Chapter Twenty

Day 42.

Kiss me.

The words dance around my mind, taunting me with every tantalising footstep and pirouette. I hadn't realised until now how much traction, how much influence those two words had; because right now, they're the only two words running through my mind. He's suddenly taken over my whole mind. He's become my whole world; he's my moon and stars, his presence enveloping me like the warmth of the sun. All of a sudden I couldn't care less about all the things that had ripped such a gaping rift between the two of us, about all the secrets he had kept and how he had kept me in the dark for so long. All I cared about in that moment was him, and his arms wrapped around me, and his eyes brimming with the same emotions I'm feeling, and his face mere inches away from me. In that moment, he's everything.

Ahmose's gaze flickers down to my lips. Something flashes through his eyes. He swallows almost imperceptibly.

And then he steps back, disappearing from in front of me with that one, heart-breaking movement.

A bucket of frigidly-cold water crashes down on me. I blink rapidly in a weak attempt to see past the mask of ice he's donned. "Ahmose?"

He clears his throat, staring me down with a cool expression. His response comes out snappier than I expect. "What?"

I open my mouth to reply, but the question sticks in my throat like taffy. Suddenly, I can't find it in myself to ask the one question that every fibre in my being is begging to ask. I clear my throat, ducking my head as I mumble out another question. "What did Anubis mean when he said you needed to talk to Osiris? What do you need to update him on?"

Ahmose sighs, remorse wavering through him like a ripple through a lake. He looks down. My heart shatters again, this time for an entirely different reason.

I'm going to be lucky if I come out of this all with even the shadow of a functioning heart.

"Ahmose, you just promised me you had told me everything. You just promised me you wouldn't keep anymore secrets." I tell him sharply, my mood flipping like a switch. "The look on your face is not giving me much confidence that you kept that promise."

He grimaces, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. "There is... one other thing I have neglected to tell you."

"Okay." I fold my arms protectively over my chest. "Why?"

"Honestly?" He asks, and I nod tightly. He sighs again. "I hoped I never would have to tell you. I hoped that once we solved the curse, it would break this as well, and I would never have to tell you the burden we bear."

"What burden?" I ask, my forehead furrowing in bewilderment. "What are you talking about Ahmose?"

He smiles a little, his expression tinged with sadness. "The two of us retaining the ability to wield the powers of Isis and Osiris, it is not just because we are in possession of Nafretiri and my halqa. It is also because we bear part of their ba within us."

My breath catches in my throat. "We what?"

"When they decided to help us, they fused their divine ba with our own in order to allow the two of us to utilise their powers." He says, chuckling a little at the gobsmacked expression on my face. "We are alalihat ealaa al'ard. Gods on earth."

"Holy crap." I gawk at him. "So you're saying that we're... we're partly divine?"

Ahmose grins, his eyes twinkling. "Only partly."

"Only? My god, Ahmose, there is no 'only' to this at all! That's like telling someone milk is only an insignificant part of ice-cream!" An incredulous laugh splutters out through my lips. I run a hand through my hair, wincing a little as my fingers snag on all the knots. "That's crazy! It's insane! It's not logically possible!"

"Kiara none of this is logically possible." He replies dryly. "Our world has never been logically possible, not for thousands of years. Why are you still questioning the logicality of this all when you can produce magic with your very fingers?"

"I can produce magic with my fingers. I just don't know how to control it." I retort. Ahmose chuckles at the grudging look on my face. I splutter out a breezy laugh, rubbing my face tiredly with my hands. It's barely midday, but I feel like it's well past midnight. "So... that's why Osiris wants to talk to you? Because he wants to make sure you're protecting the part of his ba that's inside you? That I'm protecting Isis' ba?"

"Yes. He and Isis sacrificed a lot to help us, and they have a lot depending on our success." Ahmose says. "That is why he wants me to 'update' him, as Anubis put it."

"But why now? We're so close to breaking the curse — we've only got to beat one more task!" I exclaim. "They're gods Ahmose; if they wanted to talk to us so badly couldn't they just... appear like Anubis did?"

Ahmose laughs. "Things with the gods are never as simple as they appear, Kiara. Just because Anubis has the appearance of fluidity does not mean the other gods are so lucky. We must travel to one of Osiris and Isis' temples if we wish to speak with them."

"You're kidding, right?"

"Never."

"We have to trek to another temple? Again?" I splutter in disbelief. "I feel like that's all we ever do these days, and we're not getting anywhere near actually solving the next stage of the curse. Shouldn't that be higher on our priority list? We only have fifty-eight days to solve it — we're almost half out of time!"

"Najmay it's sounding an an awful lot like you don't care for the gods that are helping us solve this curse." Ahmose replies bemusedly. My cheeks stain red. "Are you saying you don't want to show your appreciation for their continued support?"

My blush deepens. "No. That's not what I'm saying."

