Chapter Twenty-Four:
Nefer-Tina eased her body under the Jetcycle. Sleep had eluded her that night, so she decided to pass the time by doing some light maintenance work on all of the vehicles. It was something to do, at least. Anything was better than being trapped in her sarcophagus with nothing but her thoughts.
Tia's words constantly circulated through her mind. Failure. Pathetic. Incompetent. They were all true, she knew. She was a failure. It was all her fault that Presley and Miranda were captured. It had been a mistake for Ja-Kal to appoint her second-in-command.
Ja-Kal. He was the one she had let down the most. He had been counting on her to protect Presley and Miranda and look what happened. As Tia said, some second-in command she had turned out to be. She was a fool to believe that she was even half as capable as he. He was probably so ashamed of her, despite his warm words of friendship. How could he not be? She was ashamed of herself.
If there had ever been the slightest chance of his feeling any love towards her, it was now gone. Besides, he had his wife back now...
She was so lost in thought that she did not realize she was no longer alone until it was too late.
"I thought I'd find you alone in here," the malicious voice of Tia announced. "You always were one to run and hide from your problems."
Nefer-Tina was startled by the sound. A feeling of fear and dread washed over her as recognition set in.
Oh, no! she mentally cried. Not here! Not now! She began to panic. What could she do? Where could she go? She had nowhere to run. Tia was not only a goddess, but Tracker for the Gods. It was impossible to hide from her. She was trapped.
"Come out from under there," Tia demanded coldly. "Or, are you too afraid to face me? Though I wouldn't be surprised if that were the case."
Nefer-Tina silently cursed herself as she began to shake. Tia knew how much she feared her. She had commented on it so many times back in Egypt. Why couldn't she just leave her alone? Why?
She gathered as much of her slipping composure as she could before slowly pushing herself out from underneath the Jetcycle. Once she was clear of the underside of the vehicle, she stood up, and head down, faced Tia. "What do you want?"
Tia laughed. "Can't even bring yourself to look at me, can you? You're just as pathetic now as you were 3500 years ago. Not that I expected any less from you.
"But, back to the topic at hand. What do I want? I'm surprised you even have to ask that. I'm sure you remember how our last conversation was so rudely interrupted."
Nefer-Tina remained silent. How long would this torture session last, she wondered. There was no one around to rescue her this time. And, why should she be rescued? As painful as it was to hear, Tia was only telling her the truth.
"Don't you have anything to say?" Tia questioned. "Not even a word in your own defense?
Silence was the only response Tia received.
"No? Your lack of protest seems rather out of character, don't you think?" Tia continued. "Where's the defiance that made your trial so amusing? Hmm? Or, are you expecting Ja-Kal to show up and save you again?"
Nefer-Tina's head shot up at the mention of her love's name.
"Ah, I see I finally struck a chord with you," Tia gloated. "I knew if I brought him up I would get your attention. I know you're still in love with him."
Nefer-Tina still refused to speak. The conversation she had been dreading since Tia's arrival had finally begun. There was no more avoiding it.
"Did you think I wouldn't notice?" Tia asked, coming closer. "I see the way you look at him. You're so obvious that it's disgusting. You should be ashamed of yourself."
Nefer-Tina began to back away from the advancing goddess.
"Don't you know by now he'll never be yours? He's too good for you. Always has been, always will be. I'm the only one he's ever loved. What makes you think he could ever love someone like you? Can you at least answer me that?"
Nefer-Tina was practically at the point of tears. Her backwards movement was halted as she bumped into the Jetcycle.
"No?" Tia inquired of her silent victim. "I didn't think so. I think you know how unworthy you are of him. It kills you, doesn't it? To know he'll never love you. Maybe that's why you still haven't told him after all this time. You know that a dirty little tramp like yourself is beneath him.
"Of course, after your disastrous little performance today, I don't think he'll even be your friend anymore. Why he ever was is beyond me. You're such a pathetic excuse for a human being."
Nefer-Tina, by this time, had moved around the Jetcycle and had almost reached the rear wall.
"In fact, I believe the only reason he was defending you is because he's still mad at me for explaining a few things to him," Tia went on. "Including the truth about you."
Nefer-Tina almost gasped, but she didn't. How much had Tia revealed to Ja-Kal of things he was never meant to know? The edited version she had told him that night at the restaurant had left out Tia's involvement completely. What had she told him?
"Oh, don't worry," Tia purred. "He only knows what I thought he should. Your ridiculous crush on him remains our little secret. For now."
Nefer-Tina backed into the wall. There was nowhere else to go.
"But, no matter what happens, I still win."
Ja-Kal pushed open the lid of his sarcophagus and stepped out. He had been resting fitfully for the past few hours, never quite falling asleep. He finally decided to get up and do something. It was better than letting himself think about the events of the past day.
Their prince had been kidnapped by a mad goddess and taken to the gods-know-where. The amulet had been destroyed, leaving them no way of finding his location. Miranda, an innocent in all of this, had been taken as well because of Callisto's obsession with her family. And, the one he cared about most had been hurt by someone he thought he once knew...
Of everything that had occurred, Tia's constant torment of Nefer-Tina stood out the most in his mind. Every time Tia said something to hurt Nefer-Tina, it pained him as well. Nefer-Tina was the kindest, most wonderful person he knew. To see her tormented like that broke his heart. He would keep on defending her against Tia as long as it needed to be done.
Although Tia had given him her reasons for her pathological hatred of Nefer-Tina, certain things still didn't make sense. For example, why had Tia taken it upon herself to find out the identity of the "slut" who had gotten herself pregnant and been so determined to turn her in to the pharaoh? The hatred she directed at Nefer-Tina went far beyond mere disgust at an immoral act. Something was definitely missing from her story.
Nefer-Tina had also kept Tia's role in the entire incident hidden from him. Why? To protect him from learning about the cruelty his wife was capable of? And, like Tia's hatred, Nefer-Tina's fear seemed more extreme than it should be for a one-time incident. Both women were hiding something from him. Something crucial to the entire situation...
Finally, he decided to go work out in the exercise room. Maybe lifting some weights would take his mind off of things for a while.
The hall to the exercise room took him past the garage. As he grew nearer to that particular area of the Sphinx, he heard a voice. A familiar voice that was speaking in an incredibly hate-filled tone.
Tia.
And, if Tia was talking in that fashion...
Oh, please don't let her be the one she's talking to, Ja-Kal silently prayed. Using the stealth that had made him such an excellent hunter, he edged as close to the doorway as possible and gazed in.
Just as he suspected, Tia's victim was Nefer-Tina. Tia had backed the frightened woman into a corner and was saying terrible things to her. Even from his distance, Ja-Kal could see that Nefer-Tina was shaking terribly and on the verge of tears. However, she was not saying one word in her own defense.
