Isis

-I'm in the palace of the gods. The throne room is filed with laughs and chatter. Music plays – a sound that comes from nowhere in particular. As if the air itself is drumming to the beat. All around me, gods celebrate. As they dance, their forms change from human to animal to pure energy. And I'm finally in the middle of it all. Osiris is finally sitting on what used to be a throne of fire.

It takes me a second to place the exact moment. Osiris is a muscular African man in rich black robes. He has a handsome face and warm brown eyes. His hands are strong enough to crush rocks. I stand by his side. My dress is white, my belly swollen. Wings in all colors of the rainbow flicker behind me.

"Isis," my husband says.

I turn towards him, beaming. "My lord Osiris. Happy birthday."

"Thank you, my love. And soon we shall mark the birth of our son—Horus, the great one! His new incarnation shall be his greatest yet. He shall bring peace and prosperity to the world."

I take his hand. Right at this moment, I have everything. All I've worked for, all I've waited for, all I've fought for. Gods continue to dance, celebrating him. Celebrating us. Only if this could last forever.

The doors burst open. A hot wind makes the torches sputter.

The man that walks in is tall and strong, dressed in blood-colored robes, almost a twin to Osiris. Almost. Even with his dark red skin he can pass for human, if it wasn't for the fangs that show every time he smiles. His face flickers—sometimes human, sometimes that dreadful pet of his, whatever its called.

The dancing stops. The music dies. Suddenly, he is the centre of attention.

Osiris rises from his throne. "Set," he says in a dangerous tone. "Why have you come?"

Set laughs and breaks the tension in the room. I glare at him. How can anybody be fooled by his pretty laugh when his eyes are so cruel? Set sounds so carefree and friendly, however, that many don't care.

"I come to celebrate my brother's birthday, of course!" he exclaims. "And I bring entertainment!"

He gestures behind him. Four men with wolf heads march into the room, carrying a jewel-encrusted golden coffin.

All through the room, gods ooh and aah, admiring the box. It is nice, I guess, trimmed with jade and opals and painted with gold and red hieroglyphs. The wolf-men set down the box. It has no lid. The interior is lined with black linen. Black hieroglyphs are stitched into the linen, almost invisible, but surely there.

"This sleeping casket," Set announces, "was made by my finest craftsmen, using the most expensive materials. Its value is beyond measure. The god who lies within, even for a night, will see his powers increase tenfold! His wisdom will never falter. His strength will never fail. It is a gift"—he smiles slyly at Osiris—"for the one and only god who fits within perfectly!"

The gods, drunk beyond reason, surge forward. They push each other out of the way to get at the golden coffin. Some climb in, but are too short. Others are too big. No matter how they change their forms, no one fits quite right. How Set of him, to create a toy that toys with people.

Set turns to Osiris with a good-natured laugh. "Well, brother, we have no winner yet. Will you try? Only the best of the gods can succeed."

Osiris's eyes gleam. He seems completely taken in by the box's beauty. All the other gods look at him expectantly. It's not hard to guess what he's thinking. If he fits in the box, what a brilliant birthday present. Even Set will have to admit that he is the rightful king of the gods.

Except, Set would never do such a thing. He's said it many times since we first got toe to toe. The only ones he answer to are himself and that old clown. Something's not right.

I place a hand on my husband's shoulder. "My lord, do not. Set does not bring presents."

"I am offended!" Set sounds genuinely hurt. "Can I not celebrate my brother's birthday? Are we so estranged that I cannot even apologize to the king?"

Osiris smiles at me. It hurts to know I'd wait an eternity to see that smile again. "My dear, it is only a game. Fear nothing."

He rises from his throne. The gods applaud as he approaches the box. With every step he takes, my heart sinks deeper in my chest.

"All hail Osiris!" Set cries.

The king of the gods lowers himself into the box. The coffin fits him exactly. A cheer goes up from the gods. Before Osiris can rise, Set claps his hands. A golden lid appears above the box and slams down on top of it. That's not how it was supposed to go! We had our happy ending! We should have had out happy ending!

Osiris shouts in rage, but his cries are muffled. Golden latches fasten around the lid. The other gods surge forward to intervene, but Set is faster. He stamps his foot so hard, the stone floor trembles. The gods topple over each other like dominoes. The wolf-men draw their spears, and the gods scramble away in terror. Set says a magic word, and a boiling cauldron appears out of thin air. It pours its contents over the coffin—molten lead, coating the box, sealing it shut, probably heating the interior to a thousand degrees.

"Villain!" Isis wail. Walking towards him, I start casting a spell, letting my anger and my hurt fuel every word. Set holds up his hand. My throat closes. I'm lifted off the ground, my lips shut tight. My hands crawl at my mouth in a desperate attempt to let some air in.

"Not today, lovely Isis," Set purrs. "Today, I am king. And your child shall never be born!"

Right when I think it's all over, our sister charges out of the crowd. "Husband, no!"

She tackles Set, causing him to lose his grip. I fall to the floor, gasping. The only thought in my brain is to breathe while I can. Then, it's replaced by Nephthys's more practical advice. "Flee!"

So I turn and run. Behind me, Set snarls. "Foolish wife! Whose side are you on?"

His footsteps thunder after mine. When I reach the end of the palace, I turn into a kite and soar in the air. The flap of Set's demon wings fills the air. It's time. That's the moment. I draw Sadie closer, letting her in. I'm the host now and she's the one experiencing life through my eyes.

We fly desperately over the Nile. I can sense Set behind us. Closing. Closing.

You must escape, I tell her. Avenge Osiris. Crown Horus king!

Suddenly, we can feel a hand on-