by Amy Sumida
“I see her, Brev,” I said in a grim voice. “I see her, and now I'm going to get her back.”
The vision faded, and I was left standing in the nursery once more, Brevyn propped on my hip as I stared at Arach instead of the lioness. I blinked, his beautiful, worried face coming into focus.
“Vervain,” Arach said in relief, his dragon eyes dimming down from their anxious glow. “There you are.”
Rian launched himself from Arach to me, and I caught him automatically. It was a good thing that I had enhanced strength and agility because carrying two toddlers, one of whom was closer to the size of a human five-year-old, was no easy task.
“He showed me Lesya,” I said as I passed Brevyn over to Arach. “You did so good, baby.” I kissed Brevyn's cheek. “Thank you.”
“Mommy, did you find my sister?” Rian's speech was a little more advanced than Brevyn's, just as his physical growth was.
“I did,” I said as I hugged Rian. “Now, I have to go back and rescue her.”
“Okay, Mommy.” Rian nodded. “Then you can bring her here?”
“Then I'll bring her here, and both of you can meet your sister,” I agreed.
“Lay-lay,” Brevyn said happily and clapped.
“Lesya,” Rian corrected gently.
“Lay-lay,” Brevyn frowned at his brother.
Rian gave me a burdened look that reminded me of the one I often saw on his father. I kissed Rian, hugged both of the boys, then handed Rian to Arach. Finally, I bent down to pet Dexter. His huge eyes softened as he sensed that everything was once again right in his world.
“Good luck, A Thaisce.” Arach kissed me sweetly; then he stepped back with our sons.
Dexter yipped happily, and the boys waved goodbye as I used my ring to take me back to the God Realm.
Chapter Twenty-Three
I reappeared standing before the bed, still wearing the heavy velvet robe that Arach had given me. The men had been startled by my disappearance, especially Lugh. Their shock still showed on their faces when I reappeared, and they flinched, every eye turning toward me. But I had eyes for only one of them.
“Re,” I said in the tone of voice that my men knew meant business.
Re went still, staring at me in confusion and horror.
“What did you learn?” Odin asked.
“It was Sekhmet and Ptah who stole Lesya,” I whispered harshly, still staring at Re.
Re stood, gaping at me in disbelief, then started to tremble and wobble on his feet. Odin and Kirill steadied Re as he began to shake his head in denial.
“I saw her myself,” I said evenly. “She has Lesya. Take us to her, Re.”
“Vervain.” Re swallowed and then tried again. “Sekhmet wouldn't do that. She's a mother herself; she would never steal another woman's child.”
“We both know how much she hates me,” I gentled my tone.
“But she loves me,” Re declared, “and she wouldn't hurt you again, not after what happened the last time.”
Vali snorted. “Do you even hear yourself? The last time? That says it all.”
“If Sekhmet took Lesya, it's because of her own child's death.” Re begged me with his eyes. “You know how heartbroken she was when she lost her baby.”
“And she blamed Vervain for the loss of her child,” Trevor reminded us. “Enough of this, Re. You know that it's her. It's so obvious that I can't believe we didn't see it sooner. Take us to her–now!”
The men had all come to their feet and were facing off with Re. Even Lugh was staring at the Egyptian god intensely.
“Just promise me that you'll let me handle her.” Re held his hand out to me. “I want your daughter safe, La-la, but Sekhmet is my daughter. You cannot ask me to bring death to her door.”
“As long as no one has to defend themselves against her, you have my word that we won't hurt her,” I offered.
“You cannot make vow for me, Vervain,” Kirill growled.
“Kirill”–I narrowed my eyes on him–“some things are more important than vengeance; like our daughter's life. Welcome to fatherhood, now lion-up.”
Kirill growled, but finally nodded.
“I will not let this go unpunished, I promise you,” Re swore to Kirill. “This act is not just evil; it's a betrayal. I cannot be merciful with her.”
“I vill make sure zat you're not,” Kirill said grimly.
