Chapter Fourteen
Bastet sat down on the floor made of sandstone. Her arms were crossed as she pouted before Ra’s throne. His frown unmistakable. Set stood in the back of the room, filled to the brim with shame.
“You were ordered to report back to me after the war. You could have been hurt. Instead you go off an party with Bes?” Ra’s voice was deep and rumbling. Bastet glared at her father. Showing her fangs under her top lip.
“You got what you wanted from your lap dog.”
“That is no way to talk about your fellow Protector!” Hathor scolded from Ra’s right side.
“I wasn’t talking about Set you moron! I was referring to The Gods of War and Peace.” Bastet stretched out as if the meeting was more of an inconvenience than an actual conference with the Lord of Cliupatra.
Dedun snuffed a chuckle from his station behind Hathor. The God of Wealth is never far away from the center of all business and policy making.
“You find something funny Dedun?” Hathor asked accusingly.
“She has a point. If it was a battle worth reporting, shouldn’t it make it to the official records? Rumors are already being spread as to why–”
The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.
Ra lifted his hand in irritation. “We are here in regards to Bastet’s insubordination. Not of the battle itself. That has already been decided upon with the council.” Ra turned his attention to his daughter who was now standing before him.
Guards swarmed Bastet and held her arms out. Ra glared at his daughter from his throne as he sent signal for solders to remove Bastet’s weapons from her person and pull her down to her knees.
“You shall see no favoritism with the exception that I allow you to keep your position amongst the deities and hold title of Protector of the Sands.”
With the last word, guards tightened their grips on Bastet while Sobek, stepped from the shadows. Set squeezed his eyes shut as he watched the reptilian God of Strength and Wildlife creep forward baring his sharp claws and even sharper teeth.
Bastet let out no noise. She gritted her teeth as Sobek slashed at her torso. Blood spilled across the sandstone. When Ra gave the signal, the slashing stopped and Sobek retreated back into the shadows. Once his presence was gone, guards released Bastet.
Gasping for breath, Bastet lay hunched over trying to stop the bleeding. When the guards were back in their stationed positions, Set scooped up Bastet into his arms. Her warmth was wavering. There was no fear that she would die. Being a deity had those benefits. But damage was clearly done. Damage from deities always takes much more to heal than damage dealt by humans.
He formed a portal and stepped through, quickly closing it behind him. They were back in the center of the desert. He held onto Bastet tightly, unsure what to do. Walking up to the stone Bastet likes to lay upon, Set sat down with Bastet in his lap. He held her close while she finally let out tears and whimpers from the pain.
He nuzzled her hair. Holding her close. I am so sorry, he thought to himself. Too awkward to say anything out loud and hoping with all his heart that Bastet could hear him.