Set by Alessa Thorn

21

The sun went down as Set entered Naqada. The place was in uproar, houses burning and people milling about in the streets. Set spotted Miriyam and Isoba and pulled up.

"What's happened here?" he demanded.

Miryam's dress was stained in blood as she reached out for him. "Set. I'm sorry, they had one of the boys."

"Who did this?" he said through clenched teeth.

"A helicopter full of men with guns. They bombed the house, tried to get us to give them Ayla. They shot a boy in the arm, and Ayla turned herself in to get them to stop."

My Ayla. Set went hot then cold as rage and fear battered his heart."Do you know where they went?"

"One of them said something about getting back to Cairo before midnight," Isoba said, putting his arm around Miryam. "Set, please don't lose yourself when you've finally found a purpose again."

Heady power raced through Set's veins, his vision blurring as he got off the motorcycle and handed Isoba the keys.

"I did find a purpose again, and they came into my house, hurt my people, and stole my queen. I'll kill all of them for this," he snarled, his voice changing to the timbre of a vengeful god.

They didn't try and stop Set, just stepped back as he exploded into wind and sand and bloodlust. He headed north once more, his last thought of Ayla's face and the hell he was about to unleash on Cairo to get her back.

With his power riding him, Set turned into a beast of war, the call to spill blood a roar in his ears. It wasn't all war. Underneath was the driving need to protect what was his.

They had taken the only thing he cared about in centuries, and nothing would stop him from getting his revenge.

The lights of Cairo blurred in front of him. Set fought to think through the rage. Where would they have taken her?

Abasi is trying to overthrow Kader. Go where he would feel safest.

Set knew of Abasi's mansion, the nest he kept in the wealthiest area of Cairo, feathered with fine things. He aimed for it, his magic dragging him through the night sky on hot, damaging winds.

The mansion came into view, the extensive gardens lit up and the pool glowing. Men with guns had filled the yard of green grass and lovely flower beds. They were looking up at the sudden winds, confusion on their faces.

Set drew his khopesh and plummeted to the ground. Sand and earth went flying, and men screamed as he whipped his blade around him. Blood and gore went flying, splattering on the pale mansion walls.

Set charged through a door, shattering glass and wood. Guns fired, and bullets melted under the heat of Set's power. He tore through the first level of the house, searching for Ayla and cutting down anyone and anything that got in his way. He hoisted one man up by his throat.

"Where is she?!" he shouted.

"A-Abasi took her to the prison to negotiate with Kader," he stammered in reply. Set tossed him, sending him hurtling through a plaster wall. Golden power shot through the foundations of the mansion, and as Set stepped outside, the whole glittering palace collapsed into rubble.

* * *

Ayla could feelthe tension in the night air as Abasi pulled her out of a town car and through the metal gates of a Cairo prison. She didn't bother to look to the guards to help her; Set had told her that the prison was run by Kader and Abasi by extension.

Where are you, Set?Ayla prayed. She didn't want to have to face her father, not like this.

Hot panic turned her blood to acid, and if it wasn't for the gun Abasi had jammed next to her ribs, she would have run.

Men jeered at her as they passed by cells, catcalls and offers to fuck her blind were shouted out, and Ayla did everything she could not to react.

Set is coming. He would have seen what had happened to Naqada, or Miryam would have called him to say she had been taken. Set is coming.

Abasi pulled her to a stop in front of the cell with two guards. Inside was a man of average build and graying hair. Sharp hazel eyes found hers, and everything in Ayla stilled. They were her eyes. Father.

"Abasi, what have you done?" Kadar said, deadly soft.

"It's what I am going to do that should concern you. You really thought I would keep following your orders when I could simply take everything?" Abasi replied. The doors opened, and he shoved Ayla inside. "A family reunion, how nice."

Ayla refused to look at Abasi and folded her arms defensively around herself.

"Are you hurt?" Kader asked her.

"No. I'm pissed."

"Understandable. I'm sorry you were dragged into this," he said sincerely. Ayla didn't reply. It wasn't the time to have a deep and meaningful chat or a screaming match with her estranged father.

Abasi joined them in the cell, the guard locking the door behind him. "I am going to make this really simple for you, Kader. You are going to sign over your holdings to me, and I'll spare both of your lives. If you refuse, I will start handing your daughter around to the prisoners."

Kader shook his head. "This is madness, Abasi. Don't go down this path. Stop before it's too late."

"It's already too late for you, old man. Sign the papers, and be spared the horror." Abasi handed over a leather folio. Kader opened it, reviewing the documents calmly one at a time.

"You seem to have been very thorough in going through my business and trying to find out all my secrets," Kader replied.

Ayla huffed a laugh. "Except the one that matters."

"Ah, Set," Kader said with a sigh. They shared a knowing look. Kader was trying to buy time by looking like he was considering Abasi's offer. He knew as well as Ayla that Set was coming.

"Set Akhom is a thug. There is nothing worth knowing about him except his price," Abasi snapped. "Kader can tell you of the horrors Set has wrought over the years. You think I am a terrible person, Ayla? I am a saint in comparison. I don't want bloodshed; I want money and power. Dead men can't pay after all." Abasi stepped forward and ran a finger down her cheek.

"Should I speak to you of the blood your father and his dog have spilled over the years? Maybe if you really knew them as I do, you wouldn't hold out hope that Set is coming to rescue you."

A hot breeze blew through the prison, and the hair on the back of Ayla's neck stood up. She could feel the magic building in the air, and her smile was deadly. "I don't have to hope. He's already here."

A golden blade curved out of thin air, slicing a guard in two and sending a wave of blood across the floor. Set appeared through a hole in the sky, slicing upward with his khopesh and cutting the other guard down.

Abasi grabbed Ayla and pulled her in front of him like a shield. Ayla could feel the tremor running through him.

"May I introduce the God of War." Ayla caught the burning eyes of the god in front of the cell bars. "And the keeper of my heart."

"Ayla, my queen," Set growled through blood-stained lips.

"You took your time, beloved," she replied, knees weak with relief.

Set grinned, a wild, dangerous thing. He grabbed the cell bars, hot power turning them soft as butter as he pulled them apart.

"Don't move!" Abasi shouted, grabbing Ayla by the hair and yanking it back.

"You've lost, Abasi. Don't aggravate Set more and make it worse for yourself," Kader said, his voice shaking. "You can't win this fight."

Abasi looked at the glowing, violent god in front of him and back to Ayla. He began to laugh. "You know what? You're absolutely right."

He pressed the gun to her throat and squeezed the trigger.