CHAPTER NINETEEN


The Underworld, Sometime in Eternity (scuttlebutt puts the earth bound date as October 28, 1940)


"That bastard! That backstabbing bastard! That dirty, double-crossing, double-damned bastard!" Seth stated quietly, then stamped his foot, and the Underworld reverberated.

Imhotep merely stood in front of Seth, his intense eyes looking at the flame-haired, cerulean eyed Seth--an angry Seth. He couldn't blame Seth for stamping his foot and shaking the Underworld so violently that every demon in the Underworld stopped what they were doing to look at the cause of the commotion.

Growling, Seth asked, "You know what this means, don't you High Priest of my brother?"

"Yes, I do."

"And you're damned right I'm going to call a truce with my mother and join the Gods in stopping that bastard!" Seth said, tossing his flaming hair. Seth's anger had ignited his long red hair and flames of fire shot out from the tendrils of hair as Seth tossed his head.

"So Hitler thinks he can double cross me, eh? Hitler will soon find out the wrath of an Egyptian God spurned when I rain on his parade," Seth stated and shook flaming hair and sparks flew, then he went to the Throne Room, Imhotep trailing him by a few steps.



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A few minutes later in the Throne Room in the Underworld, at a hastily assembled meeting of the Egyptian Gods (not all of them are present)....

"And I," Seth's gravelly voice rang out in the Throne Room. "I, Seth, God of Wind and Storms, God of Foreign Lands, I as an Egyptian God, wish to call a truce with you, Mother," he said, and his mother caught her breath.

Seth continued his speech, "And I wish to call a truce with all the Gods so that we may wipe that double-crossing bastard from the living and put him into the Underworld, where I can have the pleasure of torturing him for eternity," Seth told those Gods who were able to make the hasty meeting.

"Dear son," Nuit said, tears of gold falling down her cheeks and onto Seth's still-flaming hair. "We were so engaged in protecting Ardeth and keeping his arrival in London a secret from you, that we overlooked the obvious fact which Imhotep relayed to us: the fact that Hitler is planning on destroying the Egyptian afterlife and destroying the Egyptian Gods."

"And that includes you, Seth. We apologize," Osiris told his brother.

"No one wants to be destroyed," Hathor said, flicking her lion's ears.

"Just the thought of being destroyed makes me want to shudder and crack the earth open," Seth's father, Geb, said.

"We just didn't think, we were that upset about Hitler's plans. When Imhotep told us what your protoge Hitler was planning for Egypt and her Gods and afterlife, well, all of us got scared and didn't think," Nepthys told her husband.

"We just acted, and forgot that if the Egyptians Gods were destroyed, that would include you as well," Osiris told his brother again, whose flaming hair was still shooting sparks.

Seth looked at his wife gently, then looked at his brother. "It is I who needs to apologize to everyone, including Ardeth," Seth said, and bowed deeply to his brother, then bowed to those Gods and Goddesses in attendance. "I trusted Hitler but he is more evil than evil itself."

"A wayward spell on a ushabti," Imhotep breathed. "Hitler is like a ushabti doll without a protective spell to keep the ushabti from turning devious on its master."

"I agree with you, Imhotep. I too was bent on finding someone to help me that I forgot to place a protective spell on my chosen one," Seth told Imhotep.

"What will you do, Seth?" Bastet purred, then shyly winked a green eye and flicked her ears at Imhotep, who, in his golden robes, was standing next to Seth. Imhotep, despite himself, showed a slight smile on his face.

"Why, Bastet! Has it been that long since we've rattled in the reeds? I am the God of Wind and Storms." Seth turned to his mother. "Mother? Will you assist me?"

"Of course. What do you need me to do?" she replied, and Geb, her husband and brother, hugged her. The family was finally coming together in this time of need.

Seth laughed heartily, his laughter ringing throughout the Throne Room, into the Underworld and out into the Afterlife. "I'm going to create a rainstorm for Hitler. And if Imhotep is correct, Ardeth will soon be unleashing the power of the Bracelet of Lostris to repel the bomber planes from London."

"Ardeth will need to incant the Spell of Osiris," Isis warned.

Thoth nodded. "And as a result of the unusual circumstances, I will agree to my most powerful spell being used to repel Hitler. It is for our continued existence."

