-Vika Menshikov-
"I cannot fathom why you would ask for my opinion," I finally start after we had been quiet for a minute. "I didn't spend my childhood in Cairo, Kane. You have a better chance of knowing what the First Nome was like."
His right hand immediately went to his face in frustration, and probably exhaustion if I can gauge the bags under his eyes correctly. "I want a second set of eyes on the blueprint, and I can't ask Sabrina because she's barely stepped foot in Cairo."
He knows others within this nome have been in Cairo before. I roll my eyes at the mention of the French woman. Amos doesn't know, but the members of my nome have started whispering about the pair of them sharing a room. Had not helped that Ash's mark is still faintly there, though I wish he would care enough to get proper rest to allow it to heal faster.
I've been considering finding different accommodations, and I had voiced it once towards Amos a week ago to face immediate rage to the thought. The man is barely getting any sleep if at all, stating he has been on the couch for the three weeks with us so far. I'm not concerned about the stupid rumors fluttering about, but I forgo speaking my concern on his health.
"Perhaps it would be wiser to have the Pharaoh's opinion," I quickly brush off.
He sighs and places his right hand on the stack of papers he must have spent nights drawing up. The brown gaze saying 'no shit Vika' earns a small smirk from me. "I'm trying to get this done so I have something to show for my month away." He admits as he dismissed the papers that he had put on the desk into the Duat. "And when I was in the First Nome last, it conflicts with what I remember from when I was a kid. How does that make sense?"
I raise an eyebrow at the Setian, and he immediately huffs. "There are halls I thought I knew, but it's different from what I saw when I was there three weeks ago."
"You do realize that you more than likely became aware of your surroundings compared to when you were young, right?" His eyes narrow to challenge my statement. "I'm certain you were a bigger bookworm then than you are now." I take a sip of water and smirk when his gaze relaxes.
"You've been in Cairo numerous times; I don't understand why you're being a pain about just giving your input," Kane grumbles.
I clear my throat and sit a little straighter in the chair. "Because someone is being a pain about spending his month away to rest."
He rolls his eyes this time. "I can't go out; I can't just sleep all day-"
"You're not even on a normal sleep schedule," I point out quickly.
He frowns immediately at that. A few seconds of silence is between us again. I chose to preoccupy myself with the ink pen that refuses to stay where I want it, instead rolling a little to the left. I may have to see how level Otets' desk really is.
"I thought I was over it," I halt my frustration with the writing utensil to pay attention to the Chief Lector. "He's dead, I know he is, I killed him myself. Yet somehow he's still around."
Oh, ПТСР is what we Russians would call it. Not at all strange that he would suffer from it, he didn't have proper help with the trauma. Even worse, he's currently sharing a room with someone that is more than likely triggering it.
I inhale deeply, noting his gaze is on my right hand that is holding the pen in place. "Kane, this is why I would like to split the pair of you into different rooms. You'll have to share with the other members of the Eighteenth Nome, but-"
"I already said no," he snaps as he finally looks up to face me, "I can't."
My eyes narrow to challenge that. He shakes his head as his eyes go to his feet instead. I close my eyes and try to calm down before speaking lowly. "Amos, I understand if she's triggering you-"
"It's not just me dealing with it," Amos sighs before lifting his head a little to take me in again. "She needs almost a constant reminder that he's gone, that he's not coming back for her. And I have to remind her that I made sure he won't."
I roll my eyes at that. No one gave him that responsibility, more than likely some sense of duty he has thrust upon himself. And to be perfectly honest, I don't care for her.
I can't, when the woman acts so defenseless and chooses to hide behind the men around her in hopes they'll protect her. And I'm still pissed off about her kidnapping the Pharaoh. The only reason I've tolerated her presence within my nome is out of respect to the Chief Lector. I mentally note to make a call after this.
It had been silent between us for a good minute before I clear my throat. "Get on a regular sleep schedule, and I'll consider looking at the blueprints."
He raises an eyebrow at this as a challenge. "It's not that eas-"
"I suspect our Pharaoh would like to see his uncle in adequate health when he returns from his month away. Unless you'd rather they worry?"
Just as I thought, the man immediately absorbed the threat rather personally. He finally stands but hesitates to leave. "You know, it's not fair that you know to use them against me."
I smirk in acknowledgment. "When I began my training from Otets, he taught me that giving away your magic talent allows your enemies to see your weaknesses. The same applies to personal life, Kane."
He snorts at that as he goes for the door, but stops to face me. "It's too bad he didn't teach you how to utilize other magic when facing sudden danger."
I raise an eyebrow now, and that seems to earn me a knowing look. "You forget that I did a lot of work with Michel Desjardins."
Silence again. Is he an idiot? I'm well aware of the Kane Squadron, Vlad kept special eyes on them just as much as he did on Jabari.
