Earth, Sun, and Moon Saga Ch. 06

Flow.

Like water.

So he didn't try to grab it, didn't try to hold it. He felt it and pushed it around, swirling it in a tight ball and he could see it now, dancing across the room. He saw the wisps of light hiding within the earthy veil, small and thin like threads. It was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen.

"Now, I understand."

Edward crushed the idol.

And Anubis howled.

***

Lenore fell out of the spell like falling out of bed.

She collapsed to the floor despite already kneeling there. The drawing room of the manorhouse was eerily empty and quiet as everyone had fled. But she knew it wouldn't be long before people came back, to investigate what exactly happened here.

Anubis was gone.

The mummy, no longer animated by whatever ancient magic he was channeling, now lay crumpled on the rug. All around her was evidence of the evening's debauchery.

Edward.

Lenore crawled over to where he lay, propped up against a sofa. She could hear his heart beating. It was fast and weak.

He was dying.

"Hey, darling," she said, gently. "Can you stand? We have to get out of here."

Edward groaned. "You're alright?"

"I'm just fucking grand. You had all the fun without me." Lenore attempted to pull him standing but he cried out when she did.

"Can't move," he said. "Legs don't want to work." He grimaced in pain. "Mistress?" he asked, then coughed up blood. "Is she?" He couldn't finish the question, as more coughing interrupted him.

A moan came from outside. Gwendolyn stood on the other side of the window, attempting to brush glass out of her hair. "What happened?" she asked, climbing back through the window. She was bleeding from several small cuts to her scalp from the glass but her clothes protected her from the worst of it.

"She's fine," Lenore said.

Edward grinned, his teeth bloody. He looked happier than anyone with bloody teeth ought to.

"Did we win?" Asari asked from the doorway. Lenore didn't want to know where she'd been this whole time but from the look of the selkie, she'd been through it too.

"Hey, Edward, look at me," Lenore said. "We don't have a lot of time but you're in a bad way. I need you to trust me."

Edward was still grinning. "I trust you." He laughed, then coughed. "I trust a vampire. Odd turn of events, that is."

Lenore unsheathed her fangs and bit into her own wrist. "I need you to drink from me." She held her bleeding wrist out. "Here."

Edward looked at her wrist and then back to her. He furrowed his brow as if trying to understand what Lenore was offering. He made no move.

Gwen was next to them now, as was Ash.

"It's alright," Gwen said to Edward, stroking his hair. "Go ahead, my love."

Edward put his hand up and, at first, Lenore thought he would pull her arm close, to drink from her and begin his transformation. She had a momentary flash of their life together, of teaching him the ways of her kind, of love and companionship in the underbelly of humanity.

Edward pushed her arm down.

"I'm glad you're alright," he said. "All of you." When he began coughing again, Gwen winced. Lenore heard his heart slowing, weakening.

"I can't heal you," Gwen said. "I'm too weak." Tears had formed in her eyes but refused to fall. Edward reached up and ran a thumb under her eye, coaxing one out.

"Oh, you're not weak," he said, barely above a whisper.

"Edward." Gwen wiped away more tears. "Edward. Listen to me." She yanked Lenore's arm back up, holding it in front of his lips. "Edward. You need to drink. Just a few drops and it will heal you. Edward. Edward! Just drink. It will heal you! Edward, please! You listen now, you listen to me! Edward!"

Asari and Lenore put their arms around their sister, holding her while she sobbed.

Edward was gone.

***

Present Day.

"That's it?" James asked when Gwendolyn stopped talking.

"Yes, for the most part."

"I have so many questions."

"Ask," she invited.

James had followed his hostess around the whole island, listening to her talk. The story was long and she told it first as they walked to the northern shore and around the eastern lip, pausing only to sip water.

He stayed mostly silent, asking the occasional clarifying question but was keeping most for later. Gwen was a talented storyteller and held the narrative despite whatever else they were doing. When they returned to the house for lunch, Gwen talked through preparing their food and paused only to eat.

