Chapter Five

Apollo was ready to take on the world—or, as it was, one little Egyptian god. He'd asked for information on Maahes, so he knew the man was a minor god. For someone like Apollo, it should be easy to get rid of him. The only reason Maahes had managed to hurt Apollo before was that he'd attacked him from behind, and Apollo wouldn't let him do that a second time.

He was ready to fight.

"We can go now," he told Set as he watched him read the news on his phone.

For all that Set insisted he didn't care about the human realm and that he hated the news, he spent a lot of time checking in on humanity. Apollo thought his grumpiness and the way he obviously cared were adorable.

The meeting had lasted a few hours, but nothing important had happened. Apollo was impatient, so the sooner they got rid of Maahes, the happier he'd be.

Set looked up. "Do you know where to find Maahes?"

"Well, I suppose we could go to the mansion where Apophis lived when I visited him, but if you'd rather not, I can ask Hermes to help."

Set put down his phone and leaned forward. He always looked more relaxed in his suite. He didn't have to keep up pretenses or a mask when it was only him or even when it was only him and Apollo. Knowing that made Apollo's heart flutter. He couldn't believe that Set trusted him enough to show him how soft and squishy he was inside.

"Hermes?" Set asked.

"You know, the Greek god."

Set rolled his eyes. "I know who Hermes is. I just didn't realize he was how you found Apophis the first time around."

"He always knows all the gossip and where everyone lives. It was easy for him to find out, and he took me to the mansion."

"And he didn't think to stay and help you fight?"

"It's not his fight."

Apollo didn't blame Hermes for not helping him. It wasn't really about Apophis but rather about what Apollo's father would do if he found out that Hermes was on his side. Apollo hadn't returned to Mount Olympus since talking to Zeus, but he couldn't imagine things were peachy up there.

They never were.

"It's not your fight either," Set pointed out.

"It is my fight. I made it so, and I'm not giving up."

"You're going to get yourself killed."

"Of course not. You'll be there to protect me, won't you?"

Set's expression turned weird for a moment, but before Apollo could worry about what it meant, it vanished. It left behind a scowl.

Apollo beamed.

"You don't need me to protect you," Set grumbled.

"Maybe not, but I want you to protect me. Are you ready to go?"

"Where are we headed? Where do you need to go to talk to Hermes?" Set frowned. "Mount Olympus?"

Apollo shook his head and grabbed Set's hand. Set looked like he wanted to jerk away, but Apollo didn't give him time. He teleported both of them to Greece.

Set rolled his eyes when he saw where they were. "Of course."

"We're nothing if not predictable," Apollo said with a wink. He took out his phone and called Hermes, not at all surprised to hear his phone ring somewhere in the distance.

They were in a small abandoned temple, and it looked like no one was there, but Apollo knew his family. He knew Artemis the best since she was his twin, but he'd made a point of keeping tabs on everyone. Hermes had built a small house behind the temple that was dedicated to him, and when he wasn't on Mount Olympus or out doing favors, this was where he could be found.

"You better answer your phone," Apollo called out.

Someone swore, making Apollo's smile widen. Hermes appeared from between the olive trees, only to stop when he saw Set. He had to have met gods from other pantheons before, but Set was a sight to behold, so Apollo didn't blame him for being stunned.

"What are you doing here?" Hermes asked, still eyeing Set. "I'm surprised you're alive."

"I'm fine, but I need you to find someone for me."

Hermes turned his full attention to Apollo. "Please tell me you're not stupid enough to go after that god again?"

"I won't tell you anything, then."

Hermes groaned. "I don't understand why you're so bent on doing this. It's none of your business. Don't we have enough problems in our pantheon without adding the problems of other pantheons to the mix?"

Apollo pressed his lips together. He understood where Hermes was coming from, but he didn't think anyone truly understood how dangerous this was. "What do you think will happen if Apophis manages to destroy his pantheon? Do you think it will be enough for him?"

Set snorted softly. "He won't stop until he has every god under his heel."

