“Re,” I snarled.
“Lift your arms, La-la,” Re said.
I did, and he slipped the gown over my head. It settled over my body as if it were made for me; much heavier than I'd expected. It had thick straps that were beaded with faceted stones; as was the V neckline. It may have been slinky, with its bias cut, but it was also lined and looked more modest than I'd expected.
“Come and see.” Re took my hand and led me up the steps to his pleasure plateau, where there was a full-length mirror set beside the clothing rack.
We stopped before the mirror, and I turned side to side to admire the gown. The crystals at the bodice trailed down into floral patterns that outlined my waist. The designs continued down in ribbons over my hips; two of them falling back to border the hem of my train.
“It's magnificent,” I whispered.
“I'm not done,” Re said as he pulled some of my hair back and secured it. “Stay right there.”
Re went to his wardrobe again and then hurried back to me. He was holding a large velvet box and a veil. Re tucked a comb in the base he'd made of my hair and fluffed out the attached veil. And then he opened the black box. He lifted out a gold crown; a thin band set with diamonds. It came to a gentle peak in the front; supporting a round diamond with rays of smaller stones set around it—a sun. I sighed as he set it over the veil. And then he drew a layer of the veil over the crown and my face.
“You look so beautiful,” he whispered.
I smiled at him through the misty silk.
“Don't forget these.” Trevor had returned and was holding a bouquet of delicate, pink and lavender flowers.
Re took my arm and escorted me down the stairs to Trevor. I reached for the bouquet and froze. The flowers looked so familiar, and they were giving me a horrible anxiety.
“Where did you get those?” I whispered.
“The flowers?” Re asked in surprise. “Anubis brought them for us. He has the most amazing gardens in Aaru.”
A vision overtook me; I saw a magnificent garden done in a French style; with raised beds containing the same flowers in the bouquet. The flowers blurred as I raced through the garden; away from a god. My breath quickened and my knees shook as I saw a beautiful peacock fountain before me and a maze looming behind it. I ran for the safety of the high hedges; the scent of those same blossoms permeating the air. And then rough hands caught me and pulled me down onto the grass. I looked up into the eyes of a jackal and then down at the muscled body of a man that was attached to the monstrous head. I screamed.
“Vervain!” Trevor was shaking me gently.
I opened my eyes and saw Trevor above me and, for just a second, he was the Jackal God. I screamed again and pushed at him.
“Minn Elska!” Trevor shouted. “It's me.”
“La-la, please.” Re's face came into view as he stroked my cheek. “Calm down. What's happening to you?”
“I...” I heaved a relieved breath as the world returned to normal. I was safe; lying on Re's bed between him and Trevor. I sat up and sighed. “I'm sorry; it was a memory. A horrible memory.”
“It's okay—” Re started to say.
And then the bedroom door opened, and Anubis rushed in.
“What's going on in here? You've unsettled the guests,” Anubis said.
I took one look at Anubis' face and knew that it had been him. The waiters he had been instructing; Re had called them Anubis' jackals. They were shapeshifters, but in the opposite way that Trevor was. The jackals were originally animals, and then they were given human bodies as an alternative form. And Anubis was their god. I knew all of this instantly, and with the knowledge came that of what he'd done to me.
I started to tremble; no wonder his painting had affected me so badly.
“We're fine,” Re was saying to Anubis. “Just a misunderstanding.”
“A misunderstanding?” Anubis scowled at me, and I cringed. “What's wrong with her?”
“Get the fuck out,” Trevor growled as he leaned protectively in front of me.
“Fine!” Anubis huffed and turned to leave, but then his expression changed to one of confusion, and he glanced back at me.
Anubis' eyes widened as he took in my terrified stare, and then his jaw fell open. Just as I was about to start screaming at him, other memories rushed in. I saw Anubis begging for my forgiveness, and I knew that he was as broken as Blue had been. I took a deep breath and swallowed my fear. Anubis' stare was becoming panicked, but I shook my head slightly at him; I wasn't about to ruin this day with whatever had happened between us in another time.
“Sorry to have disturbed you,” Anubis whispered and left.
“Tell me,” Trevor growled at me as soon as the door was closed.
“No,” I said firmly as I stood.
The men moved with me; both of them staring at me in shock. I settled my crown back into place and smoothed out the gown; still breathing heavily.
“La-la?” Re asked. “Did you and Anubis have a love affair?”
“No,” I said again. “It was definitely not
