Sobek had left them on the way back as Anubis and Anaïs headed toward the jackal god's villa. They needed to get ready and change before heading to his mother's residence. At least, it was mostly the brunette who desperately needed it. Her dress had dried quickly, but the fabric was wrinkled and almost dirty from the sand, and her hair was terribly tangled after her adventures in the oasis. Not only was her outfit lacking the elegance of what she wore before her death, but she also looked quite messy.

"Wait for me in your room, I’ll try to find something for you to change into," Anubis announced as he left her in the hallway.

Anaïs entered the room where she had slept the night before and went to the vanity she had spotted the day before but hadn’t bothered to explore. It was a beautiful wooden piece of furniture topped with a large mirror. When she caught her reflection, she grimaced at the sight of the damage. She sat down on the wicker chair, whose back was made of majestic, colorful peacock feathers. The chair was fit for a diva. On the vanity, there were numerous pots containing creams, powders, eyeshadows, and even some bottles of perfume and oil. Below, a large drawer held brushes, other cosmetics, and, most importantly, a hairbrush, which she quickly used to detangle her hair.

Once her hair had regained its smooth and silky appearance, she decided to use the makeup on the vanity, since Anubis had not yet returned with her new outfit. He could have just asked a servant to bring her something, but he seemed intent on handling it himself. She found an oil that smelled like coconut and spread a few drops on her face to nourish her skin. Vaguely remembering that the Egyptians of Antiquity in her favorite movies wore black kohl around their eyes, she imitated them, hoping it was accurate. A slightly pinkish powder allowed her to apply a touch of blush to her pale cheeks, and she also used it on her lips, mixing it with cream to enhance their natural color. There were a few lipstick shades, but they were so vibrant that Anaïs didn’t dare choose them. Young women of her time were more accustomed to nude makeup, after all.

As she admired her reflection in the mirror, satisfied with her preparation, Anubis knocked on the door, and she invited him in, turning to face him. He maintained his stoic expression upon seeing her makeup, but the way his gaze drank in every detail of her face was telling his appreciation. Anaïs smiled, flattered by his attention, even though he tried to be as discreet as possible.

"Here," he said, approaching and handing her a new dress similar to the one she had been given that morning. "I’m not sure if it’s the right size."

Anaïs unfolded the garment to assess it while the god stepped back, holding a jewelry box in his hands. He was about to leave the room to give her privacy while she changed, but she called out to him before he could pass through the door. Did he really plan on escaping after practically devouring her with his eyes? It was a mistake to think that the young woman wouldn’t use this information to tease him. The image of his mother demanding that she not distract him flashed through her mind, but she quickly dismissed it. They were both adults; a little flirting wasn’t going to kill them.

"You can stay, I’ll use the screen," she instructed innocently.

Hesitant, Anubis turned around and eventually leaned against the wall opposite the panels to ensure he wouldn’t catch a glimpse of the young woman’s silhouette. As she slipped into her new outfit, she could hear him nervously tapping on the jewelry box he held tightly in his hands. The dress he had chosen for her had the same cut as the previous one, but this one was more colorful, with blue and gold patterns extending from her waist to the neckline. The skirt was entirely white, balancing out the vibrant top to make the overall look more distinguished and less festive. The train was just long enough to touch the floor, hiding her sandals when she stood still. It was a good choice for a dinner in the company of several deities. He had even thought to bring her a clean pair of underwear. His thoughtfulness made her smile tenderly. No bra, though. Fortunately for Anaïs, she didn’t have a particularly heavy chest, so leaving it bare wasn’t uncomfortable. She just had to get used to this newfound freedom.

"All done," she declared, stepping out from behind the screen to submit herself to Anubis’s modest gaze.

Still no reaction from him, not even a comment. He silently approached her, the box still in his hands then opened it and took out an imposing semi-circular necklace. It had several rows of beads alternating in color between white, turquoise, and gold. The whole piece was mounted on a thick string with a bronze clasp. He placed the box on one of the chests near the bed as Anaïs turned to present her back to him, sweeping her hair aside. When he stepped closer to her and she watched out of the corner of her eye as his arms moved over her head to place the necklace around her neck, her heart began to pound wildly in her chest. Suddenly, the gesture seemed incredibly intimate. When his fingers brushed against her skin as they slid up her shoulders to grasp the clasp of the necklace, she shivered, the hairs on her arms standing on end with emotion. She could feel his warm breath against her neck even though they were separated by several inches.

Anubis fastened the clasp slowly as if trying to prolong the moment longer than necessary. When Anaïs felt the weight of the necklace settle against her neckline, she turned to face him. He hadn’t stepped back and was relatively close to her, allowing her to gaze directly into his eyes. She felt as if she were being drawn into his hypnotic gaze and the intense connection, a mutual feeling. Anubis made no move to step away from her—on the contrary, he remained perfectly still, almost as if waiting for something. The moment lasted only ten short seconds, after which the god seemed to regain his senses and took a step back, his gaze discreetly sliding down to the young woman’s lips before darting away toward the surroundings, almost as if embarrassed.

Oh no, you’re not getting away with that after practically devouring me with your eyes, she decided impulsively and with determination.

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Before he could turn away or take another step back, Anaïs leaped forward and pressed her lips against his without hesitation. At first, she thought he might push her away, but he immediately accepted the kiss, sliding his fingers into her hair and around the back of her head to bring them even closer together. There was something urgent in the way he kissed her, a fierce desire that he was trying to control, but which was palpable to the young woman and sent an explosion of butterflies fluttering in her lower abdomen. Her mind was intoxicated by his touch, euphoria washing over her as she felt his skin against hers. The longer the kiss lingered, the weaker her legs became, and her body temperature rose, a reflection of her growing excitement. Yet she dared not make any further move, fearing it might break the moment.

