Set by Alessa Thorn

10

Set stood barefoot in the middle of his garden and breathed in the warm afternoon air. It felt good to be home, the past months of bloodshed and boredom falling away from his shoulders.

Isoba had given him a gentle lecture on being gone for too long, and he had been right.

This feeling of calm was the exact reason Set never told anyone where he lived. He didn't want his dirty outside life infecting this place of serenity.

He had worried that bringing Ayla there would upset the balance of his house but found the opposite to be true. He didn't like how natural it felt to take her coffee in the bathtub or watch her eat breakfast. Her smile made him yearn for something he never thought he would have again.

Dangerous, dangerous woman,Set thought as he snipped dead leaves from a passion fruit vine.

Set's heart had almost stopped when he saw her walking into the kitchen that morning, a relaxed smile on her face and smelling of warm woman and frangipani flowers. The sundress she was wearing showed off the curves that had been hidden by baggy T-shirts and jeans.

He had fixated on the three small moles scattered in a triangle on her right shoulder, pointing like an arrow to her lovely breasts. He fantasized all day about kissing that arrow and where the dots led.

She's absolutely off-limits, remember?

Kader would probably murder Set on principal if he found out Set's lustful thoughts about his daughter. And they were more than a little debauched. They were becoming a burn in his gut that he struggled to fight against, and the snap of his released god power wasn't helping.

Isoba and Miryam's interruption that morning was a blessing because Set had wanted to drag Ayla into his lap and kiss her senseless, pull the thin straps of her dress down and see if her breasts tasted as good as they looked.

Set swore under his breath. He would have to shift and go for another run that night just to work off some of his pent-up energy.

Because that worked so well last night.

In his wild dog form, he had run the perimeter of the village. Like many of the smaller towns in Egypt, it had shrunk over the years back to a village as droughts and the need for work drove people to the bigger cities. It was still his home, and he knew every inch of it. It was all his property to ensure that it was quiet and safe for its residents.

Instead of going hunting like he should have, Set had come straight back to make sure Ayla was safe. Unable to keep away, he had let her pat him like a common mutt because he couldn't help himself. The feel of her hands running against him had ensured he wasn't going to sleep that night.

"She's just a woman. Pull yourself together," he muttered, throwing a rotten lettuce head into the compost. "She will be gone soon, and you'll be able to go on with life as you've always done."

Thankfully, Ayla was still out in the village with Miryam. Set knew they would get along. Both had quick wits and liked people. He had no doubt that they would have Ayla putting her doctor skills to work. It might be the thing she needed to forget about the bounty on her head, even if it was only temporary.

Set pulled out some weeds that had gathered around his tomato plants and tried to focus on the problems in Cairo and what he needed to do about them. The sooner he did, the better. Ayla could go back to her old life like she deserved, and he could move on to another mercenary job. He was done working for Kader Ayad.

Maybe you needed to get out of Egypt for a while. Set knew Bellona would set him up with a job somewhere if he asked. The Italian goddess knew where all the best action was. Maybe he would get lucky, and he would be sent somewhere far, far away. Like Siberia.

That way, he wouldn't pine over a woman he couldn't touch. Only heroes ended up with the girl, and he hadn't been one in a very long time.

"So this is where you are hiding," Ayla said, wending her way through the rows of plants to reach him. She was barefoot with sun-kissed cheeks and an easy smile.

Oh dear Geb, please swallow me whole so I don't fall in love with this woman.

"I wasn't hiding," Set replied, feeling stupidly distracted by her bare feet in the black earth. "How was your day?"

"Good. Miryam introduced me around the village, and suddenly, I was taking consultations. I've promised to help where I can while I am here."

"Miryam is good at delegating like that. If she finds out a secret skill you have, she'll put you to work using it."

Set crouched down to pick another weed and stilled as Ayla rested a hand on his shoulder. It was an easy, casual gesture that he doubted she was aware of. Ayla was staring around at the garden, a bemused expression on her face.

"Did you really grow all of this?"

"Of course I did. Miryam and a few of the others keep an eye on it when I'm away. Everyone is welcome to come and pick from it if they pull a few weeds at the same time. I can't stay on top of it otherwise."

