The Memory Painter

Bast, a formidable councilwoman who had worked closely with his father and known Thoth all his life, gave him a warm smile. “Welcome, Thoth.”


Thoth looked at the man next to her: Ammon, the greatest alchemist of their time, and a man who could allegedly control any element. Thoth did not know him, but recognized him because of his fame.

The third person at the table was Thutmose. Out of all the people who were gathered there, Thoth was most relieved to see him, and he stepped forward, anxious to speak to him alone—he needed to reveal his brother’s plans. But Ptah was busy introducing him to the fourth person in the group. “This is Ma’at, our greatest seer, and the Keeper of Time.”

Thoth was taken aback. He had heard of Ma’at but had always thought of her as an ancient sage, not the young beauty who stood before him. A deep sadness eclipsed her loveliness, but she gave him a faint smile. As if reading his thoughts, she said, “I am in fact older than you, and you are wondering why you are here.” She offered him the seat beside her. “Although he is no longer with us, your father always longed for this day. We are the Brotherhood of Horus. Or what is left of it.”

Her words stunned him. Thoth shook his head in denial. “The Brotherhood is only a legend.”

“We exist,” Ammon said with a mischievous grin. The gesture made him less intimidating. “Your father was one of us. Each of our ancestors sat on Horus’ inner council. He entrusted them with safeguarding the Hall of Records, which is all that survived the Great War … and the pyramid, the last working energy center of its kind. For hundreds of years, each family has passed its sacred oath to protect them on to the next generation and we have not failed, yet.”

Bast touched his arm in a maternal gesture. “So you see, Thoth, the Brotherhood of Horus are Guardians, in secret. Only one son or daughter can inherit the seat. Your father chose you.”

Now Thoth understood why Hermese had taught him so much. She had known he had been chosen. The weight of that ancient vow pressed upon him and Thoth envisioned his father’s hand reaching through the Duat to help him accept it.

He sensed Ma’at studying him. She frowned and said, “Hermese should have been here by now.”

Thoth’s heart quickened. “Hermese is part of the fellowship?”

Ma’at nodded. “The Guardian is leader of the Brotherhood.”

It took Thoth a moment to comprehend what she hadn’t said. “Hermese is the Guardian?” He could see looks being exchanged around the table.

Thutmose answered, “Hermese has been Guardian since her father died four months ago. We were waiting for the child’s conception to announce the transition.”

Thoth sat speechless. Her father’s death coincided with when they had abandoned the potion and she could not even tell him. So she had carried their secret after she had conceived so that they could have a few more stolen scraps of time together. He was ashamed of the anger he had felt when he last saw her.

But she was coming. The underground tunnels connected the city to the pyramid complex and the temple. The knowledge that they would be able to meet each other in secret gave him life again, and now her parting words made sense: Horus was God of the Horizon and she would meet him here … with the Brotherhood.

Thoth wanted to laugh for joy, but then he saw Thutmose’s worried face and his previous sense of alarm came rushing back. The time for speaking in private had passed.

“I am honored by your trust and inclusion, and I must speak freely now. I was on my way to seek my father’s council when I learned of his death … my brother is going to make a move against the House of Atum. He has a spy inside the temple. Somehow he knew about the child.”

Thutmose swore and jumped to his feet. “I should have never left her alone. When is he planning to strike?” He put on his cloak.

“Tomorrow, upon Sirius’s return. I hope I am wrong.”

Ma’at shook her head. The seer’s eyes grew more unfocused as her mind turned inward. She drew a sharp breath, her face filled with horror. Whatever she saw there was unspeakable. She only could whisper, “He already has her.”



FORTY-TWO

Bryan listened to Linz moan in her sleep and felt her forehead again. She was burning up.