He nodded to Ky, and Seth felt the weight on his shoulder and arm lighten. It was just enough to easily pull away, yet Seth waited. He wanted the right moment to act. Seth glanced carefully at the subordinate priests still in their trance and then back at his father.
Sean raised the dagger over his head. “With the cutting out of this woman’s heart, I cast her into Duat for all eternity. Her ka and ba left to the mercy of Set and the—”
Seth grabbed Ky’s wrists, wheeled himself to his feet, and threw his friend right into the offering table. Ky’s skull cracked the stone slab, and his body slumped to the floor. Natti screamed, but her body didn’t move. Sean stumbled back in shock. Seth rushed him, grabbing hold of the dagger.
“What the hell, Seth?” Q bellowed.
Seth didn’t have the time to think much less answer. Natti’s eyes followed the dagger while he struggled with his father. With all his strength, he pulled the tip of the blade away from her and tried to steer it toward Sean. However, his father was just as strong and slowly turned the blade toward Seth’s heart.
“Seth!” Natti shouted next to him.
Seth shifted his weight and swiped his leg behind Sean’s calf. They tumbled over each other, colliding into the side table. The clay embalming jars rattled, one slipping over the edge and shattering on the stones. The syringes rolled to the floor. Seth grabbed his father’s hand, securing it to the grip of the blade.
Sean freed his other hand and grasped Seth’s throat. His father’s fingers pinpointing the muscles of Seth’s neck. His airway cut off from any oxygen. His mind started to spin, and he began to lose his strength, the dagger’s blade inching its way toward his ribs. Reaching over Natti with his free hand, Seth scooped up the bowl of blood and tossed it into his father’s face. Sean roared as the liquid hit his eyes. The dagger slipped from their possession and clattered to the other side of the altar.
Seth released his father and rushed over to Natti. “Come on. We’re getting out of here.”
Natti gritted her teeth and screamed. “I can’t! I can’t move!”
Seth gently laid a hand on her arm, letting his magic soak in from his touch. He called on the power of the name she had given him. “Natti, get up.”
The spell took hold of her, Natti’s body recognizing Seth as her master by his powers. She sat up and swung her legs over the edge of the slab. The motion was choppy and clearly painful. Her feet slipped and she collapsed into Seth’s chest. She yelped a cry, her nails sinking into his skin. Seth cupped her cheek and raised her face to look at him.
“Natti, I need you to run with me. Do you think you’re strong enough to do that?”
She pushed a foot forward and winced, but nodded. Seth slipped his hand into hers, tightened his grip, and dragged her into a run.
He felt Natti’s fingers being ripped from his grasp. She cried in pain and fear. Seth skidded to a stop and turned to see his father’s hand gripping Natti’s shoulder. His eyes bore down on her and his charm radiated from a crooked smile. Seth raced forward only to be tackled by Q and thrown to the floor. Seth rolled over and glanced at Natti while Sean stroked her cheek.
“You will obey me, Natara.” Sean’s whispers echoed throughout the room. “Look deep into my eyes, and do not leave their focus.”
“No, Natti! Turn away!” Seth bellowed.
He tried to scramble to his feet. Q jumped on top of him. They rolled along the floor, fighting for an advantage.
“No, Natara,” Sean commanded. “Your focus is on my eyes only, and nothing else.”
Seth threw a punch at Q. What Q lacked in height and strength he made up in speed. He dodged the blow and took one of his own, nailing Seth in the ribs.
“Don’t be stupid!” Q snapped, wrestling Seth into a head lock. “She’s not worth it!”
Seth forced his elbow into Q’s abdomen. Q fell back, releasing his grip. Seth turned to see Natti tugging at the hand latched to her shoulder. She was trying to fight. But Sean’s magic was slowly winning.
“Do not fight it, Natara. Just let all your thoughts drift away.”
The increase in power caused her to gasp, the overdose seeping into her mind. She stepped forward and laid her arms around Sean’s shoulders. Sean drew her even closer.
“Natti! Don’t!”
Delaying a second too long, Q recovered his ground and pinned Seth onto his back. He crushed his knee into Seth’s hipbone. Shooting pain vibrated all the way down his left side.
“That’s it, my child,” Sean continued. “Your mind is unraveling—”
With a roar of rage, Seth used his weight to flip Q into the stone and give him a swift blow to the jaw. He then grabbed a full syringe, charged forward, and jabbed the needle into his father’s wrist. Sean screeched, breaking his eye contact and the spell. Natti blinked. Her face flooded with panic, tears streamed from her eyes, and she shrieked. Seth quickly took her into his arms, providing comfort through his touch. He glared down at his father while Sean held his wrist screaming.