The Search for Starlight

by Elyse Salpeter

  “Caim?” the goddess called from the heavens. “The man that just killed these two humans and an unborn child? You wish me to enter him into my order? He does not deserve this esteemed honor you request.”

  “I’m aware of that,” Kenmut said. “But I beg of you this small favor. I promise you he will not reside there long. He is greedy and will seek knowledge, and for that he will sacrifice his place in your hierarchy.”

  There was a pause and then the goddess asked. “And what will you give me in return, Kenmut, for these great favors?”

  Kenmut stood and pulled out a wrapped bundle from the fold of his robes. “I give you this most sacred of objects. It is your love Osiris’s phallus. After Set ripped his body apart into fourteen pieces, I searched far and wide for the remaining piece of his body. I found it in the belly of the medjed, the great elephant fish. It is now yours.”

  A thunderous echo resonated across the land as Isis heard this great offer. “Oh Sky God, it is a deal I gladly make. Thank you.” A shadowy figure with feathered wings materialized around Adra and enveloped her. A silvery shimmer of light glowed from within the folds of her wings and then a single infant soul shot to the stars and disappeared. The baby’s soul was now hidden and could not be seen by those who wished to know her journey to her next life. The shadowy figure then moved to Caim and enveloped him as well. Within seconds, a figure of a thrush with majestic wings rose from the dead body. Isis greedily plucked the bundle from Kenmut’s hand, then she and Caim rose together to the heavens and disappeared into the clouds above.

  Kenmut looked back to the bodies of Jagan and Adra, and then turned to the gods yet again. He called out to another deity. “Oh, great Kebechet, daughter of Anubis and the Goddess of Purification, I beseech you to cleanse these lost souls and send these two lovers to the bardos. I give you this in offering.” In his arms materialized a jar of water. “This is the liquid from the womb from which I was born. A single sip will make your cooling water offer immortality to any soul you wish. Use it wisely, for there are only three sips to be had.”

  The image of a serpent floated down from the heavens and hovered over Jagan and Adra. As Kenmut watched, a wave of water from the river rose and crashed down on the bodies as Kebechet purified them. Then she coiled her body around the two humans and transformed herself into an ostrich.

  Kenmut nodded in understanding. “Yes, I had wondered if you were working with Ma’at, the goddess of justice who judges the dead.”

  “I am, and she will want payment for this… small favor of yours.” Kebechet’s voice was a hiss across the land.

  “I am prepared to make payment.” Kenmut reached into the folds of his robe and pulled out a single ostrich egg. He held it out in the palm of his hand. “It is alive and its heart still beats. This is an Arabian Ostrich, the breed that will eventually become extinct at the hands of man in mere centuries. Ma’at can use this creature’s feathers for the Weighing of the Heart ceremony and keep the rare bird close to her heart.”

  Kebechet plucked the egg from his hands and soared to the sky. The two remaining souls of light followed her.

  Kenmut stepped back and stared once more at the dead bodies blanketing the river’s edge. So much death. So much destruction. All over love. He glared at the stars in the nighttime sky. “You will not win, Ustha. I will never be yours. It will take time, but your curse on my soul will one day end.”

  A haughty laugh echoed across the land.

  Lastly, Kenmut called to a final god to help finish his plan. A plan that would set in motion a path to eventually save his family, but which would take thousands of years to come to fruition. The god who would be one of the most important in his design. The demon god, Auns. “Auns, O Great One, I beseech you to come to me! I have an offering for you, too. One you won’t want to refuse.”

  A flame shot down from the heavens and burned brightly in front of Kenmut. Its fiery glow illuminated the bodies of the dead humans laying at Kenmut’s feet.

  Kenmut bowed in deference. Slowly, the flame transformed into a human shape.

  “Auns, I know what you most desire, and I will help you to return to the seventh heaven after twelve centuries of service. In fact, I will do more than help. I will set you on a path to greatness. A path that will cement your place in the continuum. All I ask is that when Caim comes to you, tell him what he wishes to know.”

  “That is it, Kenmut? Give this fallen human the gift of awareness? I know you too well. I doubt that is all you ask.”

