Chapter Fifty

 

 

When we arrived in Sekhmet's home, her twin sister—Bast—was with her. The women stood to greet their father, but he barely acknowledged their reception; simply nodding before he launched into his tirade. I cringed as he verbally attacked Sekhmet.

“Where are they, Sekhmet?” Re snarled.

“Who?” Sekhmet looked from her father to the rest of us in confusion.

My husbands and Toby had come along with us, but the rest of the Horsemen had stayed behind. This was a family matter.

“Not who; what,” Re corrected with a narrowed-eyed glare. “And you know exactly what I'm talking about. I know you stole the goggles.”

“The far-seeing goggles?” Sekhmet's eyes rounded. “Why would I take them?”

“To help your cohorts raise Dvārakā!” Re shouted. “With those glasses you could find the Control Room and access it.”

“Why would I want to raise Dvārakā?” Sekhmet looked baffled. “How would I raise it? I have no magic.”

“Father, that's enough!” Bast shouted. “Sekhmet is not behind this Dvārakā thing, and she certainly didn't steal the goggles.”

“Very few people know where I stash my treasures, and you two are among them,” Re said.

“You showed us your treasure room years ago, in case of your unlikely death,” Sekhmet huffed. “I haven't even been near it since then.”

“If not you, then who?” Re growled. “Ma'at? Anubis? They never come into Aaru; they're too busy judging souls to go past the gate, and neither of them know about the goggles.”

“And how would I get to Aaru?” Sekhmet asked sharply. “Isn't it more likely that one of them would betray you than one of us? We're your daughters while they are only grandchildren.”

“I don't know why you showed them the treasure room in the first place,” Bast added.

“Because Anubis and Ma'at have the weight of Duat upon their shoulders,” Re said as if he had explained it numerous times before. “They could make good use of several items in that room, while the rest of our family would not.”

“Just because Ma'at and Anubis are busy with souls, it doesn't mean they don't have any free time,” Sekhmet said. “They could have easily gone into Aaru. Maybe someone told them that you had the goggles.”

“But neither of them happen to live within a hundred feet of Dvārakā,” Re went calm—deadly calm. “Nor would they have known the exact times when I would not be in Aaru. The evidence points to you, Sekhmet, and now that you mention your inability to trace into Aaru, I find myself considering you as well, Bast.”

“Father!” Bast gasped. “I would never!”

“Re,” I whispered. “Let's take a breath.”

Re turned on his heels and glared me into silence. I sighed and looked away. This didn't feel right to me; the women looked wounded by their father's accusations; a true hurt that's not easily faked. But this was Re's call.

“Search the house, if you want,” Sekhmet said scornfully. “The goggles aren't here.”

“You've probably passed them on to your accomplices already,” Re said.

“You're wrong about this, Father.” Bast shook her head sadly. “And when the truth is revealed, I expect you to make amends to both of us.”

“If I'm wrong about this, Sekhmet can have her magic back,” Re said flippantly.

“Hold on,” Kirill growled. “That vas in punishment for vhat she did to our daughter.”

“She's guilty, Kirill,” Re huffed. “It doesn't matter.”

“It does matter,” Kirill insisted, “because I'm not so sure of her guilt. Only you are, Re.”

Re looked around at the rest of us, and his face shifted into pained shock.

“Re,” I said gently as I stepped forward, “we're not saying that we're against you; only that we're not one-hundred percent sure that this was Sekhmet's doing.”

“I am sure.” Re lifted his chin. “And you should trust in me.”

“Tone it down, Sun God,” I said softly but firmly. “I trust you, but I'm not one of your worshipers; I don't trust in you blindly. I can think on my own, thank you.”

“La-la.” Re sighed. “These are my daughters; I know them better than anyone.”

“Then you should know that we'd never betray you!” Bast shouted.

“Like Sekhmet never betrayed me?” Re shouted back.

The women went silent.

“Yes; you've broken my trust, and now, I don't know what to believe,” Re said sadly. “You're her twin, Bast; I know you would do anything for Sekhmet.”

“Not this, Father,” Bast protested.

“No; you'd only sneak your sister into Vervain's home to see Lesya after Sekhmet had tried to abduct the child,” Re said furiously. “But you wouldn't steal a pair of goggles. Oh no; that is beyond your morals.”

“Do what you like,” Bast said tiredly. “But know that you've lost my respect today and hurt my heart.”

Re paused; his golden eyes flickering for a moment.

“What I'd like is for the both of you to sit your asses down and get comfortable,” Re finally said. “We're all staying here and watching over Dvārakā together.”

The women looked at each other, shrugged their shoulders, and took their seats.

“Go home and handle what you need to handle,” Re said to me. “I'll keep an eye on my daughters and Dvārakā. If I feel any energy shifts, I'll text you.”

I hugged Re tightly, and after a minute, he relaxed and melted into the embrace.

“I do trust you,” I whispered. “And I love you very much, Re.”

“I know, La-la,” he whispered back. “I'm angry at my children, not you. You, I love more than sunlight.”

I grinned and gave him a quick kiss. “Be careful.”

“I am the Sun God, Re,” he said with a smirk. “I have no need to be careful.”

“Let's get out of here before I punch the Sun God, Re in his shiny nose,” Trevor huffed.