“I’m sorry, father,” Amani pleaded.
“Your mother gave everything to you, and this is the way you repay her––with lies?”
“Lies?” Khalida said as she moved to strike Garai.
Amani pleaded with her sister to back off and walk away, but when Khalida refused, Amani blocked Neema and Garai from her view.
“What is wrong with you?” Amani shouted.
“Different, it seems. We are powerful. Can you not feel it coursing through your veins? I want to see what we can do, don’t you?” Khalida replied with a sinister grin, the djinn traits once again surfacing.
“You will never hurt them, Sister—never!”
“Neema is already gone. He is all who remains, and he never did anything but force his will upon us. We are free now.”
Amani’s heart began to break as the truth began to settle in for her father. His beloved wife was now dead, and the truth that his daughters were not really his was sinking in. Lies begat more lies even as Amani tried to defend him and Neema against Khalida.
“I have loved both you both equally, but Khalida, you have always challenged my authority. I know it must have come across as me treating you differently, but even in harsh tones, you had my heart and my love, Khalida. You both did,” he cried.
Neema was gone, but he needed answers, so he pleaded for the goddess that Neema held so dear to show herself.
“Hathor, I demand to know the truth.”
No one answered.
“Please, dear goddess. I must know why my beloved is dead and my daughters are not as they once were. I beg of you.”
Amani and Khalida’s argument stopped in an instant when the curtains began to whip near the balcony’s edge. Smokeless fire and the scent of frankincense rose until it was pungent in the air. Three figures appeared before them, unseen until the fire cleared. They stepped forward, and Garai and Amani gasped as a larger-than-life guard with ebony skin and the face of a jackal stood holding a canopic jar, glaring down at the twin girls. Next to him was a frightening male, dressed all in black, his skin etched like Khalida’s and Amani’s, but glowing a vibrant cobalt blue. He, too, stared at them, his arms crossed loosely in front of his chest as if he were at ease, but nothing about his demeanor expressed calm. He appeared as if he could rip them limb from limb in a matter of seconds.
In the middle towered a beautiful woman dressed in ceremonial garb and adorned with jewels and headdress befitting a queen. Amani was the first to realize who she was and immediately dropped to her knees and bowed her head. Khalida stood defiant, and when Garai looked from his daughters to the goddess, he too bowed his head.
“You will not honor me?” Hathor asked Khalida.
“I know not who you are, but can assume you have something to do with the lies that have been told here.”
Hathor tilted her head in curiosity. “I believe you do know who I am, but still refuse. You will, however, pay me the respect I deserve.” Hathor’s eyes changed, and she stepped toward Khalida. “BOW!” she commanded.
Khalida unwillingly took to her knees.
“I am sick of your childish games,” Hathor said as she hovered above her.
Khalida stared at her through opaque eyes. “I’m not playing games. I’m tired of being lied to.”
Amani scolded Khalida under her breath, pleading with her to stop before the goddess killed them all.
Once Hathor was satisfied, she went over to where Garai knelt, Neema’s lifeless body still in his arms. “May I see her?” she asked reverently.
Garai shifted so he could give Hathor access to Neema. “Why did she do this? Why are Amani and Khalida something otherworldly?” Garai questioned, the words catching on the lump in his throat.
Hathor brushed the hair back from Neema’s face. “It is time for her to walk with Anubis. I know she will pass Ma’at’s test and enter the afterlife without negative judgment. I will make certain Ma’at knows of Neema’s love and good deeds.”
“But she lied,” he replied.
“A lie she was bound to by her commitment to me. She wanted to bear your children, but was unable. I gave her the twins as a gift—with one condition. She was to never reveal this to anyone, not even you, Garai. She honored her word and loved you and the girls as I expected her to.”
“So why did she take her own life?”
“Sacrifice. She knew there would be one. This was never my intent, but no one knew what the twins would turn out to be—that is, until now.”
“Will you take them from me?” Garai asked.
