Queen of the Duat

Prologue

Boston, Massachusetts, is populated by two types of people. These two groups have very different ways of reacting to anything abnormal.

The first general reaction is to tell said abnormality precisely what they are thinking, whether it be a compliment or a loud, rather abrasive dressing down. This is the preference of both admirers of the uncommon and blonde, middle-aged women with too much time on their hands.

The second, and much more popular, of the options, is to ignore the strangeness completely. After a while, they simply stop seeing things that disagree with their perception of reality. This is the preference of most of the city's population, as it is quicker and more convenient for everyone involved.

The first option is also the general preference of a rather scraggly looking brown dog, who could do with a meal or two and perhaps a scratch behind the ears. However, he had an important meeting to get to the night our story begins, and could not be bothered.

On a drizzly, dreary spring night, roughly twenty-one years, three months, four days, eight hours, and, oh, fifty-seven minutes before our story begins, a loud, curly haired baby was born in Boston Memorial Hospital. Her mother promptly named the child Zahra Miriam Miller, and she was blissfully unaware of the meeting taking place in a park a few blocks away from where she slept.

The dog made his way to the center of the park where a small, bubbling fountain stood surrounded by wrought-iron benches. This late at night, it was all but abandoned, save for one man who slept under a patched-up blanket on one of the metal benches and an animal with squarish ears and a forked tail that stood at an uncomfortable-looking angle.

At first glance, the creature looked canine. On further inspection, however, its features appeared more reptilian. The stubby horns on its head, reminiscent of a giraffe, only made its visage more confusing.

The sha glanced up as the dog approached. "Ah, Anubis. It's been a while, hasn't it?" it said in a silky, dangerous voice. The animal shifted, growing taller and moving onto two legs. When the transformation was complete, the sha had the appearance of a handsome, golden-skinned man in his late forties.

He wore a blood-red, immaculately tailored suit and a blindingly white smile that stretched a little too wide for his face. His dark hair was slicked back from his face, giving him the appearance of a relatively successful businessman with a little too much time and money on his hands.

"Two thousand years, give or take a few," the dog responded, also shifting. He took on the appearance of a tall, dark-skinned youth in his early twenties, with closely cropped curly hair. His clothing choices were much less formal— a leather jacket over a purple hoodie and ripped black jeans.

The older man chuckled maliciously. "If I remember correctly, the last time we met, you killed me. No hard feelings, but it took a while to regain my strength. Serving your father for the last few centuries wasn't exactly my cup of tea."

"I'm sure. Osiris wasn't too happy about having you around either, if I'm being honest. My brother sends his regards, by the way. Asked me to pass along a rather rude message, which I'm not going to do."

"Probably for the best. Horus can be quite... creative with insults."

"Well, I think you quite deserve it, all things considered. You know why I asked you here?" Anubis asked in a professional-like manner that did not fit his youthful appearance. His dark brown eyes sparked gold as he stared down the other god.

"We both have our orders from the head office. I'm sure they swore you into the same measure of secrecy that I was."

"The Duat is about to get much more interesting, Set. For everyone."