Apollo nodded at Hermes. "Exactly. Once he's done with his pantheon, he'll turn to others. I'm not saying he would win if he attacked my father, but there's a chance he might, and I don't want things to get that far. I'm doing this because it's the right thing to do and because if I don't, we'll end up in trouble anyway. I'd rather stop Apophis as soon as possible."

Hermes sighed. "I get it. So you're looking for him again?"

"I'm looking for a minor god called Maahes. He stabbed me."

"He's living the dream, then."

Set snickered, but Apollo wasn't offended. He knew he was annoying, and he didn't mind if his family teased him, at least when it came from Hermes. He wouldn't have taken it as nicely if Zeus had been the one to say it.

"Give me as many details as you can," Hermes ordered.

Apollo took a step back because Set knew the god they were looking for much better than he did. Thankfully, Hermes was an expert, and after just a few moments, he wiggled his fingers. Apollo gripped them without hesitating, but Set didn't, so Apollo grabbed him.

Hermes took them to a house. This one was smaller, and Apollo wondered if Apophis was annoyed. Clearly, he felt he deserved the biggest and most luxurious things he could find in the human realm, but he didn't seem to have realized that without humans, he wouldn't get them.

"The god you're looking for is in there," Hermes said. "I'm going to Mount Olympus. If you need help, you know how to find me."

Apollo nodded and watched Hermes vanish before he turned back to the house. It might not be as luxurious or big as the other one, but Apollo wouldn't mind living there.

He stepped forward but didn't go far before a hand on his arm stopped him. He turned to Set, who looked confused but quickly set his expression. "Be careful," he ordered.

Apollo's heart fluttered. "I knew you cared about me."

"I never said I cared about you. I just don't want to have to deal with your pantheon before we're rid of Apophis."

Apollo didn't believe him. He thought it obvious that Set cared about him, even though Set would never admit it out loud. It didn't matter. Eventually, Apollo would get what he wanted because he could tell that Set wanted the same.

Set was used to keeping everyone away and hiding his heart from every single person who tried getting close to him. Apollo would be surprised if anyone tried anymore, actually. Apart from Ra and a few other gods, most gods in the Egyptian pantheon seemed to avoid Set as much as they could. That made Apollo angry, but he also understood that it was partly Set's fault. If he didn't growl and snap so much, people would want to spend more time with him. At the same time, all of his growling was a shield for him and a way to keep people as far away as possible so they wouldn't hurt him. Apollo didn't know why Set had started doing that, but he didn't think it mattered. It was over, anyway. Apollo didn't care if Set didn't talk to any of the gods in his pantheon ever again as long as he let Apollo in.

It would take some work, but Apollo wasn't afraid of hard work. Before he could do anything about Set, though, he had to take care of Apophis.

"I promise I'll be careful," he said as he leaned closer and kissed Set's cheek.

Set narrowed his eyes, but he didn't tell Apollo to fuck off. Instead, he nodded, then turned toward the house.

Apollo wasn't worried. Whatever happened, Set would have his back.

* * * *

Set watched the house. He didn't know where Apollo had gone when he'd attacked Apophis, but he wasn't surprised to see that this place was luxurious. It was big and had several cars parked in front of it, and Set could see a pool behind the house.

The place was eerily silent, which made him worry. He had no way to know if Apophis was here, and he had no clue what they'd do if he was. Leave, probably. Apollo had already tried to fight Apophis, and that hadn't ended well. They couldn't rush into it. They needed to take the plan step-by-step, and the first step was to defeat Maahes.

"Ready when you are," Apollo said.

"As long as you can keep your mouth shut, we can go now."

Apollo grinned. "I don't like keeping my mouth shut, but I'll make an exception for you. We'll talk once this is over."

It sounded like a threat, and it probably was. Set knew what Apollo wanted to talk about, and he wasn't ready. He hadn't admitted many things, even to himself, and he didn't know if he could admit them to Apollo. He doubted Apollo would let it go, though. It wasn't his style.

His eyes widened when Apollo strode toward the house. He'd thought they'd teleport in or maybe sneak in through a window, not that they'd knock on the door. He rushed after the Greek god, but it was too late. Apollo had already knocked.

