Soul Reborn (Key to the Cursed Book 1) (16 page)

“Damn it!” Lilly
glared at Kamen. “Do we have to do everything he says?”

“Get used to it.”

“Asshole,” Lilly
growled when he walked out. “We can’t wait around to get Kendra back. We need
to do it now.”

“Nice plan, but how
do we get back home?”

“Getting off this
rock won’t be easy. Follow me.”

Lilly had never
been to Nebt’s quarters without Asar as an escort. Hopefully the Underworld
goddess wouldn’t be offended. It took several knocks before a servant opened
the large golden doors. She gasped when Lilly and Kit pushed past. Another
servant tried to block their path, but Lilly just side-stepped her. “Nebt?”

The goddess looked
up from where she sat at her desk and stood slowly. “Lilly?”

Lilly approached with
her hand up. “I’m sorry to disturb you. I need to get back home. It is
imperative that we find our sister and bring her back.”

“Where is Asar or
Kamen? Surely, they will take you back.”

“They are occupied
at the moment. This is my sister, Kit, by the way.”

Nebt held her hand
out, same as she had done for Lilly.

Kit grabbed and
shook the goddess’ hand roughly. “Nice to meet you.”

To Nebt’s credit,
she maintained the smile on her face despite the startled look in her eyes.

Lilly shook her
head and looked at Nebt apologetically. “I was wondering if you could transport
us back? We have some leads we need to follow up.”

The goddess’ smile
thinned. Lilly could only guess she had read their intensions when Kit made
contact with her. “I am sorry. I cannot.”

“Nebt, I can’t
stand around waiting while Asar and Nehebkau determine our fate. What if Kendra
is in trouble? Kit and I could be out there looking for her right now. We are
wasting time.”

“Asar will not let
anything bad happen to your sister. You must trust him.”

“This has nothing
to do with trust. It has to do with control.” Lilly began to pace. “I feel
powerless here.” Lilly’s voice rose in frustration.

“How do you feel about
this, Kit?” Nebt asked.

“Ah, I’m with
Lilly.”

“That does not
sound like an opinion, just compliance.”

“I think we should
go after Kendra.”

Nebt returned to
her desk. “As I stated before, I cannot help you. Asar will be back shortly.
You can take it up with him.”

Lilly suspected
Nebt had gotten burned the last time she tried to help. The Underworld goddess
wasn’t going to put her neck out on the line again.

“Sorry for
disturbing you.” Lilly bowed, then stalked out of the goddess’ quarters and
down the long corridor with her sister a few steps behind. A sufficient
distance away, she turned abruptly to face Kit. “What are you not telling me?
Obviously, you have some reservations about us going back to get Kendra.”

“No, I think we
should go after Kendra.”

“Do you really?”
Lilly glared at her sister. “I saw Nebt’s face. She read your soul when you
touched. Don’t bullshit me!”

“Fine. I think
I
should go after Kendra, not you. And not for the reasons you think. You are
more than capable, more so now than before, but...”

“But what?”

Kit threw her hands
in the air. “The goddess has it out for you. You stole her man, and ruined her
game at revenge. And, oh yeah. She wants to possess your body. Did I leave
anything out? She knows your weakness for dad, and will use it. For once, if
you could just not put yourself at risk and let
me
handle this—”

“The goddess isn’t
the issue here,” Lilly grumbled. “I’m talking about retrieving Kendra and
keeping her safe.”

“The goddess
is
the issue. As soon as you set foot back home, you’re at risk. Whether you are
hunting her or not,
she
is hunting
you
,” Kit said, punctuating
each word with a poke to Lilly’s chest.

Lilly dug her
fingers into her hips. “You and Kendra are my responsibility.”

“No, we’re not!”
Kit fired back. “We were
Dad’s
responsibility, and he chose his stupid
love for dead pharaohs over us. As far as I’m concerned, the goddess can keep
his ass.”

Before she could
stop herself, Lilly swung around and slapped her sister. “Don’t you dare speak
of our father that way. He loves us.”

