Apophis is said to appear in the body of a snake. The last thing I need is to face an angry deity. Fortunately, the others didn’t need me to tell them twice. They all just scramble upstairs. Marcel easily grabs Elise and takes the lead, with Cassiopeia following them on their heels. The three of them are the fastest, but fear makes us all run fast.

How did we get caught up in this shit!?Arlo growls.Why did we have to get involved in the deity’s petty family drama!?

Beats me!

“You were supposed to stay out of it,” Apophis hisses.

Yeah, we should have never gotten involved with the deities,Arlo breathes out.

Not the right timing for a fundamental discussion, Arlo,I huff.

Apophis doesn’t mind what he destroys on his way out, the building shaking in its foundations. At least he makes our work easier to destroy the base. I’m starting to believe that the shifters and witches who worshiped him were just that… fanatics, but he certainly didn’t care for them.

Outside, I can see Arman and Harmony running towards us. The small building they were tasked with researching is in flames. They stop in their tracks when they see the huge serpent bursting out of the building, easily towering over us.

“What happened to the building?” Elise asks. “Why is it in flames?”

“Things got out of hand,” Arman says before grabbing Harmony’s hand and following us. “And what the fuck happened to yours!?”

“That’s Apophis,” I breathe out.

“You don’t say,” he huffs.

“But why? This doesn’t make sense,” Cassiopeia mutters. “Deities don’t get involved.”

“They played with the night sky, though,” Tony pants. “I call that getting involved.”

“The moment Auset and Maahes were attacked, it set things in motion,” I blurt out. “Now shut up and run!”

Henry,my mate’s beautiful voice reaches me.What’s the plan? How are we going to lead them to safety?

Maybe if we call Dalila, she could tell Auset to teleport us back,I mutter.

What if Apophis follows us to Silverlake, though? He seems to be furious. Whatever plan he had, we messed with it.

I don’t have time to answer her because the ground vibrates and shakes, making us all drop down. I push Elodie backward, hoping she is safer behind me, while Apophis grows in size and towers over us now like a skyscraper. Venom drops out of his mouth, some of it dripping on Tony’s legs, making him hiss in pain.

I’m not surprised when his mind link comes through.We have the responsibility,he tells me sadly.This is our mission, and we pretty much fucked it up.

I nod, well aware of what he means.The goal is to save the others.

Apophis’ tail lunges towards Arman, probably having a particular hatred against him for obvious reasons. Before he can reach him, though, Tony has moved in between them. I watch in horror as my brother is caught by Apophis’ tail and dragged into the air.

51

Nemesis

*DALILA*

“Notoneminutetoosoon,” Flora breathes out once we reach the end of the forest and are greeted by a giant snake towering over my friends. The ground is shaking, and I can feel pain through my bond to Tony. He must have gotten hurt. Flora turns to me. “Dalila, I cannot continue further. This is on you and Maahes now.”

“I understand.” I nod grimly. “Thanks for accompanying me and for helping me to get here.”

I take a step closer, wondering what I’m supposed to do when I can see how Apophis is dragging a person upwards, about to slam it onto the ground.

That’s…

That’s Tony!