The door opened, and Apollo stared at the young woman on the other side of it. She was only wearing a bikini, and she was visibly shaking. Set didn't think she was scared of Apollo. He smiled that smile of his that made everyone like him, and she relaxed until a noise came from behind her. She jumped and looked over her shoulder, but no one appeared.

"We're looking for a god," Apollo said.

The woman licked her lips. She wore makeup and her hair was done. She was lovely, all blonde hair and tanned skin, but she was uneasy.

"A god with only one hand?" she asked.

Apollo beamed at her. "Exactly. Is he here?"

"He's in the back." She hesitated. "Are you going to take him away?"

"We will, but he won't come willingly. Go upstairs, and don't come out for a while."

She nodded and left them by the open door. She didn't even tell them to come in. She just rushed for the stairs, grabbing another woman who was coming down them and pulling her back upstairs. This woman, too, wore only a swimsuit, which made Set wonder what this place was. Maybe they were roommates.

He and Apollo walked in and closed the door. As silent as the house was, they could hear voices in the direction the woman had indicated now that they were in, so they headed that way. The place wasn't just luxurious. It was garish, with bright colors that hurt Set's eyes. He didn't understand how anyone could live there, but he quickly realized that no one actually lived in this house when he and Apollo stepped into the living room.

Maahes was sitting on a couch, surrounded by women who looked terrified. Anyone would be terrified of the two demons standing behind the couch, guarding Maahes while he kissed one of the women.

Set swore when the demons surged forward. They should have known Maahes wouldn't be alone after Apollo had attacked him and Apophis.

Apollo thrust a hand forward, and his sword appeared. It was so bright that it made Set squint, but he didn't have time to be in awe of Apollo and what he could do. He pushed his power into his hands, then used it to create two black swords just in time to cut down one of the demons when it reached him.

The first strike wasn't enough to kill the demon, but Set didn't waste time. He arched his swords toward the demon, cutting its head off.

The body slumped, and the women screamed. Set turned to them, scowling because he disliked this kind of noise. "Leave!" he ordered.

He was afraid Maahes would grab one of the women and use her as a shield, but he was scrambling to his feet, holding his jeans with one hand and waving his other arm around. Apollo was done with the other demon, and he reached Maahes first. Maahes had to let go of his jeans to get his weapon, which appeared as soon as his hand was free. His jeans slid down his legs, exposing him.

Set grimaced. They were at war, so what the fuck had Maahes thought, coming to what had to be a brothel? He'd been caught with his pants down—literally.

Apollo laughed and stepped aside to let one of the women rush past him. He raised his sword to Maahes's chin, and Maahes froze.

"Not so strong when you're caught by surprise, are you?" Apollo asked.

Maahes didn't answer. He glared at Apollo as if it would be enough to kill him.

Set had no doubt that Apollo was stronger. The only reason Maahes had managed to stab him the other day was that he'd taken Apollo by surprise and had attacked him from behind. Apollo had been fighting Apophis, so he'd been focused on him. No one would attack him from behind today, though.

Set would make sure of that.

"Drop it," Apollo ordered.

Maahes bared his teeth. "Why would I do that?"

"Because I won't ask as nicely the next time I have to."

Apollo batted Maahes's sword with his own. It clattered on the floor. Maahes looked at it for a second before turning his attention back to Apollo. He looked ridiculous with his dick hanging out, and it took a lot not to laugh in his face.

Set realized he didn't have to stop himself from laughing. He didn't care about Maahes. The god would die soon, and since Set doubted he'd give them the answers they needed willingly, he'd be tortured first. This was nothing next to what awaited him.

"Pull up your jeans," Apollo ordered. "You're taking a little trip."

"I'm not coming with you," Maahes snarled.

Apollo lowered his sword toward Maahes's groin. "Are you sure?"

Maahes swallowed and carefully leaned down to pull up his jeans. Set couldn't look away from Apollo. Usually he was smiling and laughing, bouncing with energy, but not now.