“Don’t you mean
loved
?”
Kit rubbed her red cheek. “He’s dead. He doesn’t know who the hell we are,
other than dinner.”

“He does so! He
just… can’t help himself.”

Kit rolled her
eyes. “You see what you want to see. There is nothing left of our father in
that rotting corpse. It’s your screwed up thinking about him that is going to
get you killed. Your feelings for him are clouding your judgment, and will put
you at risk.”

“Shut up. You have
no idea what you are talking about.”

“What, and you do?”

Lilly cringed. The
weight of her guilt crashed down upon her. Asar may have forgiven her but she
had yet to forgive herself. Could her sisters ever forgive her for cursing all
their lives? “It wasn’t dad’s fault the goddess was released.” She sighed. “It
was mine.”

“What the hell are
you talking about?”

“I released the
goddess. Dad is cursed because of me.”

“You don’t know
that," Kit insisted. "Dad was the one who exhumed the tomb.”

Lilly looked down
at her boots. “Asar thinks it was my powers that reanimated her body. The key
held a spell that allowed her to escape. Only a god could release her.”

“So that’s what
this is all about? Hell, Lilly! It could have easily been Kendra or me at that
dig. Anyone of us could have released the curse. If the damn world wants
someone to blame, they might as well blame all three of us.”

The thought someone
might blame her sisters infuriated her. “I won’t let that happen. I will take
responsibility for the mistake.”

“Don’t you get it? You’ve
been punishing yourself for something that isn’t even our fault. The blame
belongs to the goddess who had three bastard children. If you want to fault
someone, blame her and our father who got her pregnant,” Kit said. “What kind
of mother leaves her children?”

With the weight of her
sister’s words, the pain she always held low and deep in her gut rose like
acid. The feeling of being an unwanted child. Their dad had done his best to
raise them, but that still didn’t mitigate the fact their mother abandoned them.
She leaned up against the wall and sighed heavily.

Kit assumed the
same position next to her and grabbed her hand. “I don’t even want these damn
powers. It’s just a reminder that a goddess decided to slum it.”

“It’s your body.
You can decide to release your powers or not. Unlike me, you at least have
control over it.”

“Like I would shag
a god anyway. They have too much holier than thou attitude for my tastes."
Kit leaned her head on Lilly’s shoulder. "No offense to, Asar. He’s at
least
useful
. Kamen? Don’t even get me started.”

“I’m sorry for
slapping you. I want so much to find a cure for Dad. If it was me, I wouldn’t
want you to give up.” She squeezed Kit’s hand. “So what do we do about Kendra?”

Kit grinned. “We
find a ride home.”

“What about Kamen?”
Lilly pushed off the wall.

“What, Asar’s
lackey? I don’t think he’ll help us.”

“So you are okay
with me coming along?”

“No, but she is
our
sister. If we work together, we’ll have better luck finding her. Plus, the
chances of us hitching a ride are low.”

Lilly smirked. She
had always enjoyed a challenge. With renewed determination, she walked straight
to the servant quarters and knocked on the door. If anyone would know where to
find someone, they would.

A young female opened
the door. She immediately cast her eyes down which irritated the hell out of
Lilly. She didn’t like the idea of servants, but this wasn’t her world.

“Please look at me.
I don’t do well with this lord-servant stuff.”

The servant meekly
looked up, and shifted uncomfortably.

Lilly smiled. “It
is okay, really. I’m Lilly and this is my sister, Kit. We are outcasts here, so
please don’t bother with the protocols.”

“Excuse me, Madame.
You are the Lord’s mate. It would be disrespectful to address you in any other
manner.”

“Well, can I order
you to treat me differently?” Lilly asked, continuing to look around the large
well-appointed room. Lush red and purple pillows graced the seating area to the
right. White curtains hung from ceiling to floor divided the living and
sleeping quarters. Several women looked up from their work. Soft music carried
in the room, along with the smell of lavender and vanilla.

“Yes, Madame.”

“Good, then it’s an
order. When the Lord is not around, you are to address me as Lilly.”

The servant suppressed
a smile behind her hand. “Yes, Lilly,” she said with a bow.