"Then what are you saying?"

"Can't Osiris and Isis just.... Wait until we've solved the next clue for us to show our appreciation?"

"You of all people should know that the gods do not have the largest amount of patience, najmay. Particularly those whose own lives are intertwined with our mortality." Ahmose says. Though his expression is still amused, there's a hint of warning peppering his tone. "So no, we cannot. In the past I have always reached out if we had survived to forty days, and I do not want to find out what happens if we decide against that this time."

"Alright, you make a valid point." I sigh, begrudgingly accepting defeat. "But once we've seen Osiris and Isis, will we finally get onto figuring out what the clue to the next stage is? We haven't even looked at it since..."

Ahmose's expression softens when I cut myself off, unable to bring it in myself to finish the sentence. "Yes. We will. Her death was not in vain Kiara, I swear to you."

"I know." I muster a small smile and plaster on a mask of enthusiastic bravado. "Where's the nearest temple?"

"Three days from now."

"Three days?!"

I let out an exhausted wail and fall flat in the sand.

— — —

Three days, four hours and thirteen minutes is a long time to walk for anybody. It's an even longer time to walk when the person you're walking with would be beaten by Serverus Snape in a 'who holds the better conversation' battle. Even though Ahmose insisted that he was fine, that everything was fine, even at one point insisting for me that I was fine, everything was all but fine between us. The remnants of our argument still clouded the air like ash after a volcanic eruption, and they were made obstinately more obnoxious after our near kiss. After being around Ahmose for over a month straight, I thought I had worked him out, and I'd prided myself on how well I thought I had broken down the sky-high walls he'd built around himself. But he'd thrown all my work into the proverbial fire when he'd pulled away from that kiss, and suddenly his walls were higher and more fortified than ever. And as hard as I tried, I couldn't disguise how much that had hurt me. I thought he had feelings for me — even Hazel had been convinced that he had feelings for me — but now, I wasn't so sure. He said that he was trying to break the curse for me, but if he was breaking the curse for me, then why was he acting like I was the last person on the earth that he wanted to be with? Something had caused him to lock me out again, and I couldn't help but think that that something was our almost kiss.

What had I done wrong?

When we arrive at the temple, hidden away from public eye just outside of Mût, a sombre silence falls across the two of us. This time, though, it's for a completely different reason: the last time we were at a temple of Osiris, we had another member of our party with us. I swallow hard, digging my fingernails into my palm as I stare at the ruins in front of us.

Hazel would have loved this. An old temple the world hadn't found yet? She'd be frothing with excitement right now.

I feel a warm presence next to me, and a moment later a hand engulfs my clenched palm. Ahmose slowly unfurls my fingers, his thumb softly thrumming the angry red half-moon crescents dotting my palm. He squeezes softly.

"I know." He whispers. "She will not be forgotten. She is not irrelevant."

I clutch his fingers tighter and nod several times, blinking back tears. "I know."

Ahmose opens his mouth, like there's something he wants to say. I visibly watch as he decides against it and instead clears his throat, ripping his hand out of my grip and stepping forward. My hand falls limply to my side. Ahmose very obviously avoids my gaze, keeping his fixed on the temple entrance in front of us.

"Are you ready?"

My expression hardens. I fold my arms tightly over my chest and step up next to him. "Yes."

Ahmose glances over at me. If he notices the change in my demeanor, he doesn't comment on it. "Then let us commune with the gods."

We step through the threshold together. Just like last time, the temple springs to life.
This time, the temple that pops up is much smaller, with the walls around us reconstructing a singular room held up by four rounded sandstone columns. While the walls are just as heavily decorated with hieroglyphs and stories of Osiris' exploits, they are much less detailed, painted only in hues of yellow, red and orange. Osiris' statue, however, is still by far the most splendid part of the temple, towering over the dais at well over seven feet in glittering marble. A smattering of candles burst into life at his feet, casting a flickering shadow over the statue's ethereal face. It's eyes follow us as we slowly walk up to the altar, the hooded gaze staring straight into my soul. I grimace, guilt warming my veins.

Oh man, is he going to be pissed we're late? And that I basically said 'screw Osiris'?

I so need to think before I speak.

"You are late."

Ahmose and I whirl around. Two glowing figures stand behind us, their expressions steely. I gulp.

So, that's a yes.

Ahmose drops down to his knees, bowing his head in submission. I mimic his respective position not a moment later.

"Rise, children." Isis' melodic voice commands. Ahmose and I stand in unison. She smiles at us, her kind eyes twinkling. "Hello again."

Osiris' expression remains unimpressed. He repeats his earlier utterance. "You are late."

"We apologise." Ahmose replies. His expression is just as impassive as his divine counterpart. "We experienced some... complications in our journey."

"We are aware." Isis looks to me. Her exotic features crease with sympathy. "I am truly sorry, my daughter. I cannot imagine the loss you are feeling right now."

