The Vessel of Ra

Chapter 12: The Ritual

"Venice is a wretched city." Octavia smoothed out the black shadows swarming around her, fitting her body in a black dress that hugged her curves. Shameless, no doubt, but she was well past caring what people thought. This dress sparkled and lived. Onyx shadow surrounded her neck, dotted her temples. The loose clothes and large sleeves, the current fashion, didn't matter to a sorceress full of dark magic.

The magic teeming inside intoxicated her, let her inhibitions go. The Khun she had known before her wedding was nothing like the Khun she had known today, so angry and dark. He and the shadows had obeyed her darkest thoughts, created her true self. There was nothing she couldn't have and everything she wanted was in her grasp.

"Venice is romantic," said Khun. "All those mysterious shadows." He sat close behind her on the giant bird she had fashioned from the Abyss. Each flap of its wings left behind smoky smudges as they flew over the swamp. Khun's magic had been enhanced from their encounter as well, and he traced Lucy to the swamps outside Venice when the apothecary proved abandoned. Let the mouse scurry to a hole in the wall. No one could hide from Octavia Klaereon if they were connected to the dark.

"Shadows are not romantic," said Octavia. "Mystery is not romantic."

His eyes roamed over her. "There is something to be said for the obvious."

"I promise you this," said Octavia. "We are done pretending. You and me, this was meant to be. The rest of these things, the scroll, my marriage, are not necessary."

Khun placed a finger on her lips. "You must focus," he said.

Octavia nodded. "Lucy is going home and she'll have her Trial. I will kill her to save her and then I will decide what to do to Father."

"Do you care to tell me what you're planning?"

"Lucy will lose, but it is not her fault. Father is at fault. Ra cannot walk the Earth, so I must kill Lucy. Drusus is right. I don't want to, but Father's manipulated her. There is no alternative. By killing Lucy, I will save her soul. Because I will have to kill her, I will inherit Solomon's Scroll from Father.

"Father thinks he can manipulate us, but I see through him. Why would Father give me the scroll? He has no plans to relinquish his power over anything. Father feels he can control you and me. He is wrong. Father and I will have words about what he's done to us."

"Is this wise, Octavia? Your father can summon all the demons to fight us."

"We are not hiding anymore. We can survive anything Father throws at us. You make me the more powerful magician"—she smiled—"as long as you give me access to your power."

Khun wrapped his hands around her waist, pulled her close, and breathed in her ear, "Happy to be of service. I am yours to control."

Octavia breathed in his scent. "When this is done," she said, "when we have taken Father and the scroll, there will be nothing to do except while away the hours however we see fit."

"Octavia, I love you."

"I don't love you," said Octavia. "What I feel is close enough to love that you won't notice."

Octavia turned her attention to the land below. Until now, she had felt chained inside herself. All those voices, all those people playing tug of war for her soul. Khun, even, pretending to serve, always pulling at her. Octavia wanted darkness, no matter how much she tried to resist it. Khun answered her with darkness in return. The voices in her head were happy today, quiet.

Below, she saw two men not far from a small boat, one dressed in a cloak and the other holding a bag. Carlo Borgia and an old man, probably the grandfather. In miniature below them, closer to the boat, Drusus was holding Lucy. They kissed.