He listened to Tia's abusive words and couldn't believe what he was hearing. Everything began to fall into place now. Tia's hatred. Nefer-Tina's fear. It was all because Nefer-Tina was in love with him. Him!
It was too much to take in at once. Not only was Nefer-Tina in love with him now, but she had been since before they died. Even before she had come back to the palace as Nefer. Before the rape...
Ja-Kal suddenly felt terrible. All this time, he had been fighting his feelings for Nefer-Tina. At first, it had been out of loyalty to his long-lost family. Now, after learning of Tia's true nature, it was because he didn't think she could ever feel the same way about him. And, then there was always their duty...
But, she did love him. Nefer-Tina truly loved him and had suffered greatly because of it. And, he loved her.
I love her, he finally admitted to himself. I love her more than anything.
It was time to tell her.
However, as he was about to go in there and put an end to Nefer-Tina's suffering, a strong hand gripped his arm. Startled, he turned to see Xena holding him back.
"Let-" he started to protest.
Xena shook her head. "No. Let them finish."
"What?!" Ja-Kal couldn't believe what Xena had just said. "Can't you see the pain she's in? I'm getting her out of there."
Xena's grip tightened. "If you love her, you won't interfere."
"How-?!" Ja-Kal was startled.
Xena smiled tightly. "I could tell from the second I saw the two of you together." She became serious again. "Look, if you don't let this play out now, Tia will keep trying to corner her until it does. You can't always be there to protect her."
"I never knew," he said quietly, shaking his head. "By the gods, I never knew. This is all my fault."
Xena loosened her hold on his arm. "You can't blame yourself. Tia did a fine job keeping the two of you apart on her own.
"Just be here for her when it's over. She'll need your love more than ever."
Ja-Kal nodded his head and continued watching his former love tear apart his true one.
Nefer-Tina just stood against the wall and let Tia continue. Why should she bother fighting it? It was only the truth. Tia had never once lied to her. She was everything Tia said she was. Perhaps even worse.
Suddenly, Tia stopped talking and turned away. Nefer-Tina, who had been looking off to the side instead of looking at Tia, turned her face to see what was happening. Tia had walked over to where the Jetcycle was and was standing in front of the dormant vehicle. She did not look at Nefer-Tina once.
Tentatively, Nefer-Tina stepped away from the wall. Was it possible to slip out without Tia noticing? she wondered. No, she firmly reminded herself. Even before she was a goddess, Tia had been impossible to avoid. No matter where Nefer-Tina had gone in the palace or the city, Tia had always been there.
"Are you finished?" Nefer-Tina asked, her voice trembling.
Tia waved her hand. "If you wish me to be."
Nefer-Tina nodded even though Tia could not see her and began to walk out of the room.
"But, don't you want to know about your son?" Tia asked as she turned around to watch the younger woman leave.
Nefer-Tina froze. Son?! She turned around to face Tia. "My...son?"
"Yes, the child you bore all those years ago," Tia said. "It was a boy."
"But-but, how did you know?" Nefer-Tina couldn't believe what she was hearing.
"Stupid fool, I was there. Who do you think ordered the priestesses to take him away from you as soon as he was born?" Tia told her. "Did you think I didn't know where you were hiding after Amenhotep banished you?"
Nefer-Tina just stared at the menacing goddess. A boy. A son. Her son. She had had a son.
"Maybe I should start at the beginning," Tia decided. "In a way, I'm the reason you got pregnant in the first place. Though, what happened wasn't exactly what I wanted. Arakh never was too good at taking orders from anyone."
"Arakh? Isn't he..." Nefer-Tina couldn't bring herself to finish the sentence. Oh, no. No. It couldn't be true...
Tia smiled. "Yes, Arakh. Ja-Kal's baby brother. You knew him?"
"I've only met him once," Nefer-Tina barely whispered. And, his son...
"Well, Arakh and I were quite close," Tia told her. "He wanted to be more than friends and was especially hurt when I chose his brother over him. But, as I kept telling him, we were too much alike to ever get involved romantically.
"We remained good friends, of course. I would do anything for him and he would do the same for me. So, when I told him of this troublesome young palace musician that was annoying me to no end, he offered to help get rid of the problem. Namely, you.
"The only trouble was I couldn't tell him why I wanted to dispose of you. It would have caused more problems than it was worth. Arakh always had this stupid need to be better than Ja-Kal. If I had told him why I wanted to get rid of you, to keep you away from Ja-Kal, Arakh would not have been happy. Another woman chasing after his beloved and much-admired brother just would have been too much for his poor ego to take.
"So, I just told him that you had offended me and I wanted you gone. I didn't care how. Just as long as I never saw your face again."
"I told him about your late night walks. Oh, I knew all about those," Tia told Nefer-Tina, who had a shocked and surprised expression on her face. "There was nothing you could ever hide from me."
"The night Arakh chose to attack you, he and his 'girlfriend,' and I use the term loosely, were having a fight. This was the woman he took up with after I told him that he and I could never be together. Apparently, she was refusing to give him what he wanted, which is something I'm sure even you can understand.
"Unfortunately for you, you are quite pretty. Very attractive, actually. So, he decided to take out his frustration and needs on you, effectively doing a better job than I could ever have asked him to. Though at the time, I was very upset with him when I found out. I had only expected him to scare you out of the city and the next day he tells me he had left you for dead. Though I know you don't believe me, I wasn't at the point of wishing you dead. Yet.
"Luckily for you, someone saved you because you were back the next morning. I wonder who it was. Do you know?"
Nefer-Tina shook her head numbly, her mind in complete shock over everything she was hearing. The attack had been planned; the rape not just a random act of violence. Her life had been ruined by the sheer jealousy of one hateful woman. It was too much to take in at once. Too much...
"But, that isn't important," Tia decided. "What's important is what you found out shortly after Arakh screwed you. That was all I needed to be rid of you for good. A few clever rumors spread around the city and palace and my work was done for me. The good pharaoh was supposed to make sure you never came back, which you did anyway.
"After you left, I had you watched so I would know every move you made. I was determined that your baby would grow up in a proper home. A tramp like you would have made an unfit mother, don't you agree? Whatever you did after that, I wouldn't care since you were never supposed to show your face around Memphis again at the risk of death.
"In the meantime, while I waited for you to bear your bastard child, Arakh married his lover. In a strange twist of fate, it was discovered she could never bear children, which almost caused Arakh to leave her since he married only to produce heirs. I never told Arakh that he was the father of your baby. I only told him that you were the slut he was supposed to get rid of for me. The fact that you were pregnant by an 'unknown lover' only reinforced my version of the story I'd told him.