“My sister and I
are looking for a location where the gods of the Underworld would gather. Is
there a place like that here?”

“There are several
places on the far end of the island. The dark warrior village houses several
thousand soldiers. I would not recommend your visitation there.”

“Why?”

The young woman’s
face flushed red and her gaze dropped to the floor. “There are things that go
on there that would not be proper for a woman like you.”

Lilly laughed. Little
did the servant know, she had seen her more than her share of houses of ill
repute. The huntresses were far from ladies. “My sister and I are not
interested in the activities that go on there. We are looking for
transportation back to our world. Our visit will be short, I promise you.”

The servant directed
them to a building at the end of a long, dark street. The building’s
architecture was less ornate than the palace, but still above Lilly’s
expectations. It made the fortress look like a motel. The warrior hall had
arched double doors painted blood red. The only color used in the village.
Lilly wondered if it served as a warning for outsiders.

They had been
warned it housed a rough group. Women were not permitted in the ranks of
warriors, although there were women assigned to the legions. Lilly had pretty
good idea what role these women played, and they would see some of that
tonight. As they approached, the sweet sick aroma of drugs filled the air, along
with loud music and voices.

“They aren't even
going to let us in the front door,” Kit said.

“Oh, they’ll let us
in. Trust me.”

Lilly scanned the
enormous warrior standing sentry. Over seven feet tall, he had to weigh at
least three fifty packing all that muscle mass. His hair was cut short, almost
shaved to the scalp. A sleeveless tunic hung from his massive shoulders and
tucked neatly into his weathered, leather pants. Oddly enough, he wore no
shoes. As they got closer, Lilly noticed something very unusual. Raised tattoos
covered his deep black-brown skin down the full length of his arms. The
sculpted markings looked like scarifications from a blade. Either way, it was
some of the most beautiful and unusual artwork Lilly had ever seen.

Undaunted, she
strode directly towards the door of the establishment. The sentry’s golden eyes
targeted her. He stepped in her way. “Where do you think you are going?”

His deep baritone
voice tested her resolve. “I want to speak with the commander in charge of this
unit.” She tried to side step around him, not waiting for his permission, but
was blocked by his large hand on the door.

Amusement flickered
over his face. “You ladies must be lost. Servants are not allowed in these
parts. I will make arrangements to return you to your god.”

“You will take me to
the man in charge of this house and you will do it now.” Lilly slipped her hand
down to her katana, which was neatly tucked in its sheath.

The warrior pulled
his lips back over large, white teeth. “Leave, before I show you ladies exactly
what we do with insolent servants.”

The fool didn’t
know who he was talking to. It wasn’t the fact she was Asar’s mate. She wouldn’t
tolerate that shit from him or any man. “Watch your threats, Neanderthal.”

Before his muscles
contracted to grab her, Lilly twisted his arm and pinned him to the ground. The
sentry’s gaze narrowed in on the hieroglyphics on her arms. At ground level
with him, she pulled back her vest and revealed Asar’s mark over her breast.
His eyes about exploded out of his head.

“Now, you will take
me to the commander without any trouble. Do we understand each other?”

He nodded. Lilly
release him, allowing him to stand. He cleared his throat and bowed. “Madame,
please follow me.”

“Oh, I’m going to
like this,” Kit said, a shit eating grin on her face, and followed Lilly into
the dimly lit building.

Hit with a cloud of
offending smoke, Lilly stifled a cough and tried not to inhale too deeply. The
last thing she needed was to have her judgment compromised in the middle of an
orgy. The inside of the hall was even more impressive than the outside. Rows of
Moorish-like arches and pillars spanned the length of the two thousand square
foot room. Naked or bare chested men and women were spread out along the floor
on cushions next to low tables, engaged in various sexual acts with one or
several partners. The warriors mirrored the size and breath of their escort
with short military cuts, linen tunics and leather pants. She struggled to keep
her eyes forward.

There was no
escaping the warriors’ attention. The room fell silent the minute they stepped
into the room, and those who were once occupied stopped to look. The shocked
expressions on their faces were unmistakable.

