Chapter 56
Chapter fifty-six
ANUBIS
Anubis drummed his fingers impatiently on the table as he waited for Osiris. He hadn’t been away from Iliana for long, and he already wanted to return. He should be protecting her—not stuck here discussing the Bennu.
Except this wasn’t routine. With the Bennu going quiet, the Olympians getting restless, and the Kabeiroi watching, none of it was a coincidence. He just couldn’t figure out how it all fit together.
Iliana had asked why the Kabeiroi were watching her. He’d had no answer, and neither had the twins. They could speculate based on their past appearances, but it wasn’t enough to protect her. What good were they as guardians if they were blind to the danger?
Anubis exhaled sharply, forcing the thought away.
Iliana had promised to share the prophecy. He felt her working up to it through her questions, her hesitations. He just hoped her decision wouldn’t come too late.
While waiting for Osiris, he checked in with his team about the tomb looting. They’d erased a group of humans’ memories and located the leak in the Ministry of Antiquities. A temporary fix for a persistent wound.
Greed had always been part of humanity, but the recent rise in violations angered him. At first, he’d thought it was ignorance, fewer people appreciating the historical and cultural value of the past. But now…
What if something else was driving it?
He’d contacted Thoth again, but the god was tied up with a new task for Ra and Osiris. Thoth promised to look into the curse within the next few days. Despite hating the delay, Anubis couldn’t force Thoth. Not yet.
He was about to abandon his wait, when Osiris appeared before him. His regal posture betrayed none of the exhaustion Anubis knew he carried.
“Good. You are here.” The god was calm, but expectant. “I know you want to return to your protection detail, but this cannot wait.”
Anubis gave a tight nod, hiding his irritation. If it was so urgent, why had Osiris kept him waiting? “What is it?”
“The Bennu has not been seen, even though its return is imminent.”
“That is not unusual. The Bennu comes and goes as it pleases. It always returns when it is time,” Anubis reasoned.
Osiris nodded, but he didn’t relax. “Yes, but this is different. There have been no signs. No one has seen it in centuries.”
Unease shot through Anubis.
Before the Bennu’s return, the world always changed. Healers saw breakthroughs, and humanity strengthened. New beginnings moved through communities, drawing the most jaded souls to notice. Among the gods, long-held grudges eased, and chaos calmed.
The Bennu carried the promise of change. Of second chances.
But none of that had happened this time. There’d been no hints of renewal. The world appeared stagnant; as if something were missing.
Or stolen.
“And you think it needs to be found?” Anubis guessed.
“Possibly. If it has been forced into hiding, we need to know why. The ceremony cannot be delayed. Any error might be catastrophic.”
Anubis tried not to tense. Osiris was right, but Iliana needed him. “I gave my word to the Greeks.”
“And you think they would stand aside to let the world fall?” Osiris asked.
The Greeks would be interested if he brought them this news. But would it distract them from protecting Iliana? She came first.
“I will ask around. But I will not hunt after a bird that does not want to be found.”
Osiris sighed. “Not now, but at some point I might need you to search for it.” He waved his hand, looking off into the distance before returning his gaze to Anubis. “I have heard rumors of the Kabeiroi being spotted. Have you seen them?”
Anubis tensed. Had more than one Kabeiroi been witnessed? “I have seen one. It was near the safe house.”
“The last time I saw one of them was on Lemnos, haunting an old shrine. Do you think they will interfere?”
Anubis shook his head. The Kabeiroi had only watched before leaving.
Had Hermes’ warning prevented an attack?
Was that what they’d been waiting for? Was Iliana still under attack?
The thought made him tense, and the only reason his shoulders relaxed was because of the knowledge that Thanatos and Hypnos were watching over her.
If there were a problem, they’d contact him immediately.
“I do not think so,” Anubis admitted. “The one I encountered merely observed.”
Osiris hummed. “That is troubling. Why would they care about your human?”
Anubis considered revealing his suspicions that Iliana’s connection to the Fates and her hidden prophecy drew their attention, but something prevented him from doing so. Not yet. Not until he knew more.
A violent summons tore through his mind—
“Iliana! No!”
Hypnos’ voice was harsh and desperate in a way Anubis had never heard from him before. His heart stopped. The Duat, Osiris, the Bennu—none of it mattered. She was in danger. And he wasn’t there.
“Anubis—” Osiris started.
He didn’t hear the rest. He left without explanation, without permission. His divine power ripped him out of the Duat with brutal speed.
Faster. He needed to move faster.
What if he was too late? What if Hypnos couldn’t hold off whatever was attacking? If he found her—
No, don’t think. Just move.
The yurt lay in ruins.
