Page 10 of Forever Frenzy
“He’s more powerful than you, isn’t he?” I asked Tage.
He didn’t hesitate to agree. “He is. I never imagined sorcery would come so easily to him. It’s... complex, and yet he’s so young.”
I swallowed. “Can I stay?”
Tage’s brows lifted. “You want me to bind you now? Does Porschia know? Does Seth?”
“They don’t. I just have this feeling that if I leave, I won’t be able to return.”
He nodded slowly.
“Are you certain this is what you want?”
“Is there something you aren’t telling me? Anything you’re omitting? You’re saying I can stay here, but still see my son and wife; I won’t have power, but I won’t have pain once I’m bound. What happens when years down the road, they pass on? Can I move to the afterlife with them?”
He nodded. “If Seth binds you here, you and he will be tethered. When he dies and enters the afterlife, so will you.”
“What if something happens to me? Will it harm him?”
Tage shook his head. “It doesn’t work that way. Seth is too strong. The tether would break from your end, but he wouldn’t be harmed.”
I needed to do this now. Porschia was going to be pissed, but she would eventually understand. “Seth!” I yelled. He stepped back into The Sand a moment later, looking back and forth between Tage and me.
“Bind me here, please.”
His mouth gaped open and he looked to Tage, who nodded once. He stretched out his hand to Seth, a piece of parchment appearing in his palm. “Read the words and keep one hand on Saul’s body at all times.”
Seth’s hands shook as he took the paper. “Are you sure? Do you want to go tell Mom first?”
“No.” My voice broke, saying everything I couldn’t. I didn’t have time to tell her.
He stepped toward me, clapped his hand on my shoulder, lowered his head, and sniffed once. A warm tear splashed onto the sand-covered leather of my boot, cleaning the spot and at the same time leaving a dark stain of sadness. As he began reading from the symbols on the page, a swirl of golden light encapsulated us.
When the last word was spoken, the light disappeared. Heremoved his hand and hugged me tight. “I’m sorry.”
“It didn’t work?” I asked.
Seth shook his head. “No, it did.”
We both looked to Tage when he cleared his throat. His skin was translucent. He was already fading away. “I need to take you out of here!” Seth yelled. As he lunged for Tage, a black mist crept over the ground.
“Go!” Tage shouted.
“I won’t leave you. You’ll be taken to the Underworld!”
“You have to leave, Seth! Now!” Tage’s sharp eyes were darting all around the fog, which grew thicker and began to swirl.
“Too late,” a female voice said from behind Seth, where Sekhmet appeared over his shoulder. “I finally figured out how to overcome your annoying little spell, brother,” she spat at Tage. “It’s been far too long since I felt The Sand. The Underworld isn’t fun at all, but you’re about to find that out for yourself.” With a flick of her wrist, the fog morphed into a thousand hands, grasping for Tage, pulling him into the dune.
Seth and I lunged for him, but his scream was swallowed by the fog, which was gone, soaked into the grains beneath us before we could get to him.
Sekhmet tutted at the two of us. “Did you really think you could help him, dear nephew? You aren’t that strong. As a matter of fact, I’m afraid without proper instruction, you will never live up to your full potential.”
I strode toward her with purpose. I’d never hit a woman in my life, but this might feel good.
She was a blur. “Oh, I don’t intend to stay here, Saul. The Sand is all yours.”
Sekhmet smiled, her fangs lengthening. She sought out Seth, who stood behind me, and in an instant disappeared, reappearing behind him. She thrust her fangs into his neck, drinking quickly.
