16. Karmen

16

KARMEN

" Y our Imperial Majesty, do forgive our untimely intrusion."

Laced with wry, smug humor, the voice blasted through me. Molten flames seared my veins in a feverish flood. I knew that voice. It wasn't Ra, at least, but in many ways, High Lord Amun was almost as bad as the god of light.

Ra's vizier, second in command of Heliopolis. One step removed from the god himself, with immense powers bestowed upon him. Wearing the Eye of Ra around his neck, he'd subdued every single queen dragged into Ra's domain.

I couldn't move much of my body, but I managed to tilt my head back enough to see a gleaming silver mirror hovering in the air between the table and the humans. But instead of reflecting the room back to me, the mirror opened into the golden hellscape of Heliopolis. Blasted with punishing sunlight, my eyes watered, unable to see. My skin tightened, already inflamed from heat searing through the portal.

Blinking away the brilliance, I fought to stay calm. As my eyes adjusted, I avoided looking directly at the heavy golden Eye of Ra pendant as big as my palm hung about his neck. A headdress covered his head, held in place with a double pillared crown rising high over the cloth. I didn't remember his crown being quite so large and impressive.

Every muscle in my body clenched. Spasmed. Fighting to move. But all I managed to do was shift my foot a little, jostling War's head. The smell of blood intensified, my fangs sharp against my lip. Not in hunger—in defense. Fury. Terror. Hot blood on my thighs. Was Leonides bleeding so very much?

The circular portal had sliced through the table after he shoved it aside, cutting it in half. Cutlery and food splattered the floor. I couldn't see around the portal to determine if Dagny and the others were injured. Goddess, let her be okay. Things were only just starting to make sense with her help.

Think! I screamed inside my own head. The single word rebounded, a clamor that made me wince.

:We're here,: Goyaa?é said in my mind, his voice calm and sure. :The Scotsman and I are unaffected by their spells. He was guarding his portal, and I was outside the building.:

:We will get you out, my queen,: the Scotsman swore. :We won't fail you.:

Tears of relief spilled from my eyes. I'm not alone. I'm not going back!

"Now, now, my dear," High Lord Amun said in a fake, benevolent voice that flayed my skin. "We're not angry with you. Not at all. Just because you abandoned your throne and loyal servants doesn't mean we won't welcome Our Holy Sun Who Shines once more."

His words reminded me of the power simmering in my veins. The energy of the infinite boiling sun. I wasn't sure how best to use it when I couldn't move, let alone how to strike back—without making him stronger. He used the same solar magic as Ra.

As me.

Though I could already move my head easier. I shifted my knees and wriggled my toes, jostling War's head. Tingling spread through my fingers as feeling returned. Hopefully Leonides' dead weight across my legs and his broad shoulders hid my movements. He must have taken the brunt of the magical blow ahead of the portal, or I'd be knocked out cold. Completely defenseless against the attack.

The blow had been meant for me.

: Please be okay,: I whispered in his direction. To all my Blood. Especially Sunzi.

:Staaaaallllllllll: His bond echoed from a million miles away. :Tiiiiiiiiimmmmmmmme.:

He needs time. We all need time for the spell to wear off. For my other two Blood to devise a plan.

I opened my mouth, struggling to get my tongue to work. "Sepdet."

His name came out of my mouth slurred but High Lord Amun nodded. "He acted of his own accord, Your Imperial Majesty. We didn't send him to act in our stead."

"Our?"

He spread his arms, his hands palm up, sweeping out, widening the portal to show the bald man on his right. Greatest of Seers, Ra's highest priest. I didn't know his name, only his title. A pink, jagged scar marred his forehead like a thin lightning bolt. That was new, too, at least from the last time I'd seen him. Though time was fuzzy.

"We await your return, Your Imperial Majesty. Your servants are ready to welcome you to your rightful throne." On High Lord Amun's other side, a skeleton leered at me, flashing crystalized teeth in a mockery of a smile. His eyes burned with golden power.

Soldiers of Light still exist in Heliopolis. Even without their sunfires.

They can open portals. Even without Sunzi's Keys of Heaven.

Dread choked me. My stomach quivered and rolled, nausea crawling up my throat.

"I won't." Each word tore from my raspy throat. "Go. Back."

High Lord Amun chuckled, a raspy, brittle crunching laugh that reminded me of bones grinding together until they shattered. "But you will indeed, Oh Mighty Sun. The magnificent forces of Heliopolis will never cease until you Shine Eternal on Heaven's Throne."

The shimmering mirror floated closer, shearing through more of the wooden table. The endless heat of Heliopolis radiated from the window. Sunburns that never healed. Thirst never quenched. Shadows never allowed to cool an inch of inflamed flesh.

"Look at your men." He sneered with derision. "And see what the might of Heliopolis does to those who betray the Endless Glory of Sun."

The portal's surface thickened, clouded with silvery smoke until it reflected an image. Me, staring into my own eyes. Hands on my shoulders, Sunzi standing behind me. But his fingers were blackened, crisped by the never-ending sun. I dragged my gaze up, bile burning my throat. Afraid to see his face.

Sun Tzu grimaced, his jaw decayed and charred. Black sores oozed on his face and throat, leaking green pus and thick mucus. His nostrils were gone, burned away. His lips barely hung by a sinew. His eyes were wet, oozing holes.

"Human bodies don't fare well beneath your glory," High Lord Amun said. "Cancer will rot them from the inside out, though they won't be able to die. Not as long as they carry your magnificence."

My heart shredded at the thought of any of my Blood suffering such a fate. Let alone Sunzi. My first Blood. My first trust.

My first love.

:Forgive me,: I whispered, crying. :I'm so sorry.:

His fingers spasmed on my chin, his thumb digging into the soft underneath of my jaw surprisingly hard.