Set had never seen him like this. There was a dark energy to him that told both Set and Maahes that he wouldn't hesitate to follow through with his threat. If Maahes made a wrong move, Apollo would cut him down. Apollo might be the god of the sun, and he might be a warm and good person, but he was also a powerful god. This wasn't the first time he'd had to deal with a situation like this one, and he withstood it with an intensity that made Set wonder if he'd be the same way in bed.

"I won't tell you anything," Maahes said once he was dressed.

Apollo rolled his eyes. "Sure you won't. You think you'll just have to deal with me, but you're wrong. I might be a good fighter, but I don't know what I'm doing when it comes to torture. Set, on the other hand, is the god of violence. I'm sure he won't have any problems getting answers out of you."

Maahes turned to Set, who grinned at him. It wasn't a nice smile, and he saw Maahes hesitate.

Good. Maahes should be afraid. Set had no problem being the god of violence. It was the way he'd been born, and it would never change. Sometimes violence was necessary, no matter what most people thought.

In this case, it definitely was.

They would get answers out of Maahes, including, hopefully, the name of the spy. Once they did, he would kill Maahes, eliminating the minor god from existence. No one would remember him except for what he'd done with Apophis, and that was how it should be.

Maahes didn't deserve to be remembered as anything but a coward and a traitor. He'd chosen his side, and he'd chosen wrong, because in the end, Ra would defeat Apophis.

Set didn't hesitate to put away his swords and reach for Maahes. If the minor god tried anything, Apollo would cut him down. Maahes snarled and tried to pull away, but Set gave him a good shake. He didn't look back at Apollo. He didn't need to. They both knew exactly where they were going.

* * * *

They appeared in front of Nu's suite. Nu had offered their space for them to do this, and everyone had agreed it was a good idea. No one would dare enter Nu's suite if they weren't invited, and they had more than enough space not to have to use this one after this was over. Apollo found it funny that the Egyptian pantheon didn't have a dedicated area for this, but maybe they weren't as bloodthirsty as his pantheon.

He wasn't too sure about that when he looked at Set and found him pushing Maahes toward the door. Set wasn't bloodthirsty per se, but right now, he was angry and wanted answers. He'd do whatever he had to in order to get them, and he wouldn't hesitate. Some people might have disliked that, but not Apollo.

They were at war. They couldn't be delicate about anything, especially not now that they'd gotten their hands on Maahes.

Apollo snorted at his thoughts, earning himself a glance from Set. So he beamed at Set, who rolled his eyes and opened the door.

Nu was sitting in the living area but got to their feet as soon as they walked in. Their gaze focused on Maahes, who cringed slightly. No matter how callous the minor god was, Nu was his grandparent. He might not have cared if Nu had been anything like, say, Zeus, but they weren't. They were good, and it was clear Maahes knew he'd disappointed them.

"You know where to go," Nu said, seemingly not caring one bit about what was about to happen. "Try not to get blood on my floor."

"I can't promise that," Set drawled.

"As long as you clean up afterward, I don't care. I'm going to get Ra."

They probably didn't want to listen to the screaming, and while Apollo would go with them normally, he wouldn't leave Set alone with Maahes. He doubted Maahes could do anything against Set, but he was still angry at the minor god for stabbing him in the back.

Set dragged a reluctant Maahes toward the back of the suite. Apollo had never been here, having only visited the living area, but Set seemed to know where he was going. They stepped out of the suite and crossed the yard, but they didn't stop there. They continued walking until they reached a small building hidden by trees and flowers. There was a fountain next to it, and the place looked too peaceful for what was about to happen.

Apollo swallowed. He knew how to defend himself and how to fight, and he never hesitated to take a life when he had to, but this was different. He'd never tortured anyone. He didn't know what Set would do exactly, but it made his stomach churn just to think of it. He wasn't angry or disgusted by Set for having to do it, but he wasn't sure how he'd take it.

Set opened the door of the small building and pushed Maahes inside. Apollo followed, looking around. The building was a single empty room. He suspected there had been furniture here before, but it was all gone except for one chair placed at the center of the room. It faced the opening in the wall that gave onto the yard. There were no windows, but Nu didn't need windows when the weather was always perfect at the palace. Apollo could feel the breeze on his skin, but instead of being pleasant, it made him shiver.

