Total pages in book: 126
Estimated words: 123065 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 615(@200wpm)___ 492(@250wpm)___ 410(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 123065 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 615(@200wpm)___ 492(@250wpm)___ 410(@300wpm)
I want to scream. Instead, I slam the book shut, only to open it again out of frustration and stupid curiosity.
What is wrong with this house? With the sanity of the people who live in it? I suck in another breath then deep dive back into the book and let myself get lost in it. I’m used to focusing on my work and ignoring the world. I did it in New York, I can do it now. In theory this was a good idea, do this instead of bartend, wait for Jake, get paid, but now, it feels like I’m losing my sanity.
I absentmindedly turn the page.
My breath catches.
It’s a picture of a massive man with golden armor. His sword is red, and it’s shoved into Mount Olympus. The man next to him has black armor and isn’t as tall. His sword is dripping with blood, but the weird part is both of them are tied together by a golden thread.
It wraps around each of their wrists.
The caption read. “The battle of Ra and Apep.”
Apep was never defeated, though, so it makes no sense that they’d still be tied together. I frown and stare harder at the picture then turn the page.
Anubis is standing next to Horus, Apollo looks on hanging his head and holding out his hand to Osiris. “The first marriage between the gods, the beginning of peace or the start of war?”
Parts of the pages are so faded in the next chapter that it’s nearly impossible to read.
I shake my head and close the book. There’s a laptop at my workstation. I start looking up ancient sacrificial ruins for the Egyptians and then type in The Book of the Dead. Is this what Jake was truly digging into?
All sorts of spells were “granted” to people who passed into the afterlife, from eternal beauty to grandchildren that would carry on their names. How sad, to die and have one final wish, and believe it. I wonder if it gave them peace or if they doubted in the last moment. Interesting, so interesting.
“That looks miserable,” says a male voice.
I jump a foot.
Enki is leaning over me with an apple dangerously close to the laptop.
“Do you mind?”
He frowns. “I mind a lot of things.” He holds out the apple. “Care for a tiny little bite?”
“What is with you and apples?” I grumble.
“Oh, this?” He grins. “Was actually a coincidence, but funny as hell. Cyrus was in a mood and got mad when I told him I was hungry and offered to bake cookies. So temperamental. Anyway, I grabbed an apple and ran down the stairs then locked him outside. He’s currently stewing by the large ugly tree talking to the squirrel. Oh and Apep stopped by with some food, wanted to see you but Cyrus said ‘no’. There was cursing, I think your brother was mentioned. Anyway, what was I talking about? Oh yes, he’s talking to Rat.”
That was a lot of information, but I go with, “He’s really talking to the squirrel?”
He takes another large bite, juices leak from the apple, he licks the outside of it with his tongue and shoots me a flirty wink. “Rat loves gossip.”
I roll my eyes. “You guys are all…I don’t even know.”
“Insanely attractive?” He gives me a slight bow, holding his apple out. “Why, thank you.”
“Did you need anything?” I change the subject. “I’m researching, and you seem like the sort of guy who would sneeze on the laptop, break it, and apologize for it later.
He looms over me again, this time holding the apple behind his back, and makes a face at a drawing of a god standing at the base of Mount Olympus. “Terrible picture. You know, I didn’t even have time to wipe the blood off my face, and boom, there you have it, someone’s painting us post battle like we have time to stand there posing like idiots.”
My stomach drops to the floor. “I’m sorry, what did you say?”
He jerks his head toward the picture like it’s just a normal day. “The picture.”
“That’s not you.” I’m going to strangle him—actually no, I’m going to fight anyone that mentions gods and myths.
“Oh, weird.” He shrugs. “Huge resemblance, if you ask me, and I do remember fighting a large war and nearly dying. But my mistake.”
“Right, and I’m Aphrodite.” The joke falls flat to my own ears.
He gasps, making me jump a foot. “My long-lost bride! You’ve arrived!”
I lean in. “Are you drunk?”
He snorts. “I wish. Anyway, I came to bring you something from town, kind of like a ‘yay you made it and haven’t gotten kidnapped yet’ gift, you know after the whole gas leak and having to live here with a monster. ”
My patience is truly running thin. “I’m not going to get kidnapped.”
I leave out the part where I nearly died last night and needed to be saved by two people who I would have thought preferred me dead anyway.