In the aftermath of nine devastating plagues that ravaged ancient Egypt, a high priestess desperately seeks to prevent the impending tenth plague. Still, her efforts fail, leaving her at the mercy of an enraged pharaoh. Meanwhile, the pharaoh's son...
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"Where is he?"
Instead of answering Ramesses, Addisu stared at her feet.
Ramesses had gone to check on his sons but discovered Re'hotpe was absent. When he questioned his guards, they were quick to point in her direction.
Addisu was not surprised when she received the Pharaoh's summon. She had been rehearsing what to say to him after all. But now that she stood before him, all her bravado seeped out and what was left was a trembling woman mentally rehashing Ramesses' kindness.
"Speak quickly, woman. Where is my son?"
Ramesses was seated on a recliner in his open-air courtyard. A platter laden with grapes, dates, and meat morsels sat on a stool at arm's reach. Addisu could hear him chew as he waited for her reply.
Addisu swallowed before speaking. "It is true that he was with me. I carried out purification rites and sent him to his room to change his attire, but when I returned to get him, he was gone." As she spoke, she could not summon the boldness to lift her eyes. He knows I am lying. He will strike me—
"You lie, Addisu," Ramesses said, his tone clipped and hard. "Tell me where Re'hotpe is before I lose my patience."
Addisu clasped her hands tighter and shook her head. "I swear by the gods, I do not know where he went." Her voice trembled. "I am also concerned for—"
She jumped when the platter holding his meal crashed inches above her head. Its content rained on her as the heavy tray struck her shoulder before hitting the floor. Addisu clamped her jaw as she fought a yelp of pain.
"LIAR!"
Ramesses surged forward and grabbed Addisu by her bun. He squeezed and twisted the mass of hair. "You will tell me where my son is and you will tell me now," he said through gritted teeth, his face inches from hers.
Addisu kept her mouth shut even as her eyes watered from the burning pain in her scalp. Ramesses could kill her, but she would never tell him where Re'hotpe went.
"Tell me where he is!" Ramesses thundered before striking her across the face. Blood flooded her mouth.
Addisu clenched her teeth but stared straight ahead. When the flaming pain of another slap hit her left cheek, she looked to the sky and prayed for death.
"You pray in vain. Death will be mercy. No. I will keep you painfully alive, daughter of a bastard king. But if you tell me where he is, I will make your death so swift, you would not feel a thing when you go."
Addisu jerked her head away when he brushed the back of his over her aching face.
"Speak quickly, Addisu. I have very little patience for liars." He patted her burning cheek before grabbing her jaw. "Speak."
Addisu frowned. What did she have to lose? She had sent her life to Goshen. Ramesses could do his worst, but the knowledge that Re'hotpe had a better chance of survival made her satisfied. A sudden lightness fell upon her troubled heart.
Blood dribbled past her lips and down her chin when she spoke. "I rather die than tell you where he is."
She flinched when Ramesses lifted a fist. Shutting her eyes, Addisu awaited a blow that never came.
"No." Ramesses let go of her hair and dropped his clenched fist. "I will take my time with this."
Addisu swayed on her feet and wiped the blood off her chin with her throbbing arm. The spot where the tray struck her was on fire.
Ramesses strolled back to his recliner and settled in with a long sigh. "Take her to the cell."
When the strong grip of the guards encircled Addisu's arms, she did not struggle. As they steered her out of Ramesses' presence, she turned and shouted loud enough for him to hear, "They will all die but my Re'hotpe will survive." She laughed, feeling an odd lightness she hadn't felt in a long time. "Your stubbornness will cost you this time!"
"No one can deprive me of what's mine," Ramesses replied. "I have already sent a search party after him."
No!
As they shoved Addisu down the corridor, the distant howl of the Pharaoh's search hounds reached her ears. No. Dread drained the strength of her legs as fresh tears sprang in her eyes.
If there is an unseen god, please cover my son. Guard Re'hotpe.
***
Every god and spirit was present. Under the direction of Ra, the Prince of the principality of Egypt, they gathered above the Pharaoh's palace from where they observed the night sky.
"Ra, I see nothing. Could it be that Moses' word would not come to pass?" Quatesh asked from a safe distance. The prince was in a black mood.
Without taking his eyes off the Far East, Ra replied, "I am not taking any chances. It is not yet midnight. And it would do you well to keep your commentaries to yourself."
Being a compulsive speaker, Quatesh's desire to speak was impossible to suppress even in the face of Ra's wrath.
"We have been watching for a while now. I see nothing out of the ordinary. The land is asleep. I suggest we turn back," Quatesh's gaze roamed the land. This stillness in the atmosphere. It was abnormal. Something terrible was coming and his paranoia increased with every passing moment.
"I see something," bellowed Khnum. The god resembled a long-haired black ram that stood on its hind feet, and his too-large spiral horns looked too heavy for his head.
"Where? Where?" Quatesh eyes darted around.
Summoning his webbed leathery wings, Quatesh flew higher to get a better view. When he looked in the direction Khnum pointed, he froze.
A single dark cloud hovered above Goshen.
"Ra?" Quatesh turned to face the dark prince.
Instead of acknowledging Quatesh, Ra intently stared at the cloud with furious red eyes.
Quatesh itched to scream some sense into Ra, but he was too low in the chain of power to make any difference. He knew what that cloud meant—they all knew who that cloud belonged to.
"Prince Ra, I think it's the Destroyer. We cannot fight Abaddon," Quatesh cried.
Paying him no heed, Ra turned to the others and addressed them. "Tonight, we fight. Egypt is my principality. Mine." He slammed a fist against his chest. "I am your prince and you all go in my might!" His voice was strong, devoid of fear or doubt.
"It is Abaddon, I tell you," Quatesh shouted. He could see their imminent defeat. What was this irrational confidence Ra displayed? "Prince Ra, please do not do this to Egypt. Abaddon is acting under I AM's orders. Do you not see? He—"
Ra swore and whirled to face Quatesh. "Enough! Shut up this instant," he spat with enough vehemence to make Quatesh shrink away. Black fumes poured from his flared nostrils and his form grew with his rising rage. "Go hide in a hole, you weakling. I curse the day you were assigned to me. Your cowardice is a cancer that eats at my sanity. Leave. Get out of my sight before I turn against those of my camp," Ra roared in Quatesh's face before turning to glare at the approaching cloud once more.
Bowing his head, Quatesh did as he was commanded. As he flew into the night, his mind worked. One thing was certain, Ra would be defeated tonight. There was no doubt about it. The question of what comes after and who will be made the new prince of Egypt will arrive. Maybe... just, maybe there was a chance for him if he applied his endless wit. A tentative smile touched Quatesh's lips as he formed a plan.
