Chapter 30
Horus
“Whatever we are about to walk into, I need you to keep a level head,” Anubis says quietly as we walk down the final hallway that leads to the basement of the museum. “We don’t know what state she’s in, but we need to be calm and calculated if we are to get her out of here alive.”
I nod in agreement, but I cannot guarantee its execution. I’ve been on edge all day. The only satisfaction I’ve gotten is from imagining all of the ways I can separate Ammit’s head from her body.
I particularly enjoyed the option of filling her head with a couple rounds of buckshot and then severing it using one of Anubis’s khopesh. That visual gives me a reason to smile.
As we approach the double doors to the basement, Anubis hands me the tablet. We agreed if I had it in my hands that I would be less likely to do something impulsive when we walked in.
I shove the doors open and just like the blueprints showed, it’s a large open space with short shelves throughout for storage. The middle of the room is open and empty save for a chair with a gagged Charlotte sitting in it.
When she sees me her eyes widen and tears fill her eyes. I search her face and body, but from what I can tell she seems unharmed. She’s trying to talk, but the gag keeps her muted.
Behind her there is no light, but I know Ammit is standing just out of view of the overhead beams for what she considers dramatic effect.
As if on cue, she rasps, “It seems the prince does care for you after all, young mortal.” She steps into the light right behind the chair and puts her hands on Charlotte’s shoulders as a show of ownership.
A growl loosens from my throat before I can stop it and Ammit smiles. She spares a glance behind me and notes Anubis which makes her smile falter slightly. “I have what you requested. Now, let her go.”
She squeezes Charlotte’s shoulders which causes her to whimper. This croc is definitely not leaving here alive. “And how can I be assured that this is not a fake?”
“Unlike you, Ammit, we do not excel in trickery, but you are welcome to hold the tablet and feel its power for yourself.”
“Fine. Then give it to me.”
I make a move to walk towards her but in the blink of an eye she pulls out a knife and has it to Charlotte’s throat.
“Don’t think me dull, little prince. Slide the tablet to me and do not come any closer.”
I carefully lower myself as I place the tablet on the ground so as not to spook her and slide the tablet to the foot of Charlotte’s chair.
Ammit takes the knife away from her throat and I see a small bead of red where it broke the skin. I don’t even realize that my hands are fisted and vibrating when Anubis’s hand comes down on my shoulder to ground me.
At this point, Ammit has picked up the tablet and is examining it. As long as she doesn’t realize that the power in the tablet isn’t the correct spell, we should be free to go.
A sickening smile comes over Ammit’s face as she finally looks up at us. “Who knew your heart could be so soft, little prince? And for a mortal of all things.”
“We gave you the tablet. Now, untie her and let us go.”
“I said you could have her. I never said she would be living.” Before I can register her words, she slams the knife deep into Charlotte’s chest, causing her to give a muffled scream behind the gag.
“NOOOOOO!” I scream as my wings burst forth from my back. I pull both guns from their holsters, but before I can line up a shot I’m hit in the shoulder from behind as gunfire rings out.
I turn and realize there are three mortals in security uniforms that we missed on our entry into the room. The blank look on their faces when they pull the trigger shows me that they are under Ammit’s thrall.
This must be her exit strategy, distract us with them while she slips out with the tablet. At this point, I don’t even care if she gets away. I need to get to Charlotte and get her back to headquarters for healing.
Anubis is already locked in combat with one of the mortals. His sword against the guard’s baton will end in a quick fight. I focus on the remaining two guards but before I can shoot one, a knife flies past my head and sinks into one of the guards eyes causing him to drop on impact. Bastet has dropped from the ceiling and is shielding Charlotte’s body as she joins in the fight.
The last guard is running towards the other end of the room. So, I give chase shooting as I go. I manage to clip him in the leg which sends him sprawling. Before he can plead, I have a knife embedded in his heart. Once I feel his heart stop, I turn and race back to Charlotte.
Her hands are untied and Anubis is already there laying her flat on the ground. I skid to the ground next to her on my knees and ask Anubis, “What can I do?”
“I will work on her. The knife hit her heart and I need to heal the artery. Go find Bas. She said she managed to injure Ammit before she left. She’s on her trail.”
“I won’t leave her!”
“Yes, you will!” Anubis yells at me. “There is nothing you can do but avenge the harm done to her. Give me your portal-key and I will get her back to my lab.”
It physically pains me to leave her when these might be Charlotte’s last moments, but I give Anubis the key and race off to track Bastet. With each step away from her, I feel like my heart is breaking, but I fill those cracks with vengeful hate. No one attacks my love without paying the price.
It’s not hard to follow the blood through the hallways. As I round the corner into the main atrium, I hear an ear-shattering scream.
A wonderfully violent scene is before me. Ammit has transformed into her goddess form, with the head of a crocodile and hands extended into claws. Bastet has embedded a knife into each shoulder to keep her pinned to the wall.
Ammit is trying to pull the knives out, but each movement of her arm is causing excruciating pain. She gives up her struggle once she sees me come into view.
She snaps her large jaws at me as she says, “You may have won this round, prince, but you will not win the war.” She starts to laugh maniacally. “Set has more in store for you all, but without your precious mortal I don’t think your soul will care to put up a fight.”
Calmly, Bastet hands me a long dagger. “Care to do the honors?”
I take the dagger and splay my wings wide. I allow them to lift me into the air as my power surges. I know my eyes are glowing based on the reflection coming from the marble floor.
I take a couple of deep breaths and barely register the yelling and screaming coming from the croc beneath. My wings flap twice before they drive me down to the jaws of Ammit below.
The dagger hits its mark as I hear the satisfying crunch of the spinal cord breaking. I look up as the light leaves her eyes and she takes her last breath. Ammit can destroy souls no more.