"Seth?" Bes asked, rubbing his hands together. Fighting usually wasn't his domain, except the fight of a woman giving birth but Bes figured that fighting to protect his own immortality was worth delving into another God's area.

Seth turned, then looked down at the dwarf god. "Yes?"

"How about creating a windstorm to drive the planes back to where Hitler lives?"

At that question, even the normally stoic Imhotep grinned hugely, then laughed along with the assembled Egyptian Gods. "Now, that, Bes, would be a slap in Hitler's face! While you're at it, Seth, why not do like you did with Ardeth and turn the planes upside down and shake the pilots out in front of Hitler's headquarters?"

Now Seth's deep laughter rang out again. "That would teach the bastard to double-cross an Egyptian God!"



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Early morning, October 28, 1940, Carnahan O'Connell estate...



Khuta was howling quite loudly.

"Ooo, that dog can wake the dead!" Evie exclaimed as she pushed back the covers on the matrimonial bed. It was a chilly morning and goosebumps appeared on Evie's arms as she got out of the warm bed she shared with her husband.

"Too bad Nuit doesn't soften her howls like she does the squeals of the bombs," Rick noted as checked his watch to make sure the sun was up and blackout restrictions were lited for the day, then he flipped the switch on the lamp next to the bed and watched his wife slip off her dressing gown. Standing next to the lamp, Evie's slender shape was silhouetted in the soft lamplight.

"Methinks somebody's a bit hungry this morning," Rick growled to his wife.

She smiled at him. "Not now, darling. Ardeth's in the next room."

"He lives in a tent. He's used to hearing it," Rick noted drily.

"Later on this morning, when Ardeth's gone out to confer with the Gods," Evie whispered conspiratorially. "Really, you men. It's war and you want to go to bed."

"Have to save the species, you know," Rick noted with a tone of sadness as Evie got dressed in trousers and a thick plaid sweater.

"Later," she whispered. "I'm off to see what's she's howling at this time," Evie responded.

"It's probably Ducky she's cornered. She's a retriever and she wants to retrieve Ducky. It's what she does," Rick noted as his wife went off to find and quiet Khuta.

As she came down into the kitchen, she noticed Ardeth sitting at the table, drinking a cup of tea. The government rationed two ounces of tea per person per week, but thanks to foresighted Tallulah's stockpile, Evie had calculated the O'Connells had a five year stockpile if they limited their tea consumption to three pots daily.

Tallulah had not thought to stockpile coffee so when the men went out for Operation Take Out, Rick satiated his thirst for coffee in one of London's bustling coffee shops that now mainly supplied coffee to the Allied military men.

"You are up with the dawn," she noted to Ardeth as she took a mug and poured herself some tea.

"It is a habit of the desert. One awakens with the dawn," Ardeth replied, looking at Evie with his dark eyes, with ghosts of black shadows under his lower lids.

"Do you know why Khuta is howling?"

"She is chasing the duck that has taken up residence with you," he answered, sipping his tea. He took a piece of oven-warm bread from the plate, and took a bite.

"Why doesn't Ducky fly away?"

"He feels safe here and knows Khuta won't harm him," Ardeth replied. "She is a lost dog and wants to return to her former owners. She is merely playing with Ducky and he is playing along with her."

"Strange game they have."

"I have been meaning to ask you why you have a duck floating in your bathtub."

"He came on the 7th. And he's decided he likes it here," Evie replied, sipping her tea. "Ow! You like this tea hot!"

"I am a man of the desert. All things I like are hot," Ardeth replied before sipping his tea.

"I am half-English. Rain is in my blood and there are some things I like cool," she told him as she blew on her tea to cool it. "So, where are Khuta and Ducky?"

"In one of the guest bedrooms, trying to hide from each other," Ardeth replied, taking another bite of his bread.

"Would you like something else to eat? Cheese? The town of Cheddar has sent along hundreds of cheese wheels. They will certainly supplement the measly one ounce of cheese per person per week the British government is keen on handing out."

"Cheese, yes. Thank you."

Evie got up to get one of the cheese wheels. She brought it back to the table, and taking a knife, sliced a piece then handed it to Ardeth.

"You know, the supplies the Cornwall natives have been sending in to help London have certainly done that--help. There are many children who wouldn't have a winter coat but for Cornwall natives. I realize Cornwallians won't be able to send along food supplies forever but every bit helps."