When she finally concluded, they'd moved to sit in the living room, Gwen's legs folded under her as she sat on a comfortable wingback chair.

"So, at happened with the fallout from the orgy slash ritual? I'm sure a dead man and live mummy drew some questions."

"We took Edward with us when we left. Buried him outside of the city. But, you have to understand, it was a couple of hours before the local constable was brought over to inspect the happenings there. It wasn't like today where you can just call 911 and the police show up."

"And what did they say about it?"

"It was largely covered up. Oh, there were a few tabloid stories about an unwrapping party that devolved into a torrid affair but all the participants were incentivized to stay quiet. The host, Lord Vane, actually died not too long after. It was likely his heirs that did the covering up. Didn't want to besmirch the family name and all that."

"And the mummy?"

"Placed back in her sarcophagus. Those same heirs then donated it back to the museum. From there..." Gwen shrugged.

"Did you ever figure out why Anubis was trying to resurrect her? That priestess?"

Another shrug. "The record-keeping by archaeologists in those days was spotty at best. We weren't sure exactly who she was or where exactly she was dug up. And certainly not why she was that important to a god. But, anyway, shortly thereafter, the three of us left for America. It seemed right, closing that as a chapter to our lives." She looked away from him, thoughtful.

James could sympathize. For some questions, the pain of opening up old wounds wasn't worth the answers. It was simply easier to move forward.

"It sounds like Edward was very important to you," James said.

Gwen nodded. "I've had many wards over these centuries. Many apprentices. A few go on and do great things but most do not. Almost all eventually leave. They marry, have families, and die. They are my children, as I cannot have any of my own. Edward was different. He was special. Talented. I was very fond of him."

"You loved him."

"That's such a silly word in this language," Gwen said with a scoff. "I'll never understand why everything from passionate sex to a well-liked food is referred to with 'love' as if it's all the same emotion. I've 'loved' many people. But for him, no, the word I think of is greek. Pragma. A love that endures."

James didn't speak for a long minute, trying to take it all in. How many apprentices could she have had in the time she'd been alive? Hundreds, he realized. Hundreds of wards before Edward. Between gods, tethers, magic, death... what had he gotten himself into?

James was not a particularly empathic individual, his life until now was grounded in reality, in practicality. But he'd long ago learned to listen to his inner voice the few times it dared speak up. That voice was telling him that this was what he'd been waiting for. That his life had built to this moment and that he was right where he was supposed to be. Part of him resisted this revelation, that he ought to flee from these strange women and this strange house. But the alternative of attempting to return to some sort of "normal" life seemed too horrendous to consider. James wasn't sure he could even if he tried not after all he'd seen here. So he listened to that small inner voice as it told him that he was in the right place.

"I think I can find his new tether," he said, finally. "But it would be best if you and Lenore stayed here. I can scout the museum if you tell me what to look for."

"You plan to do that alone? Did you miss the part where my ward was killed?"

"I'm no one's ward. And I'm certainly not some lost orphan."

"That's not what I meant. It's just... Why help us?"

James shrugged. "Isn't it obvious?"

"I guess it isn't."

"You said it yourself, the magic barrier around the house let me in. So, I'm here. There's a reason for that, I guess."

"And you think that means you're fated?"

"You tell me. You're the druid."

Gwen laughed. "I can't see the future. That's only for mediums with an Instagram following."

"Look at you referencing social media like a pro," Lenore said, entering the room. She wore sweats and a Nirvana band shirt. She sauntered over to the sofa and plopped down near James. "What are we talking about?"

"Morning, sleepyhead," Gwen said. "I was just telling our guest about the first time we tangled with Anubis."

Lenore snorted. "And I'm sure you told him how I was basically frozen the entire time?" She turned to James. "Not my finest hour."

"Sounded like he really doesn't like vampires."

Gwen continued, "James believes he can find Anubis' new tether."

Lenore cocked an eyebrow at her sister while she explained James' plan.

