Reluctant Gods (The Awakening Book 2)

by Keri Armstrong

  I came to when the guide lifted me from the ground. Disoriented, I looked for Sara to find her in Ammon’s arms and he knelt on the floor. She was just coming to as well.

  “Sara,” I called to her.

  Her head turned toward my voice. She broke into sobs when she saw me. Ammon helped her when she tried to stand. She ran to me and we clung to each other.

  “It wasn’t… I can’t… What was…” she blubbered on my shoulder. I limply patted her back. My throat had tightened to the point I couldn’t speak.

  “It’s all right now. You are safe. I would never let anything harm you,” Ammon promised. He’d come over to us and stroked her hair from behind, looked at me as he spoke.

  “I’ve given you my word. No harm shall come to either of you.”

  I wondered what his definition of ‘harm’ was. We were both nearly out of our minds with fear and there was more to come. Remembering my own reaction to Izzara’s body, I clutched at Sara.

  Urgency loosened my vocal cords. “Listen to me,” I whispered in her ear, not sure if she was even capable of hearing at that point. “You have to stay strong. There is more to see, and I promise you, I’ve already been through this. You must keep yourself together.”

  Sniffing, she pulled back and looked at me. “There’s more?” she whined.

  I closed my eye and nodded. I was nearly numb to it all at this point.

  “Come see,” Ammon said, unmindful of our distress.

  Sara’s head turned as he stood beside the clear casket, presenting his prized possession like some sort of game show host. He didn’t even realize he was a caricature.

  “Oh, my God.” Sara’s trembling hands covered her mouth after her outburst.

  “Don’t be alarmed,” Ammon said.

  “How is this possible?” Sara’s pulled out of my arms, her head shaking back and forth in disbelief.

  “I cared for her all these years, waiting. And now you are here,” Ammon said. “My love was such that I couldn’t bear to be parted from you, ever.

  “How fortunate you are that you can gaze upon yourself as you were! Life and death side by side.” He was clearly thrilled by the thought.

  Sara looked even paler. I felt sick, myself.

  Ammon moved to embrace both of us while he looked fondly at the body. Sara was still shivering, and I held her hand.

  “All is well now my sweet girls, all is well,” Ammon said, oblivious to our revulsion.

  Sara turned away from the platform where her doppelganger rested, clutching her stomach. “Can we go now?”

  Ammon looked disappointed, but nodded. “We must prepare for the festivities to come. But first, I have to attend to a very important matter.” He started to lead us toward the door then stopped suddenly. “Stay here for a moment. I will return shortly.”

  He gestured for the healer to follow him.

  “What now?” Sara and I asked in unison.

  My mind started to spin from all the possibilities. I needed and dreaded his answer.

  Ammon smiled as if our curiosity was cute. “Nothing for you to worry about. Just stay here until I come for you.”

  The healers’ eyes widened in fear.

  Oh, God. Not again.

  Sara’s head began to move, negating what we saw. She’d clearly come to the same conclusion.

  “No,” she shouted. “Not again. You can’t. I won’t let you.” She pounded him with both fists.

  Ammon’s looked as if he’d fall over from shock. He grabbed her hands and held them tightly. She tried to pull away, but I knew how iron that grip was.

  She kicked him instead.

  Ha! I was proud of her and mad at myself. Why hadn’t I done that?

  His face went from comic shock to rock hard in moments. He pointed at the healer. “He must be punished. He had seen you but didn’t tell me. He also saw—” Ammon stopped, mid-sentence. He delivered a look at the healer promised a painful death.

  The other man turned grey. He fell to his knees, his entire body trembling as he prostrated himself before an unyielding Ammon. “M…my lord, you yourself said that this one was Izzara,” he gestured a trembling toward me then let it drop as he continued. “I sent the messenger to have you come see the other girl as soon as she was well…”

  His voice faded as if he realized that he’d just blamed Ammon for everything. Which, of course, was true, but from the look on Ammon’s face I could see it was the wrong thing to say.

