Dark Fates (A Paranormal Anthology)(42)

He spotted Anubis but said nothing, joining his brethren on their knees, looking down.

Thank the gods at least one of them might survive the night. Subtly pushing Eden behind him, Tariq made sure to put himself between her and Set, who gave him a sly smile.

“Your men look strong,” Set said to Anubis. “Dependable.”

“Why are you here, Set? This is not your territory.” Anubis sounded angry. Good.

“You never call me Father. Why is that?”

“Set…”

Set frowned. “Fine. I thought it prudent to save you from those who would have you kicked from the game. That one”—he pointed to Tariq—“has tampered with that which belongs only to the gods. He tricked me out of my blood and created the Elixir of Life.”

Anubis’s large head turned toward Tariq. “Is this true?”

The compulsion to tell the truth nearly overrode the spell holding him silent. But in the end, Set’s power was too strong to overcome. Tariq could do no more than stare back at Anubis.

His men remained silent, apparently bound as well.

To his shock, Eden’s voice rose out strong and true. “That’s a lie.”

Tariq saw Set’s lips move, heard Eden gasp in pain, and felt his heart break at the thought of losing her again. He would sacrifice everything he had if it meant keeping her safe. He did the only thing he could to stop Set’s spellcasting.

With a roar and godlike speed, he tackled Set to the ground, pulled a knife from his waist, and cut out the god’s tongue. Just touching a god without permission was enough to get himself killed, a sure-death. Seeking to maim a god? Nothing but an eternity of punishment.

His connection to Eden severed instantaneously, even as he gripped Set’s tongue in his fist. He fell hard to his knees inside the Hall of the Dead in the Underworld. Instead of protecting his god while Anubis measured the hearts of the dead, Tariq straightened to see Anubis ready to weigh his heart.

“The one I’d thought most worthy, fallen so far.” Anubis sighed, no longer wearing the head of a jackal, but in a human form.

“Not fallen, my lord. Never that.” Not when Eden had so much to live for.

“Did you not think I have always known of your potential for destruction? That always in the back of my mind was the notion you might throw in with Set to take over my lands and fulfill the dark prophecy?”

Tariq frowned. “Set loves you. He would never do anything to destroy you.”

“So he says. But for all that he claims he’s my father, his greed knows no bounds. The City of Dogs is ripe, the jewel of Duat.”

That was true. “I would never dishonor you, sire. You keep me from the dark.”

Anubis stared at him, the god’s gaze going so much deeper than the flesh, finally penetrating the magic hiding Tariq’s soul’s missing piece. “How does a man with no heart know darkness? How can I weigh that which does not exist?”

Tariq had no answer for him.

Anubis seemed grief-stricken. “Why did you not tell me of Set’s perfidy? I trusted you. I would have helped you.”

“I could not.” Tariq blinked. I can speak of it. Finally. “My lord, I was under a spell. I became mute whenever I tried to tell you the truth. For every effort, Set would reward me by taking me to his whipping chamber.” Tariq barely held back a shudder.

Anubis turned Tariq around and around to study him from head to toe, but Tariq knew the god would see nothing, just unmarked flesh healed hundreds of times over.

“You speak true.”

“My lord?” Tariq didn’t dare to hope.

“Where is your heart, Tariq?”

Now worried Anubis might do something to Eden to get it back, he remained silent.

“Is it here?”

Tariq blinked and saw Eden suddenly standing beside his god. She looked small, frightened.

“No.”

“You lie.” Anubis turned to Eden and lifted her in one huge hand. He settled her on one side of the scales, while on the other sat the goddess Ma’at’s feather. Below the scale, Ammut appeared. Part dog, part crocodile and bird, the Devourer of Souls was a hideous creature poised and ready to consume those unworthy of finding eternal rest. Once past those jaws, a soul could never return.

Even Tariq would rather be tortured by Set for an eternity than live forever in the intestines of Ammut. Dread as he’d never before felt consumed him.

“Anubis, please. She’s not at fault for holding my Ib. I am.”

“Again, you lie.”

The scale started to slip, and Set appeared.

“Tariq, it’s not too late. Come by my side, and I will make you powerful enough to save your soul, your mate, and your child. Be mine, and it will all be yours.”

At the cost of innocent lives. The temptation had never been so great. Eden sobbed and clung to the scale that tipped even more. Anubis stood, just, implacable.

I’ll love you forever, Eden.

“This is your last chance,” Set offered. “Bah. Ammut, take them both.”

Though everything in him abhorred Ammut and rose up against the Devourer, he couldn’t sacrifice his mate or his god. “She is innocent. No,” Tariq shouted and threw himself into Ammut’s massive jaws.





Chapter Eight