"That fruit I ate this morning, you grew it?"

"I did," he replied, feeling suddenly and stupidly proud of himself. Set pointed to a row of banana trees. "The orchard is through there."

"Will you show me?"

"Sure. I was heading that way myself." Set stood, and Ayla let her hand fall. He didn't risk taking it in his own dirty one as he led her towards the trees. "I hope the villagers didn't harass you too much. I didn't bring you here to work."

Ayla waved his concern aside. "No, it's fine. They are all lovely people, and I'm not used to being idle when I can help out. I can't sit about and do nothing, so if they need a doctor, I'll help. Everyone I met today had interesting things to say about you."

Set groaned. "Lies, no doubt."

"You setting up the whole of Naqada with solar panels was a lie? Because I saw the panels for myself on every house."

"Well, I did do that. I wasn't going to set it up for myself and no one else," Set grumbled, rubbing the back of his neck.

"And you don't use your god powers to keep this part of the Nile clean for drinking water and with no animal attacks?" Ayla's mouth twitched, and he quickly looked away before he kissed it.

"I don't want to have to fight a hippo every time I want to have a swim," he argued, mentally reminding himself to check his wards that kept the animals away from where the children liked to swim and play.

"Sure." Ayla rolled her eyes at him. "What about when I commented on how surprised I am that no bandits have come through to steal all of the solar panels, Miryam said that you have used wards around the village to scare them off."

"I don't want anyone robbing my temple, that's why. They happen to live nearby. I can’t help it if my warding magic isn’t what it used to be, and it shields them as well.”

Ayla nudged him gently with her shoulder. “You know it’s not a crime to do nice things for people.”

Set folded his arms stubbornly. “I’m a god of war, Ayla. I’m not nice to anyone.”

“Ah huh. Whatever you say.”

“You’re doing that thing again when you try and make me out to be a good person. God. Whatever. Stop it, seriously. I'm not your redemption project or—"

Ayla stood up on tiptoes and kissed his cheek. "You stop it, Set. Now, show me your orchard." She walked past him and into the stand of trees, leaving him staring after her, his cheek tingling and heart hammering.

Ayla ran her hand over the broad leaf of a banana tree. "I'm surprised you have gotten so many species of trees to grow here."

"There isn't much that won't grow from rich Nile soil if it's properly irrigated and fertilized. When I travel, I usually source heritage seeds to bring back with me to plant here. I have peaches from France, Sicilian blood oranges, figs from Kalamata," Set pointed as they walked.

"Amazing. I know what to get you for a present after all this is over," Ayla said, and he grabbed her hand to stop her.

"You don't owe me a present for protecting you," Set replied. "Kader is paying me." He wanted to take the words back, but they were still true. Ayla just rolled her eyes at him.

"Maybe I want to get you something? Although if you keep up this grumpy attitude, it's going to be something like a set of hideous garden gnomes playing croquet," she said, giving his hand a playful shake. "Seriously, lighten up. How can you be so moody in such a nice place?"

Set bit his tongue hard enough to taste ichor.

Because I can't get attached to you, and every time you smile at me, my will to keep my distance crumbles a bit more.

"I can't forget that you are a job, Ayla. That you aren't my friend or my guest," he stammered, chest tightening.

"Can't I be all three?"

"Why would you want to be?" he countered, feeling like he was quickly losing an argument he didn't know had started.

Ayla only gave him a patient look. "Maybe because I like you, and when I like someone, I make friends with them. You do know how friendship works, don't you?"

"And the fact I'm a god of war and the villain of just about every story in Egyptian mythology doesn't warn you off? I can't change what I am even if I try."

"Well, clearly you can because you said yourself that you went from a hero protector to a god of war." Ayla folded her arms. Set ran his hands over his face in frustration.

"If you keep being so stubborn about this, I'm going to have to kiss you, Ayla, so cut it out." She dared to laugh and give his shoulder a condescending pat.

"We aren't that good friends yet, god of war," she crooned at him before leaving him under the trees, staring after her bare brown back and swaying hips as she continued her walk towards the house.

"I'm so done for," Set complained under his breath.