  Kenmut cocked his head. “Well, there is one more thing I need you to do.”

  Auns stared at him. “And then you will return me to the seventh heaven? I agree. What is it?”

  Kemnut smiled. “It is nothing that you can’t do. In fact, it’s something you are known for in the realms. You are excellent at conjuring familiars. Here’s what I need.”

  Auns listened, his body shifting back and forth from flame to human, and finally he agreed.

  The course for the next four thousand years had just been set.

  Chapter Fourteen

  As Kelsey slept that evening cuddled in Desmond’s arms, a heaviness on her chest woke her. Remembering her encounter with Robbie just days before, she instantly awoke, preparing herself for a fight. But it wasn’t a knee on her chest this time, or an elbow pressed against her windpipe choking her. Yeshe stood on her, all four paws digging painfully into her breasts as he breathed the stink of tuna fish into her face.

  “What the hell do you want, cat?”

  “I want out of here.”

  Caim spoke to her from the amulet where she had imprisoned him once more. Yeshe slinked off her and settled himself next to Desmond, where he purred contentedly and gave Kelsey a smug expression.

  Kelsey glanced at the amulet resting on the night table. “I’ll get you out. I promise.”

  “I will tell you a secret, Temptress. You think you know who you are, but you really don’t.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I mean, stop being a pawn and start finding answers. If your human father Benjamin Porter knew all along what was going on, don’t you think you should be able to find out as well?”

  “How do you know about Benjamin Porter?”

  Caim laughed derisively. “Please, Goddess. Don’t act so human. I’m a demon and a skilled negotiator. I didn’t work under Mara for centuries and not learn things. How do you think Mara found you time and again in your human form? Someone obviously tipped him off to your whereabouts every century. You want answers and I want out. Take control like the demon you are, and all your riddles will be solved.”

  “So, someone’s been helping Mara find me all this time?”

  “Of course.”

  “Is it Ustha?”

  “No. She only started it. You’re marked, Temptress. You know that, don’t you? You’ve been marked since you first decided to become human.”

  “But if it’s not Ustha, then who is it?”

  She could practically hear the demon sigh. “Who has the most to lose on this path, Temptress? Who desperately needs this timeline to end a certain way so that they might live?”

  “It’s Kenmut, isn’t it? But why does he need me? Is it because I’m one of his descendants? I already got rid of Ustha for him. What else does he want of me?”

  “It is the prophecy and it must be fulfilled. You are the one chosen by the Emperor and Empress to find Starlight. And when you do, that final piece of your soul will finally be set free. You will then know who you are.”

  “But I know who I am. What do you mean?”

  At that moment Yeshe slinked off the bed and raced out into the hall, and Kelsey’s connection with Caim ended.

  Kelsey sat for a long time in the darkened bedroom, just listening to Desmond’s light snores and thinking on Caim’s words. The words of the prophesy burned in her mind. “It will be in this lifetime their paths will all cross together. Heed the signs. The girl needs to live. She is the only one that will b
e able to find the charmed one. She needs to seek starlight. And then the demon will die by her own blood and will be released. If not, all will be lost.”

  Released. Right there it proved a mark had been on her for lifetimes. She’d been watched by everyone. Helped so she could live until this moment. The monks, the Emperor and Empress, Mara, Ustha, Kenmut. Everyone was in on it, and Kelsey realized there had been not one moment of real peace in any of her lifetimes. And if this all linked back to Kenmut, then she realized there might be more clues that she’d overlooked. They could be everywhere and she simply didn’t recognize them.

  “How could I? I didn’t think the entire world revolved around me. I’m not that vain,” she thought, sarcastically.

  She looked back on what had happened to her this past lifetime. What was different that had brought her to this spot. It all started in Tibet. But did it? No, had it started in Egypt? Kelsey made a mental list. The Porters and Armand Dupuis, Kenmut and Ustha. Ustha had known of her since Kelsey was only six years old. Wait, actually, according to what her adoptive mother, Claire, had told her, Margaret Porter said the Usthatan had known about Kelsey since birth. And then Robbie got sick and was sent to Pritvhi. Supposedly Benjamin Porter had sent him. In fact, Benjamin had been the one to know what to do for both his children. But who told him?

