Chapter Nine

Mara

The evening air was thick with tension as I hurled another lifeless body toward Anubis' grand temple. The corpse landed with a thud, rolling across the threshold as if mocking the sanctity of the place. I wiped my brow, glaring at the temple's imposing facade.

Anubis emerged from the shadows, his eyes narrowing in a mix of anger and annoyance.

"Must you desecrate my sacred grounds with these offerings?" he demanded. "Have you no respect for the sanctity of my temple?"

I squared my shoulders, fighting the urge to roll my eyes. "Respect? Can't you see I'm trying to learn how to mummify? Isn't that what I'm supposed to do to the dead? We don't need another sleazy Yalin episode."

Anubis, unconvinced of my explanation, crossed his arms. He seemed to be in a mood. One would think torturing my womb would keep the deity in high spirits. But ever since he returned from wherever he went, his mood had turned downright sour.

I wonder if I could push him to punish me…

"Little mortal, there are better ways in learning the mummification process and the guiding of souls…"

I scrunched my nose. I wasn't in it to guide souls. I was in it to try and impress Anubis. Silly jackal couldn't see flirting if it hit him in the face.

Or in Jack's place, he got his brain smashed in by my shovel when he tried to grope me while I was trying to bury the last body. I was tired of the stray dogs that hung out at the temple. What if one bit me while Anubis was fucking the living daylights out of me or something? That would be awkward.

Anubis took a step closer, his eyes flashing with a fierce intensity. I felt a flutter in my stomach at the prospect of his anger, which, admittedly, wasn't a good sign for my self-control. My mouth, however, seemed to have its own agenda.

"What exactly are you doing, Mara?" he demanded.

I tilted my head, a mischievous grin playing on my lips. "Oh, just making your temple look a little less... boring. Living it up, getting some new activities in. You're welcome. I figured if you're going to get all worked up, you might as well have a little excitement to go with it."

"Excitement? Is that what you call desecrating sacred grounds and provoking goddesses?"

I shrugged nonchalantly, trying to hide the fact that I was still slightly off-balance from the arousal that was growing from this little confrontation. "Well, if you'd rather I stick to traditional offerings, you should've been more specific. But let's be honest—your temple could use a little pizzazz. Ever thought of redecorating?"

He took another step forward until we were toe to toe, his form towering over me. "Have you forgotten your torn coverings scattered on the floor not so long ago? I believe we've been redecorating my temple plenty."

My breathing rose. Woo wee. Was it getting hot in here? Or was my imagination getting the better of me? I pressed my legs together and Anubis' nostrils flared as if he wanted me to know he smelled exactly what I was trying to hide.

His hand slowly crawled up the side of my breast and ended around my throat. "Are you secretly begging for something, little mortal?"

My mouth flapped comically as I tried to piece two brain cells together to give him a witty answer. A grin slowly spread across his face and out of character, I timidly looked away.

"I'll get rid of the body," I pouted.

"Good girl. If I catch you bringing in… stray corpses again, you will be punished," he said seductively, making my toes curl beneath the scantily clad dress I wore for him. Big guy didn't even compliment it.

"Fine," I huffed, before pretending to jerk my face away from his grasp. I gave an over-exaggerated bend at the hip, before grabbing the corpse by the hands.

The growl behind me gave me a thrill as I made sure to cast a hooded look over my shoulder.

"See something you like, Anubis?"

He curled his lip in a snarl as his tail began to wag.

I let out a laugh before dragging the body away. Moving a corpse across the sand was much easier, the grains provided less resistance. Dropping him, I placed my hands on my hips and looked around, trying to find the best place to bury his body. Since our experience with sleazy Yalin, Anubis wasn't as stringent with his routines and protocols.

Before I could decide on the perfect location, a gust of wind announced a shift in the realms.

A goddess of what looked like night and mourning appeared, her dark eyes locking onto me with a disapproving glare.

"Mara," she smeared, her voice laced with venom, "it seems you've overstayed your welcome."

I looked around curiously. "Overstayed how? We're outside."

"You know exactly what I mean!" she spat.

"Do I? And who the hell are you?" I shot back, annoyed at her entitled attitude.

As if she was waiting for that exact question, she lifted her chin. "I am Nephthys."

Okay. She really needed to reel in that ego. Who was Nephthys?

I shot her a wry smile. "Nephthys, I think you're barking up the wrong tree. Maybe you took a wrong turn from Duat."

Her eyes narrowed as if she was readying for a fight. What was going on here? Who was this broad? Thoughts of the Ma'at flit through my mind and my own eyes narrowed. Was she another bitch trying to take my man? If I had sleeves, I'd roll them up right now. I guess we're going to be kicking ass in a dress.

"You're disrupting the balance, Mara. You've been warned," she grinned.

Yeah? Two can play this game.