"However, I did promise him that I would bring him a child for him to raise as his own. It was my way of paying him back for doing me the favor concerning you. Ironically, the child I gave him was actually his. His child by you. Funny how things have a strange way of working out in the end, isn't it?"
Nefer-Tina's mind was racing. When Scarab had brought Arakh back as a mummy all those months ago, he had brought back his son. His only son...
She cried out and sank to her knees. Her hands flew up to cover her face. Kimas! Kimas was her son!
And, Ja-Kal's nephew.
Tia came over to Nefer-Tina and circled her. "I take it you've met Kimas? He was a charming little boy when I last saw him. Took after his father mostly. He had quite the nasty streak in him though."
"Kimas..." Nefer-Tina repeated as if she couldn't believe it. "My son...my son..."
"For two years you were gone," Tia continued. "Out of my hair. Ja-Kal never knew about you and all the trouble you caused me, which is the way I wanted it. And, when he finally married me, life seemed perfect. Then, you had to come back.
"You came back and ruined everything," she continued. "The day the four guardians of Rapses were appointed was the day I began to hate you to the point of wanting you dead. It was the day Ja-Kal finally met you.
"Even as a man, you kept him from me. It was always 'Nefer this' and 'Nefer that.' It was as if his friendship with you was more important than his marriage to me! It was bad enough his duties to the prince always kept him away. But, what did he do with his free time? Huh? He spent it with you! You, who he believed to be his friend. You, who did nothing but lie to him.
"The only small solace I had was knowing that I could get rid of you whenever I wanted. All I had to do was tell the pharaoh who his precious charioteer really was and you'd be gone. All you had to do to make that happen was look at Ja-Kal wrong.
"Oh, how I wanted you to. I waited for you to give up everything just to tell him how much you loved him. I wanted to see the look of disgust on his face when you did. It would have crushed him to be betrayed like that by the one he considered his best friend. And, I would have been there waiting to comfort him.
"But, you never did." Tia gave a little laugh. "In fact, it was my fault you didn't. You were so afraid of me that you would do anything I told you to just to protect yourself from me.
"Even on the day that Scarab killed the prince, Ja-Kal, and the other guardians, I couldn't be rid of you. You were still alive. And, if that wasn't enough, the way you were found made things worse.
"How you found the strength to crawl over to Ja-Kal's body, I'll never know, but the search party told me how you were clutching him in your arms. That was the final straw.
"When the royal physician informed Amenhotep that you would make a full recovery, I had to do something. It wouldn't have been fair for the young prince to be deprived of one of his guardians in the afterlife, would it? As my last act in the service to my pharaoh, I made sure you joined him.
"No one ever figured out why you didn't get better. Your death was quite the shock. Amenhotep was even prepared to give you a full pardon for your past crimes, including impersonating a man. The slow acting poison you were receiving in your water did its job and none were the wiser.
"I was finally free of you," Tia finished. "Until now. I never stopped hating you for what you did to me. I still do.
"I'm done now," Tia told her. "I think I've said everything that needed to be said."
Ja-Kal couldn't find the words to describe what he was feeling at that moment. The story of the casual cruelty and violence he just heard sickened him. What Tia had done to a poor innocent girl was unforgivable. To think that he had ever loved her made him feel even sicker inside.
Oh, Nefer-Tina, he thought, how can I ever make up for all the suffering I have caused you?
Xena was wrong about it not being his fault. Of course, it was his fault! How could it not be? If he had not fallen in love with Tia, she would have never come with him to Memphis when he was appointed to the elite Royal Hunt. Nefer-Tina would never have seen him and fallen in love with him. Tia would not have been there to punish her for her feelings. His own brother would have never beaten and raped her at Tia's whim.
That was the worst part of it. His beloved nephew Kimas was the son of the woman he loved. Nefer-Tina had only briefly met him when Scarab resurrected both him and his father.
Now that he thought about it, she had immediately bonded with the boy upon meeting him. Subconsciously, she must have known who he was.
In a way, it was a blessing she hadn't known that he was her child then because of what happened. Kimas had, until the very end, been doing the evil bidding of his father. Finally, in the last few moments of the time he spent in the modern world, he had overcome his dark side and fought against Arakh. And, in doing so, returned beyond the Western Gate, never to come back. If Nefer-Tina had known and lost him for the second time...
Back in the garage, Nefer-Tina finally got up off the floor. She began to walk out, to escape Tia. She was headed right for him, but her eyes were on the ground. She did not see him there until it was too late.
Nefer-Tina, not watching where she was going, bumped straight into him. When she looked up to see what had happened, her eyes went wide with fear and surprise. She backed away from him, shaking her head furiously.
"Oh, no. Oh, no," she repeated over and over in a low voice.
"Nefer-Tina, I-" he began to say.
"You heard...everything?" she finally managed to get out. The tears began to fall.
"Yes."
She let out a strangled cry and bolted past him.
"Nefer-Tina, wait!" he called desperately after her.
He felt Xena's hand on his shoulder from behind. "Go ahead. It's time to comfort her."
Wordlessly, he nodded and sprinted after her. He quickly spotted her ahead of him and followed her.
As he watched, Nefer-Tina raced out the front door of the Sphinx and into the rainy night.
Chapter Twenty-Five:
Tia glared at Xena through the doorway. "I thought I made myself clear that this was none of your business."
"Oh, crystal," Xena confirmed. "I had nothing to do with it. Ja-Kal's been in love with her for a long time but didn't know how she felt about him. In fact, I'd say that if anyone is to blame for him finding out, it's you."
"What?!" Tia flared angrily. "How dare you say that to me!"
"Why not? It's true," Xena insisted. "Think about it. If you hadn't kept cornering Nefer-Tina like you had, he would never have become suspicious that something was going on. And now, thanks to you, he knows that she loves him as much as he loves her."
"Well, no matter," Tia finally said in a calmer tone. "Even if he does have feelings for the little tramp, I can assure you they will be short-lived. He will quickly come to realize how right I am about her. Then, I won't care anymore." Having said her piece, Tia teleported away in a flash of light.
Xena just shook her head. When Tia discovers how wrong she has been, there will be hell to pay. However, this time, Nefer-Tina will not have to face her alone.
Ja-Kal would be right there beside her.
Ja-Kal burst out into the cold rain, his eyes frantically searching for Nefer-Tina. He hadn't been able to observe which direction she had gone off, and it was incredibly difficult to see. The night was dark and the heavy rain all but blotted out the glow from the street lamps. Finding Nefer-Tina would not be easy.
He began to sprint down the sidewalk, hoping for some sign of her. He knew she couldn't have gotten very far on foot in this weather. Already, he found his bandages had been soaked through to the skin by the heavy downpour and he was beginning to shiver. This was not a time to be outside, mummy or not.