"Mount Olympus," Amos answers partially, waiting to gauge my reaction which was none. "You didn't think twice about using earth elementalism."
I clasp my hands together, not allowing my gaze to leave the Chief Lector. "We were facing an earth goddess, were we not? It's only logical to try to turn that element against her."
"Fair, but you were much more practiced at it than the rest of us."
I roll my eyes as my gaze goes back to the pen that has rolled out of place again. "I'm a much more learned magician than you are, Kane. That stupid bloodline you all seem so proud of means nothing when it can't be backed up with knowledge."
"Yeah, okay, keep running back to that little cover of yours. At least now I know that I'm not the only one that's terrible at it."
The door closed behind him as I processed that with some annoyance. What a little brat. Then I smirk as I recall he's always been like that. Mostly because I keep constantly underestimating what he understands of the world around him. The first mistake was believing he was stupid enough to not understand French.
Desjardins was our ally; he spoke with anger towards Jabari. Of course, it had taken some persuasion from my brother Yevgeni to get him on friendlier terms with us. The Frenchman was cautious, and I can look back now and understand why approaching another family with deep ties in the Per Ankh would upset him still. Even then, he still withheld much from us, especially why he was so angry with Kane, hiding it all behind the fact that the man is arrogant.
Up until the moment that Michel persuaded Vlad to walk away from the duel he wanted with Jabari. Quite frankly, we didn't understand why he wouldn't be with us on the matter, it meant putting the man in his place. Up until it was revealed that Jabari had arranged Vlad's duel to be against his oldest. Vlad was pissed by the trickery, but he was sane enough to forfeit, sparing the younger magician that had just turned sixteen. It meant Julius was now remarked as more powerful than us, which is stupid and inaccurate.
I was furious, Michel knew something was off. I went to find him and screamed about how he is clearly not an ally of ours. I only spared a second to note the other Kane child there, but I had brushed it off. Michel just stood there in silence as I demanded answers, which fueled my rage further.
I was halted when Amos asked Michel what his brother had done wrong. Understanding why Desjardins had not responded, because the kid knew French and understood very clearly that I felt betrayed and furious on the matter, I dismissed myself before I could make a bigger fool of myself. Michel did approach us a day later to explain that the kids didn't know anything other than Julius being up for a duel. However, he knew just as well as we did that Jabari had played us, therefore putting his oldest son on an even higher pedestal before the rest of the Per Ankh.
After that, I noted the Frenchman was rather protective of Jabari's kids, and it took a few years of investigating to see it. Our ally didn't just 'hate' Jabari, he fucking despised him. He was in the spot that should have been his, and he was now sitting on the sidelines watching the man abuse the woman he loves and parade their offspring as more arrogant pricks to take his place. But he was not quiet about it, despite it never leaving his lips. The man chose to stand against his enemy by supporting the kids to do whatever they want.
To this day, I wonder what would have become of the Kane legacy if Michel had just kept to himself. Would Julius continue the arrogant Kane way that his father had tried to instill into him? Amos would have definitely been an outsider to some degree still because he was free from the pressure his older brother faced to allow some free-thinking to occur. And you know, Thoth forbid the idea that a combat family would raise a statuary.
I take a breath as I allow myself to laugh a little. Otets once told us to embrace our enemies, but not to trust them. Of course, it was a struggle to understand until I was much older and more understanding of the power struggle within the Per Ankh. However, he never said anything about making allies with someone you considered an enemy. Am I truly damned to say I respect Amos enough to call him a friend? That I'm not worried about him knowing that I'm an earth elementalist?
After almost a hundred years of living, and I still find myself a student. I try to put the pen in the preferred spot to watch it roll to the left again. I sigh in acceptance that I won't be able to fix this minor annoyance and get up to attend to the scrying bowl. There's a far bigger annoyance to handle.
I roll my eyes as the man chuckles a bit. "Sorry, I just never suspected that the White Steppe Spider of all people would scry me."
"Hmm yes, take it in you foolish excuse of Pharaoh blood," I seethe as he just smirks in response to my insult. "I need you to pick up your girl."
"Jokes on you Sis, Sayfi has been dead for years," Floyd immediately gets serious.
I glare at his image in the bowl. "The rogue Alisha. Don't play stupid with me, Starr, I'm not in the mood for it."
"You never are," Floyd sighs after saying this to contemplate what he's going to say next. "Not gonna lie Vika, I'm shocked she's still there. She usually only stays in one spot for less than a week. This is a new record. I wonder if that boy that's accompanying her has anything to do with it?"
I scowl and this earns a lift of his right eyebrow. "He has assured me that nothing is happening between them."
"Well, I'm glad he's still the terrible liar I know him to be," Floyd immediately dismisses.