“I will have to.”
“Then I ask only one thing of you. If you are to take my beloved daughters as you have taken Neema, then I wish to walk beside her in the Duat. Grant me this, please. I do not want to live a life without her.”
Hathor bowed her head in acknowledgment, and the frightening male with the tattooed skin stepped forward, his markings calming from to cobalt to black. Amani cried as she stared at her father. There were no words spoken, no time before the man jammed a dagger into Garai’s side. Garai’s body slumped to the ground, and Amani was shaken. She knew she risked punishment, but she would hold her father as she held her mother in those final moments.
Amani cradled his head in her lap as he spoke his final words. “I love you, Amani. You and Khalida may not be of my blood, but you are of my heart.”
“I love you, Father. Please be well until we can be together once more,” Amani said as she slipped the ring and jewel-encrusted bracelet off her arm and placed them into his hands. “An offering, in case you should need it.”
Garai squeezed Amani’s hand and took one last breath. She swallowed hard and did her best to steady herself before responding to Hathor.
“Mother taught us your ways. To honor and obey the gods and to be ready when the day came to face Ma’at in the Hall of Truth. I know not what my sister and I are, but I will do as my mother commanded of me and honor her—and you.”
Hathor reached into the altar bowl Neema had used to summon her. She lifted the ankh and held it tightly in her hand, the ancient symbol changing at once into a single gold feather. Hathor ran her hands along the tattered cord, and it too changed into a shimmering strand. “Rise, Amani.”
Amani did as she was asked, never once risking a look at Khalida. She loved her sister, but could not for the life of her understand what had gotten into her this day. Hathor placed the golden feather and chain around Amani’s neck and spoke words she couldn’t interrupt. When Hathor fell silent, Amani thanked her in a whisper.
Hathor then turned to face Khalida. “Why today the change, Khalida? I’ve watched you for years be a loving and devoted child and sister, but now, as you kneel before me, I sense rage and disdain.”
“Because today the truth was brought to light. Lies spoken brought to bear, all except for one, that is. What are we?” Khalida looked between herself and Amani. “Why are we twins and yet now we are different? Why does Amani seem to have goodness in her heart and I anger? I feel nothing but pain.”
Hathor nodded her head slowly. “I do not know, but I will find the answer you seek. I can tell you, though, your creation was a mistake. There have never been twin djinns born, so we all are uncertain of what to expect from you.”
“Djinns?” Amani stiffened. “Mother told us stories, but we thought she was telling us of fantastic beings that didn’t truly exist. Is this why all of these changes have occurred in us?”
“Yes. Today is your quarter-century birthday and the day when all djinn understand their particular talents. Yours have manifested into,” Hathor paused, “well, it’s still unclear. And it is the reason you will be coming with us.”
“Never,” Khalida spat as she moved to run. In an instant, she was but a wisp of sand and dust floating, and the next, she was trapped, with nothing but clay walls inscribed with ancient hieroglyphics and her sister to look at. “Where are we?” she hissed.
Amani wiped the tears from her eyes and straightened her sho
ulders. “The bronze ewer the jackal guard was holding. Thanks to you, we’ve been trapped. Had you held your tongue and not tried to flee, we might not be prisoners.”
“Don’t blame me. Blame Garai and Neema.”
“I only blame you for this,” Amani said as she stared at Khalida. “Hopefully, once we face our judgment, we will understand the details of who and what we are. That is, if you can manage to keep your anger under control.”
Khalida started to protest, but Amani’s human appearance had changed again––revealing her djinn side once more. Khalida held her tongue as Amani’s sweet, delicate nature shifted dramatically to reveal her powerful djinn traits. She became something Khalida didn’t recognize, but more importantly, Khalida needed to find a way to get Amani to see her point of view. If they were to be free, they’d need to work together.
“I can hear your thoughts, feel your energy, and I will do no such thing. Accept our fate, Khalida,” Amani seethed.