Anubis assessed the scene as he arrived with Thanatos. The walls had collapsed, wooden beams snapped, debris spattered with divine blood.
Then he saw Hypnos. He was crumpled and broken; his golden ichor flowed from him, and his chest barely moved. One wing was torn halfway off, hanging by sinew and bone.
And Iliana—
He saw her in the rubble, arm outstretched, frozen with fear. Alive.
The relief lasted only a moment. A massive creature writhed amid the destruction, its body coated in slime and black blood.
The floor sizzled and dissolved where the blood dripped.
It was spewing toxic venom, a pale green stream arcing through the air directly toward Iliana.
Before Anubis could move toward her, Hermes flashed in, scooping Iliana out of the destruction.
The venom missed her by inches as he flew her away.
“Get her out of here!” Thanatos roared.
Iliana fought her rescuer, letting out a haunting cry. “Hypnos!”
Her scream splintered something in Anubis’ chest, but he forced himself to focus.
Thanatos was already in motion, his wings fully extended, his sword drawn as he launched himself at the worm.
Every instinct made Anubis want to put himself between Iliana and the threat.
But Hypnos was hurt. And the worm still lived.
If he didn’t kill it now, Iliana wouldn’t be safe.
Anubis flanked the beast, ignoring the venom that splashed onto his arm and burned straight through his skin.
He bit back a snarl as he switched his blade to his left hand and struck low.
The creature withdrew. Its black blood splattered across the remains of the yurt, and quickly ate away at whatever it touched.
“Do not touch its blood,” Anubis warned Thanatos.
Thanatos grunted, then cleaved the worm nearly in half. The beast collapsed, causing the ground to shake.
Hermes returned a moment later, dragging Hypnos from the debris. “I’ve already called Panacea.”
Anubis forced down the bile rising in his throat. Muscles and bones were visible on Hypnos’ cheek. His blood flowed heavily from the wounds on his back, chest, and legs. The venom had turned Hypnos’ veins black, causing the network to stand out on his pale skin.
He wasn’t healing as fast as he should have. And he was unconscious.
“If he does not get ambrosia soon…” Anubis began, his words ominous.
Thanatos crouched next to his twin, worry in his eyes. Anubis paced around the dead creature, his sword still drawn, and waited for another attack.
Hermes ran his fingers through his hair. “I think I’ll return to Iliana. I don’t want her getting too lonely in the cave.” While he sounded like his usual arrogant self, the strain around his eyes gave him away.
Panacea arrived, shooing Thanatos away from his brother. “I’ve got him.”
While she was tending to Hypnos, the ground shook, and two more worms shot out of the earth, smaller than the other but still dangerous.
“Shit,” Anubis cursed, switching his sword back to his dominant hand. Pain shot up his arm.
Hermes barely reacted. “This is getting repetitive.”
Anubis launched himself at the creature nearest Hermes, barely dodging the spray of black blood from Hermes’ sword as he decapitated the worm.
“Watch it,” he growled at the messenger.
Hermes winked before vanishing again.
Anubis moved to Panacea, leaving Thanatos to fight the other worm. “How is he?”
The healer had already counteracted the venom. She brushed her hair out of her eyes and answered. “He’s weakened until the ambrosia takes effect, but he’ll live.” She scanned the yurt as she got to her feet. “Where’s Iliana?” Concern and panic laced her question.
“She is safe. Hermes took her to Hypnos’ cave.” He watched the fight, seeing Thanatos dodge an acid spray. “Are you sticking around?”
She placed a hand on Anubis, drawing attention away from the action. Her powers soothed the acid burn on his arm, healing it without thought or hesitation. “I’ll wait around and see if the rest of you need more healing.”
After the last worm lay shuddering on the floor, Thanatos moved to his brother’s side. Hypnos groaned when he was helped to his feet.
“Are you okay?” Thanatos asked.
Anubis didn’t wait to hear his response. “We need to go.”
“Where’s Iliana?” Hypnos asked while struggling to remain standing.
“She is safe; Hermes took her to your cave,” Anubis reassured the gods in the room. He hoped that was where Hermes had taken her, since he hadn’t been specific on the location—just ‘the cave.’
Hypnos’ features relaxed slightly, but his face was still pale. “Those things attacked while I was inside her mind, searching for the curse.” His hands curled into fists. “I had no warning.”
Thanatos cursed. “Not if they came from below. I did not think…I should have—”
“Whoever sent them knew,” Anubis interrupted grimly. “They knew where your wards would be weakest. This was not random.”
Panacea’s face suddenly paled. “Something’s wrong with Iliana.”
Her words burned worse than the worm’s acid.
No.
Panacea vanished.
Anubis followed, moving on pure instinct and terror, praying he wouldn’t be too late.