“I will always love you, my son,” she says and places her hands on my head. Once more she turns toward the voices. I can see the pupils grow to cover each iris. She tenses as she sees them, even though they will not spot us in the darkness for a long time. My vision has begun to be worthy of the falcon, but at night, none could match the sight of those living with the gift of the sacred cat.
“Why do they hate us so much? Why do they want to hurt us?” My voice is trembling, my fear and confusion unbearable.
“They fear what they do not understand, my son. And they hate those whom they fear.”
“We have never wronged them. What do they want from us?”
“They want to misuse the gifts of the animals. To make themselves strong. To win wars.” She looks at me piercingly then holds me tight again.
Every breath I take brings them closer to us. “It is time, my son.” She releases me and gently pushes me into the dark corner of the doorway. “Stay hidden here until you do not hear them anymore, then run as fast as you can to the boats. Find Grandfather.”
“Amah…”
She holds me at arm’s length. “You are Horus, son of Isis and Osiris,” she says softly, then moves into the alley. She stands and waits for the pursuit to drive close enough to see her.
I press into the corner of the doorway. Breath by breath the voices grow louder. I close my eyes.
A rough voice pierces the darkness. “There’s one!”
I fight my terror and open my eyes. I see my mother staring into the darkness toward the pursuers. Somehow, I grasp that the image of her standing there, tall and defiant, will forever be engraved in my memory. She glances at me one last time, I see her lips move. You shall know no fear.
She whirls and leaps into the darkness, away from the pursuers. Away from me.
I turn and press my cheeks against the cold rock. My tears wet the rough surface as it digs into my skin. My heart pounds against my chest.
I am Horus.
I hear their feet, only a few arms’ lengths away from me. I know they can hear the thumping of my heart.
Son of Isis and Osiris.
I wait for a rough hand to yank me out of my hiding place. I hold my breath and squeeze my eyes shut as tightly as I can.
I shall know—
As soon as it came, the noise is gone. They continue their pursuit into the darkness. I stay huddled against the rock for a long time before I dare to turn my head and look into the alley. It is empty. I leave the dark doorway and run the opposite way, the wind drying my tears as they streak down my face. I have to get to the harbor. My mother will meet me there.
She said she would.
I continue racing into the darkness. I reach the sloped gardens. The harbor is just ahead. Without warning, strong hands pull me into an alley. I try to scream but my mouth is covered.
“Be still, Horus.” I hear a familiar voice. My grandfather, Thoth, the Scribe. I am shaking, too numb to feel. He points at the men by the boats and puts his finger to his lips. I nod in understanding and look to the boats. I gasp at the sight of the bodies of our kin lying at the docks motionless. I recognize the pursuers, standing around them with their weapons drawn.
“Where is your mother?” my grandfather whispers.
“She… she ran inland… to draw them away,” I reply, tears streaking freely down my cheeks. “She said she would meet me. She said…”
Anguish fills his ancient eyes as he regards me, his face a shadow of agony. Slowly and deliberately, he pulls me to him and holds me close. When he releases me and I look at him again, his face is a mask, but I shiver at his eyes, two glaring mirrors of terrible pain and unrestrained hatred.
“They slaughtered everyone,” he says as he slides his hand into his robe and draws out three glass orbs, the ghostly, purple mist inside them shifting subtly with his movements.
“But Amah…”
“We could have all lived together, in peace,” his voice quivers as he gently pushes me back and sets off toward the men.
“We could have been united, one people!” His voice grows louder, startling the men near the boats. They turn and face him for an instant then rush at us, raising their weapons.
“We have never done you harm, yet you slaughtered my brothers… my sisters!” His voice is a shaking crescendo. “You have murdered my sons and daughters! Now you shall answer for your savagery!” He screams and hurls the glass orbs at the running men.
The orbs fly through the air and break on the ground in front of the men as they rush into the barely perceptible mist.
