Blackhearted Betrayal (30 page)

I forced a neutral expression, other than the tightened lips, although it wouldn’t do much good
anymore
. Stacia knew damned well I had an alliance with the new Harpy Queen, probably knew we’d become something approaching friends, if ever a Fury and Harpy could become such. Still, she
and
her Jackal-Faced prick of a god had another think coming if they thought I would betray the Triad and Sisterhood merely to save Serise—innocent baby or not. If I could sacrifice my lover or baby brother for the cause, an almost friend wouldn’t divert me from my duty. I couldn’t let it.

Anubis barked out another order, which served to bring Khenti-Manu scurrying to take Serise’s other side. Seeing that confirmed one of my fears: Stacia
did
intend to transmute her spirit into Serise’s body, cementing her vow to become Harpy Queen one way or another.

Nan and Scott pressed closer to me, and the sounds of skirmishes being fought around the room provided momentary distractions, but I grimly forced those sounds out of my mind. Ma’at and the others would have to make due a while longer.

“Anubis, the Jackal-Headed, you have faced Reckoning by Ma’at’s Feather, and your soul has been found wanting. As Nemesis for the Immortal Triad, I am authorized to …”

The golden-masked face let out a cruel laugh. “You have made an amusing opponent, Fury, I’ll give you that. But
I
have the power of transmutation at my fingertips and fear
no
other being, least of all a weak council incapable of protecting immortals from a supposedly
lesser
god’s touch.” At my frankly disparaging expression, Anubis gestured. “Perhaps you require a visual demonstration?”

Rage continued pulsing, and I channeled it to make my eyes glow an even more intense emerald green, something I usually didn’t consciously enhance, but this was the pissing match to end all pissing matches. “Make as many
demonstrations
as you like, Anubis.” His own eyes burned hotter when I used his name alone—something perfectly within my rights as a true demigoddess. “One thing you should have damned well learned by now is that I do
not
respond well to threats.”

Stacia piped in from the peanut gallery with a grudging snort. “True as that may be, former pupil of mine,
you
know just as well that
I
do not make
empty
threats; even less does Lord Anubis.”

“Oh, I’m sure you both have every intention of hijacking poor Serise’s body just the way Anubis ousted Imseti from his—and your crazy-ass girlfriend stole my grandmother’s. But what I’m even
more
sure of is this.” Death magic stirred behind me from the direction of Sahana’s portal, signaling the imminent arrival of the cavalry. “I’m not the only one prepared to fight you with every breath in my Nemesis body.”

Anxiety kept that breath bated until several mostly crimson-tattooed figures rushed out of the portal and positioned themselves strategically around
our
side of the Hall. Only when I recognized my mother pushing her way to stand beside me while Durra stepped to my other side did I finally relax that indrawn breath. More figures rushed out of Sahana’s portal: another group of Furies—these all Megaeras led by Adesina, once again wearing black rather than red leather although something about her emerald green eyes seemed odd.

I shrugged that thought away and turned a satisfied smile toward Anubis and Stacia, who reacted much to my liking. While neither let outright fear show, they
did
reveal nervousness in clenched fingers, tightened lips, and suddenly expressionless eyes. When yet another group poured out of the portal, this time mostly Alectos, a bead of sweat actually broke out upon Stacia’s brow. Interesting how much like the truly alive Anubis’s shades acted.

Seeing the blue Amphisbaena upon the arms of a number of our reinforcements was an unexpected but welcome sight. The Triad hadn’t been sure whether the
Alecto Prime had sworn herself to Anubis, but their presence now suggested not.

Ma’at’s voice rang out before I could make the mistake of taunting my chief opponents. “Anubis the Jackal-Headed, I really
must
insist that you either surrender to these Nemeses to face retribution for your crimes or you and all your minions leave
my
domain at once.”

Anubis let out a hiss that sounded more Cat-like than canine. “Oh, you must
insist
, must you? Making an enemy of me is really not wise, Ma’at.”

