The Cries of the Dead (A Moon Knight Inspired Fan-fiction)

Chapter Six: A Club Called Desire

(Sexual references and strong themes)

Steven Grant wasn't entirely sure how he managed to stay so calm, considering Lia had scared the absolute shit out of him.

Scared, but also left him in awe. The illumination of light from her hands had been beautiful. Like the very essence of her heart pouring from her.

Only a fraction of something entirely powerful. Lighting her already golden skin and making her dark curls look like they were flames.

Yet, he saw her own fear as she stared and stared at them. Bringing Steven to the conclusion that he wasn't the one who would help her navigate this.

Unlike his alter, he didn't have access to the armour or power that Khonshu provided. Which he thanked the stars for.

He'd made the mistake of bringing up Marc Spector, and Lia had refused that she needed his help.

Even as she talked it through with Steven until the early morning, he knew they were in over their head.

"Do you think it was the snake?" He asked. Lia didn't reply, so he continued. "I only saw a glimpse of it, but it was strange. Gold and shiny. Maybe..."

Lia frowned as she waited for him to finish, she'd been too quiet since Steven mentioned Marc. "What?" She finally prompted.

"Maybe the snake was magic." He laughed nervously, as he watched her brown eyes widen.

"Where's the map?" Lia suddenly scrambled out of the bed, and searched her room.

Steven could do nothing but watch as she frantically tossed objects aside, and flicked through books.

Finally, she opened the small sarcophagi that Steven had gifted her for Christmas. It seemed like a lifetime ago that he'd seen the brightness in her eyes, as she smiled down at her gift.

"I know I put it somew..." A sigh of relief escaped, as she lifted the delicately folded paper.

The map that they'd used when they travelled to Cairo. It had been months since that holiday, where Steven discovered the secret she'd been keeping from him.

Months since they'd fallen backwards in their relationship. The trust had dwindled, even if they couldn't entirely admit it.

Both were still holding on. Still so in love that they were pushing and pushing. Trying to get back to what they had been.

Steven hadn't let himself think about any of it. He focused on the good things, until it was too late and Lia was the shell of who she had been.

"Here," Lia shoved the map in Steven's face, he reached for his glasses.

Her finger pointed to the spot near where they had camped. "There used to be a gold cobra drawn there."

Steven stared at the blank spot, vaguely remembering her showing him while they were in the hotel. It had seemed like nothing, he'd even thought that the symbol had been there all along.

"Do you think Marc put it there?" He knew it wasn't wise to bring him up a second time, but they needed to consider this.

Lia shook her head. "What would be the point? We weren't going to travel that far up, except..."

Steven's face fell. He'd blocked out their argument too. Not wanting to relive yet another moment where he'd felt betrayed by someone he loved.

She continued. "Even if he did put it there, he couldn't have predicted that we'd argue. That we would go out into the sand dunes. It's just..."