CHAPTER SIX

Panya desperately wished he hadn't said that. She knew her new friends would never let her go with him now, but she also knew he would hurt them if they tried to stop him. She couldn't let him hurt Alyxx like he'd hurt her. Alyxx was too pure of a soul. She did not deserve to face such cruelty and shame.

     Kill the soldier... She played his words over in her mind. She had to do something. He meant what he said. He would not hesitate to kill Jonathan.

     "Father," she said.

     "My dear?" He asked.

     "I will do as you wish. Anything you wish. I will not fight. You will have my complete cooperation, but only if you release Jonathan and Alyxx."

     "No! Panya, don't do this. It's not worth it," Alyxx cried.

     "I shall not allow a woman to suffer on my watch," Jonathan added in a weak but determined tone.

     "Do you mean your words?" Djer asked.

     "Yes," Panya insisted.

     "Do not harm them any further unless I say otherwise," he instructed his men. He unchained Panya and dragged her from the room as Alyxx screamed and Jonathan struggled against his restraints.

     When the door closed, she knew she was alone. She had chosen this path. If it protected her friends, she didn't care. Djer could not do anything worse than what he had already done to her.

     He tossed her on the floor of a dusty room. Panya coughed as she inhaled some of the dust. He immediately slapped her, then set to work undressing himself.

     Stall him, she thought. You have to do something to stop this and still keep them safe.

     "How is it you are here?" She asked.

     He chuckled. "I reincarnated as Josie's father. Have you forgotten already?"

     "You know that is not what I mean. You have been unconscious and under a spell inside of Julian's lab. How did you come to be here?"

     "My men rescued me. Julian's security is not as strong as he likes to think, and his only backup are the baboons. They hardly qualify as a challenge."

     "You are clever. Tell me how they found you."

     If Djer loved anything, it was gloating. This was the perfect bait. "It's quite simple, really. I had a direct connection to Chaos. He told them where I was being kept. Then it was only a matter of time."

     "Julian is clever as well. How did they surpass his security?"

     "So full of questions tonight... Well, it has been a long time since we had a proper conversation. The one in my classroom hardly counts. I suppose I can indulge you."

     Indulge your ego is more like it, Panya thought. She was glad Djer could not read her mind.

     "There was a simple programming error in his system. He didn't put it there, of course. One of the techs who repaired it recently did, intentionally. Enter the code and you're in."

     "What is the code?"

     "Now I can't reveal all of my secrets, can I?" He slapped her face so hard it stung. "Enough. Let us get down to the reason we're here." He started touching her. She flashed back to the many other incidents that had occurred between them. This was the only value her father ever saw in her.

     Ryan, she thought. Set, please find me... Please...

     She scolded herself silently. She should pray to Horus, her consort, or Ra, her father, or someone else. It was true Set had once been her dearest friend and protector, her father's most loyal warrior, but a lot had happened since then, including the night he killed her. Why on Earth was she calling for him of all people? He'd done exactly what Djer wanted to do and when he was finished with her, he'd killed her.

     Because he has changed, she thought. And because he never meant to hurt you. You need a warrior with a clear head. Horus never stays calm when you're in danger.

     She was so lost in her thoughts she almost didn't know what was happening to her body. It was an old routine. She could hide away in her mind while he did whatever he wanted. If she could not stop him, she could at least keep her mind safe from him.

     Try harder, she thought. Mother! You and I always hear each other. Please help... Please find us...

     No answer came. She hated that her body began to cry. She was losing hope. She couldn't do that. Her faith had always been what kept her going. She needed it now.

     Can anyone hear me? She wondered. She was doing her best to reach out but she heard no one.

     Then suddenly, one lone voice came through the silence. Be still, Mouse. He will believe you have fallen unconscious and leave you.

     Panya's breath caught in her throat. Acenith?

     Yes, Little Mouse. Do as I say. I will protect you.

     She wondered if she had gone mad. Still, following the advice could not hurt. Acenith had practically been her mother. She'd raised Panya and had been the only person alive other than Panya and Djer who knew he was her father. She had died to protect her.

     I am so sorry, Panya thought.

     Do not dwell on such matters. I am well. Save yourself, Acenith replied.

     Panya focused on calming her breathing until it was almost steady. She kept her eyes closed and allowed her body to go limp. Almost immediately, Djer lost his lust.

     "Worn out so soon? Pity," he said. "We will try again later. Perhaps I should feed you something small to give you more energy." He stood and dressed himself then left her lying there as he exited.

     Finally alone, Panya began to sob once more. She struggled to cover herself. Her dress was torn but at least it covered part of her body.

     Now do exactly as I say, Little Mouse. Go to the room your friends are in. Free the boy. He is badly wounded but if he is free he may be able to help. Try to free the girl as well.

     Panya forced herself to leave the safety of the empty room. Her father was nowhere in sight. She crept toward the room she had previously been in. She could hear quiet sobbing but nothing else. Taking the risk, she opened the door.

     Alyxx sat where she had been the entire time. She was sobbing and rocking back and forth slightly as she hugged her knees but appeared relatively uninjured aside from her head wound. Jonathan was another story. He was unconscious and bleeding from several places. Worst of all, he was making a quiet choking sound.

     "Alyxx, what happened?" She asked.

     Alyxx did not respond. She continued rocking and sobbing. Panya knew how she felt. She sighed. It was time to be the strong one for once.

     She touched Jonathan. His eyes opened slightly. He looked at her desperately and suddenly, she knew. Jonathan had been bitten.