Total pages in book: 126
Estimated words: 123065 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 615(@200wpm)___ 492(@250wpm)___ 410(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 123065 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 615(@200wpm)___ 492(@250wpm)___ 410(@300wpm)
I lower my head until my mouth touches hers and whisper, “I’m actually winning, because it’s me holding you right now, not the gods. Pick whoever you want, I don’t give a shit, but if I could ask one favor.”
I cup her neck gently, and I know I’m not gentle, it’s not in my character. It’s always black and white, life or death, but I need this moment.
She doesn’t pull away from me in fear, she’s still under me. “What do you want?”
“To pretend,” I say with so much shame that I almost can’t ask. “I need to pretend for just a few seconds.”
“What are we pretending?” She draws back and gazes at my face. I know my eyes are still black; it was the only protection I could give myself while my heart continues to thaw from her presence.
Something ugly.
Something terrifying.
Something that would push her away in fear.
“Kiss me like you would a man, not an angry immortal sun,” I whisper. “Just once. Think of it like another contract.”
“Just because you’re Ra doesn’t mean you aren’t still fully man.”
I almost laugh. “I wish that were true.”
“But you have—” She stops herself. “You look like a man, just a really large one with…spears and fire for eyes.”
Another laugh rises, but I squash it. Instead, I think I’m disappointed that she didn’t jump at the chance to kiss me but rather chose to argue.
She leans in, but I break away from her, dropping my hands to my sides and shake my head at her. “I am nothing like you’ve seen.”
“I saw the armor, I saw all of you,” she says. “You burn.”
I shake my head and walk out of the cave and stand on the sand, facing the sea. “You want to truly know?”
Her chin dips in a nod.
“Remember that you asked for this.” I say against the wind.
Dag takes one look at my black eyes and starts to run up the stairs.
Good, he should run. It’s best to remind people of who you are, create that fear again.
I snap my fingers then look up at her, eyes blazing with orange flames begging to singe the world yet forced to keep it feeling warm and safe.
My bronze skin glows in the moonlight as if I’ve dusted the very stars I helped create across it.
“You want to see!” I roar, my voice rumbles in my chest. Then I stand. My robe falls to the side. I’m completely naked, worshiping the sky, holding my hands out as my hair falls past my hips. I am the Lord of the Sky, I am the Sun, I am Him.
Hieroglyphics appear up and down my arms, my neck, and finally one on each cheek, illuminating golden light from each of the glowing symbols.
Cleo gapes and then falls to her knees, watching me. Worship the sun and darkness will eventually fade into oblivion—worship the darkness and you’ll cease to see the light.
I know what I look like, my eyes are glowing, strands of my hair look like they’re on fire, my mouth is searing hot.
For I am Ra.
Creator of worlds. Destroyer of Chaos.
I spread my arms wide. “What do you see?”
Tears flow down Cleo’s cheeks. Her whisper would nearly be impossible to hear if I wasn’t who I am. “A god.”
I cross my arms in front of her and draw a sword in each hand, both covered in fire. My eyes don’t leave hers. “Are you afraid?”
She reaches for me, her hand dirty from pressing it against the ground. It’s been a long time since a human has looked at me this way; with both near worship and fear. She gets to her feet. “Come.”
“You dare to order me?”
“You dare not follow?” She lifts her chin.
Nostrils flaring, swords still in my hands, I march into the cave and face her, the way I was made, nothing covers me except for the golden plates of armor barely lining my hips.
I stand in front of her, unaware of what she could possibly want from me and why she’s not screaming and hiding in the cave.
She’s trembling as she reaches for me…then hesitates…then reaches for me again. I go willingly. I see heaven in her eyes, I see depths, I see hope for a future without Chaos without chasing, I see a future with peace.
I sink.
Like a stone getting thrown into the water, I fall into its depths and let the currents drag me down.
I will kill her in a few days.
She knows this.
I know this.
There is no alternative with the laws of the universe, but she still treats me with gentle hands. “I think I’ll kiss you now.”
“Why?”
Cleo’s eyes fill with tears. “Maybe I want to drown in your flames, just once.”
My self-control is gone. I grab her by the hips and pull her against me, kissing her so deep and hard my mouth almost hurts. My armor slams against her hips with a thud.