No matter how Raymond tried to distract himself and tamp down the memory, Marceline’s dying stare kept resurfacing in his mind’s eye. How her beautiful face crumpled as recognition and confusion dawned on her. It must have been a cruel end to realize who her killer was. The ultimate betrayal, murdered by kin. Her unsuccessful struggle to utter a last word as her Ba-soul took to the skies. Although she wasn’t able to speak the word aloud, Raymond knew deep in his heart what it had to be. Unworthy. The word rattled round and round in his head like a maleficent prayer wheel. No matter how he justified what happened last night, he knew she deserved better.
She was the first to be given the gift of death. Trial runs were never pretty, especially for the chosen specimen. Raymond took comfort in the fact that her freedom from this eternal curse had come. Her sacrifice would smooth the path to eternity for the Others.
He glanced up from his desk. His daughter Salima stood in the doorway dressed in lab whites. A deep sense of foreboding flooded him at her cat-who-ate-the-canary smile. Either she was far too excited about hearing of Marceline’s demise, or she was delighting in some other bad news, or both. She was continually full of surprises.
She walked toward him with her usual steady grace and straightened her lab coat as if getting her armor in place before going to battle. Salima settled into the seat across from him. “So how did it go last night? Not well, I assume, if you are already back here.”
Her tone struck Raymond as cheerful. Had she despised Marceline that much? A chill ran down his spine. He realized involving Salima in this project might have excited her taste for blood. In the days before these troubles, the Others had taken to calling her She-Beast. He was starting to understand why.
“I need to refine the dose.” His thoughts returned to pulling Marceline from the pool’s depths. Her body limp and wet in his arms, and her warrior’s light forever extinguished. The memory made him feel sad and strangely powerful at the same time.
“Were you able to collect her vital fluids?”
“Just barely.” He pointed to a stainless steel credenza. “The vials are over there in the bag. I nearly had to abandon the scene. Seth was on his way.”
She walked to the black duffle and unzipped it, exploring its contents. “How fitting it is that he found her drained body.” She pulled out one of the vials. Marceline’s essential fluids glowed, illuminating Salima’s face in a soft, golden light. “It might work well for us. You know, buy us some time. Throw off those bumbling fools at KHNM. Estranged husband and all. You know they always look close to home first,” she said.
“So true.” Maybe he and his daughter weren’t so dissimilar. The idea of it horrified and pleased him at the same time.
Silence deepened between them as she inspected the newly drawn specimens.
Salima returned to the desk and rolled one of the vials filled with Marceline’s essence toward him and leaned in. “So you think the ushabtis will rise with this stuff?”
Raymond caught the tube in his hand just before it rolled off the table. “That’s what keeps me up at night.”
Salima’s green eyes sparked with anger. “But either way it will work. Right?”
“All I know is that having helpers will make it much easier, and faster.” He didn’t like the dangerous way her mood was changing. He lowered his voice to be as soothing as possible. “If we are able to bring the ushabtis to life with the God-fluids of the Others, and they heed our commands, they’ll be our boots on the ground. That way you and I can deal with bigger issues, while they bloody their hands. Without having minions, you and I alone can achieve our ends. It will just take more time. And personally, I’ve done enough waiting.”
Salima sat down and smiled. “Getting itchy, are you?”
“I am ready to rule again. To put things right. But I know we can’t rush it. We don’t want to jeopardize our chance.”
“So you would send these newly created minions out to kill the rest?” Salima’s expression sank into disappointment.
“It was always my hope I wouldn’t have to personally make every kill. If it comes down to it and the magic does not work, have no fear, daughter, I will kill the Others.”
“What next? Should we collect the ushabtis?”
He loved her use of the euphemism. The collecting would require absconding with someone else’s illegally purchased treasure. It suited Raymond well to steal from a thief. It was a further blessing of his endeavor and balanced the scales of Maat.
“Could you go it alone?” asked Raymond.
“Sure. But why?”
“I have unfinished business to take care of.” He didn’t want to tell her, but he had one more kill he would personally deal with. This one he’d always looked forward to. But not out of spite or a lust for blood, but out of a deep friendship and respect.