Ugh, I feel disgusted that an older man would push that impression on Kane as much as I had experienced in my youth. Let alone just any girl. I wonder if Amos is aware that Alisha had kidnapped Carter while he was away. "Pick her up, or I cannot attest to her whereabouts starting tomorrow."
"Okay," Floyd immediately caves, "what's the big rush anyway? Did she piss you off?"
"She kidnapped the Pharaoh from the safety of his home," I growl at the moron.
He bites his bottom lip before giving a curt nod. "Well, we have business anyway, right? I'll make my way over tomorrow morning if you'll stave off your murderous ways for a little longer."
I raise my eyebrow this time, curious if he is talking about his friend's sword that he's been lugging around. The very weapon I demanded he hand over in his son's nome, with him refusing because he's stupid enough to think it's safer in his own hands. My family's most hated enemy's prized possession. What a wondrous prize to keep locked up, a memento to fending off such a threat for so long.
"Let's be clear here," Floyd starts, knowing what I'm about to ask. "I need to talk with Amos since he's kind of involved at this point. And if what I recall from Jabari's hosting of Horus is the same experience for his son…" He trailed off.
"He knows," I answer, knowing what is haunting the man. "He told me that he had seen things," I summarize what he had said while we were in Abydos. "I have reason to believe he knows about Mariano Rua."
There's needed silence between us. It still hurts to say his name. He had been a trusted ally, one that supported Yev fiercely. I no longer know if my heart bleeds just for him, or if my brother's passing cries to his name as well.
Floyd clears his throat, ripping my attention away from the memory of their faces. "It's about time I faced my demons anyway. Especially with the kid that's been dealing with his for a while now. Just," he pauses for a moment. "I guess I now understand why Jabari was so scared. Why it ate at him so much that he was trying to stop any chance of Amos' hosting of Set."
"Why, because it's dawning on you that they were people all along?" I snarl. "And now that a son of Narmer, part of your family bloodline, is hosting him it's just now hitting you?" My left-hand clenches in anger.
"I deserve your rage, I won't say otherwise, Vika. For Jabari, yes, it hit him hard. I only did what he wanted, I never said I enjoyed any second of it because I didn't."
I feel sick to the word 'enjoy' as if killing people is to be a form of entertainment. No wonder Vlad had lost himself with his ill fascination of killing others. If he were to compete with these men, he more than likely would have to reach their level of disturbance. Who would have guessed it would hit dangerously close to Lord of Chaos acceptable?
"Amos is a good kid," Floyd barely manages to say.
"Mariano was a good friend," I add in annoyance.
He nods. "Anyway, I'm not ignoring your desire for the sword, Lady Menshikov. I just want Amos to make the decision, I want this host to feel confident in whose hands it stays in. I've had it for so long because Jabari requested it of me. I'm too old for this bull crap, and you're right it's not safe in my hands anymore. And of course, it required Friedrich to make me see that." He sounds disgusted by the thought that his former partner-in-crime had acted on what he had been taught by his cousin.
I take a moment to process his request, and I sigh as I realize I'm going to give in. It would be best to allow the Chief Lector to pick the next protector of Narmer's Sword. This should give both Amos and Set confidence in the matter that crimes committed against past hosts don't have the potential to continue. I'm just wary of if he's mentally able to handle such a matter now. He can barely stand the thought of having to face his nephew in another week.
"I agree to your terms, Starr. Though it would be foolish to ignore my concern on his mental state to deal with that level of stress."
Floyd seems confused if his facial features could be any more expressive. "That's why I want the woman gone, Floyd," I add on.
He closed his eyes as he processed that. "Well fuck, I guess I have to then. I didn't realize it would be that bad."
My expression falls to that, recalling the several different phases Kane had went through during his 'healing' in the First Nome after Set's possession. Vlad and I had not been there to witness the original state, but Michel had spilled all in a not sober mind. He would freeze or have an episode just to seeing the color red. And episodes varied, it could be him shaking in the corner of a room or straight up attacking whatever was nearby. The man didn't have a break, and it drove him towards his suicide attempt with a knife to his wrists. Which was the breaking point for the Chief Lector to call for mental support from us.
I witnessed these episodes a time or two, and I would be lying if I said it wasn't heartbreaking. I wouldn't wish it on anyone, he was stuck somewhere else and not aware of what was actually happening around him. Thank Thoth he had managed to get better after his 'purge the evil out' incident, though it was still a tough and stressful uphill battle for him and Michel.
"Tomorrow morning, your time of course," Floyd continues without me needing to say anything. "Would it be best to meet on the Egyptian Bridge? So you can gauge the mood of the Chief Lector before I show up?"
My eyes narrow at that, "And what will you do if I decide he's not ready?" I suspect just barge in anyway, it seems to be the proud Narmer way.