Amani glared at her sister, and for the first time since all this happened, Khalida realized their twin bond was even stronger than it had been before. They were one being in two bodies. She pinched her arm and watched Amani react. Khalida smiled, but only for a moment before Amani sent a blinding pain into her head, knocking her to the ground. Khalida relented and found a comfortable spot to sit inside their new prison. Thankfully, it didn’t appear small in size from the inside, but instead was laid out like an open room with basic creature comforts lining the walls.
Amani, calmed and returned to her human form, ventured to the bed covered in linen, while Khalida sat at the table covered with food and drink.
Amani and Khalida spent countless hours pondering their situation. Sometimes they argued, while others they remained silent, but most were spent discussing the possibilities of exactly what they were.
“Punished for being different,” Khalida would rage.
“We’ll be free soon enough. They must be still watching, and these malicious outbursts of yours are only delaying our progress,” Amani would retort.
Khalida started to respond, but before she could, she and Amani were turned into wisps of sand again and sent swirling into the air. When they took human form, they were standing in an elegant throne room. There before them were Ma’at, Hathor, the jackal guard, and the tattooed man. All four of them looked down at Amani and Khalida from their elevated position. Amani was in awe. The room was gilded with blue accents amidst elaborate paintings and intricate carvings of hieroglyphics. And while all of that was impressive, what amazed Amani the most was the statue of the goddess Ma’at herself, with her winged arms outstretched, the feathers adorned in bright hues, accentuating each one as if they held a special significance. Amani bowed low. Khalida, defiant as always, remained standing, but silent, at least.
“Do you know why we have brought you here?” Ma’at asked.
Khalida began to speak, but Amani interrupted. “To tell us our fate?”
“In a way, yes.”
“We’ve made a decision regarding your future, and we hope you will see its necessity,” Hathor added.
“Khaldun,” Hathor pointed to the tattooed man, “will become one of your watchers. He will monitor your actions and decide if reform will be necessary.”
“May we go home?” Amani asked.
“No. We’ve created a place for you to dwell, but it will not be among the djinn or the humans. The djinn do not wish to have you, and you are too dangerous to be among the humans, as evidenced by the death of your parents.”
Tears began to spill down Amani’s cheeks at the thought of her mother and father.
“We did not kill anyone. Neema killed herself and he,” Khalida pointed to Khaldun, “killed our father. We are guilty of nothing.”
“Hathor warned me of your indignant nature, and while I value all opinions, I do not wish to hear the words of a petulant child. You’d do well to mind your tongue.”
Amani reached for Khalida’s hand and dragged her down to her knees. “Can you not be quiet?” she whispered through gritted teeth.
“No. If she is going to kill me, then so be it. It will be better than living out my days in a prison.”
Hathor walked closer, the power she wielded radiating with each step she took. “I have no need of you, Khalida, but I do value Amani. Unfortunately, your lives are bound together in an unbreakable bond. Both must live or both will die.”
Amani gasped, and Khalida stared at her in disbelief.
“Good. We finally have your attention,” Ma’at interjected.
“As was your mother’s way, Amani, you and Khalida will live out your lives in service to Ma’at’s divine rules. When the day of your judgment comes, you will hopefully greet Anubis with honor,” Hathor finished.
“The unfortunate circumstances of your creation and the actions we must take from this day forward are no fault of your own, but it is still a matter we must deal with. We’ve made every effort to make your new home pleasant. Thoth has calculated all you will need and has created a home capable of serving you both. It will have all the amenities you had when you lived with your parents and then some. The one condition—and it is non-negotiable,” Ma’at stated flatly, “—is that the watchers will be checking in on you often. Nothing you say or do can be withheld from them. There will be no escape, and there will be no release.”
With tear-stained eyes, Amani replied. “I will accept my fate and do as you ask, but I must insist you explain to us why we are to be punished simply for being born. Who are our real parents?”
