Chapter 7

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Aiden's P.O.V

"You know you can talk to me... Right?" I finally told her. We've been walking for hours and the shockingly bashful girl would only speak when it was hundred percent necessary. It made for a boring journey. Especially since this was a long journey.

Her large blue eyes widened and her already slightly sunburnt face became redder. She bit her bottom lip and her hands fiddled together. She thought for a few moments then asked, "What do you want to talk about?"

For a moment I froze. Her blue eyes captured mine and I couldn't help but think that she was completely and utterly adorable. Cute yet beautiful all at the same time.

I shook my head slightly and suggested, "Perhaps we'll start with a proper introduction."

"We've met already though," she pointed out.

"Not quite," I responded, "You were introduced to the Pharaoh of Eygpt and the world's most powerful demigod. Not Aiden Ra."

Her eyebrows scrunched together as they do so often and she commented, "But they're both you."

I shrugged and said, "Humor me."

"I guess there's no harm in it," she agreed with a sincere smile.

I stopped walking, causing her to stop as well, and stuck my hand out to her. She timidly took my tan hand in her pale one and I exclaimed, "My name is Aiden Ra."

She chuckled and replied, "Alison Bell. A pleasure to meet you Aiden."

We both paused for a moment and I just stared at her. She truly is beautiful. The brightest blue eyes I've ever come across, and long hair that looks like the sun... it was breathtaking. Her round face radiated joy and I couldn't help but want to experience some of that joy with her.

"She is the one you're destined to love," Hathor had told me.

I quickly dropped her hand and stood up straight. I moved my hand to my forehead and wiped off my sweat. "So Alison, have any family?" I asked to cover my sudden shift in demeanor.

She didn't seem to notice and answered, "I have a younger sister."

"What's her name?" I asked.

"Serena Bell," she responded.

"What about your parents?" I questioned.

She shrugged and replied, "They were always away when I was younger and they died when I was seventeen. I honestly don't remember much about them."

"I wish I didn't understand that feeling," I said.

Her blonde eyebrows scrunched up in confusion and she asked, "What do you mean?"

"The gods aren't very good with their children. Mortal or immortal it honestly doesn't matter when it comes to being a decent present parent," I admitted.

"What about your mother? Your father is obviously Ra but you said mortal or immortal," she inquired with huge curious blue eyes.

I sighed as my thoughts turned to her... my mother. The woman who gave me life and therefore risked her own. "She's not in the picture," I answered as I looked down at the yellow dirt underneath my feet.

She hesitated for a second before finally saying, "I'm sorry. We don't have to talk about it if you don't want to."

"That might be best," I agreed as I looked back up at her.

We continued walking and a heavy silence hung over us. Alison was obviously deep in thought, and it seemed to be a troubling thought. I stayed silent and gave her time to think but after a while, it became clear that it was something concerning me. "Just ask it," I told her finally.

"Ask what?" She inquired innocently.

I rolled my eyes and replied, "Whatever it is that's been bothering you for the last few miles."

She twirled some of her blonde hair around her finger and bit down on her bottom lip. She seemed to debate with herself in her head before letting out a barely audible sigh. "Byron is your brother... right?" She finally asked.

"Half brother, but yes," I answered.

"Well, are you close to his mother?" She asked quietly.

"I'm afraid not. Byron's mother was killed when he was very young," I informed her.

Her jaw dropped slightly and she inquired, "How? What happened?"

We walked for a little while longer before I said anything. How does she not know about this stuff? Mortal parents of demigods were hunted down. As awful as it was, this was common practice. However, as I looked down into her eyes I could see nothing but pure oblivion.

"Byron's mother was a daughter of a nobleman. When her slaves figured out that her baby was the child of Ra they killed her. It's a fairly common story among demigods," I explained.

"Why would they kill her though? She already had the baby. It's not like they were preventing anything," she questioned with horror visible on her adorable features.

I sighed and told her, "It wasn't about the child. It's about the God. If they visited that mortal it meant that they would most likely visit them again. The more the gods are directly on earth the more trouble and bad things they tend to cause."

"So they kill the lover to prevent the god from coming back?" She asked. I nodded and she added, "That's barbaric!"

My heartbeat raced a bit from her answer. She understands. She doesn't think that practice is reasonable either. She's different from most. She's like Nyra and me. We've been thinking of ways we could outlaw that tradition ever since I became Pharaoh. "I completely agree," I mumbled happily.

"You're the big man in charge! Why don't you make it illegal or something?" She questioned.

"Trust me it's in the works. The thing is I'm already on thin ice," I answer.

"What do you mean?" She asked.

Is she serious right now? Where has she been the past five years? "You're joking right?" I retorted.

She shook her head and I was amazed. How did she not know? I made the greatest social movement in Egyptian history! "Oh my Ra! Where have you been the last five years? How is it even possible that you don't know?" I questioned.

"How has anything I've done the last two years possible?" She mumbled to herself.

"What?" I asked wondering if I heard her right.

"Nothing!" She shot back, "So are you going to tell me this huge thing or am I just gonna have to guess?"

I shook my head in disbelief then told her, "I ended slavery."

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