“I understand.” Re nodded. “And I'll take you to her. But perhaps you should put on some clothes first, La-la.”
I looked down at my gaping robe, then rushed into my dressing room.
“I'll meet you at the tracing room,” I called out over my shoulder.
I heard the men head out of the bedroom as I yanked open a drawer. A dress wouldn't do; I needed something with a little more freedom of movement, just in case I did have to fight Sekhmet... or Ptah. I shivered; the last time I'd faced Ptah in battle, he'd nearly killed my unborn sons and me.
“Vervain,” Kirill's voice was rough with worry and fury.
I turned to him as I pulled on my pants. He had braided his hair back, a sure sign that he meant to fight, but it was the look on his face that froze me in my tracks.
“We promised Re that we wouldn't kill her,” I whispered.
“Zis is Lesya,” Kirill snarled. “I cannot guarantee my actions.”
“I know.” I pulled on a blouse and went to him. “I know, and I understand.”
I kissed Kirill, and he yanked me against his chest. One muscled arm crossed my back like a vise, his fingers clenching into my muscles, while his other hand went to my head, weaving his fingers through my hair. The sounds Kirill made were ferocious, and they were also precisely what my lioness needed to hear. She responded to him along with me, pushing me up on my toes to press tighter against him. It was an affirmation of who we were and what we could do together; the Tima and her Ganza. Nothing would keep us from our daughter.
“I vill try,” Kirill whispered after he eased out of our kiss. “But I may not be able to control my lion.”
“So be it,” I said grimly as I stared into his eyes. “If you lose control, I won't hold it against you.”
Kirill smiled viciously and took my hand. We hurried out of the room and down to the tracing chamber, where the others were waiting for us.
Re had formed a circle inside the chamber with the others. He held his hand out to me as we entered. “Join hands, everyone, and I'll take us to Aaru.”
We completed the circle, and Re backed us into the tracing wall. The world faded as Re pulled us through the Aether after him. We emerged in another territory of the God Realm: Aaru, the Egyptian Underworld where Re ruled.
Aaru, which was attached to Duat (Anubis's domain), is where all of the good Egyptian souls go after their bodies die. It was divided into sections; Re's home was in one of the first areas. But Re had taken us further into his domain, away from the river and its soul-boats, to Sekhmet and Ptah's house.
Ptah, Sekhmet's husband and nearly my murderer. He was responsible for splitting Rian into two; forcing my son into a division of souls, magics, and bodies. I loved my boys, and I didn't regret the split, but I hated that they had gone through so much pain before they were even born. My sons became warriors without lifting a sword, without even knowing what the word “warrior” meant. Not just warriors, but heroes. They saved my life that day. March 7, a date I would never forget since it was also their birthday.
Ptah had done that, all because I hadn't treated Re with the respect that Ptah thought he deserved. Then we'd had a run-in at Hygieia's clinic. Within the heated words we exchanged was Ptah's clear confession of my attempted murder. When Hygieia learned that Ptah had tried to kill a pregnant woman, she blew a damn gasket. Babies are kind of her thing. Hygieia barred Ptah and Sekhmet from her women's health clinic, denying Sekhmet any further care for her and her unborn child.
Then Sekhmet lost the baby.
I was absolutely certain of three things in that moment: Sekhmet and Ptah ha
ted me beyond words, they blamed me for the death of their baby, and Ptah was the man who had been present at Lesya's abduction.
Ptah and Sekhmet's palace rose up before us, perched on a grassy hill that seemed like an oasis in the sandy landscape. It was the standard Egyptian palace; columns topped with lotuses, soaring points of white stone, and wrap-around balconies. Two-stories of desert grandeur... and it was entirely empty. We searched every room in the luxurious home but found no sign of Sekhmet, Ptah, or Lesya.
“Re,” I drew his name out into an angry warning.
“I'll find her,” Re promised me. “Sekhmet can't hide from me. I am her father and the source of her magic.”
Re closed his eyes and reached out to his daughter while the rest of us stood around him in various states of anger and distress. Finally, he opened his golden eyes and set them on me. They were wide with horror.