  Kenmut told him, of course. He’d told Kelsey that himself while they were in the nothingness after she’d defeated Ustha and sent her back to the nighttime sky.

  Kelsey’s anger grew as her understanding became clearer. It was Kenmut, the Decan Sky God. But if she helped him, why did she still need to die? Was it all for this Starlight? Who and what was this thing the Emperor and Empress requested?

  So many other connections to ponder. She’d gone to Tibet, met the monks, and learned about Xanadu. Then the attack on her family at the hands of Mara. And then a peace of sorts for twelve years until she finally met Desmond and her world had once again been turned upside down. So many things had happened to bring her true reality forward. The Voynich Manuscript, learning about Kenmut, Aihika, the documents her father translated. Meeting Armand, Rajiv Sitaula, Pancagalla, Kenmut and Ustha. Any one of those experiences had probably left clues. But one thing remained. One thing that may have bound them all.

  Benjamin Porter knew.

  Why did he know? Why did he help Kenmut? Was he promised something? What could he be promised in a human lifetime that would make him sacrifice his and his wife’s lives, and set a dangerous path for the lives of his children, whom he supposedly loved?

  Kelsey sucked in her breath. Because Benjamin Porter was not just Benjamin Porter, was he?

  That was a sobering thought. Did her father have his own path before he became Benjamin Porter? Who was he spiritually?

  Kelsey thought back to her time with her father. They had spent so much time together. She loved this man with all her heart, and she’d thought he felt the same. But yes, maybe there were clues tangled in her memories. One time when they’d been in Tibet, he’d said something to her that she hadn’t understood at the time. They’d been sitting on one of their favorite rocks overlooking the valley below, and she’d asked him why Robbie had died.

  Benjamin had stared at her for a long time and then said, “death is not final for anyone, Kelsey. Humans exist on earth for no more than eighty to a hundred years. Don’t ever fear death. In fact, death is akin to rebirth. A time to start all over again.” He’d then laughed and shaken his head.

  Kelsey had asked what was so funny and her father said, “Sometimes, Kel Kel, I feel like I’ve lived a thousand lifetimes. Don’t you?”

  After that he’d patted her head, and they had walked towards the Bodhidharma Monastery where Kelsey was being schooled in all aspects of Buddhism.

  Benjamin was right. I do feel like I’ve lived a thousand lifetimes. But what if her father had as well, and had been completely aware of all of them? What if he knew he was going to die, just like he had died all the lifetimes before?

  Who was Benjamin Porter?

  Kelsey glanced at the clock on the nightstand. It was 5:00am. She gently shook Desmond awake and they both went downstairs to the library where Robbie had fallen asleep on the couch. She bent to him. “Robbie, wake up.”

  He woke instantly. “What is it?”

  “We’re done sitting around. It’s time we went on the attack. Make your preparations. We’ll leave this afternoon.”

  * * * * *

  Kelsey stifled a laugh when the steward handed Robbie a hot towel. He had no idea what to do with it, and simply held it in his hands until Desmond mimed washing his hands and face. Robbie complied and then sat back uncomfortably in his seat, staring out the window. Kelsey vaguely wondered if he were afraid of flying, though her brother didn’t seem to be afraid of anything. He was strong and confidant, but he’d never been in a plane before and kept flexing his fingers and reaching for the flying darts on his belt that weren’t there because he’d begrudgingly packed them away in his luggage.

  “Try to get some sleep, Robbie. We’re in the first class cabin of a 747. It’s as good as it gets, so relax. We’re going to be arriving at 5:30 am and heading straight to Armand’s estate. I promise everything will be fine.”

  Robbie puckered his face and then turned back to the window.