"Then we'll just have to arrange for a different time, even if it's after he comes back to New York. Whatever time he needs to be able to deal with it." I cannot help but be impressed by the older magician. He notes that and hesitates before adding, "I had heard rumors about how his healing went a few years ago. Not sure how true they are, especially the part about him attacking the nome."
"That happened," I confirm rather easily, I was there after all. "Though you more than likely heard the version Vladimir spread."
Vlad had been gunning to dispose of Amos for the last month of healing Kane had spent in the First Nome. Constantly pushing Michel to stop trying, that Amos would just go back to hosting because the signs were obvious that he would never be the same. At first, he had faced rage from the Chief Lector, a man who was so stressed by then over his friend's health and desperately keeping hope that he would get better. A couple more weeks and Michel's anger had dulled to a sad gaze and hesitating to accept the fact that he wouldn't win.
Vladimir could have easily won the honor of killing Kane then and there that day. The only thing that stopped Michel from saying so had been my words. Because something was off about it all. Unfortunately, Vlad had been right about Amos going back to hosting Set. Michel has always been aggressively protective of 'Nadia's' children, it was off-putting to see otherwise. And for some reason, I absolutely trusted Kane that he had seen the Lord of Chaos in the hall when Vlad had brushed shoulders with him.
Maybe it had been his honesty when he had been asked to appear before Iskandar to be questioned on his father's orders that inevitably exiled him from the Per Ankh. Or maybe I was just impressed that a seventeen-year-old was brave enough to stand before his father and point out every bad thing he had said towards his children in mere confidence that they would be on his side. Whatever, I suppose it doesn't matter because I had simply made the right call to listen to the kid's pleas when faced with a possible death sentence. Vlad had been on a mission, and not one that was his. I'm just grateful I had made the right call, standing beside Set is a far better position to find yourself in than alongside the Lord of Chaos.
"Egyptian Bridge, though I may send an associate to meet you in my place," I decided to wrap this conversation up. Far too many thoughts have resurfaced already.
-Trevor Starr-
She was snoring rather soundly. I was quite tired myself but I couldn't get myself to sleep again. So, I instead watched my daughter sleep with her arms wrapped around the stuffed wolf 'Uncle' Max had given her way before he had left for a few years.
As to what is bothering me, let me explain the news Kyra had scry me the night before. Like it wasn't weird already to hear anything from her directly, that'll be something I'll more than likely have to adjust to. She was distressed and apparently trusts me at this point.
Sadie had contacted her when Chloe Sabat showed up with her son in tow and a man from Tokyo by the name of Tadaaki Muto. Carter allowed them to stay since they insisted to protect him and ensure a 'certain someone else' doesn't cause problems when he shows up again. Sadie was apparently rather angry with her brother's decision to let them stay, but to be fair he's still just a kid that has people demanding a lot from him.
The Sabats want the Chief Lector to answer for what he's done. Kyra believes Muto is happily joining in. Not sure as to why she thinks so, but I don't know the man whatsoever. She wants to try and equal the playing field and asked if I would show up with her next week. Of course, I'll happily stand beside Amos on the matter. I'm the one that gave him the khopesh in the first place.
Two hours had gone by and I leave to grab a beer from the fridge. I pause in the hallway to the sound of the piano having keys pressed. Confused, I shrug off the immediate fear of another intruder in the nome and open the door to the piano room.
I'm not sure how long I stood at the doorway as I processed the sight before me. Some woman with her strawberry blonde hair up in a messy bun is pressing on a key at a time as the tone slowly changes. She hasn't noticed me, instead nodding and switching to a different key to press constantly. "Flat… Still flat… Now it's sharp…" Presses the key a few more times before nodding and switching to another key.
I finally unfreeze after a few more keys are being adjusted and close the door behind me. The click of the door makes her jump right from the piano bench, brown eyes alert as they land on me. "Oh, I didn't think someone would be up! Listen, I'm not breaking in! A friend asked me to tune the piano-"
"You had contact with Kane, didn't you?" I ask calmly, making sure I stay neutral as to show I have no intention of fighting her.
Her eyes seem to get a little bit wider in response, "Uh, no. Just a friend-"
"Calm down, I know that weirdo sent you here. He said he was going to send someone after dissing me about maintaining it."
She takes a moment to calm down before her eyes land on the keys of the piano. "Are you Trevor?"
"Yep," I watch as she seemed to relax further.
"He told me it might be easier to just sneak in and tune it up. Something about some members being a tad territorial when it comes to strangers. I'm sorry if I bothered you."
I chuckle and her eyes go to me again in some confusion. "So, I need to work on my defenses too?"
"It's easy to sneak in when there are no defenses at all," she answers. "Uh, Amos said it seems you had all forgotten that when you moved the nome."
