The Memory Painter

Bryan and Linz got into the shower together. They took in each other’s bodies and washed like lovers, as if they had known intimacy for years.

“I was so scared,” Linz whispered. “It was like everything was happening all over again, and I wouldn’t be able to save you this time either.”

“You did save me,” Bryan said, moving her hair away from her eyes. “I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you everything before.”

In answer, she took a step closer and kissed him. All fear fell away forgotten. It was time for their bodies to remember.



FORTY

EGYPT



10,000 BC

Sirius, the star of Isis, had been invisible for seventy days. Today would be its last day in hiding. Every year the star vanished for seventy days, and awaiting its return was considered to be a time of preparation for rebirth. On the seventy-first day, the city of Heliopolis held a celebration, where everyone came together and united.

Thoth looked down at the city from his favorite vantage point. He did not mind the rain. Today nothing could affect his mood. He always looked forward to Sirius’s return and all of the promise it held, and this year, the celebration marked the happiest day of his life—the day he would finally meet Hermese.

It had taken him seven years to win the chance to meet her. Hermese had been born the High Priestess of the House of Atum—the only child of the Guardian of the Great Pyramid, and the next in line to become Guardian herself.

It was forbidden for anyone in the House of Atum to speak with a commoner. Since the pyramids had been built, they had lived away from the city in a temple fortress—no one even knew how many the House of Atum numbered. The Guardians continued their lineage by taking a lover from the city to conceive a child. They were not allowed to marry. After the birth, the chosen man or woman had to return to their homes in Heliopolis and could never see either the Guardian or their child again.

This practice had been in place as long as anyone could remember, and it was an honor to be chosen. If the next Guardian in line happened to be a female, when the time came for her to choose her partner, the city would hold a great tournament before Sirius’s return, and all of the eligible young men would come forward to demonstrate their virility.

These were games of goodwill, and the tournament only allowed the use of wooden sticks; contestants never suffered anything more than bruises or mild injuries. Stick fighting was an ancient sport, and it had ceremonial aspects as well. The warriors wielded their weapons with a speed and agility that was akin to dancing.

Thoth had never witnessed a tournament, although he had trained for one all his life. The current Guardian was a man, and years ago, when he had been ready to sire a child, there had been a grand pageant, where every eligible maiden was presented before him at a dance. Now that his daughter, Hermese, was of age, the city was ecstatic.

The tournament had lasted two weeks—and for those two weeks Thoth had fought for her. In the end, it had come down to him and his older brother, Seth.

They had sparred for hours in the rain, to the wild cheers of the crowd. By day’s end, they had each exhausted six sticks. When they simultaneously broke their seventh, the two mud-caked brothers bowed to Hermese and took a break for water and bread.