Looking down at her
clothing, Lilly hissed out a breath. They'd shown up to a brothel in full
huntress uniforms of skimpy leather and bladed steel looking ready for an
S&M demonstration.

A defensive rush of
heat flushed up her back and into her extremities, the same response she
experienced hunting revens. If these warriors possessed any of their Lord’s skill,
they would sense her reaction almost immediately, which would only make things
worse. Based on the increase in warmth to her back, Kit had come to the same
realization.

It was like
entering a hungry lion’s den with scraps of fresh meat dangling from their
bodies. And based on the warriors’ gazes, they were
very
hungry.

Several of the men
got up and walked forward, eyeing them like a special treat. Lilly glanced at
Kit. They had to stand their ground and show no fear. Kit immediately
straightened to her full height and put her hand on her weapon.

“Is this tonight’s
entertainment?” one of the warriors quipped.

Kit smiled and
batted her eyes. “Don’t you wish!” The male closest to Kit focused in on her
back. “Nehebkau!” he barked.

One of the women who
had just finished satisfying one of the males sauntered up to Lilly. She licked
her lips, removing the evidence of her partner’s enjoyment. “Care to have a
little taste?” The whore leaned into kiss her. Lilly snarled and shoved the
woman back into the man’s lap.

Several of the
large warriors in the back moved forward. The largest stepped in front of Kit,
separating the two sisters. “That’s a mighty nice blade you have there. Want to
see mine?”

Kit rolled her
eyes. “I would have a lot more fun with mine, so no thanks.”

Several of the
soldiers laughed at the senior warrior’s expense. Obviously he wasn't used to a
female talking back to him. He raised his hand to strike her. Kit just stood
there with a cocky smirk on her face.

Lilly caught his
wrist as it swung down. His bicep bulged under the strain against her grip. “I
wouldn’t do that, unless you want to lose it.”

The look of
surprise crossed his face as he realized her strength. Not to mention the short
sword she pressed underneath his armpit. The crowd exchanged muted protests.

“Go ahead, Kit. I
don’t think he'll give you any more trouble.” She glared at the others that
were standing just a few feet away. They didn’t move. Lilly pushed forward
following behind the sentry.

Finally, they
stopped at a large table that held the most senior officers. It stunk of power.
They had the most beautiful women, and their spread of food and drink rivaled a
wedding reception.

Lilly hooked her
thumbs in her low waist band while the sentry leaned over and whispered to a
warrior that stood out from the rest. His entire body was covered in raised
tattoos, the detail shockingly gorgeous against his thick muscular body and
ebony skin. A large brand marked his left chest. The symbol matched the
engraved marble shield in Asar’s quarters. Underworld legion. The tattoos and
branding must have to do with rank. This commander held the power and respect
of his men.

The commander laughed,
but cut it short when the sentry didn’t join in his mirth. Lilly crossed her arms
over her chest when he looked at her and then her sister. His golden brown eyes
slid down the length of her body and stalled at her hips, from which hung her
arsenal of weapons. He measured every instrument with his eyes and reflected an
appreciation only a fellow warrior could give. He finished his assessment with
an approving nod.

Only when Kit
turned to stand guard against Lilly’s back did his gaze shift and narrow in on
her sister’s snake marking.

He straightened up
and practically threw the girl that was clung to him across the floor. The
whore got up and gave Lilly the most severe scowl. He ran his hands over his black
skull trimmed hair, and stood up. Clearing his voice, he bowed slightly.
“Please forgive me I was unprepared for your visit. In fact, we have just
learned of your relationship to our Lord. To what do I have this pleasure,
Madame?”

His voice was
strangely polite and polished for such a fierce looking man. Lilly couldn’t
help but trace the tattoos covering the broad span of his bare chest and
shoulders and down to the waistband of his black leather pants.

The hairs on the
back of her neck prickled. Two warriors had moved into position behind them.
Too close for her tastes.

No fear, right.

Lilly forced
herself to remain casual and leaned forward to pluck a few grapes off the
table. “I came to ask a favor.”