The men continue to rush at Thoth for several strides then their eyes grow large as their legs refuse to obey them.
“Do not look, boy. Turn away!”
I cannot tear my eyes from the nightmare before me. The men’s skin turns the color of fire and they fall to their knees, clawing at their throats and faces, blood streaking from their eyes. Then the screams begin. They grow louder and turn to the shrieks of animals. I cover my ears to drown out the sounds, but I can still hear them. I feel Thoth pull me to him and hold my head tight against his chest until the screams fade into a ghastly memory.
The strong beats of my grandfather’s heart ring against my ear, their steady rhythm a brief solace in this horror. Finally, he releases me and moves toward the men. I hesitate, drawing him back.
He stops and looks down at me.
“Do not be afraid,” he says. “This weapon can never cause you harm. It was made to protect us and bring death to our enemies. Our blood shall keep us safe.” He cups my face in his hand. “Do you understand?”
I slowly nod and allow him to take my hand and lead me to the docks. I close my eyes as we walk past the lifeless bodies of our enemies and our kin covering the ground. When we stop and I open my eyes again, we stand before a single-masted sloop, moored at the far end of the harbor.
My grandfather sinks to one knee before me and puts his hands on my shoulders. “Nothing shall ever be again as it was,” he says, his voice heavy. “We must leave our home and we shall never return.”
I stare at him, unwilling to comprehend.
“They murdered your family.” His voice cracks under the weight of his words. “They slaughtered them—all of them. You and I are all that remain of our people, our culture… our blood.” He takes my head into his hands. “Our knowledge, what persists inside us, is all we have. I shall teach you all that I know, but I am old and you must carry this burden once I am gone. You must safeguard the memory of our people.”
He stands and lifts me up, his arms surprisingly strong, and gently sets me inside the sailboat. He slips the lines off the wooden pylons, climbs in behind me and pushes off. He rows for a long time. The sky is deeper and the stars are brighter when he unfurls the sail and the wind pushes us east. I turn back one last time to the island I leave behind. I am grateful for the darkness as it conceals my tears and I silently curse the only home I have ever known.
Alyssa lifted the VR helmet off her head and squinted. The room lights swam like darting fish in a midnight sea. Gradually, the blurriness receded and she slowly focused on the two pairs of eyes looking down at her.
“Alyssa?” Paul’s voice broke the silence.
Alyssa stared at him, waiting for the dizziness to subside.
“They killed them,” she finally said, her voice trembling. “They killed all of his people.” She grimaced, the sound of her own voice strange to her ears. “I saw it. I felt what he felt.” Her lips quivered. “Paul…” she looked at him, words failing her.
Paul gently placed his hand on her shoulder. She shivered. He reached over and put a blanket around her. Alyssa sat quietly, trying to ward off the ringing in her ears, and lifted her hands to rub her temples. She flinched when she felt wetness on her cheeks. Absentmindedly, she dried the tears with her sleeve.
“I think there was some kind of war, a civil war, on their island. There was an ambush on Horus’s people by others who lived there.” She winced,
recalling the images. “He and his grandfather were the only ones who survived and escaped. His grandfather, Thoth, killed their enemies with a…” She shuddered at the memory of the screams.
She bolted upright. “The mist! It’s a weapon!”
“What?” Paul gasped.
“I… I’m not sure,” she said, struggling to remember the details. “I can’t put it together yet. Maybe if we try again.”
Paul shook his head. “You need to rest.”
“We don’t have time to rest!” She whirled. “Clay, tell him I’m—” The room spun and she staggered. She tumbled to the floor before either of them could reach her.
“Alyssa!” Paul cried as he and Clay rushed to her side. Paul dropped to the floor beside her and gently lifted her head. “What happened?”
“I… I don’t know. Just got a bit dizzy,” she said. “It’s okay. I’m better now.”
“It’s because of what we’re doing, isn’t it?” Paul asked, shooting a glance at Clay.
