CITY OF THE GODS: FORGOTTEN (42 page)

“Count to three. One . . . two . . . three!” Tenh-Mer chanted as they both pushed off at the same time into complete darkness.

D’Molay was expecting to be jerked into the air, but instead he found himself plunging to the ground. He cried out in terror as he fell, dragging Tenh-Mer down with him.

“Uhnnn . . .”
 
Tenh-Mer strained and breathed heavily, flapping her wings and pulling hard on D’Molay’s arms as she tried to gain altitude.
 
D’Molay felt his stomach seem to hit the ground as Tenh-Mer’s wings did their work and the rest of him was hefted higher into the night. He swore as they skimmed the tops of the palms then swung around in a large circle to slowly descend towards the street. Tenh-Mer barely managed to keep D’Molay above the high wall as they crashed into a tall tree that grew just beyond it. Branches swiped him across his face and arms as they collided and fell.
 
Finally they stopped, both caught in the tree limbs.

Tenh-Mer was wrapped around a branch which had hit her in the solar plexus. Her hooves dangled down just over D’Molay’s head, while she struggled to avoid sliding completely off the branch. Looking down at D’Molay, she winced. “Sorry! Are you all right?”

D’Molay was scratched and bruised in several new places and felt a pain in his shoulder he hadn’t had before the landing. Considering that he had almost fallen to his death he felt could live with such minor complaints. “I’m a little dizzy but I guess I’ll live.” He looked down across the open plaza and spotted Aavi safe against a section of the outer wall. A spark of annoyance rose up in him. “How could you hit this tree, Tenh-Mer? There was plenty of room all around.”

“I was
trying
to hit the tree. I needed to break our fall because I couldn’t hold you any longer. I was too tired after carrying Aavi. Sorry.” She started to climb down from her higher branch.

He looked up at her, and as the fear from the flight passed he started to feel the strong attraction once again, especially considering his view as she clambered in the branches above him. Quickly, he averted his eyes from her enticing form and forced himself to climb down to put some distance between them. D’Molay concentrated on the task of reaching Aavi to keep him moving down the tree to the ground. Once down, he scanned the cobblestone street. Although there were a couple of pedestrians far down the lane and a carriage passing along the nearby street, it seemed no one was paying them any attention. He sped to Aavi, leaving a trail of blood from his still bleeding arm.

D’Molay bent down and felt her forehead. She was warm to the touch and he could see her chest move up and down as Aavi breathed somewhat irregularly. He noted that as always she looked exquisite. Then he heard the familiar clip clop of small hooves coming up behind him.

Standing next to D’Molay, Tenh-Mer put her hands on her hips as she spoke. “So this is Aavi, huh?
 
I didn’t really get a chance to see her while I was flying.” She paused and gave Aavi an appraising look. “She’s very pretty. I can see why she’s your favorite.”
  

For a moment, Aavi opened her eyes and looked up, though she didn’t appear to really recognize either of them. “D-demon?” She blinked once more at them before her eyelids fell again like heavy weights.

“She recognized you, at least,” D’Molay said as he stood up.
 
He looked over to Tenh-Mer and for the first time since they had met, he saw her as she truly was - a young woman trapped in the form of a temptress. Tenh-Mer was a real person with feelings and frailties all her own, despite her horns, wings and sexual aura. He turned to face this demon girl, took her hand in his, and looked her straight in the eyes. “Despite that landing, I’ll be forever in your debt. Without you, I never would have gotten in or out of Set’s Temple and Aavi would still be Set’s prisoner. Thank you so much, Tenh-Mer.” He gave her hand a squeeze, then threw caution to the wind and gave her a big bear hug.

She stood quite still before gently hugging him back, “Just trying to help. Besides, it was kind of fun. Beats sitting in Sekhmet’s throne room all day. Uh oh . . . Sekhmet! I really need to head back! Will you two be all right now?”

D’Molay forced himself to let go of her as she nervously backed up. “Yes, yes. We’ll get a carriage ride back to my home.
 
It’s not far. Will you be all right to fly now?”

She tilted her head and looked at him, “Sure. Without all the extra baggage it’ll be a breeze.
 
Don’t forget, Sekhmet still owes you a favor. This one’s on me. Good luck, take care of your arm and your . . . friend.”
 
She started running down the street to gain momentum for her take off.

“Thanks Tenh-Mer - goodbye,” D’Molay called after her as she jumped into the air, her pink wings whipping into position to take her aloft. D’Molay bent down and picked up Aavi.
 
He carried her down the dark streets, looking for a carriage to take them home.

Aavi’s limp body was dragged down a dark hallway. She was unable to struggle as she was pulled along the cold stone floor. Every bone felt as though it was shattered into many pieces. Her eyes were stuck open, and she could see others being tortured in the cells they passed. Lost in an ocean of pain, Aavi realized Set was taking her back into the room with the large balcony, where she’d first met him.

 
“You are useless to me. I thought you were special, but you are nothing! Not even worthy to be a slave!
 
All that talk of your powers was illusion,” Set snarled at her as he moved closer and closer to the balcony. “You have no powers. You were never even born!”
 

She tried to beg for mercy, but only a gurgle came forth from her split lips. She could feel the blood flowing out of her wounds as the pain continued to ravage her.

Set shoved her to the edge of the high balcony.
 
“And now you dare to bleed on my floor? I am done with you, Aavi - DONE!”
 
He picked her up and threw her over the rail. Aavi plunged into the darkness and kept falling. It wasn’t until she felt the air whizzing past her that she was able to scream.
  

The sun was low in the morning sky when D’Molay was jolted awake by Aavi’s screams. He jumped out of the chair he’d been dozing in and ran to her as she writhed on his bed in distress. “Aavi, Aavi!”
 