Finally, after about five minutes of searching, he found her. She was under a street lamp, seated on the wet ground. She was hugging her knees to her chest. In the light cast down on her by the lamp, he could see that her whole body was shaking. But, whether from tears or the cold, he could not tell.
Oh, Nefer-Tina, he thought sadly. What have I done to you? I've been such a fool.
He silently approached her, terrified of frightening her off with even the slightest sound. He did not know how she'd react when she saw him. The things Tia had done to her... All because of him.
Nefer-Tina did not even see him approach. Her eyes were cast down to the ground as she sobbed.
Ja-Kal crouched down until he was level with her and reached out with one hand. Gently, he cupped her chin and titled her face up towards his. She continued to look down as she was unaware of his presence. Her beautiful face was mottled with a mixture of rain and tears. Her long hair was plastered to her head and body from the heavy downpour.
"Nefer-Tina," he said softly, "please. Look at me."
The sound of his voice shook her out of her private misery and she suddenly became aware that she was not alone. Her eyes turned upwards and an expression of panic came over her face as she saw him. She pulled away from his touch and stood up so fast it almost knocked him over.
He stood up slowly and tried to meet her gaze, but she turned away from him, leaving only her back towards him.
"Please, just go away," she begged him quietly.
"Why didn't you tell me?" was all he could think of to say.
"I...just couldn't," she told him sadly. "I never wanted to hurt you. Now, go, please."
"Hurt me? How?" Ja-Kal prodding, ignoring her pleas to be left alone. That was the one thing he was not going to do. "You could never hurt me."
She laughed softly. "Stop being so damn nice to me. You're making this harder than it should be."
"Harder?" he repeated. "I don't understand."
She sighed heavily. "You heard everything Tia said. It's all true, every word of it."
"I know," he told her. "By the gods, I know. I'm so sorry."
She turned to face him, a confused look on her face. "You're sorry? Why are you sorry? You had nothing to do with what happened."
"You're wrong," he disagreed. "If anyone is to blame, it's me. If I hadn't accepted the pharaoh's invitation to join..."
"I don't get you," she cut him off. "After hearing everything I've done, how can you just stand there and still treat me as if nothing's changed between us? Act as if I did nothing wrong? For Ra's sake, Ja-Kal, you just found out that I'm in love with you!"
Ja-Kal did not know how to respond to that. Nothing he was saying seemed to be getting through to her. All the lies that Tia had told her were thoroughly entrenched into her psyche. If he just blurted out that he was in love with her as well, it could hurt her even worse.
In a way, he was more responsible than Tia for Nefer-Tina's prolonged suffering into this world. He had been so blind to her feelings for him. If only he had known Tia's true nature sooner. His devotion to his family had kept him from following his heart for so long...
After a few moments of silence on both of their parts, Nefer-Tina finally spoke again. "You asked why I didn't tell you? When did I ever have a chance?" she replied bitterly. "You have to understand, when I first saw you in Amenhotep's court, I was only sixteen years old. In that first glance, I felt something so strong that it almost scared me. I had no clue what it was, but I liked it. A lot. So, being too young to know any better, I developed a crush on you.
"But, Tia happened to be there that day as well. She noticed the way I was looking at you and misinterpreted it. She thought...she thought..." she trailed off, turning away from him again.
"Gods, I knew even then that it was impossible for someone like you to even consider someone like me," she continued instead. "You were a member of the Royal Hunt while I was nothing but a lowly court musician. Tia must have loved you incredibly to want to keep me away."
Ja-Kal almost interrupted her story to insist that Tia never loved him, but kept quiet. It was still not the right time to tell her.
"Tia began to harass me at every possible moment," Nefer-Tina went on. "She would say things to me. Horrible, hurtful things. It was her way of making sure I never went near you.
"And, it worked. I was terrified to leave my bedchamber every morning because I knew she'd be waiting for me. However, my feelings for you never went away. In fact, they continued to grow...
"Anyway, remember the walks I told you about? They were my only escape from her. I had no idea that she even knew about them..."
Ja-Kal resisted the urge to take her in his arms right then and there. He didn't want her to have to go through the pain of remembering again. Tia had already done a fine job making her do that tonight. But, again, he realized that if she didn't say it to him now, it would continue to haunt her.
Nefer-Tina leaned heavily against the lamppost. "The rest you know. For two years, my love for you kept me going. I never dreamed I'd see you again. I had lost everything. My child. My innocence. My family. My...very identity. Nefer-Tina was nothing but a distant memory. Nefer, the charioteer, was all that was left.
"After that final race, when I found out that I had been chosen as one of the royal guardians to Prince Rapses, I almost ran away. I was so afraid that I'd be discovered. But, I didn't and I stayed. And, then, for the first time in two years, I saw you again.
"Of course, you didn't know me. In truth, I didn't even know you. I had fallen in love with someone I had seen from afar. A stranger whom I felt attracted to in a way that defied description.
"Tia recognized me immediately. She flaunted repeatedly in my face the fact that you had married her. It was as if it was all a game to her. A contest that she had won.
"She also saw that I was still in love with you after all that time and that enraged her more than anything. So, she began to threaten me again. And, this time, the threat was very real.
"But, through it all, you, of everyone, were the nicest to me. You became the friend I had never had. You accepted me with no questions asked. And, for that, I will always be grateful.
"So, you asked me why I never told you? It was because of our friendship," she finally told him. "You always told me how much you loved Tia, and later, your son with her. Even now, you still tell me how much you miss them. If I had told you that I was in love with you, you would have felt betrayed."
She finally turned around to face him again. "And, don't try to tell me you wouldn't have. I know you, Ja-Kal. You have such a strong sense of loyalty and honesty. For me to turn around and tell you that I have been in love with you since I met you would have ended our friendship. You would have thought that I had used it to be near you."
"That-" he started to say."
She put out her hand to cover his mouth, shaking her head sadly. "Please, don't try to say anything you might later regret. I will always treasure the friendship we had. I know it's over now." She removed her hand. "I won't bother you ever again."
She turned away from him once more. "I-I'll leave the Sphinx. I'll find someplace else to stay.
"I also resign my position of second-in-command. We both know that I don't deserve it. Rath will do a much better job than I ever could.
"And, don't worry about me forgetting my duty. I'll still protect the prince. I just won't be around here anymore."
No! No! he mentally cried. You can't leave! Not now! Not ever! He had do to something! Anything! He couldn't let her go, especially like this.
In truth, he had never been a man of words. For him, actions were usually best. So, with no other options left, he did the only thing he could.
He reached out, grabbed Nefer-Tina by the arm, spun her around, and kissed her.