When she felt the pressure of his thumb sliding across her scalp, almost like a massage, a muffled moan escaped her lips. She had completely lost herself in the moment, much like Anubis, who, despite being somewhat aware of what was happening, decided to break the contact between their lips upon hearing the young woman’s exclamation of pleasure. He cleared his throat awkwardly, then looked away, completely shattering the magic of the attraction between their bodies.

Anaïs was mortified. She didn’t regret the kiss at all—it had been very... intense—but had he really just pushed her away because she had moaned? She abruptly turned her back on him, shame flooding her mind. A glance at the mirror revealed that her face was red, and she had no doubt it was the result of her excitement mixed with the pure embarrassment she felt at that moment. She wasn’t ashamed of having moaned; she wasn’t prudish, but the timing of his rejection was extremely awkward.

"I’ll wait for you in the living room," Anubis announced hesitantly.

Faced with Anaïs’s lack of immediate response, he didn’t wait and left the room. Or rather, he fled, because it was clear he was trying to escape the embarrassment of the situation. When she heard the wooden door close, she sat down on the seat in front of the vanity and sighed, taking a long breath to calm her nerves. This was not how she had imagined a little innocent flirtation with the deity would go. Neither the intensity of the emotions she felt during the kiss nor the way it had ended. The tension in her lower abdomen didn’t lie; her attraction to the jackal god was obvious.

"Checkmate, Anaïs," she muttered aloud, disheartened. "You got caught in your own game. In record time."

An hour later, the pair were seated at a large table in a dining room illuminated by numerous candles to counter the gradually setting sun. There were still a few rays of light streaming through the windows, but the pink sky announced the end of the day and the onset of night. Isis and Nephthys were seated on one side of the table, while Anubis and Anaïs sat opposite them. The mistress of the house had greeted them by immediately inviting them to the already-set table, not without first appraising the brunette’s outfit. She hadn’t commented, which could be taken as a sign of approval, and had simply greeted her politely.

The servants with falcon heads, the true form of Isis, quickly brought out several dishes, placing them around the table for everyone to serve themselves. For a small meal with just four people, Isis had spared no expense. There were numerous vegetables, various meats and fish, rice, soup, and multiple dishes with different flavors. It was a veritable buffet, far too much for just four people. The concept of waste seemed foreign to the deities, which wasn’t surprising given the abundance of resources in the Duat.

Anaïs couldn’t recall ever having endured such an awkward dinner. She almost wished Sobek could have joined them to lighten the atmosphere. Nephthys was extremely quiet, the nervousness that had consumed her that morning still clinging to her despite being safe in Imentet. She was no longer ignoring the young woman, but neither did she speak to her. In fact, she spoke to no one. Her mind was probably still in shock, paralyzed by fear of her husband. Isis tried to engage her son in conversation, but he only responded with short phrases and a closed-off demeanor. She took advantage of the one-sided conversation to occasionally insert a sarcastic remark about the tension between the two young people. Her inquisitive gaze probed them, and she quickly deduced that something had happened between the two. Anubis acted as if nothing was wrong, although he was clearly withdrawn, and Anaïs simply didn’t dare to speak beyond giving brief responses when asked a direct question.

"Well, since no one seems in the mood for a pleasant conversation, let’s talk about the next steps in our search," Isis suggested with a sigh.

The goddess was about to ruin her appetite if she insisted on bringing up such a serious topic at the table. Couldn’t she wait until they had finished eating? Anubis also sighed, which didn’t escape his mother’s notice as she shot him an irritated look. The god got the message, as he quickly composed himself and focused on the topic. Now wasn’t the time to confirm that something had happened between them.

"We should start in the South," he recommended after a few seconds of thought. "For now, Seth doesn’t know that we still have the amulet’s powers. He isn’t foolish enough to think we’ll abandon the search, but he won’t suspect that we plan to resume it the very next day. The farther we start from him, the longer we can go unnoticed."

"You’re talking about the amulet, but... I have no idea how to detect the pieces," Anaïs interjected in an uncertain tone. "If I’m supposed to feel them or if they’re supposed to glow or something, that’s not happening."

A minute of silence settled over the dining room. The idea that an Akh could possess the properties of a magical object was a rather unusual situation, even for deities. They didn’t know any more than Anaïs did about how she was supposed to activate her detection powers.

"The amulet allowed me to visualize the pieces and the environment in which they were located by focusing deeply. Perhaps you could do the same," Anubis suggested thoughtfully.

"Let’s finish eating," commanded Isis. "Anaïs can attempt the exercise right after, so we know what to expect."

She didn’t express her last remark in a disdainful tone, but it was clear that she had little faith in the young woman’s success. Her attitude reminded Anaïs of a somewhat strict and cold teacher who strongly doubted the intelligence and abilities of their student, but who nonetheless remained professional.

Thanks for the vote of confidence, Anaïs mentally complained, sighing discreetly. That doesn’t put any pressure on me at all.

She fiddled with her plate, playing with her fork for the rest of the meal, her appetite suddenly diminished. Fortunately for her stomach, she had already eaten well before Isis brought up this delicate discussion, but she would have consumed more of the delicious dishes if it weren’t for the stress suddenly knotting her stomach. When the four of them had finished their plates, the servants returned to clear the table and then set out all sorts of appetizing desserts. Anaïs was delighted to find various sweet pastries containing familiar ingredients such as dates, grapes, and honey. There was even a hazelnut cake she couldn’t resist tasting a slice of. Sugar always eased her stress and calmed her nerves, so she didn’t hold back.

And, above all, she was going to need strength for her first magic session.