To be fair, that wasn't something that had crossed my mind. Just another indirect way of saying I suck as a Nome Leader at the creative hands of Amos Kane. "How is he?"
She hesitates to respond to my question. "Don't know. And not because I'm withholding that information from you, he just avoided answering. Typical, honestly, the guy doesn't know to let people in when things get difficult."
I'm starting to notice that myself. "So, you play the piano?" I decide to switch the topic.
She smirks at that. "I do. Jazz piano as a matter of fact. You can say I'm the reason Amos picked up tenor, but that was more of a try to get him to have a hobby outside of magic. The mansion is nice, but when you're not allowed outside of New York it gets a tad dreary."
I raise an eyebrow at this, and it takes her a second to process she's going to have to explain a lot more than that. "My name is Emily Dasher, but my friends just call me Dasher. It's a reindeer joke that only really makes sense if you're amongst the 'normal' population. I started training in Cairo when I was twenty. It's a bit weird to be recruited by a guy insisting my collection of reindeer knick-knacks means something followed up by his brother flipping my neighbor's car over by a simple saying of a word."
Oh gods, this is the one Amos was successful at recruiting because of his brother's overprotective rage. "Just be grateful Julius didn't attack you." I can recall the many threats sent my way, well-deserved threats but at the time I was a tad too arrogant to process that.
She giggled at that. "Oh, I've heard stories about that one. I think I was saved by Amos' anger that day towards Julius' outburst."
I just smirk at that before taking a sip of the beer in my hands. She decided to continue with tuning the piano, and I take note of a small voice replying to her from the inside of the piano. Statuaries, I'm starting to realize I can't let myself be surprised by them anymore.
"Oh, Amos wanted me to leave that," Emily points at the couch along the wall behind her, where a piece of linen is laying wrapped up.
I slowly approach, finding it's banded with more linen. So, I sit on the couch, resting the drink on the floor as I go to unravel this. I recognized it immediately, would be terrible if I couldn't recognize my own khopesh. I snort as I note the fresh sharpness of the weapon. The one thing Amos excelled at during our combat lessons. Of course, I got better at it with practice over the years, but it still bothered me that he couldn't swing a weapon effectively but sharping it wasn't a problem.
My hands shake a bit as I wrap the linen around it again. Asshole is currently hiding, but seeming to want to tie up any ends. Why is he so worried about everyone else when he's the one sitting in hot water? For protecting everyone else.
I'm not sure how much time passed, but Dasher was standing from the piano. My eyes lift from the linen in my hands to see her look my way with a small understanding smile. "It bothers you, right?"
I hesitate before nodding. "Better get used to it," Emily shrugged my way. "He does better without someone visibly peering over his shoulder, or that's how Desjardins put it. I didn't understand it then, and I'm still annoyed by it. It's best to just listen to the signals and let him be. When he needs help, he'll show it."
I'm not entirely sure about that, but I bite back my tongue from saying otherwise. Emily is heading towards the door now, but stops before opening it. "Hey, he mentioned that your daughter is like a prodigy?"
I roll my eyes in annoyance before tensely answering, "Host of Hathor."
She turns to face me. "Would it be okay with you for me to drop by sometime? I would like to witness. Amos mentioned once how, uh, enchanting her hosts can be with their music skills. And… Well, I'm a giant nerd for all things music, I have no way of hiding it."
I smirk at that a bit before nodding. "Before you go, what Nome do you hail from?"
"The Twenty-First," she pauses after saying that. "Technically I'm what would be called a 'Nome Hopper'. My stay in New York was terminated when Ruby Kane passed. I was told because they were afraid of Amos training anyone after that. I suppose I could go back, but I fear being an unpleasant company with all of the kids there now."
"Those kids seem pretty accepting," I reassure quickly. "I would consider going back if I was in your shoes anyway."
She sighs and hesitantly nods. "I better go, I have another errand I should get done tonight. Thanks for helping him out."
The door closed behind her without me responding back.
-Amos Kane-
Does it hurt?
I pause as I watch Torsten explaining his side to my nephew. The fucking liar really thinks he'll believe it?
Carter will pardon him, you know. Set's words are starting to agitate me. Don't be stupid Clay Boy. Your little Pharaoh will forgive him because he is young and naive. He doesn't know who this man truly is.
I'm immediately swept into a memory of Julius' anger that he only really showed around Michel. Hiding from our father, who he was angry at for showing clear proof of protecting Friedrich's name. Hesitating if I caught wind of his angry string of words, being quick to move on to a different topic. I accepted it though because I know where this stems from.
You've been trained to be passive Amos. At some point, you should be angry with the results that come from it. Hoping things will just fall into place clearly doesn't work.
