The Curse in Her Blood

Chapter 25

Set

She screamed

Of course she screamed.

I was hideous.

But I was also in pain again, Hathor had said it wouldn't hurt, but it did. It had taken forever to get myself back here, to open up one of the channels of communication, a great mirror in her case, to ask her what had gone wrong. When she had realized it, she had felt bad, said she must have messed part of the spell up, which was also like her as she so rarely used her powers.

I was left, in my own rooms, feeling like I was trapped in that mercury flooded tomb again. Both wanting and not wanting Robin to return. I knew she would at some point, and the longer it took for her to return the more that desire to have her there grew.

I needed her right now, needed her soothing presence. I needed her to be there for me, to look at me the way she had been throughout our time together so far. Unflinchingly. Out of all the times for her not to run and scream this had been it.

I sat there for a moment, knowing I was going to have to chase her and that was going to make things worse. Contrary to popular belief, I didn't want to have to run after a woman who was terrified of me. I was preparing myself to get up, though everything in me hurt, hating this whole situation with all my being when her little voice called out to me from the other side of the door.

"Set uhm... can you hear me?" she called. Honestly I was amazed that she hadn't completely run away. She had just... ran out the door. Astarte had run clear to the Upper Kingdom and refused to come back until someone had fixed me. I took way too long to answer her though because she added: "I'm very sorry I screamed in your face... and then ran away screaming. I just... that is you, right?"

"Yes."

"Set I mean."

"Obviously it's me!"

"Okay... okay... but... WHAT HAPPENED?!"

That was a good question. I had obviously been cursed. This was another test and I knew that this was one of the tests that Astarte had failed. I didn't need the council to tell me that.

"I've been cursed. You... you need..."

"Again? Do all the tests involve curses?" she asked and I sighed. They did, but that was because my relatives were so very uninspired. They stuck with what they were good at and that was curses.

"Yes. Now, I need you to find the cure."

"Oh no! Not again! I don't think I can show up empty handed at Nehebu-Kau's. Do you think you have enough time for me to do like a tea party with her? A proper one? Or is there another time limit and you get stuck like that?"

"I... I don't... I mean I think I have until sundown, how far away is sundown?"

"Oh! Sundown? Yeah that's a good ten hours away... unless time moves faster here... so... I'll just go make the stuff for tea... oh maybe invite her to the palace so it's easier. That would be okay right? Nehebu-Kau's actually really nice and she's not dirty... I don't think..."

"No the snake beast doesn't have the cure..." "—That's not her name, it's Nehebu-Kau." "...Whatever. You have to go Hathor, she has it."

"Hathor... the really pretty one with the cow ears?"

I bristle because she's super sensitive about those ears of her. "Yes she's the goddess of Love and Fertility and..." "—That makes sense, she's like really, super pretty." "... she will most likely... wait... you think she's pretty?"

"Well no duh!" she cries. "Have you see that girl? She could be like a famous model or a... a... movie star. Not sure how her acting is, but most of the time acting skills don't matter when you're that pretty. I mean look at Angelina Jolie. Horrible actress, can only do one kind of role, but she's super pretty so no one cares. I bet it's like that with Hathor right?"

Most people got to the cow ears and changed their mind about her beauty, but, as per usual my mortal was proving herself to be different from all the others. Except right at that moment, I needed her to focus and she had gone on one hell of a tangent.

"Sure? Look, she has the cure, you have to get it from her."

"She liked my cupcakes... maybe I should make some for her..."

I groaned loudly. I did not have time for this. "Aw... could you... please just go! Now!"

"Right!" I hear her call through the door. "No time for cupcakes. I'll go... I'll go now. You just hold on! I'll get the cure... again... Just... yeah, stay there."

Like I was going to go anywhere else.