“Re!” I shouted. “Where is my daughter?”
“I don't know,” Re whispered. “Sekhmet must have used the same spell to hide herself from me that she used to hide Lesya from you. I'm so sorry, Vervain.”
I screeched and shifted without meaning to. My dragon burst free of my body and sprang into the air with a shrieking cry. I streaked across Aaru, wings beating out thunderous cracks of warning to all within earshot. I roared as I searched the landscape, letting my fury loose in streams of fire as I flew. Animals fled from my menacing shadow, and those unfortunate gods who happened to be outside, ran for cover with flames at their heels spurring them on. No one, not god or beast, wanted to get in the way of an angry dragon.
I flew over the whole of Aaru, searching every inch of its splendor and horrors. I roared over the river with its soul-filled boats riding the currents. I swept by the fire-breathing, venom-spitting snakes that guarded the numerous gates to each territory, and even those monsters cringed away from me. I glided over the massive stone statues of Egyptian gods on the shore of the river, watching apathetically as a group of human souls ran across the sand, after the god who was supposed to lead them to their afterlife, but who was now simply fleeing for his own life.
Then I spotted Sokar's palace. Sokar–Ptah's brother. I landed before his mountain castle, and the male sphinxes who guarded his home ran off shouting for Sokar. His three-headed serpent was the only creature who dared to approach me. It slithered across the sand, each of its heads hissing at me, and I batted it into the side of Sokar's mountain. Sand and stones rained down over the dizzy serpent heads.
Sokar's palace faced away from the river, its back protected by the mountain it was carved from. It was a fortress really, and Sokar could have remained safely within it, but he had even less sense than his three-headed serpent.
“How dare you attack my familiar! Who are you?” He came striding out of his palace furiously. Then he got a good look at me. “Vervain; is that you?”
“Where is your brother, Sokar?” I lowered my head to the level of his.
“My brother?” Sokar blinked rapidly and looked around me cautiously.
“I'm alone,” I hissed. “It's just you and me, Sokar. Just like the last time I was here and you served me tea. Remember? Do you recall how you betrayed me and the laws of hospitality by calling your brother and telling him I was here? Remember how Ptah nearly killed my sons and me?”
“I remember,” Sokar said sadly. “And I'm terribly sorry for my part in that. But why come for vengeance now, Godhunter? I was told that your sons were born healthy and are doing well in Faerie.”
“I'm not here for vengeance,” I growled. “I'm here for my daughter.”
“Your daughter?” He looked genuinely confused. I was getting tired of that expression. “I thought you had two boys?”
“Your brother and his wife took my third child,” I said in a deadly tone. “Now, you can tell me where they are willingly, or I can cut little pieces off you until you give them up unwillingly. Which shall it be?”
“I honestly don't know where Ptah is.”
“Let's start with your fingers, shall we?” I grabbed him around his waist and lifted him off his feet.
“I swear to you!” Sokar shouted. “I have no idea where they are.”
I lifted my other forepaw and brought my claw carefully to his hand. “Oh, damn, my talons are too big to take only a finger. We'll have to start with a hand.”
Sokar shifted suddenly into a hawk, and my claws contracted on empty air. He slipped through them and shot into the sky, screeching. I leapt up after him, but his little body was fast, and he was soon just a speck on the horizon. I roared my frustration, but then I turned about and headed back to the front of Aaru. I had come all the way to the end, where the river emptied into the Aether, and there was nowhere left for me to search... and no one left for me to torture.
Along my flight, I found a bit of reason. I decided that Sokar probably didn't know where his brother was. I would have wasted time by torturing him and have caused an innocent man pain. It was probably best that he had escaped me. Yes, I was much more reasonable when I finally returned to Sekhmet's palace, but I wasn't satisfied, nor was I calm. I needed an outlet for my rage and Sekhmet's home presented the perfect solution. A vision of Zeus's timber palace came to mind, and it made my dragon growl in agreement. What a lovely idea.