Wait. The image of him in the portal gripped my shoulders, but that wasn't right at all. He still had his palm wrapped around my throat.

Not a reflection—but an illusion. Even my hair was wrong, smoothed back and flat from my face, tamed and controlled as if the slaves had done my hair before taking me to the god. Golden material covered my chest up to my chin, rather than the lovely pink dress.

A trick, and a lousy one at that. The longer I looked at the image, the more things were wrong. Rage crackled to life inside me, burning away my instantaneous fear that Ra could somehow still be alive. My dread at going back to Heliopolis. Heat flared through me, lighting my blood with solar flares.

Blood pooled around me, casting a fiery golden glow up from the floor. Burning, molten drops of sunlight. My blood, not Leonides'. My power. The infinite sun roared in my ears.

I'd already reclaimed my body and birthright as an Aima queen. I only had to embrace my power.

"Surely you didn't assume your reign was over so quickly. So easily." High Lord Amun chuckled, shaking his head. "You touched the God of All Things Light and Day. You still carry His Magnificence. His Sun burns in you."

A lump of dread swelled in my throat, my stomach churning. Could some remnant of Ra's heir still hide inside me? Could I possibly still be pregnant despite bleeding? If there was any chance at all that I couldn't rid myself of his spawn…

I would rather allow the infinite sun to annihilate me from the inside out. It would certainly be a more merciful end than being torn apart.

Welcoming the expanding energy roaring through my veins, I shoved Leonides' shoulder to the side so he slumped off me onto the floor, hopefully out of the line of fire since he couldn't shield himself. Slowly, I pushed to my feet, allowing my rage to shine in my eyes. Power hummed through me. Power to unravel the entire universe. Certainly enough power to obliterate any trace of the god of light.

"Hallelujah, Radiant Majesty of Heaven," High Lord Amun said, his voice quivering with reverence. "Come to us, Your Imperial Majesty. Come home to Heliopolis where you belong."

The portal glided closer, bathing my face with heat that no longer touched me. It couldn't, when my internal sun blazed hot enough to melt my bones. Couldn't…

They couldn't touch me.

None of them reached out to seize me, even though they were only feet away. Their words. Come to us.

I allowed a wide, vicious smile to spread across my face. "You need me to come to you."

GOYAA?é

All senses focused and sharp, I slipped silently through the swinging doors into the main room.

Quickly, I noted every single person and threat in the room. Her other bespelled Blood, unable to defend her, even as she rose to her feet before the shimmering portal. Rather than burning golden flames like Sun Tzu's, the outer edges of the gateway gleamed like silvered glass. From the side, the back bubbled outward in a low gray dome.

Behind it, the humans lay sprawled and lifeless as if thrown aside by an explosion. I smelled blood. Lots of it, mostly my queen's. The Lion of Sparta's eyelids fluttered, his chest barely rising and falling as he lay on the floor, though it would take more than a blast from Heliopolis to seriously injure him for long.

Movement snagged my attention, dragging my gaze back toward the humans. My eyes narrowed with instant disgust. The wolf king lay on his belly, inching across the floor.

Toward our queen.

My queen.

You had your chance to shelter her within your protection.

As if he heard my thoughts, he lifted and turned his head to meet my gaze. His jaw hardened, his lips twisted in a grimace of hatred.

Good. He recognized the bow in my hand despite my human form. If he interfered in our plan, I'd be sure to plant the next arrow in his eye socket instead of his shoulder. What use did he think he could be to her? He'd refused to give her his blood and bond. He had no honor. He had no place here, let alone at her back. Her side. Not even her feet.

:I need a distraction to get into position: the Scotsman said.

Maybe I could kill two birds with one stone. I stared hard at the wolf king, waiting for him to sense my attention and meet my gaze once more. Then I pointed at him, arched my brow in a mocking dare, and tipped my head toward the portal where Karmen sat. He nodded immediately. I barely resisted the urge to roll my eyes. I wouldn't trust him to wipe his own ass, but I wouldn't hesitate to use him in her defense. I gave him a few breaths to come up with his own plan of attack. When he looked at me again, I held up three fingers.

:Be ready,: I warned the Scotsman. Then to my queen, :We're coming.:

Two. One. Fist.

The wolf king scrambled to his feet, threw his head back, and bellowed at the top of his lungs. He threw himself into a hobbling run toward Karmen's chair. Not that he would ever beat me—or any of her Blood—to her side. I sprinted toward her from the opposite direction, using the gifts I inherited from my queen to blur with speed. Throwing myself down into a dive, I slid beneath the hovering portal. Rolled on my back as I cleared the hole. Leaned up just enough to draw my bow. One smooth pull, shooting a sunfire arrow toward the first thing I focused on.

The golden medallion bearing Ra's hated mark.

I didn't expect blood to splatter my face and chest. Not from the portal. From my queen.

Heart pounding, I whipped my legs back, tossing my feet over my head and flipping my entire body closer to her. Her bond blazed with unstoppable power, and I didn't feel any pain from her.

She screamed, her rage a tangible scorching flame. "I will not go back!"

The air was so thick and heavy with power I couldn't breathe. The silvered portal bulged outward, a glistening dome of energy shielding against our attack. My arrow hung poised in the dome, slowly punching deeper toward Heliopolis. But it was my queen's blood that held my attention. A shower of ruby red droplets cascaded toward the portal. Glowing brighter every second, pulsing with her heartbeat. Fed by her rage and intention.

When those droplets hit their target…

High Lord Amun would be reduced to a blackened smear on the golden streets of Heliopolis. Though the backfire through the portal might cause her damage.

I straightened to my full height. Arms spread wide, head high, I braced. Ready to shield her from any debris. From any pain or injury.

Even if that meant the wolf king managed to crawl to her feet.