Nefer-Tina was totally taken by surprise. It took her a few seconds to realize what was happening. He was kissing her! Ja-Kal was actually kissing her! For a moment, she did not know how to respond. It almost didn't seem real at first, like a dream. Then, knowing deep in her heart that it was real, she began to kiss him back, putting everything she had into it.
It was a kiss of passion. Of need. Of desire. But, mostly, it was nothing but love. A love so strong that it could not be broken by time or death.
The world melted away around them. Neither felt the cold wind or rain any more. Nothing existed for them but each other and the love they shared.
Fresh tears began to roll down Nefer-Tina's face. Tears not of sadness, but of pure joy. He loved her! He was in love with her! How and when it had happened didn't matter. For the moment, all she cared about was that he loved her.
Finally, after an indeterminate amount of time, the two lovers separated. However, Ja-Kal still held Nefer-Tina tightly in his arms.
"I love you," he told her. "I've loved you for a very long time now. And, don't you ever doubt my feelings for you again. Do you understand me?"
She nodded stiffly and leaned against him heavily. "What about...?"
"Tia," he finished. "It's over between us. In a way, there never really was an 'us'."
Nefer-Tina looked up at him, puzzled. "What do you mean?"
He sighed. "Don't worry about that now. The only thing that matters is you. Now, let's get you out of the rain." He lightly kissed her on the forehead. "Come on."
Before they even got inside, Ja-Kal lifted Nefer-Tina into his arms and carried her the rest of the way. She was weak from the emotional ordeal that she had been subjected to and didn't have the strength to walk on her own for very long.
He brought her directly to the bedroom and gently put her down on the bed. He sat down next to her. Again, he kissed her lightly, this time on the lips.
"You're safe now," he told her softly. "No one will ever hurt you again."
"Promise?" she asked in barely a whisper.
"With all my heart," he assured her. He then stood up. "Now, wait right here. I'll be right back."
"Wait," she said, sitting up. "Please, don't leave me alone."
He sat back down next to her, putting an arm around her. "I'm not leaving you for long," he told her. "I was just going to get both of us a few towels to dry off with. If you haven't noticed, we're both soaking wet."
"Wouldn't want to catch our death now, would we?" she quietly joked. She leaned against him.
He smiled down at her. "There's the old Nefer-Tina I've been looking for," he teased her. "Where have you been hiding?" He then grew serious again. "I love you."
"I love you too," she answered. Gods, it felt good to finally say that.
"Before I go, there's one other thing that I have to tell you," Ja-Kal said.
"What is it?" she asked, growing worried. She pulled away and looked at him directly.
He noticed the worried expression on her face and placed one hand lightly on her cheek. "Nefer-Tina, do you remember when you told me about the night you were raped? How after my...brother left you for dead, someone found you?"
"Yes..." she answered cautiously.
He took both her hands in his. "And, how you never got to thank that person for saving your life?" She nodded, looking more puzzled than worried now. He smiled at her, "You already have, in more ways than you'll ever know."
She gasped, "You mean...?"
He nodded. "Yes. I wasn't sure myself until after you had already left the restaurant that night. I recognized your scars as soon as I saw them, but I couldn't place them."
"It was you all along," she said in amazement. "All these years... It was always you."
He squeezed her hands softly. "I had always wondered what happened to the girl after she left so suddenly. I searched for her that entire morning, fearing that she had been too weak to go very far," he continued, studying her face. "There had been something about her that made me want to protect her. I felt drawn to her. In fact, finding her had been entirely an accident.
"I wanted to know who had done such terrible things to one so young, so I could make him pay. But, she left without a word. And, finally, after years of not knowing her fate, I find her again. Only to discover I had never lost her at all."
"Ja-Kal," she barely whispered. "I-"
He silenced her by putting a finger to her lips. "You don't have to say anything. I just wanted you to know." She nodded and he removed his finger. "There's something else you need to know. That same night, while we were dancing, I nearly kissed you."
She smiled lovingly at him. "And, I almost kissed you."
It was his turn to look surprised. "I was so afraid of what would happen if I did. Mostly, I feared I'd lose your friendship. Even though I thought I was still married, that entire night, all I could think about was how I felt about you. As much as it hurts to admit it, I tried to fight it. But, on the dance floor, holding you so close, I just couldn't hold it back any longer."
"I...thought the same thing," she softly told him. "I knew if I kissed you, you would never have forgiven me. We both thought you were married and for me to kiss you would have been an act of adultery. Your sense of honor would have never allowed that."
"I know," he told her. "But, then again, I may not have cared. My love for you is stronger than it ever was for Tia." He leaned over and kissed her deeply. When it was over, he said, "I feel connected to you in a way I can't explain."
"Soulmates," she murmured.
"Yes," he agreed. "You're my soulmate. Somehow, I just know."
"Yes...," she said slowly. "It's like we always knew but we just never paid attention before. When I'm with you, I feel so whole, so complete."
He kissed her again and stroked her still-wet hair. He then stood up from the bed. "I better get those towels now."
She stiffly pushed herself off the bed and stood up in front of him. "Ja-Kal, wait. I-I still don't want to be alone. Let me come with you. Please."
He took her face in his hands. "You're not going anywhere. Look at yourself. You're too tired to move. I don't want you doing any more than necessary. You need your strength. I promise, I won't take long."
His hands dropped from her face and he took her fully into his arms again. "I only want to do what's best for you." He leaned down and kissed her deeply on the lips. The intensity of the kiss was the strongest he had ever experienced.
Nefer-Tina wrapped her arms around him, losing herself in the moment.
As they kissed, Ja-Kal let his hands begin to roam down her body. They passed down her back and over her buttocks, pulling up her kilt until he reached the hem.
Without thinking, Ja-Kal let one hand slowly begin to travel up the inside of her thigh. When he reached the point where her bandages ended and her bare skin began, Nefer-Tina let out a gasp and broke away from the kiss.
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," he apologized profusely when he realized what he had done. He removed his hand immediately. "I didn't mean... I wasn't thinking." He cursed himself. Where was his mind? Although his need to be with her completely was overpowering, he would never force her before she was ready.
For all intents and purposes, Nefer-Tina was still a virgin. Although she had been raped and given birth to a child, sexually she was inexperienced. He would be her first time. But, only when she was ready for him.
"It's all right," she told him, not releasing him from her arms. "Please...don't...stop."
He searched her face. "Are you sure? I don't want to force you if you're not ready."
She cast her eyes downward and leaned against his chest. "I-I'm not really that sure, I guess." She looked at him. "I'm frightened."
"I understand," he told her. "I know how badly you were hurt by my brother. I swear I would never hurt you. I'd give up my life first."
"I know you would," she smiled back up at him. "Thank you."
They were both silent for a moment and they just held each other tightly. Finally, Nefer-Tina broke the silence.
"Make love to me."
