them to reveal a pained expression. âSeth-Aziz is a freaking demigod! He can have any woman he wants! Iâm the one who needs her. Josslyn should be here, in Petru, with me and our parents!â
This time they both looked across the gardenâs splash of brightly flowering plants to the older couple. The man was holding the womanâs hand, patting it, speaking softly to her. The woman was staring vacantly at the horizon, seemingly unaware of the man beside her.
â Weâre her family. Not Seth!â
Nephtysâs heart went out to Isobelle Haliday, and especially to Trevor Haliday, for what they were going through. But she also knew her brother needed Josslyn far more than they did, regardless of what Gillian thought. What was the happiness of one small family against the fates of so many? If Nephtysâs vision was correct, Josslyn could be the key to saving Khepesh. How could she take the chance of not allowing it every opportunity to be fulfilled?
In addition to serving Nephtysâs purposes.
âI understand how you feel,â Nephtys said. âBut you know what she will suffer if she comes here.â She foldedher hands in her lap to keep them from balling into fists. âHaru-Re also knows about my vision. Thereâs little doubt he would take out his antipathy for Seth by ruining Josslyn.â
Despite a vain attempt to deflect it, pain razored through her at the thought. Selfishly, not for Josslynâs sake, but for her own. Because she would then be forced to watch Rayâs dalliance with another woman. Until he tired of toying with her, and Josslyn ended up in the same pathetic state as Nephtys herself. Vamp-addicted, alone, and abandoned.
Men were such cruel brutes.
At least this one.
Gillian bit her lip, frowning. âHe wouldnât do that. Not after heâs chosen you to be his consort. That would beââ
âDespicable?â Nephtysâs attempt to keep the cynicism out of her voice failed. âObviously you donât know him as I do.â
âThen why the hell do you love him?â Gillian asked in exasperation.
The woman was so incredibly naïve. âWho says I do?â
Gillian made a wry face. âDonât even try. I can see it in your eyes, whenever you look at him.â She glanced over at Trevor and Isobelle Haliday, where the love on her fatherâs face shone like the sun that was rising behind him. Nephtys sighed. Sweet Isis. Was she equally transparent?
âYouâre wrong. I donât love him,â she said firmly, âI hate him.â But her statement lacked conviction evento her own ears. âI do, however, love my brother, and I know you love your sister. Therefore, I donât want anything bad to happen to either of them. Thatâs why I sent her to Khepesh. I hope youâll forgive me one day.â She took Gillianâs hand. âAnd at least sheâll be close to Gemma.â
Gillian jetted out a breath. âThis is so stupid. We should all be together. My sisters and I and my parents. You and Seth. Hell, you and Haru-Re. Jeez, someone should knock some sense into those two idiots. Why keep fighting each other in a war that no one wins?â
Nephtys smiled wanly. âFor the same reason the sun shines in the daytime and the moon lights up the darkness.â
Gillian simply didnât comprehend the forces at work. How could she? Sheâd only known the immortals for a few short weeks. This war had been going on for millennia, ever since the dawn of Egyptian civilization. Between the Sun God and the God of the Night; between order and chaos, between enlightenment and darkness.
There were those who believed it boiled down to the essential fight between good and evil.
But that was wrong, Nephtys knew. Both Seth and Ray were good men, each in their own way. Neither condoned real evil, as many of the ancient rulers had done. They were both beloved of their immortal