  “Please, please, don’t hurt him,” Sara begged. She laid her head on Ammon’s chest and sobbed.

  I clutched my arm, hand twisting over the handless wrist in a wasted effort to calm myself. I didn’t dare speak as Ammon considered.

  Several moments passed in which the only sound was the harsh breathing of the servant and Sara’s sobs.

  “For now,” Ammon relented. “For you,” he spoke into Sara’s hair. For you, I will let him live.”

  Her body went limp against him. The healer cried out in relief.

  “However,” Ammon continued, and we all went stiff again. “Any further infraction will result in severe punishment.”

  “Never, never again, my lord!” The healer scrambled back, but didn’t rise.

  Sara’s head moved back as if she’d protest. I knew it was futile. This was as good as it was going to get.

  “You are very merciful,” I hurried to say.

  Sara’s gaze whipped around to me, and I gave a look that warned her to go with me on this.

  Fortunately, she understood. “Yes, yes, you are. Thank you,” she said.

  Ammon’s mood lifted immediately.

  “Let us go then. I will first make sure that there is nothing to disturb you on your way out.”

  With that he went out of the chamber. We could see him look left and right before he spoke in the language of his people.

  Whatever he said made the healer nod.

  To us, he said, “You must leave here with your eyes closed. Phoebe, close your eye and let Marmuk lead you. Sara, you do the same, but I will take your arm.”

  Marmuk. So the poor guy had a name. I almost wished I didn’t know it. I didn’t have high hopes for his continued safety, regardless of what Ammon had said.

  Sara, whom Ammon had released to stand beside him, nervously glanced at me.

  I nodded, pretending to be more assured than I was. But honestly, at this point, whatever Ammon didn’t want us to see, was probably for the best.

  I will never, ever get the image out of my head from before.

  It wasn’t real, it wasn’t real, it wasn’t real…

  I still tried to convince myself, even though by now, I had started to believe every crazy thing Ammon had ever said. Every crazy thing we’d read or heard about since the opening of the box on our birthday.

  Ancient, advanced societies, genetic experiments…

  I shivered and took Marmuk’s arm. Obediently closing my eye, I nodded to indicate I was ready to go. Anything just to get out of here.

  And yet…

  Heaven help me, my curiosity got the better of me. As we followed behind Ammon and Sara, I opened my eye and peered behind me.

  Marmuk hissed in a breath and jerked my arm.

  I looked back quickly and stared straight ahead, just in time to catch Ammon’s gaze. He must have heard Marmuk’s breath hitch.

  Ammon glared at me and I forced any expression off my face. “Sorry. I almost stumbled. Marmuk saved me.”

  Ammon looked between the guide and me, and I gave what I hoped was a smile. “Sorry, just clumsy.” As I saw Sara start to turn, I quickly said, “No need to worry, Sara. Just keep moving ahead.”

  My tone must have warned her and she didn’t turn around.

  Ammon gave one last warning glance to Marmuk and I closed my eye again. I clutched at the guide’s arm, and felt the tremor run through the muscle.

  A second later we were moving again.

  But now forever burned in my brain was the image of the snake woman, ly
ing satisfied on the ground, her lower half swollen with the form of the unlucky Nikoru.

  After several minutes of walking in silence, Ammon spoke softly, as if to himself.

  “Of course, they’ll need to understand…Perhaps still need to be convinced of the truth…”

  The truth about what? I really didn’t like the sound of that.

  “What truth?” I blurted.

  His footsteps stopped, and subsequently, so did ours.

  “It would be easy if I just showed you,” he said. “You can open your eyes now.”

  I was afraid to. Marmuk gave my arm a little shake, and I slowly opened my eye.

  I could tell we were near the area that led back into the palace. I breathed a sigh of relief and looked at Sara. She looked around and relaxed slightly as well.

  Ammon looked at Marmuk, his expression harsh. “You may go now.”

  He didn’t have to tell him twice.

  Marmuk’s sandals slapped against the stone floor as he hurried away.

  I wasn’t sure how I felt about his retreat.

