The first rays of sunlight gently caressed Anaïs's sleeping face. Her sleep had been deep that night, devoid of dreams. Her body had required a full night's rest to replenish the energy she had spent. When she first woke up that morning, the previous evening felt almost distant, like a dream. Her eyelids fluttered briefly before opening for a few seconds to assess the ambient light, then closed again as she turned to burrow deeper under the covers. It was still early, and Anubis would probably come to wake her himself, as she hadn’t set any alarms. If he hadn’t knocked on her door yet, it meant she still had some time to rest.

Despite herself, the image of the jackal god’s face forced its way into her mind: his dark, almost black eyes that seemed to probe her soul with every glance, his sharp features and tanned skin, his perfectly shaven jaw, and his soft lips that she had kissed... Even though the exact memory of their kiss from the night before was almost hazy, the sensations it had sparked in her body came rushing back. Her lower abdomen twisted with a flurry of butterflies, and her thighs rubbed together instinctively to relieve her growing excitement. It was impossible to fall back asleep without dealing with this little problem...

Before sliding her hand towards her intimacy, her mind insisted on ensuring that she was indeed alone in the room. Once her alert senses were reassured, she indulged in her solitary pleasure, tracing circles around her pleasure point. Her eyes were closed, imagining his lips once again pressing against hers and the touch of his skin on her burning flesh. In her imagination, he didn’t just kiss her mouth but devoured her entire body with kisses that were sometimes light, sometimes passionate. His lips caressed her neck, then her shoulder, her throat, and finally, her breasts. He sucked her right nipple, gently nibbling it for a moment. The deity's actions might have been nothing more than an illusion created by her frustrated mind, but the excitement these images provoked was genuine. Her body was burning, and her mind bathed in ecstatic euphoria as she approached release.

She surprised herself with how little it took for an orgasm to shake her muscles just two minutes later as she continued to imagine the god’s lips moving further south, grazing her stomach and thighs, and finally feeling his hot breath on her most intimate area. How erotic could it be to gaze into his grave, dark eyes while he used his tongue to give her pleasure? She might not find out in reality, but her mind had already decided without needing to experience it. She welcomed her climax with relief, spasms rippling through her tense body.

When the euphoria of her orgasm faded, her mind had to face the reality of what she had just done. The object of her fantasy would come looking for her in a few moments, and she would have to spend the rest of her day by his side, all the while remembering that she had touched herself that very morning while imagining him passionately kissing her body. It wasn’t shame that filled her at the thought of facing him, but rather the frustration that, though temporarily soothed, would surely return now that she had let her imagination run wild. She didn’t have much hope for herself if, by chance, her eyes strayed to the jackal god’s lips. Her mind would remind her of the images from the previous night and her little masturbation session, she was certain of it. Her creativity wouldn’t give her any rest now that she had opened that door.

"Don’t betray me, you hormone-driven brain," she pleaded, burying her face in her pillow as if to hide her despair.

Anaïs managed to fall back asleep for a short hour before Anubis came knocking on her door, urging her to get up. Despite her embarrassment, her body had relaxed after her sensual session, allowing her to continue her sleep without trouble. She left her room minutes after waking up, dressed only in her nightgown and barefoot. The floor was warm, and the sun's rays heated it during the day, so she didn't need to wear sandals indoors. Before reaching the living room, where she assumed the God was waiting for her, she made a half-hearted attempt to tame her tangled hair with her fingers. It was the best she could do, considering she wasn't the type to groom herself right after getting out of bed. She preferred to have breakfast first and enjoy the morning light, allowing herself a little sunbathing.

Anaïs entered the living room, but her eyes met no divine presence. She next headed to the gardens, but Anubis wasn't there either. Whether relief or disappointment was the dominant emotion in her mind was impossible to determine. As she turned to go back inside, a silhouette awaited her. A cry of surprise escaped her lips as her heart raced in fear. There was a jackal-headed servant, perfectly still and silent, waiting patiently. She hadn't heard him position himself behind her at all, which, truthfully, sent a chill down her spine. Every time she saw them moving around her, she couldn't help but wonder if they were truly alive. Perhaps they were just magical images or animals transformed into humans, which would explain their silence and docility. The Gods didn’t mistreat them, but they also didn’t pay them any special attention. They usually didn’t even thank them.

The servant held a tray overflowing with various fruits, bread, and honey. To her surprise and delight, there was even a jar of hazelnut spread. It was the perfect setup for a sweet breakfast, just the way she liked it. She was, however, surprised that the servant hadn’t brought her savory dishes, as most people on Earth preferred. How did they know her food preferences? Should she be worried about being spied on by Anubis’s servants?

No point in asking, I suppose; they never talk.

With a shrug, Anaïs focused on the food the servant had placed on the chest that served as a coffee table. The furniture setup wasn’t ideal for eating properly, but the morning sun was pleasant, and she didn’t want to go back inside. Since the chest wasn’t very high, she chose to sit directly on the fresh grass to prepare some toast and peel and slice her fruits. As she ate slowly, observing the landscape and the few birds venturing near the palm trees in the garden, she couldn’t help but wonder where Anubis was and why he wasn’t having breakfast with his guest.

