Cursed Times - Only Yesterday! Sequel to Wattys 2015 winner!

Chapter 25: Trueth From the Dark Side with Love

Trueth flung open the door. 'I'm no damsel in distress!'

Her visitor tilted his head. 'Pray, forgive me, what have I done to vex you? I came to inquire whether you wanted to partake of the breakfast the Lady Nefertiti had prepared?'

A quick decision, Trueth grabbed the sleeve of Seisi's striped galabiya and dragged her friend into her room, slamming the door shut behind them.

'Sorry, I didn't mean you just now, I'm just having a morning from hell.'

'Metjen has not descended yet.'

'I wasn't after him, either. Plus, despite all his failures, I believe he's on our team. Can you keep a secret? And can you stop ogling me, please.'

That boyish grin of his lit up Seisi's face as he pretended to observe the ceiling. It must have recently been re-plastered, all the hairline cracks had disappeared.

'As outlandish as your style of dressing might be, it is certainly enjoyable,' he observed. 'And pray explain, how I can be accused of ogling when I suffer from what you must be considering as impaired vision, given your hesitations to take the Blessing.'

Touché. His approach might be less pernicious yet it was just as efficient as Metjen's in getting under her skin. On the other hand she was glad for his presence; the banter helped to build a barrier between her recent paranormal experience and her usual self.

'Right now, I'm not worried about the fine technical details of that particular ceremony, and will you stop taking the piss, please.'

Seisi's mouth twitched, yet he said nothing.

'I need your advice, but promise me you won't blab to Metjen about it.'

'If this is what you mean by keeping secrets, I'm honoured that you trust me with your worries. As much as it pains me to tell you, he is my new superior. We might suffer a conflict of interests.'

Seisi got up and checked out the garden. His expression made her believe he did not approve of the new fountain either. 'Whatever it is you wish to tell me, I will listen, I will give you my opinion and keep the information to myself if I can. I will only impart your words if I have to.'

'Could you maybe just keep quiet for a little while?'

'Maybe I can convince you to trust my judgement.' Seisi dropped himself next to her on the settee, grabbed her hand and kissed her palm.

He was getting bolder and strangely enough that felt reassuring. When he was around she never had to wonder how she might come across. Seisi accepted her the way she was. He would stand behind her, would stand at her side and defend her if necessary. If she would let him.

She took the plunge, recited the scroll incident and fell silent. The bedside clock ticked away the minutes, yet he said nothing, just stared into the distance as if possessed by the Sphinx.

'If the demons can use the portals we create to convey messages, then this is something the circle will need to know. Apart from the one member who knows already. It is also dangerous that they target you personally. Your indecision is your weakness and they know it.'

'Do you want me to join them instead?'

Golden embers started to rise from the green depths of his empty eyes. 'This is no funning matter,' he hissed.

'Sorry,' Trueth said with a small voice. She kept forgetting that her companion was very unlike Metjen in many aspects. For one, he was a lot more grown-up. 'Would the other prophets know what to do? Would Metjen?'

'I am not sure we can reach the circle that easily from where we are now. As to Metjen-he has great talents, but his learning is deficient. I know far more about the way of the temple than he does.' Seisi was not boasting at all; he was stating a fact.

'So what you are telling me is that to get into Kemet these buggers go for what they take to be the weakest link in the barrier-me. What irks me most, in a way this has helped to make up my mind. What would you think I should do?'

Seisi raised his hand and brushed aside a strand of hair that had escaped her chignon. 'What is it you want from your life?'

'Gosh, you're deep,' Trueth said.

The expression on his face shifted slightly to peeved sphinx.

Trueth sighed. 'I have spent a large part of my life trying to figure out who I am and why I am the way I am. Witch. Magical being. Me. Whatever. I always thought I was the last of my kind. Now that I know I'm not, I'm still missing not only the full picture but a large chunk of the puzzle. The piece with the People of the Mist in it. That bugs me. A lot.'

'And you are concerned that if you take a decision now, you might turn the wrong way,' Seisi said.

'Something like that. I need more input. What is my connection to this foggy folk? And more importantly, where are they-why have they not turned up? They could give me answers. I mean, I've been a freak all my life. A lot less so now, but still... . '

Seisi rubbed his nose. 'Then your goal should be to get the, eh-input I dare say. I could help you with that. What perturbs me here is that Nebmutef is nudging you in the same direction. I ask myself, what is his intent? It appears that letting you leave Kemet might serve purposes we are not aware of as yet.'

Trueth had started nodding; she stopped. Seisi was right, of course. It appeared that no matter what step she took it might prove to not only be wrong but could turn out disastrous. On the other hand, she was used to this type of dilemma. As was he.

Rose potpourri and coffee aromas chose this moment to embark on a sensory tussle, making her queasy. 'Look-'

Seisi raised his hands. 'We should seek guidance from Imhotep rather than the circle. Do not fret. I will find a way to make Metjen contact his grandsire without too much argument. Or rather, if he wishes to have an argument he can take it up with me.'

Again that infectious grin. 'For now, we should break our fast, and not let all the sustenance go to waste. Think of those-how do you call these striped pieces of crisp-fried meat?'

'Bacon! I'm not sure I'm hungry,' Trueth said. 'Having a demon moment early in the morning is a bit daunting.'

The truth was, with her anxiety receding, her appetite was returning; she could even stomach the coffee aroma again. In fact, it smelled downright heavenly. 'Oh, all right let's go. The professor and Ranofer will scoff the lot otherwise.

Seisi held open the door for her; Trueth tried hard to be annoyed but did not succeed. I owe him, she thought instead, hesitated briefly, then grabbed his hand.

Together, they descended the wooden staircase where the illuminated cream-coloured alcoves still displayed bits of ancient Egypt. Some nooks were empty, some statues missing like old friends lost in action.

Maybe they were only the first ones to go.

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This chapter is dedicated to rickvbeck - thank you for reading and voting on BOTH my novels!