She appeared between him and me as if from thin air. Apparently she was already recovering from the magical drain of Anubis’s Reckoning. “
You
made yourself an enemy of mine long before this moment, Anubis. Most especially when you dared to swear my daughters to your own personal service and strike out against fellow immortals.” In another seamless shift, she went from toga-wearing Ma’at to leather-clad badass Nyx, making me feel like a knockoff.

Anubis opened his lips—probably to talk some more smack—but Death magic flared sharply behind us before falling away entirely, replaced by the telltale silvery flow of divine energy. I glanced overhead and my heart soared still further. Only one group of immortals would have reason to commandeer the portal linking the Hall of Two Truths with the Palladium at the exact moment we most needed them. I couldn’t hold back another smile. We’d gone from outnumbered beyond belief and doomed to evenly matched and now, almost assured of victory.
Unless …unless only
Ala
steps out of that portal—
in which case we were pretty much screwed to
all
hell, no pun intended.

But no—the face and form of Father Defender stepped out of that portal, and my fears were washed away. Stalwart Kamanu, who didn’t shrink in the face of his overpowering—and treacherous—wife and remained committed to seeing justice done. Fierce joy soon replaced fear, and I risked a quick glance at Anubis, wanting to see that terror now reflected in
his
expression as it should be, only to find that masked figure’s silver-rimmed eyes shining with what looked very much like triumph. That could only mean that Ala had just hopped through—

I whirled but no, neither of the female members of the Triad had put in an appearance. Just Kamanu, who calmly stepped forward and paused beside Adesina, only to just-as-calmly reach forward and snap her neck.

Shock gripped me so hard that, for several interminable seconds, I couldn’t process what had actually happened. Adesina was a Nemesis like me, she
couldn’t
be killed, not so easily, and surely
not
by the immortal who had championed our cause the most. Any moment now, Kamanu’s peaceful mien would fade and be replaced by a spiteful Ala—but no. Kamanu merely let Adesina’s surprised body fall to the floor and continued on—straight toward us.

Durra let out an agonized scream the moment
her
frozen brain caught up, showing a grief that seemed way over-the-top considering she knew her mother was immortal and could be only incapacitated, rather than killed. Then all at once sudden realization hit as I realized why Adesina’s eyes had seemed off. Kamanu had dispatched the other Nemesis too easily, even for a greater god. He moved on quickly, knowing that her
demigoddess body would repair itself, but not soon enough for her to make a difference. I tensed as he made a circle around we three Furies, gave what could be termed a polite nod to Ma’at, and stopped next to Anubis. I let out a small breath. So he
hadn’t
realized the truth I just had. It might not matter much, but
any
small advantage might tip the scales in our favor shortly. I
refused
to give up hope, no matter how shitty things looked.

They were about to get shittier.

I touched Durra’s shoulder and gave her a sympathetic look, but one that also suggested she needed to buck up. She didn’t disappoint; simply gritted her teeth and followed my gaze to the pair of immortals across from us. The unexpected betrayer, Kamanu, and his lesser lover, Anubis. Since I knew neither of them had ever expressed bisexual tendencies, I had to face yet another unpleasant revelation. Anubis had kept his face hidden not out of an overweening pride in wearing his jackal mask, but because he hadn’t wanted to give a hint at the true traitor. That necessity no longer applied, so he did what I expected—tore the mask away to reveal something I had heard of but never witnessed firsthand: The proof that true immortals were not bound by mortal constructs of gender.

Anubis’s distinctly feminine lips curved into a smile way smugger than any of mine and tossed back her hood to reveal an impressive mane of ebon-dark waves. “Oh, the look upon your face right now is priceless, child. I
did
warn you not to step foot inside my realm again, but you, of course, refused to listen. Now, more than just you will suffer the consequences.”

