The notion made me incredibly angry, or was I just jealous that another woman had had the pleasure of assisting in the completion of his quest? Travelling with Molier had been very uneventful and I was grateful for the respect he and his men had shown me, but the truth was I did miss the thrill of Devere’s intoxicating company.
Molier was immediately on his guard. Of the forty knights in our company, he sent half further up the mount, where only a few remnants of the Temple of Hathor protruded out of the solid dirt terrain. It was allegedly a huge complex in ancient times. Behind the few partially exposed stone pillars bearing ancient hieroglyphs was a large rocky mound where a force might hide in ambush.
‘Word has it that the order of Melchi assassins who murdered Lilith del Aquae are as active and vigilant today as they ever were, so we can’t be too careful,’ Molier explained. ‘They, too, want what we have.’ He motioned me toward the open gateway. ‘So, if you will lead the way, I’ll have the rest of my men stay close to you in case any intruders have entered before us.’
Molier ordered our Bedouin guides to stay and watch over the camels and they appeared more than content to do so.
There was a steep path, glimmering red, which led down into the shrine. The path was part of a long round tunnel covered with hieroglyphs.
‘It’s solid gold!’ commented one of the knights, holding a torch up and illuminating the passageway as he trailed Molier and myself down the smooth red path.
‘I’d like to know what all these hieroglyphs say,’ stated another, who sounded more fearful than inspired.
‘They speak of the Council of Goddesses for whom this temple was built, over which Hathor—the goddess of the Desert Mountains of the Dead, goddess of Fertility and She Who Shines—resides,’ I informed them, glancing over the ancient language, the learning of which was part of the earliest teachings of my order. ‘It warns that this is an ancient feminine space and that the council will only meet in the field of Mfkzt with the daughters of Isis.’
‘The field of Mfkzt?’ queried the knight who’d been so interested in the glyphs.
‘Some say it refers to a dimension of the Blessed—the Realm of the Orbit of Light,’ I said, ‘while others think Mfkzt refers to some mineral like gold, or turquoise.’
‘What do you think it means?’ the knight ventured to inquire.
‘Death—to any man who might be curious enough to try and find out,’ I stated, although I suspected that the mysterious word referred to both the Bread of Life and to the divine realms to which one would ascend if partaking of it.
‘Less chatter,’ Molier cautioned. ‘If the enemy lies in wait, let us not advertise our descent.’
I sensed Molier was a little unnerved by my comment, which was unusual for a man who was always so sure of himself. I supposed he was aware of the tale of Lilith del Aquae and of the fate of the men who had accompanied her into this shrine—perhaps all these knights knew the tale? Still, we were not here to retrieve the treasures within; we were here to return the stolen and much-prized keys, and so had little to fear.
When we entered the large outer chamber, Molier sent his men off down a stone pathway that led around the 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 m
e 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.
‘I have it.’
Molier’s gaze shifted to Albray. He was standing on the path that ran around the chamber, between the entrance door and the white-pillared annexe, and he held high a glowing white vial in his hand. ‘Hand it over or I’ll kill her.’
‘Come and get it.’ Albray ran toward the white-pillared annexe and Molier took off in pursuit. If Albray managed to return the vial to its shrine, I was the only one who could retrieve it and thus I was no good to Molier dead.
‘Get out, Lillet,’ Albray shouted to me.
To put more distance between Molier and myself, I ran to the red-pillared doorway to take the path around the wall back to the entrance. I heard Molier curse as I ran, so I assumed Albray had beaten him to the shrine and had replaced the vial. Molier came speeding out of the white-pillared doorway and, seeing me heading for the exit, he headed off around the path also, hoping to cut me off before I made it to the tunnel entrance. Albray did not pursue Molier around the wall, but went straight ahead toward the central platform and the red-pillared annexe beyond.
Unsure if I could outrun Molier, I changed my course and ran back toward Albray. He embraced me and I was so delighted at his presence and intervention that I wholeheartedly returned the gesture. ‘I’ve been such a fool!’ I blurted out through my tears, with no time to say all that I really wanted to.
‘I know,’ he said forgivingly, just to annoy me, though he did not succeed.
Molier’s pace had slowed, and he came to a stop in front of the exit. ‘Neither one of you is leaving until I get that other vial.’
‘The sun will set soon and the gateway will close. The Star vial is now locked safely in its resting place and the assassins, who hold your men captive, will bury the gateway as soon as it closes.’
‘Then I had best kill you quickly.’ Molier grinned, unfazed.
‘As soon as I engage him, run for the exit,’ Albray whispered in an aside to me.
‘I’m not leaving without you,’ I insisted, for I remembered well enough that Devere had predicted I would be the death of him.
‘I’m afraid that is your destiny.’ He gave me an amorous look, whereupon I kissed him with all the passion I possessed.
‘Nothing is predestined,’ I announced, having just rendered one of his predictions null and void.
He smiled lovingly as he backed up toward the central platform and away from me. ‘I might have lied about the kiss,’ he confessed and shrugged in apology.
‘No,’ I appealed, wanting nothing more than for him to survive. ‘Kill me, and then there is nothing more to fight over.’
‘Never.’ He turned to confront Molier to see the man gulping down the contents of the Fire vial. ‘Oh no,’ Albray said, as Molier replaced the stopper on the vial and then licked the blood-red liquid from the sides of his mouth.
‘Yum,’ he commented smugly, then gripped his head and cried out in pain. ‘No!’ he screamed, ahead of screeching even louder as the agony he felt drove him to his knees.