  Kelsey pulled out a notepad. She’d compiled a list of every person and everything in her life that had a connection to her childhood. The list went on for pages. She felt certain that every one of the experiences that happened, and all the people she had met, were part of a set path she’d been put on to bring her powers forward, all starting from the very moment she left Mara’s side and became human. And if that were the case, in any one of them she might find the answers to help her find starlight and finally free her from whatever horrors this universe still held her for. I find Starlight and this all will end.

  The crew lowered the cabin lights for the overnight flight. Kelsey opened up the plastic packet holding the eye pillows and ear plugs and took a quick glance again at Desmond. As usual, her bookworm boyfriend had his nose in a novel, completely engrossed. She remembered how different her first plane trip with him had been, just over a year ago after the fiasco at Garters. She’d barely been able to look at him, much less speak to him at the time, and now here she was considering spending the rest of her life with him. She leaned over and kissed his cheek.

  Instantly he flushed and turned to her, his eyes suddenly smoldering. She knew the power she had over him.

  He took a quick, expectant glance at the lavatory sign, seeing that all of them were occupied. He turned back to her with his cock-eyed grin. “A shame.”

  She laughed, leaned back and tried to get a few hours’ sleep.

  They landed in Paris at the Charles de Gaulle Airport, and her half-brother Jay met them outside in the receiving area after they cleared customs. He gave Desmond a wry smile and smacked his shoulder playfully. “Hey old man, how are you? I see you’re still hanging around my sister. Keeping up with her?”

  Desmond snorted. “It doesn’t get old, does it, Jibade?”

  “No, it certainly doesn’t.” He nodded at Robbie. “So this is your half-brother from Benjamin Porter that you told me about? You’re right. He does look like you. The only sibling you have that actually does,” he said sarcastically, as they began walking towards the parking lot. “Seriously, Kelsey, you do like to keep an entourage around you like a vain celebrity, don’t you? How many brothers and sisters do you actually have?” He started to count with his fingers, starting with his left hand. “There’s me and now Robbie, Ari and Patricia in New York, and Raga and Arati, right? Though I’m not even sure how they’re related to you yet. What, did Ari’s parents adopt them, too, or something?”

  Kelsey made a strangled noise in her throat and grabbed Jay’s arm, stopping him from walking further. “Raga and Arati? How do you possibly know about them?”

  “Um, ow?” Jay raised his brows and pried her fingers from
his forearm. “What do you mean, how do I know about them? Raga explained all of it to me last night.” Jay leaned in, grinning. “I can’t believe you kept her a secret. She’s absolutely wild, with not an inhibition in the world. She’d have made a perfect French girl if she wasn’t Indian.”

  “You met my…sister?” Kelsey stuttered. “Did you sleep with her?”

  Jay’s expression was stupefied as if she’d asked him the most idiotic question on the planet. “Did I sleep with her? Of course I did. I’m not related to her. And while you’re hot, she’s on a whole other level. Did you know she could…”

  Kelsey cut him off. “Spare me. Where is she, Jay?”

  He continued walking up to his Mercedes. “Waiting for us in the car, of course. She said she wanted to see you. Ah, there you are, Gorgeous.”

  Raga rolled down the tinted window from where she sat lounging in the front passenger seat. “So nice to see you again, Tanha.” She sucked on a lollipop as she sized up Robbie and Desmond. “And boys. Look, it’s a party like old times, Tanha.”

  Kelsey brushed past Jay and stormed up to the car, leaning in. “Get the hell out of the car right now, Raga, or I’ll drag you out myself.”

  Her sister gave her a look that said go ahead and try.

  Kelsey grabbed the handle and yanked open the door.

  “What’s your problem, Kelsey?” Jay put himself between the two sisters.

  Desmond grabbed Jay’s arm, but the kid shook him off.

  “Get out of my way, Jay.” Kelsey pushed her brother aside and glared at Raga. “I don’t know what game you’re playing, but it’s over. You are not getting involved with my family, you hear me? Now get out of the car and get the hell out of here. Go home.”

  Raga eyed the talisman secured around Kelsey’s neck, laid her sucker on the dashboard, and slinked out of the car. The air around the five of them immediately warmed up ten degrees. Desmond held his ground as Raga gave him a lascivious grin and licked her lips seductively.