  Ammon turned to me. “Phoebe, you’ve already heard some of our history. But you didn’t believe me. Now you will.”

  Sara looked as scared as I felt.

  “What do you mean?”

  “Come,” he ordered without answering.

  I let out a little moan and Sara tugged at his arm. “Where are we going now? I’d really like to go back to my room.”

  He patted her hand. “And you will. Soon.”

  We travelled back inside the palace, beyond the courtyard and living areas, and came to a new section after crossing through many heavily guarded gateways. At last we stood in front a door unlike others. This one was metal and stone layered over in copper wire in patterns that reminded me of the inside a computer. Toward the top middle portion was an intricate medallion with a polished crystal orb in the middle. To the side appeared to be some type of scanner.

  Given the layers of security to reach this place, I figured that whatever lay beyond was important. But the question was, were they trying to keep people from getting in, or whatever was behind the door from getting out?

  “Only I am allowed to open this section,” he said. He placed his eyes in front of what I had correctly guessed to be a scanner.

  The copper wiring began to glow, emitting a series of clicks and beeps.

  Ammon moved to stand in front of the door and motioned for us to stand aside. A beam of light flashed out from the orb in the medallion and moved over him, up and down, before fully bathing him in its glow.

  “I am Ammon,” he said, “the Watcher, Sacred Guardian of the Sleepers until it is time for them to Awaken.”

  Sara and I looked at one another, equally unnerved.

  A sound of gears grinding and metal rubbing against metal filled the room and at last, the door opened.

  And deeper into the rabbit’s hole we went.

  We first entered a sterile antechamber. It was bright white and had that harsh hospital smell. My nose twitched at the scent and Sara closed her eyes briefly. Ammon, unaffected, motioned us over to a small metal platform that was enclosed slightly in front of another door. The three of us stood and he hand over another series of wires on a grid at the side of the door.

  Sara and I both gasped as another door slid out from the wall, enclosing us in the small area with Ammon. Before we had time to protest, a white mist came out of the ceiling covering us all with the smell of antiseptic.

  Sara coughed and I gagged as it went into my nose and throat. As quickly as it began, it was over.

  “What was that?” Sara asked at the same time I yelled, “A little warning next time!”

  “It won’t hurt you,” Ammon said, as the door in front of him slid open. “It’s just a cleanser.”

  He passed through the door and said, “My apologies. In my haste, I didn’t think to prepare you, or to change the scent?”

  “Change the scent?” Sara echoed.

  He nodded then smiled down at her. “Next time, soft jasmine and lilies just for you.”

  I wasn’t sure whether a ‘next time’ would be good or not.

  We passed several smaller rooms without fuss until we came upon a chamber that was filled with what I would liken to Sci-Fi pods.

  Dozens of metal and glass boxes was filled with murky white, semi-transparent, in which human bodies floated. It reminded of the formaldehyde preserved remnants in science class, only clearer.

  Sara turned away from them, her hand pressed against her mouth. I knew the feeling. If I had anything left in my stomach, I would be decorating the room faster than you could say ‘sleeper’.

  Ammon placed a hand on Sara’s shoulder. “Don’t worry, they will not hurt you.”

  “How could they?” Sara asked, voicing the question that had gone through my mind.

  These bodies were different from Izzara’s. Hers had appeared just sleeping, like Snow White in her crystal coffin. These looked like preserved remains.

  Sara’s voice was strong, although laced with a pinch of hysteria. “They are all dead.”

  Ammon laughed. “I assure you, they are very much alive.”

  I looked closer. Nothing about them indicated ‘alive.’ In fact, I didn’t see how they could survive submerged like that. There were no oxygen masks that I could detect, nor any feeding or waste tubes.

  “They are simply sleeping,” he explained. “In stasis.”

  “How is that even possible?” I asked, not being able to help myself.

  I wasn’t that into science—languages, and history were more my thing—but even I knew that kind of technology was still science fiction. Even the cryogenics labs hadn’t as yet figured out how to thaw people. But glancing around, and given what we’d seen today so far, I was willing to consider that it was possible.