He silently nodded and kissed her. He again moved his hands down her body, this time completely aware of what he was doing. As he reached the sensitive skin of her inner thigh, he paused and pulled away from her lips.
"Are you really sure this is what you want?" he asked again, terrified of hurting her.
"Yes," she nodded. "This time I am. I want to know what it feels like to be a woman. And, I want it to be you who shows me."
"Just remember, any time you want me to stop, I will," he pressed.
"I know," she told him.
He pulled her back into the kiss and continued with his hand up her thigh. He felt her tremble slightly, but did not want to disobey her wishes.
When he could go up no further, he deepened the kiss and introduced her to the first of many new pleasant sensations she would be experiencing that night.
After he was sure she was ready for him to move on, he removed his hand and returned to holding her in both arms. They remained that way until they finished their kiss.
As they separated once more, no words needed to be spoken. Their eyes locked, Ja-Kal moved in towards Nefer-Tina and slowly removed her amulet. Then, he took off his own. He then went over to the vanity and gently deposited them. He quickly returned to where he left her.
Ja-Kal took Nefer-Tina's left hand and turned it over so the inside of her wrist was facing up. As gently as possible, he found the end of her bandages and, slowly, began to unwrap them.
As he moved up her arm, he began to kiss each area of exposed flesh as he uncovered it. He looked up and saw that she was slightly smiling, starting to relax into what was happening. Finally, he succeeded in reaching her shoulder.
"Are you all right?" he asked.
She nodded. "Yes. Please...keep going."
"Just remember, if you want me to stop, tell me," he repeated. At her nod, he took her other arm and repeated the same actions.
After he finished, he stepped back from her. "Your turn."
For a moment, she did not know what to do. Shyly, she then approached him and took his right hand in the same manner he had hers. As she began to work, he leaned down and kissed her hair. She smiled and kissed his palm as she unwrapped it.
Soon, both pairs of arms were free of the tight bandages. Nefer-Tina was amazed at how muscular Ja-Kal still was despite his undead state.
Now, it was his turn again. He took her hand and led her over to the bed. He motioned for her to sit down, causing her to become slightly nervous again.
He smiled and shook his head, telling her that it wasn't time for that just yet. She visibly relaxed. He guided her to the edge of the bed and sat her down, her legs dangling over the side. Slowly, he knelt down in front of her and waited for her permission. She nodded and waited for what was to come next.
Ja-Kal ran his hand up her leg until her reached the same spot under her kilt where the bandages ended. This time, he repeated the same action he had done to both of her wrist bandages. In a steady manner, he started to unwind the bandage from around her upper thigh. Like with her arms before, he traced a trail of kisses down her leg as more and more skin was revealed.
Nefer-Tina allowed herself to be lost in what she was feeling. She had never experienced anything like this before. Ja-Kal was so gentle and loving with her. And, patient. He would never push her into anything she didn't want to do. She knew that and loved him even more for it.
Soon, Ja-Kal finished her first leg and started the second. Nefer-Tina was impressed with his discretion as well. Despite several opportunities, his exploration of her body had not gone beyond his initial touching between her legs. All his energy was focused on undressing her and making her feel as comfortable as possible with what he was doing. Despite herself, she wished he had. What he had already given her had only increased her desire to have him touch her in places that no one had ever touched before...
Then, it was her turn to take off his leg bandages. They switched places and she waited for his permission to start. He nodded and she went to work, her hand feeling up his powerful thigh until she found what she was looking for. The bandages easily began to unwrap and she quickly removed them from his first leg. His second one shortly followed.
Ja-Kal helped Nefer-Tina onto the edge of the bed where he proceeded to kiss her again. While they were still lip-locked, he raised them both to their feet.
Ja-Kal next found Nefer-Tina's midriff and fingered the loose edges of the bandages.
As he began to unwrap her upper torso, she began to get nervous again.
"What is it?" he asked, breaking the kiss.
"I'm sorry," she apologized. "It's just that..."
"Tell me."
"I've never had my body looked at before," she confessed. "I'm a little embarrassed and uncomfortable. That's all."
"There's nothing to be embarrassed about," he assured her. "Remember, I've seen you already. All of you. And, you are very beautiful."
"I'm so ashamed," she said. "I wanted to do this so much and now I'm..."
"Shh," he calmed her. "It's all right. We'll stop. Just relax." He took her into his arms and just held her for a minute. When she was ready, he would continue and not a second sooner. And, if it wasn't tonight, he would wait until the next time she wanted to try.
Finally, she stirred and stepped away from him, raising her arms to the side. "I'm ready."
Wordlessly, he nodded and, with the same gentle touch as before, finished removing her upper bandages.
Nefer-Tina quickly folded her arms to cover her exposed chest.
Ja-Kal stepped closer to her and gently moved her arms away. He gazed at the beautiful woman before him and smiled. "You have nothing to be ashamed of," he told her. "You are truly beautiful."
She shyly smiled back. "Thank you. I appreciate that."
"I'm only telling you the truth," he assured her. "I have no need to lie to you."
He moved to stand behind her and pushed her hair over her shoulders to reveal her back. The scars, now free of makeup, were visible in all their ugly glory. He now saw how extensive they truly were, in the exact same pattern he had stitched her up all those centuries ago.
Each line went down from her shoulder on the diagonal to end under her breasts. As he had done before in the restaurant, he began to trace each one, this time able to follow it to where it terminated.
Nefer-Tina could not get over how kind and patient Ja-Kal was being with her. She knew how difficult she was being. He deserved to be with someone so much better than her, but he had chosen her. He loved her. And, she loved him. And, that was all that really mattered to her.
As he finished with her back, he turned her around to face him. It was her turn again. She reached up to finger one of the lose bandages dangling from his head wrappings. Raising herself onto her toes, she began to reveal his head. Soon, she could see the hair that matched her own in color. But, more importantly, she could see his entire face.
Then, instead of starting at his waist, she continued to unwrap him in the downward fashion from his neck. Soon, they were only left wearing their kilts.
Nefer-Tina dryly gulped air, still unsure of what would happen once her kilt was removed. She remembered the pain of being entered during the rape and feared that the same pain would occur again. But, then, as she looked into Ja-Kal's eyes, she saw nothing but an all-consuming love for her. And, she knew, he would never purposely hurt her.
So, as their last act before consummating their newfound relationship, each removed the other's kilt. They gazed at each other's naked bodies, each a little unsure of themselves and each other.
As always, Ja-Kal knew what to do. He pulled her back into his arms and began to kiss her. This time, however, his kisses did not stop at the lips. They moved down her neck and onto her shoulders. Nefer-Tina let her body totally relax, trusting Ja-Kal completely. Every touch felt more wonderful than the one before. What they were doing felt so natural and so right. There was no shame in the activity whatsoever.