I freeze as I recognize the concrete room, Torsten pacing the room while taunting Jabari. Set's going through my thoughts and reminding me of them, and my chest tightens in fear of a panic attack happening. Except, Set's blond armored form is kneeling to my left, watching the German take the familiar steps while blackmailing my father by using me.
"He didn't even report him for this," Set turns to face me. My breathing gets heavier as Set seems upset. "You still suffer from this alone, kid."
"No," I wince as I realize how weak it sounded.
"You and your brother were taught to submit to your father. You're still this way, even though he's long dead."
I close my eyes as the scene of the museum replaced it. I'm shaking now as I know what it is, painfully aware of Caroline passing away. Her last words ringing in my ears again, and it's getting difficult to breathe.
The smell of water makes me open my eyes, and the veranda is next. Michel dully going through the new rules that I hardly listened to at that point. I had just given my niece a birthday present, a try to get her to stay home rather than consider running away. But of course, it didn't go unnoticed by the Per Ankh, adding more stupid rules on top of the others.
"The Per Ankh has been feasting on your submission, Amos." Set's sitting to my left at the dining table now, Michel still rattling words off while not knowing what is happening. "They kept pushing, remember? And you started rebelling and they just kept pushing you back here, didn't they? Telling you to just accept that you can't do anything about it."
Yeah, and it was rattling the friendship I had with Desjardins because we were constantly at this. And it was a bunch of bull crap that they insisted on keeping me away from it all. I could have stopped him. I could have saved Julius from his own stupidity-
"Oh no, he needed to go," Set dissolved the veranda into the center of his pyramid. "Remember, how I gave you the power to do whatever the fuck you wanted? You were finally free from their stupid rules. I let you reunite with your family again, protect them-"
Fuck, not this again. I glare at the deity, and he stops to chuckle at that. "Well, minus my agenda, Clay Boy. My point is, this wasn't you submitting to the Per Ankh, was it? Did it get you results as opposed to sitting in that mansion alone with that stupid monkey?"
I let out a shaky breath, knowing that he's right. It had been refreshing despite being a fucking nightmare. Fighting Michel was a thrill, something I hadn't realized I had needed. While Set had been using me, making me be my own trap, I was at least allowed to do some things that not even the Per Ankh was tolerating.
Just because you're Chief Lector, doesn't mean you need to keep being oppressed by them.
Because Carter had pardoned him, just as he had, earning more bullshit from Torsten. All an act, and he'll just cozy himself up again to keep pushing buttons that no one else would consider pushing.
"Hey," Trevor's voice made me jump, but I know it's because he's going to hand me his khopesh again. The look in his eyes asking me to do it, because he's scared of a future where this man can do whatever without consequences. Terrified of what will happen to his daughter, and it put a lump in my throat to when Julius was on the run with Carter in tow.
I took the weapon, Trevor's last words sounding again, "Don't miss."
"Bravo Runt."
I blink and process I'm back in the concrete room, Torsten smirking down at me from the chair I'm tied to. "You've gone and made yourself the bad guy. And you don't have your brother or that idiot Desjardins around to help now, do you? Now the Per Ankh is aware of how much of a threat you truly are."
"Fine," I feel some of the tightness in my chest loosen, and it's relieving to the point that I keep going despite how tired I am at this point. "It's better than letting them accept you back."
He snorts in disbelief at this. "I don't see what is so terrible about me, Amos."
"Yeah, I guess that's how it works, isn't it?" I glare at him as he raises an eyebrow at that. "We're constantly striving towards our own goals, our own needs and wants. But along the way, there's going to be conflict with someone else. It all depends on who you know, who supports you when that happens, right?"
He snorts in approval to this. "I was following orders your father was handing down. I was the good guy, even with all that blood on my hands. Then he was misguided when he chose Starr to be next to obtain Narmer's Sword. I was his cousin; Starr is a timid little brat that cannot stand for himself."
"He still made the right choice," I speak up before he can continue his rant.
This earns me a snarl. "Says the brat making all the wrong choices."
"That's your opinion." His eyes narrow at that. "You're so stuck in your ways Torsten, you can't even process that we've been fighting the same battle. I just have a temperamental god helping."
"I don't want the Per Ankh to change, Runt. I want it the way it was. One man with such power over everyone else that his name demands respect. Gods hiding behind their hosts to escape the Duat. Your new order disgusts me, and it should have never been allowed to get as far as it has."
"Says the guy that was itching to kill a Set host for Horus' approval."
He takes a step before quickly gripping my chin with his right hand, forcing me to look into his eyes. "Does it matter how you go, Amos? One day, someone will do it, and your blood will be their biggest victory. Your life is worthless besides that."
I just smirk up at him, and this angers him further. "I have meaning now. I have to uphold my role as protector of the throne. Our Pharaoh knows mercy, and somehow that's been lacking amongst us. Maybe because when it exists it's quickly extinguished by someone else's hand."
