Page 22 of Sett and his King
Well, almost everything.
"We're here." The driver came to a stop and looked at me through the rearview mirror.
Drew dug into his pocket for a card and as soon as we came out he took in our surroundings.
"Wh-where are we?" he asked.
I pointed toward the pyramid. It was a little further ahead. It didn't matter I hadn't stepped foot in Egypt in thousands of years. The sand recognized my power, my dominion. And it paid its respect by guiding me towards Neferirkare's tomb.
"Here. Follow me." I offered him my hand.
When he touched me it sparked something inside again. A warmth both familiar and foreign.
It felt a little like betrayal but I didn't let Drew go. No matter how sinful it felt touching another man and feeling that way. I couldn't let him go. He was the reason I was here. He was one I was meant to protect. And I took my role very seriously.
We trekked to the pyramid and my shoulders sagged. It was nothing like it had in the glorious days. Half of it was buried, the other half on the verge of collapse.
But the magic in its foundations held strong. I knew it.
"Where is it? The scarab?" Drew asked.
I nodded at the pyramid.
Drew grimaced. "What? In there? How the hell are we going to get inside?"
I glanced at my little witch protégé and grinned as I raised my hands in and commanded the sand around us.
It was as easy as breathing. Controlling the sand, its grains, its magic. I’d missed the rush. The feeling of commanding it. And yet it was as if I’d never stopped. It felt like yesterday when I’d last used my power on that fateful day so long ago.
It took but a thought to create a sandstorm that would conceal us from prying eyes.
Drew covered his face, trying to protect himself from the ruthlessness of the storm but it wouldn't touch him. Not unless I wanted it to.
I grabbed him by the shoulder and pulled him forward, toward the entrance. I pushed at my magic and breathed deeply as tons and tons of sand became waves. Waves that parted just for me, giving me access to the buried entrance of the pyramid. The hidden one. The magic one.
"Woah," Drew said when the emerald-encrusted gate appeared in front of us.
"I know." I smiled.
Why was my chest so full of pride at leaving him speechless? What was happening to me? Since when did I care about impressing young witches I had no inclination or desire to impress?
"This…this is stunning," he put his hand out to trace the gemstones around the golden gate. "Ooh. Protection spells."
He pulled his hand back as if it had been burned and I wouldn't be surprised if he had. Those emeralds had been created to keep everyone out for eternity.
"H-how do we get in? Is there a passcode, or a spell—" he asked when I made a fist and conjured my khopesh.
My weapon formed in my hand out of thin air, taking shape and color until it was shiny and gold as if I’d never stopped using it.
Drew stared with wide eyes and a gaping mouth, and even if I didn't want it to, my chest filled with more pride and satisfaction.
I pulled my arm back and when I brought it down on the door, the gemstones cracked one by one, in a pattern that resembled a snake. When the last one burst, the magic extinguished like a flame and the door slid open.
"That is so fucking cool," Drew marveled.
I smiled at him and walked into the tomb.
We navigated the corridors to the main chamber where a rare collection of artefacts had been stored after Neferirkare died.