"Fine, I'll get dressed." Lenore stood.

"It'd be best if I went alone," James said. "Anubis isn't after me."

Lenore was suddenly in front of him, inches from his face, having moved so fast he didn't see her even turn.

"Let's make one thing clear, lover boy," Lenore hissed. "I am not some wayward maiden and you are not my knight in shining armor. I don't need protection from you. Regardless of the merits of your plan, I am allowing you to come with me to execute it. Do you have a problem with that?"

James just smiled. "Lead the way."

***

When Edward opened his eyes, the brightness of day immediately made him squint.

He was no longer in the mansion and, in fact, he was clearly not even in England. Tall reeds surrounded him. His feet were wet and, when he looked down, he realized that not only was he not wearing shoes, but he was naked save for a loincloth, wrapped loosely around his waist.

Not knowing what else to do, he moved through the reeds, his feet squelching soft mud.

It was hot and, despite his nudity, he was already sweating.

He pushed aside a clutch of reeds, revealing an open riverbank.

"Step forward, mortal," a voice commanded.

Edward felt a chill go through him despite the heat.

Anubis stood in the clearing in ankle-deep water at the bank. Ammit was there two, in her true, terrible form.

The god wasn't even looking at him. He peered down the river, where it seemed to flow past the horizon, into infinity. "Step forward."

Edward stepped out of the reeds. "I'm dead, yes?"

"You are."

"And you're here. That means you're not..." Edward motioned vaguely away. "There."

"It's true. You successfully severed me from the earthly plane."

Edward looked at Ammit, who regarded him with a wicked crocodile smile. "And you too."

Ammit snarled. "You are here to be judged, mortal. It's a pity, you would have made an excellent servant."

"So it's revenge for you two then?" Edward sighed, steeling himself for what was to come. "So be it."

Anubis finally looked at him. "Here, I do not pass judgment." Anubis revealed he was holding a long white feather. "This does. This is the feather of Maat. It will reveal the truth of your soul." He motioned to the side and a set of large ornate scales appeared. "The test is simple and elegant. The weight of your heart will be placed against the weight of the feather. Should your heart weigh less, you will be granted access to the afterlife."

"Yeah, and if it doesn't, she eats it."

"Perceptive, this one is," Ammit purred.

"If you are found wanting, yes. You will be damned," Anubis added. "Denied an afterlife. Regulated to oblivion."

Edward nodded. Honestly, that sounded better than the Christian hell he'd been threatened with in his childhood. "How did I come to be here? I'm not Egyptian."

"That is true. But you do believe."

"I don't understand."

"For millennia, the field of reeds was full of believers waiting to have their souls weighed. But that is no more. Given more time, perhaps you would have organized your thoughts better, incorporating the reality of the divine. But you believed what you saw. And even participated in the ritual."

Edward thought about the orgy. "I gather I did, despite my throwing a monkey wrench into the mix. No hard feelings on that, I hope."

Anubis stayed neutral. "You're under the mistaken impression that you have defeated us. That your actions are final. You are mistaken. I will return."

"Right. And I surmise I won't be there to stop you again. Whatever happens."

Anubis grinned. "Step forward." He motioned to the scales. "Present your heart for judgment."

At first, Edward wasn't sure what the god meant. How could he present his own heart? But, when he looked down, he saw he was already holding it.

His heart.

What he held wasn't a bloody mess and there was no corresponding hole in his torso but it was his heart without a doubt. It glowed with a shiny silver sheen and Edward realized he was looking at his own soul.

"Present your heart," Anubis repeated.

He did, stepping forward, and placing it on one side of the scale. It responded by dropping slowly under the weight, stopping just below the midpoint.

Anubis placed the white feather on the other side.

And they watched the scale move again.

Whew! I hope you enjoyed the latest episode of this admittedly insane story. It's probably only getting weirder from here but I heard you were into that shit. Hit those likes and stars, and leave a comment below. I love hearing from you maniacs!

Exes and ohs,

Dakota