Shards of Ankh

Chapter Forty Five

Lapis crawled out from the pyramid first, followed by Thea. Lapis had insisted in that order, so should they emerge and be attacked he could do his best to defend them. To both of their relief, however, that plan was unnecessary.

Lapis scrambled to his feet, taking Thea by both hands and pulling her up. He grinned broadly at her.

"Are you well?" Lapis pressed.

"I mean, as well as I can be, all things considered. And you?"

Lapis merely gave a curt nod, still smiling and looking relieved.

"Thea!"

Still holding hands, Lapis and Thea looked to where the voice had originated. A sea of torches were moving swiftly through the night. Leading the charge was Ankh. His left hand held a torch, in his right a large khopesh.

Thea thought she would literally faint from relief. In that moment, Lapis took off, sprinting towards the entourage. Thea took off after him, but between not being able to run very well through the sand and Lapis taking longer strides, the vizier reached his Pharaoh first.

"Where is he?" Ankh was bellowing, the whites of his eyes showing. "Where is the bastard? I'll kill him—I'll kill him with my own two hands—"

"Ankh, Ankh!" Lapis urged, pressing his bloody hands against his pecs. "Ankh! Calm down, it's been taken care of!"

Ankh was struggling again Lapis, still trying to get to Thea. "Where is the rat? Where is my kin who still had followers from when he ran for Pharaoh, and he turned them against me? Where are they?! I'll kill them all!"

"Ankh!" Lapis shoved the King hard, finally getting the Kings attention.

For the first time, Ankh truly saw Lapis standing before him. He looked absolutely panicked at the blood soaked clothes. "Lapis! By the God's, are you—medic! Medic!"

"Listen to me," Lapis urged as Thea's thudding feet finally made it to their ears. "Ankh, he's dead! Your brother is dead!"

Ankh dropped his weapon and handed his torch off to the nearest guard. Seconds later, Thea threw herself into his arms, sobbing uncontrollably. Ankh wrapped his arms around her, swaying gently from side to side. He kissed the top of her head and her face over and over, gently saying her name. After a few moments of this, he looked over her head to Lapis.

"Where are the guards that betrayed me?"

Had Thea been not as hysterical, she would have caught the deadly look in the Pharaoh's eyes that matched his dead brother's.

Lapis turned a second, pointing at the unfinished pyramid. "There. They tried to bury us alive."

"Go," Ankh said in a low voice. Without any other word, the guards surrounding them took off running towards the monument, weapons drawn.

"Kill them!" Ankh screamed after them. "Leave no deserters alive! They shall have no trial! Kill them all on sight!"

A small group of soldiers stayed with their King, their vizier, and Thea. Ankh knew Thea could not relay what had happened just then, so he looked at Lapis. "What happened?"

Lapis explained how things had happened on his end, how he had been led out of his bed chamber and whisked away. He was hit in the head, which left him on the ground, dazed, where in he was poisoned. He awoke in the pyramid. He explained in detail everything that had taken place in there (causing Ankh to squeeze Thea protectively tighter). When Lapis got to him killing Chisisi, however, things derailed.

"That's why I'm covered in blood..." Lapis began to shake visibly and looked down at his clothes. Disgustedly, he tried to wipe the blood off his clothes. Instead, it just smeared more.