Albray ran to finish off Molier while he was disabled, but the sight of his foe slowly levitating into the air made Albray think twice.
Molier closed his eyes as his free-floating form began to spin around in circles.
Albray motioned to me to begin making my way around the wall toward the exit. ‘Are you going to come down here and fight like a man, Molier?’ Albray drew his sword.
‘I’m no longer just a man.’ Molier’s voice had deepened. His eyes shot open and his eyeballs shone yellow within red. ‘I am a god.’ He floated toward Albray, who backed up to lead our foe away from the exit.
As I watched them engage in a sword fight, I inched my way silently to the exit, but as I reached the path leading to daylight I could not bring myself to follow it. I had seen Albray fight before; I knew how good he was, but Molier was fighting like a demon possessed.
Locking swords with my knight, Molier cast him backwards, clean off his feet, and then turned to address me. ‘Where do you think you are going, princess? Mmm?’
The monstrous-looking knight took to the air to pursue me and, with little choice, I turned and ran for my life, doubtful of my ability to outrun him. I glanced back to see Albray spring at Molier from behind and, grabbing Molier’s cloak, he managed to hoist him backwards.
‘Ladies of the Elohim,’ Albray cried out, ‘grant me the miracle I require to save your daughter from this creature’s desire and in return I shall serve ye in death as well as I have in life!’
‘No,’ I protested, but a strong updraft erupted from within the still chamber below, preventing me from descending back into it.
‘Hurry, Lillet. The sunlight!’ Devere screamed out to me.
I ran for the gateway, and noted how dim the sunlight was becoming, when I heard the loud, strange sound of buckling metal.
Behind me, Molier howled in desperation and as I reached the entrance I heard a death blow dealt and the gurgling sound of a man choking on his own blood.
The very instant my feet landed on the dirt of the desert terrain beyond the gate, a thick sandstorm caused by a sirocco passed over the sun, and with a loud crash of metal the gateway reconstituted in a flash of light into a solid metal barrier, trapping Molier and Devere within.
‘Oh, dear heavens.’ I was sickened by the account of my knight’s death. ‘Albray’s vow to the goddesses explains why he answered Ashlee’s summons to the stone and why he continues to honour that vow and aid me.’ Now that I better understood Albray’s plight and devotion to our cause, I was saddened, for he had no choice in the matter.
‘Mia, Albray would aid you whether or not he was obliged to,’ Lillet enlightened me, as she ran a hand down my upper arm in a comforting, sincere gesture. ‘He has fallen deeply in love with you, and has confessed as much to me. So, don’t make the same mistake I did and forsake true love for the sake of mortal reasoning…until you know all about life you cannot judge any situation. You can only learn from it. Unconditional human love is the greatest mystery and gift of the divine. If only I had possessed the capacity to understand, trust and care for another more than myself, Albray may have survived Mt Serâbit. I strongly suspect that our love for each other may have enabled us to overcome our foe, and my true destiny—to join with Albray for life and bear his children—may have been fulfilled. But without compassion, there can be no love and thus, no wisdom…this is the basis of the sacred trinity, the all-encompassing force of the universe. Had I come to understand this in life, I could have reached my fullest potential, and I would have been a far more constructive force for the divine in the world. But as it was…I failed my god, my foremothers and my one true love to live a long, lonely life of regret.’
‘Lillet, I’m so sorry.’ I really felt for her. Normally I would have felt threatened and jealous of my lover’s ex-love, but here I was, filled with the very quality that it had been Lillet’s life lesson to learn—compassion. ‘You are too hard on yourself—’
She shook her head and would not hear any consolation. ‘I failed so many tests. My only comfort is that my desire to counter my shortcomings keeps me here on the astral plane, where it is possible for us to make contact. Since death, I have only wished to pass on my knowledge and experience to another daughter of the blood, in the hope it might be of some use
to her. You are the first daughter to face my quest who possesses the ability of astral projection as well,’ she concluded.
‘Astral projection was not one of Ashlee’s talents,’ I realised, and for a moment I felt honoured and elated. I wanted to make Lillet feel as empowered as I suddenly did. ‘You realise that the very quality you claim to have lacked in life is the quality you now possess precisely because you are advising me? For without such compassion, no woman could advise another on how to steal her beloved away from her.’
‘I want Albray freed from that accursed vow he made to save my life.’ Lillet was not ready to accept any credit. ‘He deserves the love I denied him, because I could not see beyond my earthly beliefs to accept what I truly felt.’
‘Can love free Albray from the vow he made to the female Elohim?’ I queried, eager to help Albray —especially considering how badly I had treated him at our last meeting.
‘I don’t know,’ Lillet conceded, desperate. ‘During my life I studied every Egyptian mythological and occult text I could lay my hands on, trying to find a way to break Albray’s self-imposed curse. Apparently it was unprecedented, as I came up with nothing. But perhaps, in your modern technological world, you might have more success in finding a solution.’
‘Say no more.’ I assured her that I would think of something. ‘Thank you for setting me straight, Lillet.’ The priestess had done me a huge favour and I really felt I owed her the same. ‘It seems that I too have been a fool, but I promise you,’ I placed my right hand on hers and my left over my heart, ‘I shall do everything within my power to save our knight, just as he has saved us, the daughters of Isis, time and time again. Do you know where Albray is now?’ I felt the first thing I needed to do was to find him and apologise.