He rushed to her side to hold her close, trying to wake her from the nightmare.
 
As he held her tightly and spoke to her, Aavi’s eyes suddenly opened wide in horror and pain. Whatever she was seeing, it was not in this room. She gasped as if she had to fight to breathe. He held her face close to his, to trying to bring her back to reality.
 
“Aavi - it’s all right.
 
You’re safe, and it’s over!
 
You’re safe now! Aavi!”
 
He was near panic himself at this point. Had her torturers driven the poor girl completely mad?

“Wha . . . Wha . . . whu . . . ” She tried to speak as she stopped screaming. Her entire body was rigid in his arms. He began to rock her slowly, hoping to soothe her as one would a small child.

“It’s all right, Aavi.
 
It’s all right. You’re safe. Shhhhhh
 
. . . just try to breathe now.
 
It’s all right.”
 
He continued to rock her slowly and speak in soft tones. After a few moments she started to breathe normally again, her body beginning to relax in his grasp.
 
Then he felt her shake uncontrollably as she held him tight and started sobbing.

Sitting there on the bed with Aavi, D’Molay tried not to think about what she must have gone through, but it was no use. Anger began to fill his thoughts. He could only imagine what had been done by Set and those slavers. He felt that if he could kill a god, he would hunt each one of them down personally and rip off their heads.

Aavi finally shifted and pulled away to sit up and look at him. Tears had been streaming down her face and she looked exhausted. She sniffled and then saw his face, “D-D’Molay? Y-you’re angry. Why?”

His fury immediately faded away as if she had drained it from him. “Oh Aavi, after all you’ve been through, you’re worried about why I’m angry?” D’Molay held her close again and kissed her on the top of her head. “I’m mad at those who hurt you. I don’t want you to be hurt again, ever!” As he held her and slowly ran his hands through her golden hair, it was he who was crying inside, and she who tried to comfort him.

“I-I don’t belong here,” she said vaguely, hugging him again, taking in the comforting smell of his hair and the leather clothing he so often wore. For the first time since she awoke screaming, she looked around the room and realized the place was new to her.
 
“Where are we?
 
Is this the palace or the prison?”

“Neither. This is my home. I brought you here last night after Tenh-Mer flew us away from the prison. I guess you don’t remember any of that, do you?”
 
He patted her on the shoulder as he stood up and stretched. “I slept in the chair over there to keep watch.
 
We’re safe here, Aavi.”

That was probably a lie. D’Molay didn’t want to worry Aavi any more than necessary, but he would be surprised if hordes of guards weren’t already scouring the streets for them. He bent down to pick up his boots, just in case they had to run again.
 

As he put his boots on, Aavi took a closer look at her new surroundings. “So this is your bedroom?”
 
There was still a quiver in her voice as she spoke. He couldn’t help but notice her chest heave as she breathed out a big sigh of relief, seeming to relax a little more.

Despite the fact that Aavi had just gone through a traumatic experience, been dragged through a grime-covered gap in a roof, and had spent the morning crying, she now looked as if she had just stepped out of a romantic painting. She had not a mark or smudge on her. No bruises, dirt or even puffy eyes from crying marred her appearance. Only the ragged clothing she wore showed signs.
 
Dried blood and rips and tears told the story of their escape. D’Molay knew that her pristine appearance was some kind of spell, but it was still fascinating to see its effect upon her. Nonetheless, he had to remember that she had been through a horrendous experience.
 
Her physical appearance may have healed, but there was no knowing how deeply the mental scars of her trauma might run. It was too risky to leave her alone now that he had finally found her. This time, he wasn’t going to let her out of his sight. Aavi would be hunted by Set’s guards and who knew what else. Until she had a chance to get her memories back and learn who she was, D’Molay had decided that he was going to protect her, no matter the risk.

He turned and walked back to her, picking up a goblet with fruit nectar in it. “Here, drink.
 
You need something to keep your strength up.”
 

She took the goblet from his hand and took a sip without asking what it was. The taste was sweet and she liked it more than the bitter drinks she had sampled at the Slaver’s den.

“I . . . I remember crawling and falling? And a pink girl with wings.” Her voice trailed off as she tried to remember more.

D’Molay poured himself a goblet of the nectar. “Yes, that’s right. You were in shock when I found you. I had to carry you out of there. The pink girl flew you to the ground. Don’t worry about trying to remember everything.”

“But I do,” she said softly.
 
Aavi stared at the floor for a moment trying to keep from crying. She felt the tears welling up as images of Set’s tortures flashed through her mind’s eye. She felt a gentle hand on her shoulder.

“It’s over now. Try not to think about it, for your own sake. Why don’t you tell me about the Oracle?” D’Molay hoped that the change of subject might help her forget whatever horrors she was reliving. He sat on the bed and patted her hand in a fatherly way.

Aavi turned and looked at him vaguely.
 
So much had happened; she had almost forgotten her visit to Buddha’s Retreat. “The Oracle? It was so strange. I’m not even sure I really spoke to the Oracle. I spoke to my reflection in the water and it talked back to me.
 
Kafele said it was the Oracle, but I don’t know if I can believe him anymore.
 
He lied about so much.”

For now, D’Molay decided not to tell her that Kafele had been turned into stone and broken into pieces, or that he had been cut in a sword fight. He had taken time to tend to his arm. Under his shirt the cut had been cleaned and bandaged so Aavi wouldn’t notice. D’Molay steered the conversation back to Buddha’s Retreat, “I’ve heard the Oracle appears in different ways to those who visit it. What did your reflection tell you, Aavi?”