Chapter Thirty-Two

Vaneth's net of control over the Akanep had broken. At first he had been angry, taking his rage out on an unfortunate Viper who had been walking by the tent when he received the news. The Pharaoh and his companions had survived Azar's attack, and they had successfully freed the village of Hemeget. Vaneth had been out flying when the Scorpions had raided Nnagh to rescue their children. When Vaneth returned, the village was in chaos and the Scorpion youth were gone. Seething with fury at the latest defeat and at the pathetic incapability of Hatar, the current Renunep he had selected as his right-hand man. In a fit of irritation, Vaneth killed Hatar and appointed a younger, more energetic chief, (not to mention ravenously ambitious) a spitfire named Zeneg. He was twenty-three years old and had already lost an eye: when he was just ten, a lion had attacked him and a friend while they were gathering firewood at the edge of the village. Zeneg's friend had been killed, but Zeneg suffered only a blow to the head and a deep gash across his right temple, rendering his eye useless. He got back up and whacked the lion to death with a piece of wood. Zeneg was hailed as a hero, and he still bore the scar across his face where the lion had gouged him with its claw. He wore an eyepatch that made him look even more fearsome.

As soon as Zeneg had been promoted, the Renunep rallied a war party to pursue the fleeing Scorpions. Outrun on the plain of Adcha, the Renunep had to retreat. They couldn't risk going into Scorpion territory with such few numbers and no strategy. But they would be back.

Vaneth was slightly frustrated, but he still had a secret weapon that had not been unleashed yet. And it was waiting, hidden, ticking like a time bomb, deep in Scorpion territory.

Ishizu sat on a balcony overlooking the Nile river, gazing up at the stars. The High Priest had gone with a squad of soldiers to stamp out grave robbers on the other side of the Nile, and wouldn't be back for several days.

She sighed, thinking about what her life had become. Being brought to the palace did have its perks, but she still yearned for the life she had led before. But that life was lost now. And here at the palace, she was loved… or at least wanted… by many of the men. One male in particular, High Priest Seto, she favored above all the others. But after spending many nights with him, she began to realize that he was shutting her out, not letting her in to his true feelings. This wall of ice frustrated her in more ways than one.

Ishizu had also noticed that the yellow-eyed falcon girl, Seto's advisor at court, had also become distant from everyone, even her own sister, the wolf girl. The only one Samira would speak to anymore was Marik. Yes, she would talk to the Pharaoh and the Priests when she had to, but otherwise was silent and inexpressive.

She needed some time alone to mull these things over. That evening, Ishizu shook off her usual male followers and slipped out to the banks of the Nile, hiding herself in the tall reeds that bordered the edges of the river.

Sitting as still as a stone, ears pricked for any sound, she started as a flock of egrets took off in alarm from a clump of grasses nearby. She tried to sink lower into the cover of the brush.

Her heart skipped a beat as a voice right next to her said, "I see you, Ishizu."

The voice puzzled her. On the surface it was sunny, jovial; but its depths were murky and rippled with things unseen. And yet it shimmered beckoningly in her mind like a jewel.

Ishizu reached for the jewel, hypnotized by its radiance.

"That's right," whispered the voice smoothly. "Don't be afraid, come to me…"

Ishizu was entranced, but she was not weak-minded. Sharply and suddenly she pulled away, opening her eyes, blinded by the comfortingly real light of the setting sun. The air was suddenly colder; she shivered and pulled her cape closer around her shoulders.

Curious at what had just occurred, she called out in a voice a lot stronger than she felt, "Who's there?"

A soft chuckle, then, "Oh, it is just Vaneth."

The reeds parted, and a man stepped through. He stood slightly hunched over, which was strange for a person of his youth and muscularity. His night-black hair was slicked back, and he sported a small pointy goatee of the same color. His eyes glinted like twin onyxes, sparkling a deep black. He smiled as if he knew a secret no one else did. He dressed richly, in indigo brocade robes that draped finely over his strong, wiry frame, and wore stylish, albeit expensive, jeweled sandals. Ishizu wanted to shrink away, but found she could not.

Without the slightest rustle, the man kneeled down on the ground in front of her. She tried not to look into his eyes; they were like endless dark tunnels pulling her in.

"Priestess of the Millennium Necklace," crooned Vaneth, eyeing her distinguished magical jewelry almost hungrily. "How far you have come… and yet you still sleep with commoners. Tsk, tsk."

Ishizu stiffened. "Commoners?" she hissed. "Why, I—"

But Vaneth simply smiled. "It seems you are not very valued in the Pharaoh's eyes, no?"

Ishizu tried to ignore him, but his poisonous suggestions were worming their way into her brain. "Well…" she admitted, "I suppose it would be nice if I were treated with more respect…"

Vaneth simply nodded, staring off into the river. He turned to her, blasting her with the full intensity of his eyes, whispering, "I can help you, Ishizu… You will be the most powerful woman in all of Egypt…"

His gaze sent her reeling… her mind suddenly became clouded as he applied the full force of his magic—

Drowning in endless pits of darkness, sucked downward… black holes of nothingness, pulling, pulling…

Truth and justice were swallowed up by greed and gluttony, their lights disappearing in Ishizu's mind as one might snuff out a candle… blood pounded in her ears, her senses became fuzzy…

And suddenly, everything became perfectly crystal clear. A single ray of light shone down, glittering so brightly it seemed unreal.

Vaneth is my master. He shall make me rich and powerful and raise me from shame up into the house of the gods.

And then her world went dark.

A.N. Thanks to everybody who's been patient with me, I know it's a drag to have to wait two weeks for an update. Such misfortune is due to my extreme laziness coupled with multiple vacations whereupon I am cruelly torn from my word processor. Now that I'm back from my latest vacation, I'll try to write as much as I can! types furiously Hope you're enjoying my horribly long and complicated fanfic!