Set tied Maahes to the chair before turning to Apollo. Apollo tried to smile, hoping Set wouldn't see how uncomfortable this made him. He should have known better. Set always saw everything, especially when it came to Apollo.

He came closer, and both of them stood behind Maahes. "You should go," Set murmured.

Apollo shook his head. "I'm not leaving you, and I deserve to see what you'll do to him after he stabbed me."

"You might deserve it, but you don't need to watch. You know what's going to happen. I'll get the answers we need and revenge for what he did to you."

"I'm not weak. I can stand here and watch you work."

Apollo was stunned when Set grabbed his arm and pulled him closer. Their lips were suddenly touching, and it took Apollo a second to realize that Set was kissing him. Since he didn't know if this was the only time Set would kiss him, he took advantage of it and pressed closer. Set made a pleased sound and dug his fingers into Apollo's hair. He pushed his tongue into Apollo's mouth, and Apollo groaned in pleasure.

The kiss didn't last nearly as long as Apollo wanted it to. Seconds later, Set stepped away, leaving Apollo flushed and wanting more. Apollo wanted to do so many things to Set, but it probably wasn't a good idea to do it in front of a minor god they were about to torture.

"Go outside," Set murmured. "I'll take care of this and join you as soon as I'm done. You have nothing to prove to me and no reason to stay here and watch. I know you're not weak, Apollo. You're one of the strongest men I've ever known, and not wanting to watch as I torture someone isn't going to change that. It's not going to change the way I feel about you."

Apollo's mouth was dry. "How do you feel about me?" he croaked.

Set kissed Apollo again, but this kiss was even shorter. He stepped away, his gaze never leaving Apollo's. "We'll talk about it once this is over."

Apollo was glad to be offered an out. He didn't actually want to stay and watch Set torture Maahes. He wanted to stay by Set's side to show him that he could do it and that he was worthy of being with him, but it looked like he didn't have to do it. Set already believed Apollo was worthy of being with him.

He swallowed and turned. He had no idea what Set would do, and he didn't want to find out. He'd expected to have to be stoic and wait until all of this was over to go outside and throw up in the bushes, but he'd rather not throw up at all, and this was what Set was offering.

How was Apollo supposed to not fall for him?

* * * *

Set waited until Apollo had closed the door behind himself to turn to Maahes. The minor god was trying to get out of the chair, but Set had tied him too well. Maahes's arms were on the armrests, exposing his hand and the fact that he was missing one. He was starting to sweat as he pulled on his arms, but he wasn't going anywhere.

Not until Set was done with him.

Set slowly walked around him. He took off his suit jacket and rolled up the sleeves of his shirt, never once looking at Maahes. He could feel the minor god getting more agitated as the seconds ticked by, and he loved it.

The door opened before he could do anything. He looked up, ready to tell Apollo to leave, but it wasn't him. "What are you doing here?" he asked Nu.

"I want to know what he has to say."

"I can let you know once this is over. You don't have to stay and watch."

They stared at Set for a moment. Like always, Set felt they could see right into his heart. Maybe they could. They had powers most gods could only imagine. They were the reason the Egyptian gods existed.

"I won't think badly of you because of what you're about to do," Nu said. "I know who and what you are. You're my grandson, and nothing about this will push me away from you."

Set didn't know what to do. He couldn't force them to leave, and he wanted to believe them. They knew he was the god of violence and what that entailed. They wouldn't shy away from any of this.

He turned back to Maahes. "You can give us the answers we're seeking, or you can hurt."

Maahes snarled. "You'll have to kill me."

Set smiled at him. "I don't think that will be a problem."

Torture wasn't something he often did, but he didn't hate it. They needed answers, and this was who he was. Violence ran in his blood and his soul. He wouldn't stop sleeping because of what he was about to do. He wouldn't feel remorse. He'd just do his job and get Ra what he needed.

He raised a hand, thinking about where he should start. It would be better to start small and see how Maahes reacted. Set might not have to make too much of a mess, depending on how Maahes took torture.