Ardeth accepted the cheese and took a bite. "Cornwallian and Cheddar hospitality is certainly commendable, given the strict rations. I've written the Dunlops a letter. Thank you for assisting me with written English."

"Never a problem. Mail's a little slow these days."

"Hitler certainly has seen to that."

"Jonathan's latest letter said he's been approved as a foster father to Ian Mathewson."

"That is good news! I am sorry I missed the reading of his latest letter. May I hear it read later?"

"Yes. His letter contains very good news. The swiftness that Jonathan decided to become a foster father to Ian and Children's Services approval is rather surprising. Children's Services tended to be slow before the blitz, although they are sending thousands of children to Australia and South Africa. Ireland's far enough away."

"Children need a home during this war and war is not good for children. Amongst the Tuareg, orphan children are taken care of by the entire tribe."

"Jonathan writes that he is planning on staying on in Ireland a while longer, although he dated the letter in early October," Evie said but Ardeth shook his head. "Why are you shaking your head?"

"Jonathan will be coming to London, soon," Ardeth replied, sipping his tea.

"How do you....oh! The Gods have spoken to you."

"No. It is a feeling. Jonathan will be arriving in London sooner than you think."

"How soon? Is he hurt?" Evie's concern for her brother showed in the tone of her voice.

"He is safe and he will be here soon. Within days, if not today," Ardeth replied cryptically, taking a sip of his tea.

"Have you made any headway on finding the Spell of Osiris?" Evie asked. "I can't find any reference to the spell in my library."

"Not a reference. The antiquities museum contained nothing from the Hermetica. We must wait until Martin gets here to break Hitler's hold over London."

"The bombs have intensified and they're using more incendiary bombs," Evie noted as she too sipped her tea. "I suppose there isn't much left of the homes you are taking inventory of for Operation Take Out," she added sadly.

"No, not much is left of the houses or their belongings," Ardeth agreed. "The destruction, I think, is beginning to take a toll on Alex. Khuta is good for him, she reminds him of when we found her in the rubble near the Docklands," he noted to Evie, then continued. "There will be much to repair when Hitler's stranglehold on London is broken. And not all of the repairs will be material."

Evie nodded her head. "I agree. It's been nearly two months since the daily bombardment began."

"The citizens have had to incorporate daily air raid drills into their lives. There will be much emotional scarring, particularly in the young. They will not know what to do with themselves once the daily bombing has stopped."

"Do you think the Spell of Osiris can stop the bombings once and for all?" Evie wanted to know.

Ardeth looked at Evie with concern. "It is a very powerful spell which confers power even over the Gods themselves, not unlike the Bracelet of Osiris. But I do not think that the spell can stop Hitler, merely detract him long enough so that England may build up her forces again and keep Hitler from attaining his goal of subjugating England."

He took a sip of his tea, then another bite of the cheese which Cheddar had contributed to King Arthur's quest. Then he continued, "but you know, with the shorter hours of daylight as autumn progresses, Hitler would have to scale back his daily bombing."

"But not the night time bombing."

"True," Ardeth replied.

"There are some rumours going around that Hitler has started concentration camps, where he is killing people by the thousands on a daily basis," Evie said and Ardeth started, his face pale.

"Those rumours are likely true," he replied. "The Gods said Hitler wants to annihilate the afterlife of Egypt, and annihilating an entire living population is not beyond Hitler's capacity."

"We are doomed if Hitler succeeds with taking down London," Evie said, her voice shaking a bit. Her hand shook and the tea cup threatened to fall out of her slender hand. Ardeth reached over to steady Evie's hand.

"Hitler will not succeed. Martin will be here, with the proper spell to incant, and the Bracelet will use its power to expel Hitler's forces from London. At least, long enough for Britian to gather enough forces to confront him and eventually kill him."

"I hope so," Evie replied. "I am scared."

The two friends sat in silence, sipping their tea, until Rick and Alex arrived downstairs for breakfast of tea, cheese and bread.

As had been the habit since Ardeth arrived in London several weeks ago, the three men would be working another day of Operation Take Out and then they would deliver the latest shipment of boxes from the Cornwall natives to various bomb shelters around London. Rationing was extreme, and the extra food supplies were well appreciated.