Clay cleared his throat. “Probably a good idea to give it a rest.”
“What?” Alyssa bolted up. “We’re getting so close to finding out what’s going on!”
“You know he’s right,” Paul said. “We have no idea what this is doing to you. It’s too risky.”
“We're finally getting somewhere. Please, you have to trust me on this. I think I know what is making Kade ill.”
Paul and Clay looked at her wordlessly.
“Go on,” Paul said.
“I think it's some kind of a weapon. I’m not sure what it is exactly, maybe it’s chemical or biological, not just a virus or bacteria…” She struggled for the right words. “It’s man-made, manufactured, somehow.” She described the glass balls Thoth used to defeat the men. “He told Horus that it was safe for him, that his blood will protect him.”
“That’s impossible!” Clay said. “We don't even have the technology to do this now!”
“We also don't have technology to record memories onto a crystal.” Alyssa snapped back.
“Biological nanotechnology ten thousand years ago?” Paul said. “You have to admit, that’s a pretty long stretch.”
“Isn’t all of this a pretty long stretch?” Alyssa laughed dryly, sounding more sarcastic than she had intended. “If you had told me three days ago that my father was dying and the key to his cure was locked inside a ten thousand year old DVD that contains the memories of Horus, God of Egypt, I would have called you a frigging lunatic!”
She inhaled deeply. “Wherever the crystal came from, their technology is far beyond ours. I think they developed the weapon—whatever it was—to protect themselves. Somehow, it was released and is causing Kade’s illness. What if it can spread to others?”
Alyssa shuddered, unsure if it was at the chill or sudden realization. “The people trying to kill us want this technology. The key to it lies in the chamber. I have to get in there… somehow.”
“Are you completely looney?” Clay pulled a face. “After what happened to your dad?”
She turned to him. “I can’t tell you how sorry I am to have dragged you—both of you—into this. But I cannot continue risking your lives. You should hide for a while, until this is over.”
Paul looked at her, resigned. “There’s no convincing you otherwise, is there?”
When she shook her head, he sighed. “I'm coming with you to Egypt.”
“Paul—”
“No arguments. That’s the deal. You’ll need somebody to watch your back. We have no idea what we’re up against.”
She considered for several moments then nodded. “Will you bring me my cell phone?” she asked.
An hour later, Alyssa hung up the phone and gave Paul a tired smile. “Congratulations, Mr. Matthews, you are the proud recipient of an all-expenses-paid, ‘Beyond First Class’ flight package to Cairo.”
Paul gave her a puzzled look.
“All of today’s flights to Cairo were booked solid. The only available seats were the obscenely expensive private suites,” she said. “It’s a good thing Kade and I have been saving up all of our frequent flyer miles for the past five years.” She smirked. “I knew they’d come in handy one day.” She glanced at the VR goggles. “Besides, it will give us a chance to find out more about Horus while we’re in the air.”
Paul turned to Clay. “Are you sure we’ll be able to take the equipment through airport security?”
“Nothing dodgy there, just electronic bits ‘n bobs,” Clay replied. “On the other hand, I’m quite certain that it doesn’t qualify as an approved electronic device, so you should probably wait to close the door on your fancy suite before turning it on.”
Alyssa nodded. “Are you going to be okay?”
He flashed a grin. “Don’t you worry about me. I’ll be tickety-boo.”
“Do be careful,” she said. “I can’t tell you how grateful I am.”
“Of course, you can,” Clay gave her an impish look. “But first go and sort out this bloody mess and save the world.”
“Deal.” Alyssa gave him a long hug and kissed him on the cheek.
Clay cleared his throat, trying to hide the flush that crept across his cheeks. “Just promise me to take good care of yourself. And of Oxford boy.” He winked at Paul then turned serious again. “You can do this, you know. I will wait to hear from both of you.”
Tasha Mendeva pushed the heavy wooden doors and sauntered into the room as they swung open ahead of her. She moved confidently toward the man sitting at the desk, the strapless black dress emphasizing her perfect posture and the graceful lines of her neck.
