Sett and his King (Demon Gods #3)

11. Drew

Drew

O h my goddess, what have I done?

My stomach twisted. Bile rose and caught in my throat. It made me gag.

A wave washed over me like a cold shower.

What had I done?

It had to be done. I knew that. I had no choice in the matter but it had still been my knowledge that had brewed the poison. It had been my hands that served the coffee. It had been my eyes that had watched him die.

The idea had been so much easier when I thought he was going to be like his brother, but Sett wasn’t a monster.

He was sweet, and kind, and giving, and beautiful.

He thought I was beautiful too.

But I wasn't.

I was ugly. Ugly on the inside. Ugly on the outside.

It didn't matter that Horus had compelled me to do it, that it had been his order from the start. Neither of those truths made what I’d done easier.

I looked up, searching for courage where there was none and took a deep breath before wrapping my arms around Sett’s shoulders and dragging his body into the bedroom. The last thing I needed was for Yaya to find him and realize what a monster her grandson was—if she didn't know already.

I left him lying there, in the middle of the bed, so peaceful and handsome. As if he was merely sleeping.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered and walked out.

Out of the bedroom and out of the house with the scarab burning a hole in my pocket, as if it knew too what a horrible human being I was.

Spiti let me out onto the same road as the house of sins that was Horus's residence. I only had to walk up a few feet before I was at his door.

Tears ran down my cheeks like acid. If only they could burn me for real. I wiped my eyes before my knocks were answered.

I breathed in. And out.

You’re doing this for Gene.

That was my silver lining. Saving Gene. If I could save him maybe it was all worth it. Even if I couldn't live with myself afterward. Gene could live for me. He was young and talented and pure.

His soul hadn’t been tarnished yet. Or at least I hoped it hadn’t. But even if it had, he could get through this. He could use his art, his studies, anything to channel the hurt and pain into something useful.

One of Horus's slaves opened the door and let me in. I walked through his harem of men not daring to look any of them in the eye. As if they’d know what I’d done. I didn’t even dare throw them a glance because…what if I saw in them what I saw when I looked in the mirror?

Had he asked them to do ugly things like this? Had he made them betray? Manipulate? Cheat? Kill?

What was going happen to them after? Would I just walk out this door a free man and leave them here trapped under his spell?

My knees went weak and my gut twisted some more.

I ran into the bathroom before I collapsed. I didn’t need them to see me turn into a mess. I didn’t need anyone to see that.

I locked the door behind me and let go. I let the tears run and cried.

I cried for what I’d done, for what could have been, for who I had been before Horus, and for the person he’d turned me into.

But I also cried for Sett, because even though we'd only spent something like two days together, he'd made me feel…alive. He'd made me feel wanted and beautiful and powerful. And I would never have that again. I knew it.

Right. Focus, Drew. You can do this. You’re so close. Do this for Gene.

I glanced at my reflection and my guts turned. I was disgusted with myself. Sett was supposed to be the god of violence and yet I was the monster. I couldn’t…I couldn’t stand myself.

Just think of Gene. Everything's going to be okay. Just save Gene.

I pushed away and wiped the tears.

When I felt I could breathe again, I opened the door and found a man outside, leaning against the wall and staring at me as if he knew what I’d done and what kind of person I was.

Not that he was any better. We’d done a job together and when we were caught because of an asthma attack he killed the guard who’d unfrozen in front of us.

He would have killed me too if I hadn’t managed to get my breathing under control and use my power to freeze him.

I hadn't worked with him since, but I'd seen him around, loitering, smoking, watching me.

“What?” I snapped when he wouldn't stop staring.

I stilled and grounded my body, almost bracing for impact, but he didn’t do anything. He didn’t say anything. He pushed past me and locked himself in the bathroom too and I couldn’t help but wonder if he’d gone in there for a cry too.

I turned away, bit my lip and put one foot in front of the other.

I was close now. So close to saving Gene and gaining our freedom back.

I stopped in front of Horus's office and knocked. Another man opened the door from the inside and gestured me in.

"Drew, welcome back," Horus said with a smile and reached for a cigar, lighting it up. "How did you do? Did you get it?" he asked.

The scarab tickled my thigh with heat inside my jean pocket but I didn’t dare touch it.

“Where is my brother?” I asked with a trembling voice.

"Your brother is safe," Horus answered.

“You said you'd let him go if I did this. You said you’d let both of us go.”

“Of course." Horus grinned and beckoned at the man by the door with his finger.

Without another word, the man marched out of the room.

"Take a seat,” Horus said. “You look exhausted. My brother can be a handful, huh?"

My knees buckled and I planted myself on the chair without knowing I was even doing it, Horus’s magic wrapped around me like barbed wire.