She motioned, and Kamanu chanted in that immortal tongue, causing light to flash and reveal that he’d had a
companion magically concealed beside him all the while—not an ally, but rather, a hostage. One of the few who, besides those currently outside his reach, might actually tempt me to throw aside duty in order to keep her safe, my agonizingly mortal partner and cherished friend, Trinity.

TRINITY—WHO MUST REPRESENT THAT EXTRA
bit of
insurance
Sean had earlier hinted Anubis would use against me. Charlie let out an angry bellow from behind at the same time I shot a furious glare at Kamanu. Anubis I could have expected to deal such a low blow, but from the supposed
Defender
it seemed unthinkable, especially considering that Trinity likely had ancestors who had once worshipped his traitorous ass. Without them, he would have become nothing, and yet he was perfectly willing to throw all their loyalty and respect aside, not to mention betray his sacred duties to the
Gens Immortalis
—and presumably, his wife—all for what? A piece of Anubian tail? His blackhearted betrayal hurt a thousand times more than Anubis’s had because I’d not only trusted him, I had
liked
him.

Him
I liked, and
Ala
I mistrusted. Gods, I need to get my head examined.

Thoughts of his wife helped me remain calm in the face of his treachery and Trinity’s danger.
Nike, we’re
all
doomed if we can’t get help from Ala and Epona ASAP.
Her failure to argue showed that she agreed completely, which meant that things
were
every bit as shitty as they appeared. Anubis was going to use Trinity as leverage to get me
out
of the fight, and as much as it pained me to admit—I had no choice but to allow him to do that very thing.

I didn’t have to feign frustrated anger. “What the hell are you doing with her?”

Kamanu allowed Anubis to yank Trinity away and simply watched as his lover shoved my bound and gagged friend to her knees before her. “Stacia suggested we would need insurance to gain your cooperation, and I agreed.”

I couldn’t seem to capitulate too easily. “And you were apparently too weak to take any of my family members hostage, so you resorted to involving a
mortal
in something that should remain among arcanes and immortals.”

Her lips tightened, mostly because she knew my insult was all too accurate. Immortals viewed mortals in an even more patronizing manner than most arcanes did. Mortals were to be protected or, at worst, ignored—not drawn directly into our squabbles. Then again, we couldn’t exactly expect a god—goddess—who was willing to break just about every immortal law to have the slightest hesitation in violating mere tradition.

“View this in whatever light you choose, but know this: If you strike against me now, your
partner
dies. And even if you are willing to make
that
sacrifice,
Kamanu and I have ensured that her shade will materialize in Duat, where my priests wait to torment her unceasingly unless I send word otherwise.”

Well
that
explained how they were getting Fury shades to show up where they shouldn’t and arcane shades to retain powers they shouldn’t have been able to keep. Add a very powerful Death Lord to a member of the Immortal Triad, and unnatural miracles were possible.

I let out a hiss of my own. “You slimy little bastard—bitch—snake!” Nike didn’t protest at that last insult as she otherwise might have. She knew I meant the figurative type of reptile who slithered along on two feet.

Anubis patted Trinity’s braid-bedecked head almost affectionately. “I’ll forgive you that one moment of disrespect to show my earnest desire to make a bargain with you. I have no desire to murder and torture innocent mortals, not even to punish your most assuredly
not
innocent self. And considering that you stole not just
one
but
two
of my own subjects, that is generous of me.” She fisted her hand around several of Trinity’s braids and tugged her head painfully upward. “But you will get only one chance at this bargain.”

“I will
not
betray my brethren as you have yours.”

“Fair enough, and not what is required. Simply stand away from the coming battle, and your partner shall not only live, but be returned whence she came, completely unharmed.”

Mom and Durra tensed beside me when I didn’t immediately refuse the deal. I couldn’t risk warning them ahead of time; their reactions
had
to appear genuine. “You will
swear
to that, and all I need to do is stand down from the battle?”