Chapter Two

Chapter Two

M y nerves only increase as I make my way into the final dining room and see that it's all decked out as if we're having a celebration. From the pomp and ceremony Mum and Dad are putting on, anyone would think that Ben and I have already received our Blessings and that we have reason to celebrate, not that we're going to find out our fates tomorrow.

Dad steps into the room and puts a serving dish in the middle of the table. "Ah, there you are. Shoshan, your mother could use you in the kitchen."

I nod. "I'll be right there."

I almost trip over Dad's sacred goose as I do, the creature giving a loud chorus of incessant honking in response. If I am Blessed tomorrow, I hope for a sacred animal that's a little less underfoot. And a little quieter.

He honks even louder, making me jump.

"All right, fine, I'd be lucky to have you," I mutter to him as I skirt past and into the kitchen.

Mum gives me a breezy smile. "Get the bread, darling." Her whole body sparkles in the light of the kitchen, her blue dress embedded with diamonds in an attempt to look more like the goddess she serves. If I'm honest, a part of me is surprised she's never had her whole body tattooed blue, though I know she's had it painted when playing Nut in official ceremonies.

I pick up the plate of flatbreads and take them through to the formal dining room just as Ben finishes pouring wine into everyone's glasses. Our older brother lounges in his designated chair, not seeming to have the same duties as everyone else.

Which of course he doesn't. Kashto is the golden boy. The oldest, the first Blessed, and by an important god too. Of the four of us, he's the one who has embraced his role, both in the family and outside it.

"Where's Rashida?" Dad asks.

"She's got temple business to attend to," Ben says, pulling out his chair and sitting down.

I flash him a grateful smile. At least he's chosen to keep our sister's secret.

"What could possibly be so important that she's having to work the night before the Day of Choosing?" Mum asks.

"Maybe it's something for tomorrow?" I suggest.

"She is a Junior Priestess," Kashto adds offhandedly. "They probably have her running around and doing all the errands they don't want to do."

"I think it's unseemly for a Blessed to be working this evening," Mum says.

I bite my tongue and take my seat. Partly because I know what Rash is really doing, but also because I'm certain there are plenty of Blessed who are working tonight. And probably lots of them who are glad of it.

If I'm Blessed tomorrow, then maybe I'll ask to work the night before the Day of Choosing too. Though my parents probably won't be as bad when they don't have any children attending.

"She'd better be here soon or all the food will go cold," Dad mutters.

The door opens and Rash hurries in, as if summoned by his words.

She takes her seat opposite me, seeming a little in disarray. Maybe she lost track of time or something like that. "Sorry I'm late," she says, a forced smile on her face. Her sacred kestrel flaps his wings and soars over to the perch at the side of the room.

My gaze lingers on it for a moment, wondering if I'll soon have a sacred kite sitting there too. My fingers slip under my ornate collar to touch the simple scarab I'm wearing underneath for luck. I'm going to need it.

"Hopefully, this won't reflect on your timeliness to your temple duties," Mum chides, pulling my attention away.

Rash bows her head. "I'm on time for all my duties."

"Good, because that would reflect poorly on your family," Mum says. "We've got a reputation to uphold, especially once Shoshan and Benipe have been Blessed."

"Yes, Mum," Rash responds, not seeming particularly pleased about the telling off.

"There's been a lot of talk about tomorrow in the Temple of Osiris," Kashto says. "And people betting on whether our family will have a full set of Blessings."

"You haven't been taking part have you?" Mum asks, horror in her voice.

"Of course he hasn't," Dad responds, though, from the smirk on my older brother's face, I have to assume the opposite. He may play the dutiful son and Osiris Blessed well, but I'm well aware that he isn't without vices.

And that betting is one of them.

"Well, no matter. Tomorrow, no one will be able to dispute our family's Blessings. We'll have four children, each Blessed by one of the children of Nut and Geb." She beams with pride as if it's something she's personally done, when in reality, I imagine the only thing she actually did was stop having children once she had two girls and two boys.

"Indeed," Dad says. "To London's newest Seth Blessed Priest and Nephthys Blessed Priestess." He raises his glass towards Ben, then turns it to me.

"We don't know if the gods will pick us," I remind him.

"Nonsense, of course they will," he responds. "This family has a bounty of Blessings, the two of you will be no different."

I glance over to Ben, but he just shrugs.

I give an uneasy smile and raise my glass along with the rest of my family, trying to keep my swirling thoughts at bay even as Dad continues his toast.

I don't even know if I want to be Nephthys Blessed. It wasn't even something I thought much about until my older siblings got their Blessings and Mum first got the idea of a perfectly Blessed family into her head.

It sounds as if being Blessed comes with enough pressure as it is, I can't imagine what it'll be like if Nephthys does choose me. Mum and Dad are clearly hoping for it, and it makes sense. Nut and Geb had four children, as their Blessed representatives in London, it'll be a great honour for them if their four children are Blessed by each of the children of the gods they serve.

It seems unlikely, but it has happened before.

But even as scary as it is to think about what happens if I am Blessed, there's a part of me that's terrified about what happens if I'm not. And how I'm going to be able to face my parents knowing how disappointed they'll be in me.