Soul Slam, Soul Warriors Book 1

Chapter 10B

Chapter Ten B

I didn't respond. Hated that he was right. How could I not believe in at least some of this? But it was so different from everything I'd learned, grown up to believe or not believe. Life was harsh and praying wasn't going to make it better. I was proof of that.

And yet I believed Tut was inside me. Knew I had powers, although the jury was still out on their usefulness.

Xander should've hosted Tut's soul. They understood each other. Understood the same religion. Tut's a guy. Xander's a guy. The two of them wouldn't have the drama that Tut and I did.

The mystic powers, the voice in my head, the fear of the burn out combined in my mind like tangled security wires crossing their signals. I didn't know what to feel. So, I didn't. Didn't feel, didn't think. Took one step at a time. Literally.

"What's in here?" I pointed at the doors.

"Hopefully, inspiration. Or a clue." Xander flung the doors open and stepped inside.

The brightness hit me first. I squinted. The entire ceiling and far wall were made of glass. Like a greenhouse, the construction let in the full light of the sun.

Sliding glass doors led to an outside private courtyard where massive pylons divided the space. Poles mounted on the pylons flew long colorful streamers in the breeze.

I approached the altar in the center of the room, my shoes tapping on the white marble floor. An oversized sun disc with eighteen dangling rays was suspended from the ceiling. Each ray ended in a human hand. Just like the amulet.

A quiet reverence slowed the blood in my veins and calmed my racing heart. Stopping, I placed my hand on my chest feeling the heat from the piece. Feeling an insane peace.

"Wow." Totally inadequate but it was all I had.

"This is the Holy of Holies where we pray." Xander slid open the glass doors and stepped outside. "This is where we worship privately and become rejuvenated by the sun's rays."

I walked outside and the sun warmed my skin. Colorful flowers, both in the ground and in pots, decorated the small green space. "But this is San Francisco, near the coast. A lot of days are foggy."

"We had a solution." He pointed to the lights hidden in the palm trees. "Growing lights."

Four-foot columns surrounded the courtyard like a sentinel guard. A deep groove was carved out of the top of each.

"What are the columns for?"

"Offering stands." Xander knelt beside one and again bowed his head. "Forgive me Mighty Aten but I have nothing to offer today."

"That was in Egyptian, right?" I just wanted to be sure.

"Yes." He stood. "Daily offerings are placed on these columns as a gift to the sun god."

I crossed the courtyard to an alabaster statue at the end of the garden. I ran my fingers over the ornate bust of a girl with kohl lined eyes and jewels sparkling in her hair. She seemed familiar. "This is beautiful."

"Queen Ankhesenamen, King Tut's beloved wife."

A breath rasped out of my throat. The girl from my dream. "Weren't they a little young to be married?"

"Not unusual for royalty to secure the throne." Xander's eyes went liquid and a little dreamy.

My insides went soft thinking about having a guy look at me like that. Having Xander look at me like that.