I smile a tight-lipped smile. "Thank you, Isis."

"I made sure we watched over her trial." She tells me, shooting her husband a pointed look. He grunts and tightens his grip on his crook and flail. "She is resting peacefully, I assure you."

Tears sting my eyes. I blink them back, my smile turning watery. My voice comes out barely above a whisper. "Thank you."

"How are you succeeding with your mission?" Osiris asks brusquely, clearly less than interested in continuing the conversation. Isis looks less than impressed at his lack of empathy.

Ahmose clears his throat, giving me an unreadable look. "We have successfully completed the first two tasks."

"And the clue for the third task?"

Ahmose pulls it out of his shirt pocket and holds it up to the god. "I have it here."

"Have you read it?"

"Not yet." This time I answer Osiris' question. His laser gaze flips to me, incinerating me to the spot with disapproval.

"Why not?"

"Habibata." Isis chides. "Impatience does not become you."

Osiris replies in Arabic. Isis' brow furrows as she frowns at him.

"Patience, habibata." She repeats. She returns her attention back to us. "My husband, while somewhat brusque with his manner, is not incorrect with his questions. Why have you not read the clue yet?"

"We were distracted." Ahmose responds. Isis raises an eyebrow at him. "Anubis paid us a visit."

"Anubis?" Osiris asks sharply. "Why did he visit you? He should not have anything to do with this part of the process."

I don't miss the way Ahmose flinches ever so slightly at the word 'process'. I step closer and give his fingers a small squeeze.

"He was curious about the fact we had solved two of the tasks." Ahmose replies stoutly. Osiris narrows his eyes at the tone in Ahmose's voice.

"And—" Ahmose elbows me subtly before I can continue. When I look at him, he imperceptibly shakes his head. I blink and change tact. " And working as your messenger, apparently. He told us we needed to come and see you."

"Yes, well apparently you needed reminding of the importance of what you are doing." Osiris responds crisply. "Or have you forgotten why you are doing this, tajir saghir?"

"Habibata." Isis clicks her tongue at him. She lays a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "It is not their fault. Alaistirkha' habiy."

I look between the two of them, at Osiris' tight shoulders and the way Isis' figure flickers every other moment. Suddenly, it all clicks. "Are you impatient because of the affect we are having on Isis' ba?"

Osiris goes so completely still that you'd think he had become one with the statue behind him. The next word that comes out of his mouth is the sharpest I've ever heard him say.

"What?"

"Thoth mentioned that he had Ahmose's ring because he owed Isis a favour." I say. It takes all my strength not to fall to my knees in prostration under Osiris' withering stare. "And that Isis' ba was draining. Is that because of us?"

"That is a complicated question, my child." Isis replies, her expression as serene as an undisturbed lake. "Thoth spoke out of turn, which was an uncharacteristically unwise decision on his part. To answer your question would be to speak of issues that are not of your concern. All you need know is that breaking your curse is of utmost importance to every person in this room. The sooner you manage that, the better for all of us."

"But your ba is getting drained. Because of us." I frown, troubled by her roundabout answer. "Isn't it?"

"Yes. But that is my decision, not yours Kiara." Isis smiles. "My zawj and I made the decision to assist the two of you in any way that we could, and that has not changed. You have our support, no matter what the consequences. We have full faith in both of you. You will change the course the stars meant for you."

I bite my lip, physically trying to stop the worried words that crop up as soon as she says 'no matter what the consequences'. What could she possibly mean by that?

Osiris turns to Ahmose and inclines his head. "The next trial will test the very limits of your strength. Make sure to read the clue and prepare yourselves. You are stronger together, alhukkam alshabab. Trust in each other, and we are certain you will make it."

Ahmose nods. His fingers tighten around mine ever so slightly. "We will. I swear it."

"With Hapi and Horus as our witnesses." I murmur, only loud enough for Ahmose to catch. He goes rigid, looking at me out of the corner of his eye.

Isis raises her arms, smiling at us fondly as their silhouettes start to flicker in the light. "Remember all you have gone through to get to this point. Remember what it was all worth. Remember what you are fighting for. Remember."

She lowers her hands, and the temple is cloaked in darkness.

Wooooooow it's been like almost two years but I'm potentially back?!

Thank you all so much for your patience, it's been an incredibly tough year but I'm trying to bring everything back to normalcy.

I can't promise I will update frequently but just know that I will try my very hardest!

For all of you who are wondering, here are the Arabic translations to the words in this story so far (let me know if any are incorrect!):

Pixie = eabith

My princess = amyrti

My star = najmay

Little merchant (small trader) = tajir saghir

My little friend = sadiqi alsaghir

Relax my love = alaistirkha' habiy

Husband = zawj

Prince = amyr

Young rulers = alhukkam alshabab