She lashed out with a blade I couldn't see and I leaped back, pulling my own blade from the straps along my thigh. For a goddess who looked like she never ran a day in her life, she lashed out with surprising speed. I dodged and parried, the clash of our weapons a chaotic ballet. Each strike and parry seemed to reverberate in the desert air, a crackle of power shimmering around me. It was the same feeling I got when I wielded that weird staff the first time.

Despite the gravity of the situation, I couldn't help but think how absurd it all was. I was going to have a talk with Anubis once this was all over. I wasn't going to put up with all these women hanging around him with ulterior motives to get into his metaphorical pants.

"Nice moves!" I shouted between blows. "I didn't realize you were moonlighting as a fighting deity. What did you say your name was again?"

She screeched and lunged. I nimbly leaped as part of my skimpy long dress tore from her hit.

"Ugh! Do you know how hard it was to put on this dress?"

I ducked under her swing and slammed my shoulder into her chest, taking her down to the sand.

"You're playing with forces you don't fully understand!" Nephthys gritted out as she threw a punch to my jaw.

I grabbed the back of her hair and slammed her face into the sand. It wasn't as satisfying as slamming her face into the street, but it would have to do. "Nephthys, please. There's no need for hostility."

Nephthys slammed her body back, knocking my hand off her hair as she twisted and straddled me. I felt a surge inside me, an energy that shot through my veins like a live wire. We grappled on the ground and I slipped my feet between us, kicking her off with more force than I could imagine.

Nephthys flew in the air crashing into a familiar dark form that emerged from the shadows. Anubis's voice boomed, a divine command that shook the very air around us. "Enough!"

Nephthys was quick to turn around, placing her hands on his chest, with crocodile tears in her eyes. "Anubis! I don't know what's wrong with her. I've done nothing to deserve this!"

My anger grew into fury at the sight of her touching him. Before I realized he shoved her away with a snarl, I grabbed her hair from behind, jerked her head back and deeply sliced through her neck. I watched with satisfied glee as her blood sprayed forth, landing in crimson droplets on the sand.

I shoved her forward and she fell onto her knees before falling face-first at Anubis' feet.

"You should not have done that," Anubis sighed, running a hand down his face.

I shrugged, too high on my jealousy and whatever was stirring inside me to care much about his reprimand. "Well, it's a bit late now, isn't it?"

I watched with fascination as Nephthys' body dissipated into the air, leaving only the faint imprint of her form behind.

Just then, a new, more powerful, energy filled the air. I turned to see another deity materializing before us, his presence commanding and suffused with an authority that instantly demanded respect. His eyes glowed with a fierce light, and his form seemed to radiate an aura of power that made even Anubis stiffen.

"The mortal known as Mara, Anubis," Amon's voice boomed, each word resonating with a sense of inevitability. "It seems the balance of life and death have been shaken by… recent events."

Anubis straightened, his face a mask of resigned acceptance. "Amon.."

Amon's gaze shifted to me, his eyes piercing through my defiant exterior. "Mara, your actions have not only violated sacred boundaries but also disrupted the balance we strive to maintain."

I tried to meet his gaze with a challenging stare, but the intensity of his presence made my defiance waver. "And what if I did? Nephthys was the one who appeared out of nowhere bothering my late-night duties."

Amon's expression darkened but his eyes revealed amusement. "The disruption you've caused cannot be overlooked. And as a demi-god yourself, you too will have to pay for such misdeeds."

I felt a shiver run down my spine. What did he just say?

Anubis stepped closer to me. "Amon. I agree, Mara's actions were reckless."

I shot him a glare. Traitor!

"And I am willing to deal out her punishment. I'm sure Nephthys will reappear soon enough."

Amon's gaze softened slightly, but his authority remained unyielding. "Recklessness is a serious matter. Both of you will need to account for the consequences of your actions."

I swallowed hard, wondering what kind of crazy sentencing he was planning to throw my way.

When Amon let out a laugh, I jumped back, watching with a bit of horror and confusion as he placed a hand on Anubis' shoulder. "See that you keep your pet in line, Anubis. I will thank you for keeping Nephthys out of my hair for a while. The peace and quiet before she rematerialized is a reprieve we all needed."

Anubis nodded, his expression exposing nothing as if this was exactly what he was expecting.

Amon's eyes narrowed as he regarded both Anubis and me. "You will both come with me. There will be a formal sentencing where your actions will be judged in front of the other deities. The balance must be restored, and the consequences of your choices must be faced."

Anubis looked at me, his eyes darkening. "It seems we have no choice but to comply."

With a reluctant nod, I stepped forward, the energy inside me still crackling with tension. As Amon extended a hand, a swirling vortex of darkness opened up before us, ready to transport us to the place where our fates would be decided. As I glanced at Anubis, I couldn't help but wonder what awaited us at the end of this divine reckoning.