the Star vial in my hand and the chamber again ablaze, I stood before the gate and focused my will upon it. I called upon my foremothers to assist my intent, but after what seemed like an eternity, the cold barrier remained firm beneath my fingers. ‘Perhaps my battle with Molier has drained my psychic reserves?’

  I had suspected that our escape would not be so easy. The material from which this temple was constructed seemed to be no ordinary metal compound. It was atomically linked to the Highward Fire-Stone, and clearly it would not be as easily penetrated as other substances known to mankind. Molier, in hundreds of years, had not managed to penetrate the barrier. I had hoped that being of the blood would make all the difference, but obviously not. I had already taken an excessive amount of the Highward Fire-Stone today, more than sufficient to achieve this task, so there seemed little point in taking any more. I also feared being so drawn to the celestial joys the substance induced that I might abandon my body altogether—Devere and our child needed me here right now.