The look he is giving me says I should anticipate pain in some form, but I'm more aware that this is not real. "Thank you, for breaking that submissiveness out of me."
Torsten had faded to that, and I allow myself to relax further. The tightening of my chest is virtually gone now. "Kid, you have some seriously weird dreams," Set's voice chides from across the room.
I laugh at that because he's not wrong.
"Printsessa is right though," Set approaches, snapping his fingers that seem to change the scene to the veranda, being empty with just the two of us. "Maybe you should consider talking with their rehket, get some sleep aids or whatever."
That's not at all what she is pushing for. Vika has been pushing towards kicking Sabrina out of her nome, and I'm not entirely sure where this aggression is stemming from. "Oh, that's due to her kidnapping the Pharaoh. Little Vika is just annoyed cuz she was beaten."
I raise an eyebrow at "Little Vika", but I hold back from saying anything because I did just register the nickname being her after all. And yeah, I'm uncomfortable with the fact that I know that because it's not information I knew before Set. I grew up knowing Vika as the infamous White Steppe Spider. As to why she has this name amongst the Per Ankh, I couldn't say, and I trust part of that was because I was just a kid.
I don't exactly mind if Sabrina is around or not. I have kept a fair amount of distance from her outside of the room we've been sharing. The rumors are circulating like mad within the nome, and I would bet it's adding more pressure from Lady Menshikov to remove her from the Eighteenth Nome. And for my own sake, because I'd rather she not think we have a chance at a relationship or whatever she is hoping on.
I have, though, gone to calm her from the nightmares she has sometimes. Thankfully she has yet to question why I'm able to do so every time it happens. I have only really managed 'naps' I suppose. Because I'm dealing with my nightmares coming back, and once I wake up from it the concept of sleep is not happening. A few all-nighters have been squeezed in, trying to put work into the blueprints for the First Nome. Thanks to Vika's refusal to see them, I was trying to get some proper sleep tonight. Torsten had to ruin that for the fifteenth time since being in Russia.
I sigh before opening my eyes, being faced with the dark room ahead of the couch. At least this time I'm not freaking out, so bonus? Though it was still a weird event my head had made up. It did put some things into perspective though, and I cannot be too upset by that.
I think it's weird that you dream about me digging through your head. Set comments.
Oh, that is weird. I figured you would be honored by that, truly. I sit up while Set snorts in response.
I could always force you to go back to sleep. Those blueprints are not going to change, it's done Clay Boy.
I ignore that and open the folder again at the coffee table in front of me. Because even though I think I have it all mapped out, I feel like I'm missing something. I was really hoping Vika would help me pinpoint the error.
No one cares, Set's tone is edging towards annoyance. So what if it's not exact. Place needed an update; it was old and stuffy.
Still ignoring you, I smirk slightly at the thought of annoying him further before returning my initial focus on the blueprints.
-Carter Kane-
I tossed the headpiece on the floor, not caring that it had made a rather loud thump on the floor. I can't sleep, and it's mostly due to Sadie's anger directed at me. What am I supposed to do? Turn away magicians of the Per Ankh that insist I accept their help for the time being?
Probably, oh great, now Horus is deciding to chime in. Sadie has a point, where were they when the Lord of Chaos was destroying everything in his path?
These are new faces. "Hiding," I answer aloud and sigh after. I would have rather been hiding too, but someone had to take a stand.
You should consider the loyalty of those around you, young Pharaoh. I would consider those that stood beside you during those uphill battles as allies.
I close my eyes and swallow as I feel the surge of emotions coming back up. Yes, I know Uncle Amos is on our side. He would die for us if needed, he's displayed that numerous times as it were.
Yet you hesitate because he murdered a man you pardoned, Horus poked. But you haven't considered that you might be wrong?
I can feel a headache about to happen. "How is he at fault? Setne was using him, that's pretty obvious."
No immediate response from the bird god. I open my eyes and the pressure in my head intensifies. Yep, now I have a headache.
Alright, Horus speaks up, sounding rather hesitant about what he's going to say next. Friedrich's trial is about to begin. I'll show you.
My eyelids droop close, and I feel myself being spirited away from my body again. Stopping in the Hall of Judgement, a couple of chairs overseeing the events of the hall. Horus is sitting to my right. "I do require you keep quiet. Father will not be happy if he notices us here."
I glare at the god. I'm not happy that I'm here. Horus is about to say something, but a bag of microwave popcorn gets between us. I look up to find it's Set offering as he's munching on some.
"Not sure why you're being cranky, kid. This is going to be a great show." Set retracts the popcorn to stick his hand in to grab more.
"Uncle," Horus bows his head somewhat as a show of welcoming. Weird.
