The Beauty and The Betrayal

12. Awaken Amunet

I could feel the heat from the torches. I could smell the putrid odor of rotting flesh. And I could hear Rick. A groan escaped my lips, I wiggled and fell to the floor with a thud. Everything went quiet,  My eyes open. I reach for the wall and pull my body up, my legs weak. It felt as though I was asleep for centuries. A hand reached out to pull me up, I grasped it and looked up at Imotephs face. "My love, your awake." I glared at him. "I AM. FULLY AWAKE. you..you bastard!" He looked away, glaring at Beni,"you will pay for letting her fall." It was then I noticed the group. "Your all ok!" I tried to run to Rick, to hug him and embrace his comforting presence. But two arms wrapped around me, pulling me in. "Anck-su-namun, come and I will spare them." His voice vibrated agai st my back. "You won't hurt them. Don't evy, don't come." I pleaded to her, my eyes begged her. She looked at the group, at her hesitation the mob around us moved in. Henderson caught my eye, he was afraid but I didn't know if it was for me or himself. He looked at me and mouthed the words, "I'm glad you are ok."  I smiled at him, a sincere smile. Imoteph must've noticed this. He noticed how I looked at the cowboy, how I whispered to him in his presence. The next thing I know he was grabbed by the sand, pulled forward to Imoteph. The group watched stunned, I was thrown to Beni as Imoteph took Henderson and sucked his life essence out of him. Hendersons once blue eyes so full of life where draining, locked in on mine as they slowly faded to a black. Imoteph laughed as he dropped his body to the ground, kicking him away. "Anck-su-namun, this is your last chance. Come with me and I will spare them, or stay and I will kill them and take you anyway." Evy gulped, stepping forward. Rick's eyes panicked, he grabbed her wrist and Jonathan reached out. "Don't. Just follow, he still has a ritual to do and..I.." her voice cut off, Ardath grabbed Rick and the Curator grabbed Jonathan. "Let her go, we will have time to save them both. But we must be alive to do it."
They let Evy go, I pulled her into me her quiet sobs matched my own. Imoteph smirked, swirling us in sand. As we were almost covered he yelled the words I feared the most, "Kill them." Evy and I both screamed, We were both going to be down a brother.
The sand swirled, it's grains went everywhere. Evy and Beni crashed into the sand, where as I was leaned against Imoteph landing gently in the desert.
It felt like days that we traveled through the sand, not knowing if Rick and the others where alive. I walked to the back, stearing clear of Imoteph. I could feel him glance at me, but I refused to acknowledge it. The Sun began to set, a oasis appearing. He glanced around, coming upon a sand dune. He wrapped his wrist in, rotating them and opening his palms. A building began to rise from the ground, the sand falling off of it like water. The doors opened, and with a deep breath he blew inside, clearing any remaining sand. He pushed open the doors and pulled us in, a tendrils of sand wrapping around our waist. I was placed into a room, the door slamming shut. I looked around, A memory of Amunets coming to life. Long ago this was a rest point for those who dared to travel the desert. The tomb I was in came to life when I positioned the mirrors, a king sized bed and dresser came into view.  A golden brush with the moon carved into the back rested on the dresser, I picked it up and traded my hands over it. He gave me this when we first started courting each other. I ran my hands over the brush, the bristles still soft. I undid my hair and slowly ran the brush through it. I didn't hear him come in. I could only feel his stare. "Yes, Imoteph? What could you possibly want to take away now?" He didn't say anything and this angered me. It angered me to my soul. " As Amunet you take away my father, my sister, my life and my SON. As Amerath you take away my Brother and my friends. What is there left to take?" My anger had trailed into a whisper as I took in the losses I have faced. "He was my son to. I didn't take him away. I didn't take your life Amunet. I didn't take your sister or your father." I snapped my head to him, my anger returning. " You may not have held the sword but you gave it to the person who did. You gave her everything she needed to destroy me." He just looked at me, shame etched into his face. "How do you know? How could you know? You where dead when it came to the light." "The Dead hold no secrets. I knew from the moment her blade slit my throat. The goddess I serve believes it was only right for me to know why I died with my infant in my arms." Imoteph said no words, instead he dropped to his knees before me. " I gave into temptation. I fell weak to a woman who was not my wife. I took your life because of my weakness and because of that, I lost you. I lost our son." He paused, taking a breathe. " I will redeem myself. I will ensure your murderer will never walk the earth, I will fix this." Tears filled my eyes, my soul settled it's anger. He knew what he did. He acknowledged it and yet all I felt was sorrow. All I wanted to do was curl into his arms as Amunet and forgive him. At my silence and my tears he turned away.  Bowing and exiting the room. I looked at the bed, sleep will ease the pain. Although Amunet wants Imoteph, Amerath longed for Henderson. To give their relationship a chance, one that will never happen now that he's out of this world. All I wanted to was forget. Forget the pain that I have faced.

Imotephs P.O.V
I checked on Beni and the woman. I wasn't sure of her name, but I didn't care. She was the key to ensuring Anck-su-namun and her corruption ways would never see the light of day again. With this woman death, I can reincarnate Anck-su-namun and ensure that she will never be able to walk this earth again.  I felt the attraction between my wife and that man. I felt his need to take her away and hide her. The monstor in me feared that he could, so I did the only thing I knew how. I killed him, I took his life for no other reason than jealously.  I went back to the room to see Amunet curled in the bed. Her cheeks stained with tears. I needed her to remember me before Anck-su-namun. Before the betrayl. I gently kissed her for head, willing the memories into her mind. I laid in bed beside her, waiting for their human bodies to rest before we continue our journey.