Page 42 of Sett and his King
"Yeah, I've heard that before," Yu-jin said.
Sett flashed Yu-jin his teeth again.
I couldn't have this. I couldn't let these two go at it. Not right now. Gene's life was at stake. I didn't have time for this bullshit.
"Stop. Both of you. I-I promise you, Yu-jin. I don't want to hurt you. I…it's just…how do I explain this?" I sighed and looked up for help, but of course there was no divine intervention. I closed my eyes, swallowed the frog in my throat and bit my lip. "Okay, here's the deal," I began. "I am enslaved to an ancient Egyptian god, and in order to save myself, I summoned another Egyptian god, him, to help me. But the only way to free me and my brother is with a magical scarab."
I hoped it was magical.
Were we looking for an actual, live scarab?
I shook the errant thought from my head and focused on Yu-jin.
"A scarab has the power to trap a god's powers,” Sett interjected.
“Yes, and when we went to find it in the pyramid it was hidden in, it wasn't there, but…my friend, the god, here managed to detect the energy signature of an eldritch witch as the only person to step through the pyramid since he locked it away. So I brewed a locator potion and it brought us here."
I felt out of breath. How could I not be considering everything that had happened in the last twenty-four hours, let alone the last three years.
I patted my pocket and checked for my inhaler. Still there, thank fuck.
Yu-jin's tail dropped back behind him, and he straightened.
"That is quite the story." He exhaled.
"It's not a story. It's true," I said.
He pursed his lips and nodded. "Yes, I know. I…I think I know what you're looking for. My mum, she was a collector, just like her mother before her." He took a pause to look around him as if contemplating something before he continued. "Let me show you something."
He walked around the counter and continued into the depths of his shop.
Sett went after him first. I followed closely, navigating in the dark until a single light bulb flickered on.
Yu-jin took a painting off the wall and revealed a safe behind. Inside was a small, square glass case. And right there in the middle? A bejewelled stone in the shape of a scarab.
"This is it," Sett confirmed. He turned to me with a beautiful reassuring smile.
"It's been in our possession for as long as I can remember. I'm not even sure my mum knows how it came in our possession. We didn't know what it was, but we could feel the energy coming off it, which is why we've kept it sealed off."
We were so close I could almost taste it. Close to freedom.
I put my fingers out to touch the glass when Yu-jin shoved the whole thing into my arms.
"Take it, please," he said.
"I can pay," I said.
He shook his head. "I wouldn't know what to do with it. I wouldn't feel good with myself charging you for it. Besides, if it grants you your freedom it's all worth it."
A pang of guilt beat in my chest, making my heart ache.
"Thank you," I whispered and accepted the gift. "I…I hope I'll be back again soon to patronize your shop."
"I'll look forward to that. I hope you're free next time I see you," he answered with a sad smile. I turned to leave when he raised his voice. "And you." He pointed at Sett. "You better protect him with all your might because you have no idea what he's going through."
It sounded as if he was talking from experience but I didn't prod for answers.
Sett breathed in and squeezed my shoulder. "Trust me. I do," he said and we walked out, back into the streets of Amethyst City and one step closer to freedom.