Finally, he picked her up and carried her to the bed. He gently laid her down and then crawled in next to her.
"I want you so much," she whispered.
"I know," he whispered back. "As much as I want you."
He kissed her again and so began their night of lovemaking.
When it was all over, Ja-Kal held Nefer-Tina against him tightly, his arms wrapped firmly around her. They laid in the spoon position, her back against his chest, both on their side.
"Thank you. Thank you," she kept whispering over and over, a contented look of happiness and love on her face.
He just continued to hold her, kissing her hair and basking in the warmth he felt from just being with her.
It was in this manner that they fell asleep and remained for the rest of the night.
(Author's note: Since the original posting of this story, I have rewritten most of chapter 25 because I was unsatisfied with the original one you have just read. The rewrite is rated NC-17 and is called "Amends". For those of you who are both interested and over the age of 18, it can be found on my personal website. Please see my profile for the link.)
Chapter Twenty-Six:
Amanda put down her book and glanced anxiously at the phone. Why wasn't it ringing? Where was the call she should have gotten hours ago? A look at her watch told her it was time to start being very concerned.
It was after ten and Presley had not come home.
It wasn't like he'd never been home late before, but not like this. Even the night of the park incident he had been home before nine o'clock. And, never on a school night.
Stop worrying, she tried telling herself. It's not like he's alone! He's with a responsible adult. Then again, was keeping a thirteen-year-old boy out late without checking in with his mother a responsible action?
Amanda had not known Dr. Miranda Larson for long, but she knew that she was a pretty reliable person. She and Miranda had collaborated over the phone for months preparing the Xena Scrolls exhibit. Miranda had kept every appointment and even made extra time in her busy schedule to help Amanda with any difficulty that had come up during the exhibit's preparation. So, when she had promised to have Presley home at a decent time, Amanda had believed her. So where was he?
She thought about trying Miranda's several phone numbers again, but knew it would be pointless. When she had tried to call twenty minutes earlier, she had not gotten any answers. They were not at Miranda's hotel or her office. Calling her young friend Kait had proved another dead end, since the woman wasn't home. And, because she didn't know the number or last name of her other friend, Matt, there was no way to call him. She was running out of options.
She thought about her other choices, but dreaded having to use them. The thought of calling every hospital within the city made her sick. She couldn't let herself believe Presley was hurt. Or worse. That was tantamount to giving up hope-and she needed to believe that everything was all right.
The police would also be useless. Unless the individual was missing for twenty-four hours, there was nothing they would do. She had last seen Presley in her office that afternoon, around four o'clock. Six hours was hardly enough time to justify panicking, was it?
Restless, she rose from the couch and walked over to the window. The night was rainy and black, with the rainfall showing no sign of abating any time soon. Dangerous weather to be out in, for sure.
She felt a tiny glimmer of hope. Maybe that was it. Miranda and Presley had gotten stuck somewhere in the storm with no way to get in touch. Since Miranda didn't have a cell phone that she knew of, it was likely they were riding out the storm in her car in a parking lot. Or, perhaps they were sitting in a store or restaurant, waiting for the weather to clear up...
As pleasant as all those scenarios were, deep down, she knew none of them to be true. Something was very wrong, she could just feel it.
Oh, Presley, honey, where are you? she silently cried.
Reluctantly, she pulled herself away from the window. There was nothing to see. The street had been devoid of any traffic for hours.
Amanda returned to the couch, resigned to wait until her son came home.
Miranda angrily paced the dark room that was her prison. How dare Callisto presume that she would help her! Just because that monster was a distant ancestor of hers didn't mean she owed her a thing! It was a ludicrous thought! Besides, the feud between her family and Xena's was long forgotten. In fact, the two families were quite close thanks to the work of Janice Covington and Melinda Pappas.
When Janice and Mel originally founded IAXS, one of their initial acts was to attempt to locate and contact as many descendants from the people mentioned in the Scrolls as possible. The Scrolls held pieces of their history and it was only right to share it with them. However, due to the primitive technology of the 1940s, the search was mostly unsuccessful. So, for over forty years, the project was kept on the back burner.
In 1986, that all changed. Enter Miranda Larson, college graduate. Miranda, as part of her personal plan to pay her way through graduate school, took an entry level position with IAXS. That job just happened to be in the department devoted to the descendant project. Within six months of joining the program, Miranda had taken over and revamped the entire operation.
Miranda was gifted with the abilities to be a good leader and organizer. She also had a passion for solving puzzles and mysteries, of which the program had been an excellent example. Her hard work and dedication paid off as the project soon began to flourish and produce results under her direction. Her success soon brought her to the attention of Janice and Mel. And, the rest, as they say, is history.
It was also during this period that she found out her "relationship" to Callisto.
Miranda stopped her infuriated pacing for a moment to glance at her fellow prisoner. Presley was sleeping uncomfortably on the couch Callisto had so "thoughtfully" provided. She smiled sadly at the boy. The poor kid had tired himself out trying to convince her that they would be rescued at any time. His naive optimism had just about broken her heart. How could she tell him that they probably weren't coming?
It was too dark to read her watch, but Miranda had a fairly good idea of how long they'd been in there. Where was Callisto? She hadn't shown her face since she'd deposited the two of them in this room. What was she planning?
From what she'd gathered from the Scrolls, Callisto had had a single purpose in life: make Xena pay for what she'd done to Callisto's family. After she had accomplished that and not received the expected relief from her pain, she decided she wanted to cease existing. The real question was: which stage of her life was this Callisto from? And, what burning desire was driving her now?
Callisto was also the type who made her intentions very clear. Keeping her in the dark like this, figuratively speaking, was very disconcerting. And, where did Presley fit into all this? Wasn't Callisto working for Scarab? Then again, since when did Callisto ever work for anybody unless she was getting something out of it? Unless...
Another typical tactic of Callisto was to use the threat of harming innocents to get what she wanted from Xena. Hadn't Callisto raided whole villages just to attract Xena's attention? That must be it! Callisto was going to use Presley as a means of forcing her to help her get revenge on Xena's family!
Miranda had a cold, sinking feeling at the pit of her stomach. She was torn. Presley's safety was more important than her own, but if she were to join Callisto's mad quest, countless others would be harmed. What could she do? Either way, people would get hurt.
She walked over to the couch where Presley moaned in his sleep. She dropped down next to him and pulled him up so that his head rested on her lap. She smoothed his hair.
"I hope you're right about Ja-Kal and crew coming to our rescue," Miranda said softly so as to not wake him. "Because if they're not, both of us are in a lot of trouble."
Velasca turned onto her side, contentedly resting in bed next to the snoring Scarab. The old man had worn himself out earlier that evening with the celebration of his imminent victory. Imminent because of his accidental discovery that turned things more in Velasca's favor than ever before.
