Soul Unbound (Key to the Cursed Book 3) (17 page)

“Blackmail and extortion will not work on me,” she
said, ice coating her words. “We are here to train you to use your powers. Not
dissect my soul, a place you breached without my permission.”

“I think I more than deserve to know what is going
on with you. Whether you like it or not we are in this together.” He tapped his
chest. “What happens to you affects me and vice versa. You may not want this
link, but right now it is all we have until we find that gods’ damn book.” His
anger boiled and rolled in his chest. Time ticked against them.

Bast, Menthu, Nebt and the siravants were the
tightly woven threads in the noose around their necks. The cord dug into his
last nerve as the inevitable inched closer. Bomani could not, would not accept
the outcome.

The outcome where he would lose Siya forever.

* * *

Siya heard Bomani’s words, sensed the fury across
the bond to her soul. He had done more for her than anyone in her life. Had
been there in her darkest moments and still came back for more. Everything she
dreamed of was standing right in front of her. She wanted the bond. Wanted him.
Wanted a life filled with love, but she had no idea how to make that happen.
The world hung over her, ready to crush all those dreams the minute she dare
hope.

Unlike her, Bomani had his family waiting for him.
She doubted Asar would not forgive his own son. Her sins would not be so easily
forgotten. Bomani would hate her once he knew.

“You are right. I owe you much. I have something
else to show you. Maybe then it will all make sense.” It was a small gesture,
but it was all she had to share with him. She had nothing else to give. “Come.”
She held out her hand and waited.

Bomani’s chest rose and fell. His cool breath
caressed her face. “Do not hide from me.”

“I will try not to.” In her heart she wanted to be
rid of the burden. His large hand enveloped hers. Concentrating, she found the
location in her mind. Drawing from the energies around them and from within her
soul, she flashed them to the one place she had ever called home.

Bomani hurtled the boulders, following Siya along a
trail to the other side of the now familiar isle. The black beaches had given
way to harsher terrain. They delved deeper into the tropical interior where the
volcanic rock jetted up to the sky. Execution’s whinnied protests at being left
behind echoed off the canyon walls from the beach.

Siya stopped at the end of a dry riverbed. He
followed her gaze up the face of black rock to what looked to be a waterfall at
one time. She crouched and leapt to a small shelf of rock overhead.

He landed next to her. “Where are we going?”

“From here we climb,” she said, pointing upward.

The black rock disappeared into the farthest
reaches of the sky. The top edge was but a sliver from this vantage point.

“To the top,” she said, grabbing a fist full of
rock and propelling herself upward.

He palmed the rock. Its sharp porous surface cut
into his calloused palm. He had a feeling his life was about to change, and he
was not sure it was for the better. He had asked for Siya’s honesty, but he
feared the result. Worse, the two halves of himself were fighting for control.

The answers awaited him at the peak of the
mountain. He inhaled deeply, allowing the floral scent of Siya to seep into his
lungs. An extraordinary amount of strength infused his muscles, unlike anything
he had experienced before. He grabbed a large expanse of rock and hoisted
himself up the face.

His movements were smooth and efficient. The heat
of the climb loosened the stiffness in his joints. Energy and satisfaction
flowed through his body with each foot. The curve of Siya’s ass and strong legs
disappeared over the next ledge. Hand over hand against the stone, the burn of
his muscles spurred him upward.

He leapt to another face, shortening the distance
between them. Despite the pain, he gained satisfaction at the bloody trail he
left behind. He hooked his heel over the upper edge and pulled himself up and
over.

Siya’s eyes widened.

He seized her before she could get a good hold and
pinned her against the rock. “Goddess.” He licked his lips, dying to quench his
thirst with the fine sheen covering her graceful neck and shoulders. It was impossible
to keep his distance from her.

“Warrior.” Her heated eyes met his and her chest
rose and fell rapidly. “Your strength is improving, but you are holding back.”

He had always been in control in everything he had
ever done. Control kept him focused on the goal and minimized distractions. At
this point in his life, he never felt more out of control. “I thought this was
about you, not me.”

“This is about us.”

Us?

“We are in this together then?” He grazed his
fingers along the edge of her shirt. His fingers tingled when he contacted his
glyph. As alarming as it had been in the beginning, he had grown to appreciate
its significance.

“It appears so.” The edges of her lips turned
upward but failed to reach her eyes.

He released her, but the narrowness of the shelf
limited the space between them. “Where are we going exactly?” There was nothing
at the top, just more rocks.

She snaked around his waist, grabbed his shoulders
and jumped on his back. He stumbled, his heels skirting the edge. “Fuck.” He
grappled for a hold on an outcropping of stone.

“Climb,” she hissed in his ear and cinched her
legs tighter around his waist. The heat of her body flared through the fabric
of his shirt.