Set rolls his eyes in obvious annoyance. "I'm not here to play politics with you. Just leave me be, I've had my hands full for a solid month now."
"I wouldn't even consider discussing anything with you today, Set." Horus agrees, and that earns a wary gaze from Set.
He chews on the popcorn a little more before his eyes narrow. "Why are you two here?"
Horus doesn't even hesitate, and that further annoys me. "I've decided that Carter needs to know."
Thankfully Set's glare strengthens. Didn't imagine one day agreeing with him. "Who are you to decide that?"
Horus blinks in surprise to that. "I've overseen the Kane family longer than you have."
Set snorts at that, peers at me as if trying to read how annoyed I am about being here. Then a red hand lands on my right shoulder, and I'm surprised by how warm the contact is. "Carter," he hesitates a moment, and I think I see the sadness in his gaze. "I'll let you two be, even though this was my spot first. Just know," the God of Chaos seems to be struggling to come up with what to say, and that is a first. "Your uncle isn't going to want to talk about any of this."
I blink as I try to process that, he taps my shoulder as he stands and goes to find a spot as far away from us as he can. I was about to ask Horus what Set had meant, but was interrupted when Torsten Friedrich is lead in by Anubis. Dad seems uncomfortable as he settles his eyes on the man peering back at him with a smirk on his face.
"Julius Kane, it's been a while," Friedrich decides to speak first. "You're, uh, much bluer than I last remember."
Dad stands from his seat and his gaze turns angry rather fast. "As I had told my cousin, if I wasn't bound to my position, I would have killed you myself."
"Harsh," Torsten doesn't seem affected by the venom in my father's words. "I am but a servant to Ma'at-"
"That excuse will not save you from the scale, Friedrich." Dad's voice boomed. "You and the rest are the reason the Per Ankh has been in shambles. And you all use that excuse and drill it into your students to manipulate them to do your dirty work."
Torsten laughs in astonishment. "You mean your father? Jabari? I heard that you had walked away from the Per Ankh after your brother exiled him."
Disturber cleared his throat before Dad could respond. He rolled his eyes and took the list from his hands. "Not a surprise, your list of sins is extensive. Should we bother going through them all? Or would you rather plead innocence of certain ones?"
"I'll just make it easy for all of us, Kane. I've been pardoned by the Pharaoh."
Dad stops to look at the ba before him. "Excuse me?"
"I've been pardoned, my Lord, by no other than your son." Torsten grinned as Dad seems to be getting rather furious. "Of course, your brother didn't quite like that and killed me for it. Which I'm sure you'll be dealing with soon; I don't suspect the Per Ankh will be letting him live much longer."
That's when he stood up. Disturber tried to stop him, but the Lord of the Afterlife wasn't having it as he brushed past him to approach the ba to be judged. "You're lying to me," Dad stopped in front of him.
"I wish I was, at least for your sake, Julius. What a tough spot you've been put in. You know, obligations to your children, and then your brother disagrees? I wouldn't-" Torsten stopped to a glowing blue khopesh being pressed against his neck.
"He speaks the truth, Uncle," Anubis spoke up as I note that my father's khopesh can affect bas. "Pharaoh had pardoned him. And, uh, his Chief Lector didn't accept it."
"Did he specify what he was pardoning you for?" Dad demanded.
Torsten's smile beamed to that. "No. Isn't that generous? Considering that scroll is rather long too. I wonder what is all listed on it?"
"Everything," Dad seethed as he took a step back lowering his sword to his side as he paces a bit. "Just because you were handed orders to do something doesn't excuse you from the consequences of those actions."
"Well, we both know that's not what pisses you off," Torsten's malicious tone stopped my father's slow pacing to glare at him again. "And I bet the thought that your son would pardon me for it is what really upsets you. So much so, you're tipping yourself over in that balance you're supposed to have with Osiris, are you not?"
"Lord Osiris," Disturber spoke up. "Should I ask for your son's appearance in concerns to this judgment?"
Dad swings his khopesh once in his hand as his eyes haven't left Friedrich. "Unfortunately, it's now necessary. We'll postpone your judgment, Torsten, until then-"
"No need," Set's voice sounds from across the Hall, "that kid is here now. Just ask him!"
Osiris' eyes immediately go to Set, and he immediately facepalms. "Why are you here Set?"
"Fishing for positive news for a depressed kid," Set answers easily before pointing towards Horus and me. "Your offspring is over there, by the way."
Dad's eyes follow and we lock eyes for a couple of seconds. "Carter, Pharaoh, would you mind coming down here to explain this 'pardoning' business for us?"
Horus lets out an annoyed sigh. "I wish that little brat hadn't pulled that, but it should honestly come at no surprise." He faces me and seems like he's trying to keep calm. "Well, I'll be your moral support I reckon."