Scarab's errand had involved his returning the Xena Scrolls to the museum from where he had stolen them. He had decided that he no longer needed them since he had gotten everything he wanted out of them. So, he had brought them back to the person in charge of the exhibit, Amanda Carnovan, a woman Scarab told Velasca he had worked with for years. While he was there, the very object of his quest, Prince Rapses, walked into the office and called Carnovan his mother.
Rapses, better known as Presley Carnovan, had been sitting under his nose the entire time and he had never known it.
Velasca had struggled to contain her amusement at the entire situation. Scarab was a bigger idiot than she had ever dreamed! He himself had told her that he had worked with the mother for years. How could he not have even known she had a son? Better yet, why hadn't he bothered trying to find out anything about her? What sort of warrior didn't make an effort to learn all she could about the people she interacted with? How else could she know who could be trusted and who could not?
Scarab's incompetence disgusted her. How she longed for the day she could rid herself of him!
Unfortunately, she still needed him for her plans of world domination. He knew this modern world while she did not. So, she'd let him do the hard work of establishing a new world order while she engaged in more enjoyable activities-like taking revenge on her fellow gods. Let Scarab think he was in control until the very last minute. Then, when she struck, he'd never know what hit him. And, the entire world would be hers.
However, in the meantime, she had two main problems to contend with: Callisto and that damn Tracker of the Gods. Both were a major thorn in her side. Callisto's unforeseen double-cross acted as a huge roadblock, since the boy was the key to finally achieving her destiny. And, Tia's attempts to bring her back to Olympus, while entertaining to thwart, would waste precious time.
Of course, there was now Xena to deal with as well. As much as she despised Tia, it was the Warrior Princess she hated even more. Xena had caused more trouble for her than anybody. First, she had tried to stop her from becoming a god, and thankfully, failed. Then, Xena had kept her from destroying that other fake queen, Gabrielle. Of course, introducing her to Callisto had to be one of the worst things Xena ever did to her. Finally, her encounters with Xena had seen her imprisoned twice.
Taking her revenge on Xena would have to wait, she knew. Getting the boy to Scarab was top priority. Everything depended on his attaining immortality or whatever power the boy's spirit would give him. Without it, she could never hope to overthrow the other gods on her own. As much as she hated to admit it, she herself was not powerful enough. She needed the old fool. So, it was imperative that she got the boy back from that pathetic excuse for a god.
Luckily, that would be easy. From what she'd read about Callisto in the Scrolls, she was quite predictable once you knew how her mind worked. The only reason Callisto had been able to fool her was that she had not expected a double-cross. After all, Callisto was supposed to be longing for oblivion since she had found revenge to be an empty exercise. More proof of her stupidity, Velasca snorted. Too bad that Larson woman had to show up and foul things up. Now, Callisto was revenge-bent against Xena again. And, with Xena actually being around as well...
Well, it wouldn't matter much longer. Velasca smiled to herself. Scarab planned on going to the boy's home in the morning to capture him once and for all. The mother, of course, was expendable. The fact that the boy wasn't there would make no difference at all because, knowing Callisto, she'd show up to brag about how she captured him. Then, she'd try to make a bargain with Scarab for possession of young Presley. A bargain anyone with half a mind knew they'd have no intention of keeping. And, while they were busy, she'd would take the time to destroy the mummy guardians and deal with the bitch Tia.
It would be a glorious day.
Heka had a very bad feeling. Velasca was up to something. She could feel it in her scales. And, it could only mean bad news for Scarab.
Unfortunately, Scarab still wasn't listening to her. He was too infatuated with the comely Amazon goddess. And, he kept insisting that he knew perfectly well what he was doing. Yeah, right, Heka snorted. The only thing he was doing was getting done. When Velasca was through with him, she'd throw him away with the trash. What would it take to get him to see that he was being used. A blow to the head? On second thought...
Heka sighed. Scarab was too hard headed for his own good. He was always blind to danger until the last minute, which was why he was always beaten.
Unless he wised up soon, this defeat could very well be his last.
Tia reappeared in the main room of the Sphinx. She had calmed herself down greatly over the last few hours. Her hatred and anger were almost back under her control. Her time alone away from the Sphinx had helped.
Her mind kept flashing back to Artemis' words, telling her to keep her emotions under control. How right her mentor had been! Her pure hatred for the tramp was alienating the only people who could help her capture her quarry. None more than Ja-Kal, who she knew the best of all of them.
Although she no longer loved him, she still trusted him like no other. Ja-Kal was a skilled hunter and leader under whom any Amazon she knew would have been proud to serve. Without his help, she knew she'd never be able to stop both goddesses. And, unfortunately, she needed Xena's expertise as well.
She decided the best thing to do was to smooth things over with Ja-Kal. He was most likely furious with her for attacking one of his teammates, no matter how much she deserved it. He was also still hurting from what she had told him the other night about their marriage. He had not understood how much she had truly loved him once. He had always been too pure-hearted for his own good and did not realize that not everyone saw the world as he did. Yes, she had fallen in love with him because of whom he was, but what did it matter? All that should matter was the love they had felt for each other, not the reasons behind it.
Tia closed her eyes and stretched out with her senses. Ja-Kal was very near.
But, he was not alone.
No, she thought angrily. What was she doing with him?
She remembered what Xena had said, that he was in love with the whore. It was a ridiculous thought. When would he have possibly had a chance to fall in love with a creature as despicable as that? And, why would he? After all, he was not the type to cheat on his spouse, separated by death or otherwise. Until last night, he had believed himself to still be married.
If anything, he was probably telling the tramp what a disgrace she was to his team. Tia smiled at that thought. She then teleported herself to Ja-Kal's location.
When she arrived, all the anger and hatred she had fought down returned with a vengeance.
Ja-Kal was lying in bed with-with her, neither one clad in a single bandage. Said bandages and their kilts laid strewn all over the floor of the room.
There was no question of what they had done.
How could he?!, Tia raged. The girl was the scum of the earth and he had allowed himself to fall in love with her! Why?
If it had been anyone else in that bed with him, she wouldn't have minded. Ja-Kal deserved to have some happiness. She knew how wonderful his love was. Any woman lucky enough to win his love would agree. But, her?!
Tia left the room in a flash of light. She rematerialized outside in the pouring rain, which bounced off the small energy shield she had erected around herself. She fought down the disgust and hate she felt.
Again, she thought of Artemis' words. This was the exact type of situation she had warned her about. She had to push it aside or it could cause her to fail in her mission. Her personal issues had no place here.
Tia resolved to put away her anger for the duration of this mission. There could be no more distractions. She had a job to do.
And, she would let nothing stop her from completing it.