Nephthys and Heka's story has been sitting in my head for a long time...but not nearly as long as it's been in theirs! If you've read Bringer Of The River Waters, you may remember one of the characters commenting on them....well now they're finally meeting again after several thousand years.
What could possibly go wrong?
Read on for a teaser!
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Copyright 2022 Laura Greenwood
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My gaze landed on a familiar form striding into the clearing, causing my heart to skip a beat.
"Heka?" There was no keeping the surprise out of my voice. The god of healing and magic was the last person I'd expected to find waiting for me in the oasis. Thousands of years ago, just after Seth had first shown his true colours, I'd thought that there could be something between Heka and me. But it was a foolish dream born out of misery.
"Good evening, Nephthys," he responded with a dip of his head. "You haven't changed."
I arched an eyebrow. "It's been several thousand years."
"And yet your beauty has grown stronger than ever."
"How could it have done that if I haven't changed?" I asked, though I was mostly trying to cover up how much his words meant to me. Unlike the flattery that came from Amun and the other gods like him, I could tell that Heka meant it.
"Magic," he responded with a surprisingly cheeky grin. "And before you argue that isn't possible, you should remember that I'm an excerpt on the subject."
I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. "Then I feel it's my duty to remind you that you once told me that magic was an inscrutable force and the mysteries of it would never be unravelled, even by you."
"I could say that I was an idealistic god with barely a few centuries of experience."
"As opposed to what you are now?" I asked.
"You mean an idealistic god with barely a few millenniums of experience."
My soft snort of amusement took me off guard. How long had it been since I'd made a noise like that? It was best if I didn't think about it.
"I think you can claim the title of experienced by this point," I assured him.
"I shall add Nephthys approved to my list of achievements."
I shook my head in bemusement, shocked at how easy it was to be around him. Maybe it was because I was away from the compound and not having to deal with the fear of Seth's wrath coming down on me for no apparent reason.
"Would you like to sit?" Heka asked, gesturing towards the side of the lake that dominated the oasis.
I considered for a moment. It looked like a beautiful place to rest, but could I risk staying here any longer than I already had? I had no idea whether or not Seth would come looking for me this evening, but it was almost certain that someone would, and if they found me missing, I had no idea what would happen.
"It isn't a trap," he assured me. "Just a conversation."
"Sometimes they can be the same thing," I muttered.
"Not with me. I'm not..."
He didn't finish his statement, presumably thinking better of insulting the man who was technically still my husband. Our marriage would only end if I moved out of his compound. Sometimes, that seemed like an easy thing to achieve, but that never lasted. A small part of me knew that no matter where I went, Seth would be able to find me, and I didn't want to think about what he'd do when he did.
"I'll sit," I said eventually. "But I won't stay long."
or
Forgotten Gods
Fantasy Mythology Romance
A fantasy romance series following different goddesses as they find the gods they're meant to be with and come into their own powers. Each book can be read as a standalone. Part of the Forgotten Gods Universe.
Series Overview:
Heat Level: Low - Relationship Type: m/f - Build: Fast - Point of View Character: Single first person POV, changes between books - Cliffhangers: No - Tense: Past