All eyes shifted to
her cleavage. Asar’s mark could be seen just under the folds of leather that
puckered when she bent over. The commander shook his head to break his gaze from
her breasts. “What can I help you with?”

“Do you have the
ability to transport to the human world?” She pushed a few more grapes into her
mouth. All eyes were on her motion. The other females vacated the table, knowing
Lilly commanded their males' attention.

“Yes, I do. Most of
my senior officers do.” He looked down the long table that held twenty large
warriors with similar scarification on their torsos, though not to the extent
of his own body.

Lilly pulled her
lower lip into her mouth before she spoke. “I need a ride.”

One of the officers
choked on his wine. She gave him a playful wink. “Careful.” She grabbed two of
the goblets of wine off of the table and handed one to Kit. Smelling it first,
she took a slow slip. Someone jumped up and filled the cup to the top. “Thank
you.”

“It is an unusual
request," the commander said. "May I ask what for?”

“My sister and I
need to retrieve our younger sister. We require transportation and some
reinforcements. Not many, just enough to get through a layer of security and
protection for myself, of course.” She was counting on the fact that the legion
had not been deployed in a very long time. Hopefully this would be an
opportunity he couldn’t resist.

The commander
leaned forward, resting his large palms on the table. The sculpted lines of his
tattoos bulged from his shoulders to his neck, and his dark eyes lightened to
an almost straw color. Finally, he waved his hand and chairs were brought for
the two women. “Sisters?”

Kit turned the
chair around and straddled it. In a more modest position, Lilly sat facing the
commander with her legs crossed.

“Yes, this is my
sister, Kit.”

Kit waved her hand
and then took a big bite out of an apple. Juice spurted out the sides of her
mouth, as she chewed. The warrior to the commander’s left groaned and adjusted
the hard-on that had developed in his pants. Lilly glared at her sister and
gave the silent message to tone it down. They'd have enough trouble facing such
dangerous men, let alone horny dangerous men. She needed them focused on the
task, not her sister. “Our other sister is being held by our old employer and
we want her back. We would all return to Aaru, of course.”

The commander
shifted his gaze from Lilly to Kit and back again, specifically looking at the
hieroglyphics on her arms. Her sister’s were bare. “If you’re wondering,"
Kit drawled, "my powers have yet to be released.” She smiled again and
took another crisp bite of fruit. One of the officers cursed and slammed his
fist on the wood table. Another whistled low, followed by a feral growl.
Clearly, they all knew there was only one way to release a demi-god’s powers.

Energy surged around
the table, the tension as tight as an over-tuned guitar string. Lilly’s heart drummed
rapidly in her chest. What if one of them lurched across the table? Kit wasn’t
completely to blame. Her own attempts at playing it casual had come off
teasingly playful, which only made the situation worse. The commander made no
attempts to contain his officer’s reactions, some of which were obscene. She
was sure the only thing that held them in place was her rank as the Lord’s
mate. Barely. She downed her drink to relieve her worsening jitters. A warrior
filled it before the base of the cup hit the table.

The commander’s
eyes darkened. “I do not mean to be insulting, Madame, but does the Lord know
you are here? Usually, his second-in-command would be making these
arrangements.”

Lilly answered
quickly, trying to keep the fear from her voice. She had to stay in control or
their little adventure would be over quickly. “They are both occupied at the
moment with more important matters, otherwise I would not have wasted my time.
The time frame in which I need to act doesn’t permit me to wait for their
return.”

“If I have your
assurances the Lord would approve of such a mission, then by all means, I will
provide you with what you need.” The commander bowed his head respectfully, but
his expression became ridged and his now gold eyes darted over her shoulder.

Dark energy flooded
into the room like a cool, oppressive fog. A tingle of pain shot down her
spine. Lilly closed her eyes and felt her throat constrict.

Asar was here. This
wasn’t good. Not good at all.

She locked her
muscles, forcing herself to remain seated in a feeble attempt to look unfazed
by his arrival. Tremors threatened to take over her entire body, and would
have, if she didn’t consciously force them down.