“If it’s not good news, turn around and close the door behind you.” Drake’s cold voice met her from behind the desk, his gaze remaining fixed on the document in front of him.
Tasha slowly glided next to him and put her arms around his neck, clasping her hands behind his head. She leaned close to his ear.
“The girl just used her cell phone to book two tickets to Cairo,” she whispered. “For herself and one of the boys from the WHO.”
Drake looked up at her, raising his eyebrows.
“Where is she flying from?”
“Gatwick, London.”
Drake sat up and freed himself from her embrace. Reluctantly, she moved back with a sultry expression.
“I want Gavriel on that plane,” he said.
“Renley said we needed them alive.” She pressed her lips into a fine line.
His hand shot out and his fingers locked around her arm. He pulled her roughly to him until her face was only inches from his eyes.
“I’m tired of Renley’s games,” he said, his voice low and his gaze filled with a dangerous gleam. “Sometimes I wonder whether your loyalty to your mentor means more to you than your dedication to the Society.”
Tasha cast her eyes down. “George Renley gave me a life,” she said, her words slow and measured. She looked up. “But you and the Society gave it a purpose.” She moved even closer to his face, eyes locked on his. “The Society has my complete devotion.” She gently took his hand off her arm and brought his palm to her mouth and kissed it. “As do you.”
“Make the calls,” he said.
She nodded. Slowly, she stood and straightened her dress then left the room.
Tasha paced briskly along the corridor for several steps before she slowed and staggered. She gasped and reached for the wall, barely catching herself from dropping to the floor.
The hallway spun, but somehow her hands found a door. She fumbled with the handle and stumbled into the empty room, locking the door behind her. Her heartbeat pounded against her temples as she fell against the door, shuddering and breathing hard. Dread crept over her like an icy chill, numbing her brain. Gradually, she sank to the floor, hands pressed against her temples. Slow, desolate tears ran from her unblinking eyes, making wet tracks on her face before dripping off her chin and melting into the black dress.
She leaned her head back and inhaled deeply through the nose and
exhaled through her mouth, willing her breathing to slow. She wiped off her tears then pulled out her phone and dialed a number.
“Yes?” George Renley’s voice felt like an embrace.
She drew in a deep breath. “They are flying out of Gatwick to Cairo today,” she said quietly, struggling to keep her voice composed.
“Well done,” Renley replied.
“He wants me to send Gavriel on that plane.”
Renley seemed to hesitate for a moment. “That is not wise—and a great risk.”
“And what would you have me do, George?”
“The girl may be more valuable than he realizes.”
Tasha swallowed to clear the lump in her throat. “I’m falling apart.”
“You cannot falter now, Tasha. Remember what’s at stake—and remember your training.”
She stayed silent, her unfocused gaze staring into the dark room.
“Tasha?”
She blinked, her violet eyes swollen and sore. “I have to go. I need to make the calls,” she said, her voice flat, before she hung up the phone.
14 London Gatwick International Airport
Alyssa eyed the two-deck fuselage of the massive Airbus 380 and the two other jetways leading to the coach sections on the lower level. She shook her head. The Wright Flyer’s first flight could have taken off and landed inside this behemoth, she thought.
She moved away from the window and followed Paul as he continued along the upper level jetway toward the plane. The flight attendant standing in the doorway was dressed in a chic cream-colored blouse and beige skirt. A white scarf and matching red hat and shoes completed her uniform. She greeted them with an elegant smile.
“Your boarding passes, please?” After a quick glance, she looked up at them again.
“Welcome to Meridian Airlines, Miss Morgan and Mr. Matthews. If you would please follow me to your suite.”
Alyssa glanced at Paul as the woman led the way. He shrugged and grinned then extended his hand and bowed. “After you, Miss Morgan.”
Heir of Ra (Blood of Ra Book One) Page 11
