Thoth by Alessa Thorn

25

Kema didn’t know where to look, so she stared at everything. Anubis was the tallest man she had ever seen. He towered a good head and shoulders above Thoth, and for a god who had lived as a dog for the past five thousand years, he was strongly built.

Wide shoulders sloped down to lean hips and long legs. A golden ankh gleamed on his chest and pulsed with power. Silver hieroglyphs and symbols twisted like chains up his arms before they disappeared under his dark brown skin. Anubis’s black hair hung past his shoulders, and his deep black eyes bored into hers.

She was frozen, unable to move as the predator in Anubis’s gaze told her not to run. He was still gripping Thoth like he couldn’t figure out how to let him go.

“Where is my fucking Ka?” Anubis demanded again. It was the kind of deep voice with so much authority in it that Kema straightened up and paid attention.

“It’s missing, but we will find it, Anubis,” Thoth replied calmly. He placed his hands over Anubis’s and squeezed. “It is good to see you, nephew. I’ve been worried.”

Confusion clouded Anubis’s face, and he swayed. “I’m…hungry.”

“Then let’s eat. Let’s find you some clothes so Kema has something else to look at,” Thoth said, sharp enough that her eyes finally snapped to him.

“I’m in shock,” Kema replied but grinned. The house made pants and a shirt appear. “Would you like me to show him how a modern zipper works?”

“How about you go and see about some food instead?” Thoth snapped.

Laughing, Kema hurried out of the lounge and back to the kitchen where Hermes and Selene were fighting over flat bread.

“Anubis is awake! Himself, I mean,” Kema said excitedly.

“Holy shit, it actually worked,” Hermes beamed and pulled out his phone. “I’ll text Set.”

More food appeared on the table, and Thoth helped Anubis sit. Kema couldn’t stop staring at him. There was something about him that drew the attention of everyone in the room.

“Welcome back, God of the Dead,” Hermes said, filling a plate with couscous and lamb tagine, and placing it in front of him.

Anubis’s head tilted and eyes narrowed as he focused on him. “Cataebatês.”

“What did he just call him?” Kema whispered to Thoth.

“It’s his surname or title. It means ‘of Acheron,’ the river in the Greek Underworld.”

Kema’s eyes lit up. “Awesome.”

Anubis didn’t say another word, only began to eat. And eat. He was on his third plateful when Set crashed into the kitchen, flustered and sweating.

“Nephew!” he bellowed, crashing into Anubis and hugging him tight.

“Set?” Anubis replied, looking so awkward that Kema bit down a laugh.

“It’s good to see you. How did this happen to you?” Set asked, pulling up a chair.

Anubis rubbed his forehead. “I’m not entirely sure. Everything is in fragments. There was a priest, he summoned me, wanted…” Anubis trailed off, looking at his plate. Suddenly his head snapped up. His dark eyes flashed with silver fire as he focused on Hermes.

“I remember going to you for help, and you denied me,” Anubis said, voice going so cold, the hair on Kema’s neck stood up. “This could’ve been over centuries ago, but you walked away.”

“To get more beer! I fucked up. I know I did. But I’ve had my own curse to deal with for the last twenty years,” Hermes said, trying to defend himself.

“Twenty years? That is a blink of an eye compared to my suffering. Five thousand years I struggled against myself,” Anubis snarled. “I hope the fucking beer was worth it.”

“I came to Egypt to makes things right,” Hermes replied calmly, the muscle in his jaw ticking as he squirmed under the silver gaze. “Now you’re back, and we are even.”

“We are nowhere near even, little god.” Anubis sat back in his chair, looking every inch the disapproving master of death.

Hermes let out a disbelieving laugh. “Come on. You wouldn’t even be found right now and sitting upright if it weren’t for me!”

Shadows crowded in the corners of the room and closed in on them. Anubis leaned forward and hissed, deadly soft. “You. Owe. Me. And not even the great Anae Enerôn himself will stop me from collecting on it.”

“Hades would want me to help you in any way I can,” Hermes said, sweat breaking out on his forehead.

“One day I will call on you, and you will give me what I ask for. It is settled.”

Hermes let out a tight sigh. “It is, Anubis. And I am sorry about that night.”

Anubis gave him a sharp nod, and the shadows eased back into their corners. Kema was shaking, and Thoth placed a protective arm around her.

“You should probably get some rest. We can sort out what you need tomorrow. The world has changed, as has the Duat since you’ve been gone,” he said to Anubis.

Anubis rubbed at his chest. “Everything feels wrong. I can feel the dead, but I cannot reach them. I can hear their cries, but not what they’re saying.”

“We’ll help make it right,” Set reassured him. “Let me show you to a guest room.”

After they had gone, Hermes released a breath. “Well, he’s still an intense fucker.”

“He’ll come around,” Thoth replied, but to Kema, it sounded a little bit too much like hope.

* * *

It was latewhen Hermes and Selene finally made to leave. Thoth didn’t know how he had gone from hating the cocky bastard to actually sharing a meal and talking with him. Kema probably had a lot to do with it.

“Have you told her you love her yet?” Hermes asked him. Kema and Selene were hugging and saying their goodbyes a small distance away from them.

“More or less,” Thoth replied.

Hermes groaned. “Just do it, Thoth. What are you waiting for? Hasn’t enough of your time been wasted alone?”

“Why do you care?”

“She’s blood, and you are practically family. There aren’t many of us old gods left, Thoth. Maybe I want to see you happy at last. Ever thought of that?”

“No. I don’t think you actually give a shit,” Thoth replied honestly.

Hermes pouted. “Hurtful and untrue. Stop hiding out in Egypt. Come see the Court and help us sort out all of Darius’s crap.” The god of thieves’ expression shifted. “I know you don’t care too much about what the humans get up to, but be careful of Darius’s type. Egypt has always been the center of ancient magic and artefacts. I don’t want to see you having to deal with anything like the shit show we had in Styx.”

Thoth’s eyes drifted to Kema. “I will. I have a reason to now. I’ll keep her safe, Hermes, no matter what.”

“I know you will.” Hermes gave Thoth a tight, unexpected hug. “Tell her that you love her. Don’t assume she just knows.”

Thoth patted his back awkwardly. “Fine. I will see you in Greece in a few months. Once Anubis is restored and settled.”

“Good luck with that. I forgot how he can make my balls shrivel up when he’s pissed.”

Thoth smiled. “He does that. Whatever he asks for in the future, my advice is to give it to him.”

Hermes nodded and turned to give Kema another of his bone breaking hugs. “Take care of Thoth. Don’t let him become uptight and moody again.”

“No promises. I like him uptight and moody,” Kema replied, making Thoth’s heart swell until it hurt.

“Be seeing you both soon,” Hermes said before he and Selene disappeared, leaving nothing but a streak of magic in the air.