  Ammon casually leaned into one of the pods and looked at Sara.

  “From almost the beginning of time, there were some humans who advanced more quickly than others. Their levels of evolution progressed faster in various parts of the world. Unfortunately, with power often comes corruption. They convinced the less evolved that they were gods, and the fools believed them. As I understand it, all over the globe there are homages to them in caves, mounds, and pyramids. Some people to this today consider them to have been aliens who came and left.”

  He laughed. “I suppose in a way, they did leave. They are like this, hidden around the globe.”

  “But why?” Sara asked.

  “Because of the asteroid that knocked the earth off its axis, causing global flooding and wiping out most of the early human race, as well as many beasts—both natural and unnatural.”

  “Unnatural?” I asked, then wished I hadn’t. My mind played back images of the snake woman and I feared I already knew the answer based on what Nathan had told us.

  Ammon’s face darkened as he nodded. “Hybrids. Vile experiments by some in power.”

  “Li..Like that… that… thing today?” Sara stammered.

  He nodded again, this time taking her hand. “I’m sorry you were frightened. She is a Naga, a punisher of the wicked and a keeper of treasure.” He smiled at her, softly. “And you are my greatest treasure.”

  A whirlwind of questions flew through my mind and I couldn’t hold onto any one thought for more than a second as others kept crashing into each other.

  Sara seemed to have less trouble. A crease formed between her brows as it did when she was confused. “But why don’t people know this? It isn’t taught in school.”

  He chuckled. “It wouldn’t be. Not yet, anyway.”

  “Not yet?” I interrupted.

  He nodded. “When the time is right for all Sleepers to awaken, the world will learn its true history, and our kind will take their place as the rightful rulers once again.”

  Whoa boy. “And when will that be?”

  “Soon.”

  I looked at Sara but she was still staring at Ammon with that little crease of confusio
n. I huffed a little in frustration. Didn’t she catch what he just said?

  But she had caught something else. “Our kind?”

  He grinned brilliantly. “Of course. You, Phoebe, me. Us. We are family.”

  What?

  Sara backed up a step. “Family?”

  “Yes, of course. All of us, offspring of the Sleepers from various parts of the world. You, Izzara, were a high priestess.” He looked at me, frowning slightly. “The power I felt from you earlier, Shining One, tricked me into mistaking you for my Izzara.” He gave Sara’s shoulders a squeeze and continued to contemplate me.

  I didn’t like the speculative look in his eyes.

  Eventually, he shrugged. “I suppose it is because you are related. You both must have inherited some form of power. Izzara was skilled in divination and healing magic, though her power was less than that of her husband’s.” His lips curled at the mention of her original mate. “He was a great mage, but the king was greater.”

  His smile was cruel and satisfied then, making the muscles around my stomach clench.

  Sara and I glanced at each other, wide-eyed. I knew I had felt something during the ceremony with Allie and the others, though it seemed so long ago now. The sensation had been growing beneath my skin for a while but I kept refusing to acknowledge it. Something about it had made me nervous. Perhaps it was intuition.

  When I came back to reality, I could see Sara’s face held a look of similar speculation. Her Tarot readings were always spot-on, and, boy, had she been right this time. It all came back to me then. The Tower—sudden, unwelcome change, The Moon—hidden things, deceit, and finally, the Lovers. Well, that was fairly obvious.

  But it also represented choice.

  I wondered what choice was coming. I really didn’t think I could stand any more surprises.

  Ammon looked between us both, his head cocked, and I could have sworn I saw gears behind his eyes for a moment. That now too-familiar, cold fear weakened my limbs. What was he trying to see? And what was he, really? One of their experiments? But he’d said ‘offspring.’

  I interrupted his perusal. “You said, ‘offspring.’ Are we related?”

  He blinked then laughed. “Oh, no. Not you and I,” and he looked at Sara, “nor you and I. But we will be once we are married.” With that happy little announcement, he looked back at me. “You will be my sister, Phoebe the Shining One.”