“You are crazy.” He grabbed ahold and hefted them
both up the side of the mountain. Twenty feet, his foot slipped. He slid and
struggled for a sure grip. Snagging a rock, he halted their descent.

“You are thinking like a warrior, muscling things
to bend to your way. These rocks do not bend, Bomani.”

“No, kidding.” His arms began to shake.

She leaned in tighter to his back, relieving some
of the pressure. Her hand slid over his legion crest. “You are Asar’s son. You
may have a warrior’s body, but you were born a god. It is time you started
thinking like one.”

Bomani looked at her from the side. “What am I
supposed to do exactly?”

“You used your powers once before on me. How did
you do it?”

He shifted to lessen the burn of his legs and
forearms. “It just happened.”

“It did not just happen. You had to will it.” She
looked up. “Focus on what you want and take it.”

He closed his eyes and refocused on his energy and
that of the rock. He thrust his legs and reached for the next grip without
looking.

“That’s it. Thirty feet to the right,” she
whispered against his ear.

Pain screamed through his muscles and bones. Concentrating
on the rocks and shifting his weight so as not to lose the precious package
clinging to his back, he climbed to a ledge where the stone split open. He
dropped to his hands and knees. Siya rolled off and lay on her back next to
him.

“Your body did the work, that is why it hurts.”

He closed his eyes and blew out a breath. Fine
drops of water settled against his skin. “What is this place? It feels
different than the rest of the island.” He lay on his side next to her.

“In the height of the Egyptian Empire when the
humans worshipped us, gods created these realms, each having a sacred core.”

Sitting up, Bomani looked around. A core at the
top of a mountain defied the basic definition. The intense energy ran in
opposition of the world outside.

Siya stood but had to lean to avoid hitting her
head on the ceiling. “It is a temple.” She drifted into the darkness.

Bomani hopped to his feet, his muscles clenching
in protest. He ran his hand along the ceiling to avoid cracking his head open.
In complete darkness, his vision shifted to variations of spectral lights. The
walls shimmered with iridescent hues of blues, pinks and yellows. He crouched
to duck through the narrow opening.

Beyond the low shelf, the stone opened into a
large cavern. Turquoise water fell from an opening in the ceiling into a round
shallow pool, surrounded by moss covered rocks. On the opposite side, a basin of
black water boiled and heaved at its center. He walked over and dipped his hand
in the cool water. “From the Underworld River.”

“Yes.”

Bomani brought the water to his mouth and recited
a prayer out of habit before drinking it. Sadness struck him. He missed home.

“You could return,” Siya said, watching him.

“Too much has happened.” Bomani waved his hand
through the water. He had lost the respect of the legion. The warriors had
pledged their loyalty to his brother, who would no doubt assume Command in
Bomani’s absence.

Bomani rose to his feet and scanned the rest of
the cavern. A large circular stone sat in the center of the room. Carved deeply
in its center was the All Seeing Eye surrounded by a four pointed star.

“A compass?” he asked, drawing closer to the
object. The energy in its center pulled on his soul.

“What else do you see?” Siya asked and stepped
next to him. Her skin glowed and her green eyes shimmered with a silvery light.

Bomani directed his gaze downward. Two of the four
points pointed to the pools. At the northern apex the sound of wind whistled
through holes in the stone. The southern expanse was filled with sand and rock.
“The elements. Earth, wind, water.” He stared at the underworld waters.

“Touch it again.” She moved closer so their bodies
touched. Her hand slid to his wrist and held it out. “Earth, wind, water and…”

“Fire,” he said, seeing the element form in his
mind. Blue flames ignited between his fingertips and the surface.

“Our powers are grounded in these four elements,
although the measure varies in each of us.” Siya leaned into his chest. “Fire
cannot exist without air and heat. Fire erupts because you will it to.” She
broke contact, walked to the waterfall and held out her hand. The falling water
froze in place, suspended. “We draw strength from them, manipulate them.” Removing
her hand, the water began to flow again.

He remembered the first time he saw her burst from
the dark depths of the island’s sea. So at ease. He stared at the seemingly
random hieroglyphics carved into the black stone throughout the room. Symbols
for the Goddess of the Nile. The Nile River, the very water feeding the Underworld
River that gave birth to him. Would it be any wonder Siya and he would be drawn
to each other?

“This is your mother’s temple,” he said, joining
her at the water’s edge. It astonished him at how well the threads of fate were
weaved.

Her gaze jerked to meet his. “How do you know
that?”

He ran his fingers through water. Despite his
will, it merely slowed. Siya owned it. “Truth and destiny can be found here.”

“I suppose it can.” She stared down at the pool.
“I look upon it with a heavy heart. A memory too sharp to bear.”

“Yet, you are at peace.”