He chose to create a small knife and stepped closer.

*

Maahes was a liar. He'd told Set that he'd have to kill him and that he wouldn't get answers, but things didn't get that far. Maahes was a bloody mess by the time he finally broke down and told Set who the spy was and where all the remaining demons were located. Apophis was using them as guards and to attack humans, but he didn't have that many left. The humans had killed many of them while defending themselves and their countries, and while the humans had always lost the fight in the end, they'd done a good job.

Set stepped away from Maahes. He cleaned his hands with a rag, taking his time. He was afraid to look at Nu, who hadn't moved or said anything the entire time. They were still in the corner, watching Maahes.

"This will break Ra," they murmured.

Set sighed. He knew it would. No one wanted to hear their daughter was working with Apophis, but it was what Ra would have to live through. Thankfully, Frey would be by his side, but Set didn't imagine that it would be easy anyway.

Nu straightened their back. "But he has to know. We all do."

"We know what we're working with now. I'm not saying it will be easy to defeat Apophis, but it will be easier."

"And that's what we were seeking."

They continued staring at Maahes. Set wondered what they were thinking. Did they want to help him? After all, he was their grandchild.

But instead of going to Maahes, Nu put a hand on Set's shoulder. He looked down at them, afraid of what he was about to see in their expression, but they smiled, and everything was all right.

"Go wash up. Your man is waiting for you outside."

"He's not my man," Set grumbled.

"I don't think he'd agree with that."

"That's because he's an idiot."

Nu cupped Set's cheek. "He might be an idiot, but he's an idiot who makes you smile. You've needed that for a long time."

Set didn't know what to say, so he nodded. He was sure now that Nu could see in his heart. They knew what he needed and what he yearned for.

They knew he felt like he'd found both of those things in Apollo.

It was terrifying. Set never trusted anyone, not even his own family. That had somewhat changed recently, but Apollo belonged to another pantheon. He was the opposite of everything Set was. They shouldn't work as a couple, but Set knew that if he welcomed Apollo into his life, they would. If Apollo had even one chance with him, he wouldn't let it go, and Set was tired. He didn't want to continue resisting when there was nothing he wished for more than being in Apollo's arms.

But he didn't know how to deal with feelings. He wasn't even sure he knew how to have feelings. Right now, they all had more important things to focus on, and that was what Set needed to prioritize.

He kissed Nu's cheek and stepped out of the building. Two guards stood by the door, and he ordered them to go inside as soon as Nu was done. Set had no idea what they were doing or saying to Maahes, and it wasn't his business.

Like Nu had said, Apollo was waiting outside. He was sitting on a bench, earbuds in his ears as he bobbed his head to the sound of whatever music he was listening to. Set took a moment to watch him. He still didn't understand what this golden god wanted with him and why he was so focused on him, but by now, he knew that nothing he could do or say would push Apollo away. Apollo didn't take no for an answer, especially not when it came to Set.

Apollo got to his feet and scrambled to get his earbuds out as soon as he saw Set. Set hadn't noticed that Ra and Frey were there, too, sitting on another bench. They both got up, too, and for a moment, Set hesitated.

He had to tell Ra about this, but he didn't want to hurt him. It was odd to feel this way when he and Ra were supposed to be enemies. They were the opposite of each other.

But so were Set and Apollo, yet in some strange way, they were perfect together.

Set swallowed and moved toward Ra. Ra's expression was grim, and Frey leaned against him, offering him the silent support he'd need soon. Thankfully, Apollo didn't ask Set how things had gone. For once, he was silent as he joined Set.

"You have the name of the spy?" Ra asked.

"I do."

Ra sucked in a breath and briefly closed his eyes. "I'm not going to like it, am I?"

"I'm really sorry, but no."

"I wasn't going to like it, whoever it was. I hate that someone from our pantheon, who knows what Apophis can and did do, betrayed us like that."

Set hated it as much as Ra. He didn't understand why anyone would want to ally with Apophis, but he didn't have to understand. It was what the spy had done and should be punished for.