Page 67 of Sett and his King
He snapped his head around, searching for something, Horus probably, but I put my hand to his back and it didn't take him long to realize he was safe and sound.
"I'm so…confused. What happened? The last thing I remember is walking into his office and you putting the scarab on his chest. Was…was it a dream? Please tell me it was."
He turned to me with almost pleading eyes and my heart broke having to tell him the truth. "So it didn't work. Your sand magic. My power," he said and his voice broke before he'd even finished his sentence. "It doesn't matter how strong I get, what protections I use, I'll always be his, aren't I?"
I huffed and grabbed him by the jaw.
"Listen to me Andreas Matsoukas! You're not his. You'll never be his no matter what. You're your own person no matter what he puts you through."
His gaze wavered and his lips quivered. Whatever confidence he'd gained was all gone, like dust in the wind. And it was all thanks to my brother.
"But no matter what, I'll always go back to him. I'll always be his puppet. I'm the strongest I've ever been and he still controlled me."
I eased my hold on him and sighed.
"My brother is smart and strategic but even he can’t tame your power. It’s not your fault. It’s the scarab. It’s as if…as if it nulled your freeze over him. I don’t know why.”
"But he’s still stronger than me. Even though you freed me from his compulsion he can still take over again. My power is nothing against him.”
I rubbed his cheek with my thumb.
"Your power is stronger than any one of us, Drew. Nothing's changed. Everything I said still applies. You're one of the most powerful creatures in this world. Believe it! This wasn’t your fault."
Drew pulled away from my touch and stared at the wall instead of me. "What good is power if I can't use it to save my brother. Or your son. Goddess. He's got us under his thumb."
I forced him to look back at me and tried to think back thousands of years, when Ra had rescued me. When he had used his kindness and his gentle words to convince me there was a way out of Horus's reign.
I tried to project as much of my late husband as possible. To assume his confidence and his conviction. It was the only way Drew wouldn't lose hope. I knew because I had been him once upon a time. I understood his withdrawal and desperation. I understood him better than he understood himself.
"He thinks he does, but we have an ace up our sleeve too, Drew. He doesn't know we have time in our literal hands. With the house's help we can fail a hundred times and come back stronger every time."
Drew glanced up at the ceiling, the wardrobe to his right. The door to his left, until he settled on my eyes.
"It is a pretty handy trick," he said. "But…I don't know how long it'll last. I don't want to risk it. Risk you."
I smiled at him and brushed his lips with my thumb before kissing him again.
He might be similar to me but he wasn't me. He was thinking of others even when his own life was at stake. He was concerned about a virtual stranger more than his own flesh. And that was how I knew he was worth more in this life than I, or anyone, could give him. He deserved the moon and the stars, and whole galaxies as jewels on his body. He deserved all the magic of the world inked across his skin as if he was its master. He deserved the past, present and future as a cape over his shoulders, a king of it all.
And I'd die if only to make sure he got all that and more.
"We need to prepare. We need to think like him. It is the only way to defeat him."
Drew nodded and pulled away but buried his hands in mine.
"Yes. And we need to start by finding a way to shield myself from his compulsion."
I let go of him and nodded. "I need sand. I can't leave it to the residue lying around the house. I need to have it at my disposal so I can free you as many times as we need until we kill him."
Drew shook his head and rose from the bed. "No. That won't do. That's distracting and would have you more focused on me than beating Horus. We need to find another way."
"I don't know that there is another way. The only thing that was able to stop him before was Ra's sand magic."
Drew bit his lip. "Well, it's a good thing there's a lot more magic around these days, isn't it?"
I frowned.
"I thought you'd tried everything."