Ma’at sat motionless, but Hathor moved closer to Amani. “You and Khalida, unlike true djinn—you are different. Djinn are born of searing wind and fire, between the ranks of angels and humans. They live long lifespans, but they also die. You have free will, which is why Khalida’s temper rages against the choices before her,” Hathor said as she lay her hand on Amani’s cheek. “Your kind can be benevolent or evil, but that is where the link between you and djinn end.”
“I’m sorry, I still do not understand. Why are we so different?”
“Because your birth came out of an argument between Sekhmet and Shu. Their rage in the moment bore twin energies carrying with it traits of the god and goddess themselves, making you two extremely powerful and unpredictable. No two djinn have ever been born at the same time. When you and Khalida are together, you think the same thoughts, feel one another’s pleasure and pain. Now imagine if you someday felt the rage in Khalida’s heart at the same time she was feeling it. It could be the end of us all. It is a risk we cannot and will not take. I’m sorry,” Hathor said with a pained smile.
Khalida’s rage began to build. Amani could feel it escalating like a sandstorm. She walked away from the goddess and stood before Khalida. “This upsets me too, but your anger will kill us both. Stop now, or you will not have to wait for their wrath. I will kill us instead, ending all of this now. Everything happens for a reason, Sister. We are destined for something. Let us take this gift of life and do what we can with it,” Amani pleaded.
Khalida’s palms began to burn, and Amani’s did, too, reminding them both just how connected they were to one another.
“Please, Sister. I do not wish to be in pain,” Amani added.
“Thoth promised to find the answer to the mystery surrounding you, but until that day, this shall be your home.”
The jackal guard stepped forward with a unique-looking clay vessel in hand. It was different from the previous one he held. This one was large and cylindrical, but unlike anything Amani and Khalida had ever seen. From the outside, it appeared to be two jars connected as one, but they maintained their individual shapes—like the entrance to a private chamber. Before Amani could finish taking in the jar itself, they were all transported to a stone room, with stairs leading up to a massive double door. Two alabaster guards with their arms crossed in front of them stood at the base of the steps, while paintings and hieroglyphs covered the walls and columns.
“Your home is
beyond those doors. Once you enter, they will not open again,” Hathor explained. “Khaldun will escort you.”
The tattooed man stepped forward and moved toward Amani and Khalida. “This way,” he said in a deep baritone.
Amani glanced down at where his hand was touching her and cast him a glance. He tilted his head in acknowledgment of her displeasure. He then attempted the same with Khalida, who met his eyes with an agreeable smirk. The two walked ahead, and Amani watched as Khalida seemed to be distracted by the truth of their fate. She was flirting, as she had done countless times with men their father did business with. They’d become smitten with her beauty, and she’d manipulate them to her advantage. Amani assumed Khalida was hoping she’d be able to do the same with their new watcher, but considering the look of disdain on his face, she doubted the effort would bring her sister much success.
Amani moved forward and made her way to the first step, before turning back to look at Ma’at and Hathor. After a few moments passed, she turned without another word and followed behind the watcher and Khalida. Her fate was sealed the moment she took the last step. A handful of Egyptian slaves opened the doors, and she and Khalida stepped into their destiny.
Chapter 12
With a gasp, the link between Amani, the Temperance card, Calla Lily, and Nathan was broken. It was as if no time had passed, and yet they were all drained from the experience. Amani’s face was flushed, and her breathing was erratic just before her body went slack. Nathan leapt forward and caught her before she hit the ground.
“You don’t look well. What can we do?” Calla Lily asked as she rushed to Amani’s side.
“I need a moment to compose myself.”
“Let me grab you some water,” Calla Lily offered before running toward a sink at the back of the store.
When she returned, she handed Nathan the glass.
“Are you okay? That was some journey you took us on,” Calla Lily said when Amani was sitting upright.
“I am, but it exhausted me. I’ve never done anything like that before.” She feigned a smile. “I hope it helped.”
Legends of Havenwood Falls 2 Page 7