I landed before the group who had been waiting for me anxiously. The men backed away as I blew furious flames over Sekhmet's home, none of them daring to say a word in protest. Then I strode into the blaze, bathing in the beautiful heat, taking energy and power from it through my fey essence as I bashed my way through the building. I burned it all, and what wouldn't burn, I smashed to pieces. I raged and roared, giving my dragon free rein while my lioness watched on in approval. The palace started to crumble around me, so I flew up, bursting through the second-floor and shooting free of the wreckage just before it collapsed in on itself.
I landed before the wide-eyed men as the sound of fire and crashing stone roared in my stead. I was calmed by the destruction and found myself slipping into a cooler anger, one that would do everything and anything necessary to find Lesya. No morality would impede us, no concern for consequences. I shifted into my half-dragon form and stood before them, chest heaving as the fire in my eyes burned down to embers.
“We will find her, Carus,” Azrael spoke first. “We know who has her now. That's an integral piece of information. All that's left is finding them.”
“And Sekhmet won't hurt Lesya,” Re added. “If there's one thing I'm certain of, it's that. She won't hurt a baby.”
“She's probably taken Lesya to replace her child.” Morpheus grimaced. “In which case, she's most likely lost her mind and believes Lesya to be her daughter.”
Trevor smacked Morpheus.
“What?” Morpheus looked at Trevor in surprise. “It's a comforting thought, isn't it? Sekhmet will be even more careful with her own child.”
“It is comforting,” I said to Morpheus. “Thank you.”
“We're going to find her, Mother,” Vidar declared. “And we shall have our vengeance. I assure you.”
I smiled grimly at my son. He was the Norse God of Silence; The Silent One, stoic and reserved. It made people forget that he possessed another terrible and powerful magic. The magic of Vengeance. I felt it shiver through the air, seeking its victim, and I knew that it would remain with us until we found Sekhmet and Ptah, then Vidar's Vengeance would find a way to strike, and there was nothing Re could do to stop it.
“Thank you, Son,” I said to Vidar as the others processed the weight of his words.
Kirill came up to me and slipped one hand behind my neck. He stared hard at me with his darkening eyes, and then he leaned his forehead to mine. Words weren't needed between us. There was nothing that would stop us from finding our child. It had already been decided. I breathed deep of Kirill's scent and his strength, then eased away from him. I turned my stare on Re.
“Make a list of places where you think Sekhmet may have gone,” I said to Re, “and s
et a watch here.”
“Done,” Re agreed.
“For now, let's return to Pride Palace and give Hermes a call,” I went on. “He'll want to know what we've discovered, and maybe our information will help with his efforts.”
We all traced away from Aaru, all but Re, who remained behind to post a guard on the burning wreckage of his daughter's palace.
Chapter Twenty-Four
The God Squad arrived shortly after we returned to Pride Palace, and it felt like kismet. Now that I knew who had my child, I had a direction–a focus. Searching wouldn't be so scattered anymore.
The Squad was horrified with the news that it was Re's daughter who took Lesya, but then a grim calm seemed to spread over them. I knew that calm; I was feeling it myself. It was the killing calm; the peace that comes from accepting the fact that someone would soon be paying for the hurt they caused you. The calm of righteous vengeance. And the calm was even more important when you had to extract that vengeance from someone who was loved by someone you loved.
“Pan, could you contact your father for me and let him know that's we've discovered the identity of the kidnapper?” I asked.
“On it, V.” Pan headed out of the dining hall.
“I didn't want to say this in front of Pan,” I lowered my voice, just in case Pan was still nearby, “but I'm done relying on Hermes to organize the search. I appreciate his help, but this is my daughter, and I think that I need to take charge from here on out.”
“It's about time,” Thor huffed.
I lifted a brow at him.
“I was wondering where the Godhunter had gone.” Thor gave me a challenging look.
“We haven't exactly been sitting around drinking tea and eating biscuits,” Trevor growled. “Lay off her, Thor.”