Page 137 of Immortal Sun

“And the gift of pleasure from the stars.”

The stars will invade her body, make her warm, receptive, and needy, she will have one night of pure passion incomparable to anything she’s ever experienced in her lifetime.

She sways toward me.

I dip my hands once more and create a streak down each leg with my hands. I dip both hands into the paint and press down on the tops of her feet, kneeling before her. “And now, we the gods, worship you.”

I get up while her eyes continue to get lazier and lazier like she’s so caught up in her own lust that she can’t think straight.

I grab her golden tunic and dress her and reach for her hand, I realize too late that I shouldn’t have turned to the left.

Because the sole mirror in that cave is to the left, and what I see in it, is her by my side.

And we match.

It’s a bad omen to see what could be if only you gave up everything, including your soul. Blue still stains my hands. I keep it on my palms as we walk out of the cave to the waiting gods.

“You may turn,” I say in a loud voice.

The gods fall to their knees, hands dig into the dirt representing where she will return after she sinks into the Nile.

The gods voices shout.

“May your sacrifice be worthy of the gods. You shall return to where you came. Blood to ground, spirit to the water. May you ascend to the Nile and return to this realm blessed. Tonight, we honor you.”

“Thank you.” Her voice is barely above a whisper. Everyone stands and turns back toward the water. I twist my hands to the right and left, unleashing the ice bridge to the island. “Stay by my side.”

Enki sighs like he’s bored. “He doesn’t want you getting pulled in because then all our hard work will have been for nothing, right, Cyrus?”

I shoot him a glare.

“I’ll stay in the middle,” comes her timid voice.

Immortals from Olympus—ones who have failed—walk to the left, newer immortals from fae to vampires and werewolves to the right, with me in the back watching her walk away from me and not being able to reach her even if I had the will to do so. I refuse to call it cowardice.

She holds her head high.

Torches light a path through the forest once we’re on the island. We stroll a few more feet and walk beneath the wooden overhang with its many flowers that never die in all of our colors, red, gold, white, blue, and finally black.

Music rises from beyond the trees. The smell of food fills the air when we reach the bonfire.

People sing and clap around the fire. Some are still wearing their gold masks, others have already taken them off and are on one of the many large white beds scattered around the area.

Some are already deciding to escape into the trees together while others are feeding each other on the beds or dancing for one another. The white sheets glow in the moonlight. More drinks are brought to a table to the left. One of the goddesses bows to the fire and holds her hands up to the sky and starts to sing the song of the Nile.

Cleo’s eyes drink everything in. She finally speaks. “I thought it was a celebration.”

Inti barks out a laugh. “This is how we celebrate. Look, there’s a feast, booze, and screwing. What else did you think you were going to attend? A children’s fair?”

She looks up at me.

I just shrug and take a step away from her. “Eat first, then you will approach the immortal of your choosing.”

Her thankful exhale has to be so incredibly insulting to every god there.

I hide my smile behind my hand and look away. “Let’s eat.”

“Yes.” Inti eyes her up and down. “Let’s.

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