"Your brother was fine," I said.

“That’s not how I’d describe him, but as long as you have it, I don't care.” He leaned closer, eyeing me from top to bottom and I had to bite my tongue to save myself from saying something I shouldn’t. “Show me."

I shook my head. "My brother first."

“That wasn’t a question.” His voice lowered and deepened. “I said show it to me.”

The magic threaded into his voice and reached into my limbs like static.

This time I had no control. I dug into my pocket and retrieved the bejeweled scarab that would either be my salvation or my undoing.

Horus’s dark eyes lit up. His tongue darted out of his mouth, licked across his top lip as if he were staring at his next meal.

He reached across the desk for it but I closed my palm, no longer a prisoner of his command.

He’d asked me to show it and I had. I’d obeyed my order.

“My brother. Now," I said. "You promised."

I closed my eyes anticipating another command to hit me like a brick but instead there was a…

“Why are you laughing?” I asked.

He looked more demented than ever, if that was even possible.

He didn’t answer.

But then the door opened and I forgot all about him. I turned and found my brother, tall and lanky and so…defeated.

I jumped to my feet, ran across the room and hugged the little shit.

Everything I’d done was for him.

I hugged him tight. I hugged him so tight I could have broken his bones but I didn’t so I didn’t stop.

Had he lost weight? Had Horus touched him? Had he seen things? Had he…done things without his consent? I searched his face for answers, but there weren’t any. Just relief.

Relief and fear.

“My my, what a wonderful reunion. But that's enough now.”

The magic coursed through my very spine, making me still.

"Now, give it to me," Horus said.

I let go of Gene and returned to Horus, holding out my hand with the scarab. He was so impatient for it he didn’t even wait for me to open my fingers. He just snapped them back and snatched the damn thing.

He hissed, his eyes rolling back as if he was having an orgasm and squeezed the scarab.

“Oh, that feels so good," he said.

Maybe it was my imagination, or maybe it was my sixth sense, but I saw him change right before my very eyes. He grew taller. His shoulders widened. His head held higher and yet he hadn’t changed at all. It was the magic coursing through his veins that changed his stance, his whole demeanor.

This was terrifying.

What was he planning on doing with so much power? Why did he even need it back? Wasn’t what he had enough to do what wanted to do?

It didn’t matter. I didn't care anymore. I’d saved Gene. I’d done my duty and now we had the chance to be free.

I turned, took Gene’s hand and started walking toward the door.

Horus kicked his chair back and slammed his hands on the desk.

“And where do you think you're going?" he asked.

I froze.

Gene stared at me, his eyes glowing with a fresh set of tears. I turned around, slowly, to look at my master.

“You said we’d be free.” My voice trembled again.

"Well, I changed my mind," he said and tipped his head to the side.

The guy that brought Gene back into the room, stepped forward and I turned just as everything around me slowed down.

I could see the intention, I could see the motions, how the man brought his hands up to Gene’s head and I knew what he was going to do next. But try as I might to take a breath, to put a stop to it, to control my power, I couldn’t do anything as I stood there and watched the man snap my brother’s neck like a twig.

The crack splintered the air around me and I collapsed.

"No!" I screamed. "No, what have you done? I’m gonna kill you. I’m gonna kill you, you bastard.”

I shot up at the man who’d killed my brother. I wanted to punch him. To kick him. To kill him.

"Enough!" Horus shouted and I froze in place again.

I caught Horus in my peripheral vision but he was a blur. Everything was. My tears were blocking my eyesight. I didn’t know if I’d ever be able to see again, nor if I even wanted to. Not when Gene wasn’t in this world.

“At ease,” he said.

I turned to face him, to face the cause of all my misery and pain. "Why? Why did you do that? I got you what you wanted. Why would you do this? Why?" My screams turned to yelps.

Horus chuckled. "What did you think was going to happen, boy? You know what this scarab contains. I can be myself again. I can rule the world again. I was going to kill him eventually anyway. Why delay the inevitable?"

“You’re disgusting!” I wheezed. “What more do you want? You've got power. You've got influence. What else could you possibly need in your life to be happy?”

Horus raised an eyebrow and looked at me as if I were stupid.

“I want everyone down on their knees serving me as their king," he growled and slammed his fist on the desk, cracking the scarab open.

It shook me to my core.

As did the magic emanating from his hand, singeing the air around us. The hairs on the back of my neck rose and my whole body stilled as if I’d frozen myself in time.

This…power. It was terrifying.

Horus took in a deep breath and with a long sigh turned to me, his smile chilling me to the bone.

"Now, speaking of inevitable," he waved at the man in the room and I caught his shadow as he stepped up behind me, put his hands around my jaw and…

And ended me too.