The Memory Painter

At first he thought Ammon had caused the tremor—the alchemist had left the tunnels to create a diversion outside the temple. But the blast was followed by a deafening vibrational hum. The sound could have come only from one source—the Great Pyramid. Something had gone terribly wrong.

The vibrations shook the air itself. Thoth and Thutmose held on to the walls. They had been waiting for Ammon’s signal in the tunnel at the temple’s hidden door. The plan had been to create a distraction so that Seth’s men would head to the gates. Thoth and Thutmose just needed enough time to slip inside, locate Hermese, and get her below. Meanwhile, Bast had returned to Heliopolis to rally the council, while Ptah addressed the citizens at the Sun temple.

Rocks fell from the underground tunnel’s ceiling and the staircase began to collapse. Thutmose launched his body forward and grabbed Thoth to keep him from falling. His voice was barely audible over the deafening hum. “We must go now!”

Thoth nodded, watching Thutmose open the door to the Constellation Chamber. The grand room lay in ruins; the beautiful lattice that framed the stars had crashed to the floor. Then, without warning, the vibrations stopped, leaving an eerie silence—a silence Thoth had never heard before.

The pyramids were quiet; the entire temple was dark. And as Thoth’s eyes adjusted to the lack of light, he understood what had happened. The pyramids had suffered a catastrophe. They stopped running because the Guardian had not been there to save them.

Thoth ran toward Hermese’s quarters with Thutmose right behind him. They encountered none of Seth’s men, only servants looking dazed and bloodied. When Thoth and Thutmose entered the Grand Gallery, they realized why: the entire House of Atum and their guards had been slain like dogs. Both men cried out at the carnage.

Thoth searched among the bodies, terrified that Hermese would be there.

Thutmose fell to his knees at the sight of his wife and son. Six of his finest men had fallen around them. They had tried to protect their commander’s family, even as they faced their deaths.

“Hermese! Hermese!” Thoth called her name as he searched. He turned back to Thutmose. “She’s not here. I’m going to her quarters.”

“I’ll look upstairs.” Thutmose forced himself to his feet.

Thoth saw the dead guards’ weapons piled against the wall and picked up a khopesh, a sickle-shaped sword best wielded with one hand. He found a mace and shield as well, tied them to his belt, and took off running. He prayed she was still alive.

*

When he saw the body, he was not sure. Hermese lay splayed out on the bed, her robes torn, her skin cut and bruised. Thoth knelt beside her and saw the faint rise and fall of her chest. Blood pooled between her legs, and he knew the child was dead.

Lifting her limp body, he cradled her in his arms. “Hermese, I’m here. Please wake up.” He rocked her as he cried.

Pulling himself together, he found a cloak and covered her, but not before he had seen the full extent of the torture she had endured. He knew this was Seth’s work, and he was filled with such hatred that any remaining love he had for his brother died.

Thoth carried Hermese back to the Grand Gallery but saw no sign of Thutmose. He could not risk waiting for him; the old guard would have to fend for himself. He could meet the rest of the Brotherhood underground.

Thoth made it to the Constellation Chamber and was almost at the hidden door when Seth and his men entered the front gate. Luckily, Thoth was at an angle where he could watch them without being seen. But in a few moments, Seth’s army would cross the main courtyard and they would be exposed.

Thoth could not risk opening the passage and revealing its location. Seth would do anything to know how to penetrate the tunnels. His only course was to delay them until the others could take Hermese to safety. He laid her on the ground next to the door and marched into the pouring rain, closing the distance between them.

“Traitor!” Thoth took out his sword. “I challenge you!”

Seth stopped and held out his hand, gesturing for his men to stand down. “Brother! You have come too late.”

Thoth could feel his body trembling with rage.

Seth called out, “She left me no choice. She refused to talk.”

Thoth could barely say the words. “You killed my son.”

“The decision weighed heavy in my heart.” Seth shook his head sadly. “But the boy could not live.”

“You are no longer my brother,” Thoth screamed, tears blinding his vision. “Kiya and Father are watching you from the Duat.”