Gene of Isis

circular chamber in both directions. As the men spread out and their torchlight began to fill the huge void, I was stunned by how well the shrine measured up to my expectations. I had formed an image in my mind from the descriptions handed down to me by my people.

The red-gold path we had entered upon flattened out and extended on through the chamber to a circular platform and the same distance again, on the far wall, was an arched door. From the central circular platform another path ran at crossroads across the chamber and the pathway we were walking along, and at each end of the crossroads was a pillared annexe. Concentric circles of sandstone bordered empty pits that were only a few feet deep. Over the central platform was a golden dome that rested on four grand pillars, each depicting a different Egyptian goddess.

Directly beside where we entered was the large lever that Lilith had activated to rid the complex of the deadly beetles, and Molier flipped it to fill the pits with a foul-smelling fluid.

‘Just in case,’ he commented, making it plain that he was aware of the legend that surrounded this site. Molier then invited me to escort him to the central platform underneath the glorious gold dome of the goddesses.

‘There is nobody else here, my lord,’ reported Molier’s second-in-charge, appearing as eager as the rest of the knights to be given his leave. ‘We have searched both the annexes.’

‘Very good,’ Molier said, and satisfied with the situation, he placed his torch into a hole in one of the pillars, designed for just this purpose. ‘Distribute your torches around this inner chamber then return to the entrance and guard it.’

The knight bowed dutifully, and giving a signal to his men, he placed his torch in another set of wall rings and withdrew, followed closely by the rest of the men.

All that could now be heard was the sound of fluid gushing into the canals surrounding us and the crackle of the fiery torches.

‘Well, my Lady du Lac, it would seem time to fulfil our long and arduous quest. Do you have the vials?’

‘I have them,’ I said, not moving to produce them, even though that was clearly what the lord was expecting. I moved toward the red-pillared annexe; at least I could return one vial to its rightful niche—once it was in place, I was the only one who could retrieve it.

I hadn’t taken two paces when Molier drew his sword, and held it to my throat. ‘Then produce the keys for me,’ he suggested.

‘Why should you require to see them?’ I maintained a cool countenance, despite the waves of fear that were contorting my insides into knots. I did not fear death, but how could I confront my maker when I had not completed my task? ‘It was your assignment to see me to this destination. The returning of the keys is my task alone.’

‘Who said anything about returning the keys?’ He held out his free hand and folded his fingers inward, repeating the gesture to indicate I should hand the keys to him.

‘But surely Marie de Saint-Clair warned you—’

‘I don’t work for Marie de Saint-Clair,’ he hissed, seemingly annoyed that I hadn’t worked that out yet. ‘No knight worth his salt would serve a woman!’

‘So Devere was—’

‘Telling the truth all along,’ he conceded in haste, and impatiently motioned for me to hand him the keys.

My head was spinning. What to do? My heart was breaking for having doubted Devere so many times. I was bombarded with memories of what he’d managed to overcome in order to get me here, and all I had done was make things difficult for him.

‘I could just kill you,’ Molier stated, to shock me out of my daze. ‘Hand them over,’ he articulated slowly, to ensure I knew it would be the last time he would ask.

I fished the Fire vial, hanging on a silver chain around my neck, out from inside my shirt. ‘To use the vials will surely kill you. What can you possibly hope to achieve by possessing them?’ I slipped the chain over my head and reluctantly handed the red vial to him.

‘Um…immortality,’ he suggested, as he snatched the vial from me and placed the chain around his own neck.

‘Only if you are of the blood,’ I pointed out and a glimmer of disapproval flashed across his face.

‘We’ll see about that when I unlock the Ark.’ Molier gestured for me to hurry up and hand over the second vial.

‘Have you not heard of what befell the men who tried?’ I was beginning to wonder if the heat had taken its toll on Molier’s sanity.

‘Ah, but I know something that they did not—nor you, for that matter,’ he teased. ‘A part of the legend of Lilith del Aquae was conveniently cut out of the official account, by the Grand Master of Sion, and only ever disclosed to the highest initiates of the order, of which I was one. That is before leadership was handed to de Gisors’ whore!’

‘Tell me the omitted detail,’ I stalled. I was afraid that he would kill me once he found out I did not have the second key.

Molier laughed at my request. ‘I hardly think so.’ He clicked his fingers. ‘Give it up.’

‘I don’t have it.’ I released a heavy sigh, and began mentally preparing myself to die.

Molier’s eyes narrowed; he obviously didn’t believe me. ‘Strip,’ he demanded, much to my horror.

‘I would never—’

The sharp sword point briefly pierced my skin and a warm trickle ran down my neck. ‘Think again.’

‘I swear I don’t have it.’ I covered the wound, which had brought tears to my eyes.

‘Then where is it?’ He grabbed hold of my hair in his fist and jerked my neck backwards.