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Only the occasional cries of animals punctuated the heavy silence. Anaïs liked having background noise when she was alone; it was a habit she had developed while living in solitude. After spending several years in an orphanage with dozens of other noisy children, solitude was an unfamiliar and rather difficult feeling to handle. She had never really gotten used to it, or perhaps she hadn’t had the time. However, being alone in her small apartment and here in the afterlife—a completely different world—was not at all the same thing. And then, the little crush she was beginning to develop on the jackal god hinted that she wanted to see him and spend time with him. Without his mother accompanying them all day.

"Sorry for not eating with you," Anubis’s voice suddenly broke the silence as he joined her outside. "I had to take care of the final preparations for the day."

He glanced at her disheveled appearance, straight out of bed and sitting on the ground, but made no comment and simply sat down on the couch beside her. Anaïs had finished her breakfast, but it was not the case for the deity, who helped himself to some fruit from the tray.

"When do we leave?" she asked, suddenly nervous at the mention of their quest.

"In about thirty minutes," he replied after looking at the position of the sun in the sky. "Mother is waiting for us in the Duat."

"Then I should probably go get ready," she said, getting up.

A copper basin filled with warm water and a clean towel awaited her on her dressing table when she returned to her room. She undressed to quickly freshen up, then noticed that a new dress had been provided for her. It was folded on the chest hidden by the screen, so she almost didn’t see it. It was a garment made of fine fabric like the others but with relatively simple patterns. It was a single color, a more subdued cream compared to pure white. The cut was quite different from the previous ones, with a deeper neckline and simple thick straps that left her shoulders and neck bare. There were no jewels to complement the outfit, which didn’t surprise Anaïs. The ensemble was modest and lacked the elegance of her attire from the day before. The signs of wealth had been erased to give her the appearance of an ordinary woman.

Well yeah, can't be discreet with all that gold jewelry...

However, she didn’t skip a touch of makeup, particularly by applying kohl around her eyes. She liked how the black enhanced her gaze, making it more seductive and deep, especially since the women she had seen during their first outing in the world of the living also wore it. It wasn’t a privilege reserved for the nobility or the wealthy.

Satisfied with her appearance, she returned to the living room after slipping on her papyrus sandals. When her eyes fell on Anubis’s outfit, her brain froze for a moment. She didn’t know whether to laugh or secretly appreciate the view. He was only wearing a long loincloth and sandals, leaving his finely toned chest exposed for the young woman to see. She unabashedly observed him for a few seconds, looking him up and down, until their eyes met. She blushed, the images of her morning activity flooding her mind despite herself. The God frowned, clearly not understanding his companion’s reaction, much less why her cheeks had suddenly reddened. Nevertheless, he smiled, as if to tease her.

"Shall we go?" she asked timidly, trying to divert his attention.

Anubis nodded, grabbing a large satchel he had set aside while waiting for the young woman. She could see scrolls poking out of it and quickly guessed that they were the maps he had prepared the day before during their magic session. The rest, she couldn’t see since the bag was closed. Once the bag was comfortably positioned against his hip, the pair left the villa to head to the Duat.

The journey to the desert passed more quickly than Anaïs had anticipated. Her adventurous spirit was now subdued as she faced the real consequences of her choice. Yet, despite her anxiety, a part of her was eager to embark on this quest. Anubis had assured her that the search for the next pieces would be nothing like the debacle of finding the heart, as this time, no one was aware of their coming, let alone their location, making any ambush impossible. They could easily blend in among the peasants and fishermen, traveling peacefully in the south of Egypt. For now, everything suggested there was no danger and that it would be a simple journey along the Nile. Anaïs remained skeptical, but the God seemed confident.

"Have you managed to establish a precise itinerary?" Isis asked without delay when she saw them arrive.

"Yes," Anubis confirmed. "We’ll start on the eastern bank of the Nile, near Waset."

"By the temple of Useret, correct? That’s a good idea. She has remained loyal to Osiris, as far as I know. If we can secure free passage through at least one portal, we can make round trips to explore the entire southern area."

"I thought no one was supposed to learn our identity," Anaïs pointed out, a little lost in their conversation.

"Nothing prevents us from arriving at one of the necropolises instead, to avoid being noticed. Perhaps Hermonthis…"

"And risk Useret turning against us because we’re sneaking onto her territory like thieves?" Isis objected.

"If she’s truly our ally, she’ll be on our side no matter how she finds out. Anaïs is right; it’s better to advance as far as possible without anyone knowing we’re there."

"Very well," his mother conceded after a few seconds of reflection. "She can’t keep that name; it’s far too foreign for the world of the living. It will draw attention to us."

"I’ll let you choose, I don’t speak Egyptian."

Yet, she had never had any trouble understanding the language of everyone she had spoken to so far. What language were they speaking? Was it she who understood them, or the other way around? No doubt, the answer was magical.

The pair thought for a few moments, their faces reflecting their intense concentration. Choosing a name was an important task, even when it was a secondary one. Finally, Anubis was the quickest. If she were entirely honest, she was relieved that he was the one who came up with her new name first. Coming from his mouth, it felt like he was giving her a nickname. There was something more intimate about this choice, or at least, that’s what she liked to think.

"How about Anepout? It’s close to your name."

"Hm… That works, I trust you. The abbreviation would be ‘Ane,’ so it won’t change much, indeed."

Thus, Anaïs experienced her second rebirth, this time as a citizen of the Nile.