“Oddly, yes. It is the magic of the temple, I
suspect. Come, there is more.” She grabbed his hand and pulled him away from
the pools. She entered a large crack. The narrowness forced him to turn
sideways. Warm air whistled through the tighter corners, singing a chorus of
history.

He ducked under an overhang and the ceiling opened
up to what he swore was another realm. A mystical voice carried in the wind.
Another turquoise pool stretched out before them, encased in volcanic rock.
Similar to the smaller pool, this one had a larger waterfall dropping from the
ceiling. Plush green foliage clung to the walls and hung down from overhead.
Bright flowers of orange, pink and yellow crawled up a large branch reaching
out over the water. He could not discern all the floral scents saturating the
air. Only lilacs commanded his attention.

Siya released his hand and parted the soft vines
hanging from the tree above. Lost in the green curtain of vegetation, he weaved
along the soft moss path following her footprints.

Paradise had no meaning here. It was beyond
heavenly.

He could be tempted to stay forever, far out of
Bast’s reach. Now that he thought about it, Bast had not called upon him since
sending him to Siya’s side. Despite his concern and attempt to dwell on such
things, the power of the temple diluted his sour thoughts.

He ducked under a tree branch and came to a
clearing with fruit trees in perfect parallel lines. “Siya.” His voice stalled
as his gaze fell upon a goddess in a bright white flowing gown with ice green
eyes framed by brown hair. Extraordinary beauty stared back at him. He
recognized the sharp angle of her cheek, full lips and almond eyes. Siya stood
with her shoulders back and her chin tipped up, like royalty. The gown draped
from her shoulders in such a way his mark was revealed. “When did you have the
means to change?” he asked, attempting to cover the flush of heat.

Siya’s amused gaze tracked down the front of him.
Bomani followed. His utility clothing had been replaced with black silk pants
and no shirt. “Okay,” Bomani said in disbelief. He walked forward and scanned
the room. “My apology, goddess. I am looking for a friend.”

“Funny.” She smiled with a twinkle in her eyes. Turning
towards the tree, she plucked two red apples from the branches.

His gaze consumed her exposed skin. So much flesh in
need of his attention. He stepped up behind her, his fingers itching to touch
her.

“Apple?”

“Should I be concerned?” he asked, a certain
legend coming to mind.

She bit her lower lip, failing to suppress her
grin. “Stop with the jokes.”

He chuckled and gently grasped her waist. “I
cannot seem to help myself.”

“It is the magic of the temple talking,” she
replied, attempting to bring seriousness to the subject.

“Are you sure?” He trailed his lips along her
exposed neck and shoulder and slipped his hands under the fabric of her dress.
Her silky skin heated under his touch.

“We really need to talk,” she said on a long
exhaled breath. Despite her words she made no attempts to pull from his grasp,
but tilted her head farther to the side.

Bomani’s gums burned and his fangs ached to taste
her. He widened his mouth, intent on consuming her. At first prick against her
skin, she jerked away. He closed his jaws around empty air.

She backed away and covered the small droplet of
blood on her neck. “We talk first.”

“Then let us talk,” he said, frustrated and
unfulfilled.

She walked the path on the opposite side of the
trees. “On the beach when we first met, I was meeting Haru. Do you know of
him?”

Bomani nodded, although he never met the god
personally. “The neutral party among the protectors.”

“He was my mother’s friend and confidant. Raised
me in her absence.”

Bomani stopped and turned to look at her through
the branches, annoyed she needed the barrier between them. “When did you lose
her?”

“Six months after my birth.”

He knew the handful of names of the gods who had
passed onto the afterlife and Anuket was not one of them. It was rare a god
died, let alone with honorable intentions. If not by the Mevt daggers, then it
was self-inflicted. He held his tongue and followed her along the orchard’s
path.

“I grew up believing she killed herself because
she could not raise the child of the monster who attacked her.” She fidgeted
with the fabric of her dress and raised her eyes to meet his. “All lies. Menthu
did not rape my mother. They were bonded.”

“Menthu bonded?” Bomani failed to hide his horror.

“I think this is where they used to meet.”

Bomani ducked under the tree’s canopy. Siya’s life
and behavior was beginning to take shape before his eyes. “What happened?”

“The Council decided it was an unholy union. They
took her from him. The separation was too much.”

Bomani had only known the monster. Menthu
instigated war among humans for sport. When that was not enough, he released
the reven curse upon the human realm. The God of War had declared war against
the Pantheons and almost killed Asar during the battle of Thebes. It was hard
to digest the terrifying male had been in love. Even harder to believe the
Goddess of the Nile had actually loved the monster. In all the days Bomani
hunted Menthu, he never considered the God of War’s motivation. Nor did he care
for someone so innately evil.