She stared into his eyes and saw within them the light of his unshakable belief. She breathed with him, feeling their bodies become in sync, their spirits join.
In a single inhale she saw the broad expanse of their lives—the years, the love, the joy. She saw their children. Those seeds were already planted in their future, already growing. A sense of wonder filled her. Like a key in a lock, the vision freed her. Her mind tunneled further until she was no longer in the room.
She entered a new dimension where the past and future stretched in every direction, a vast constellation of knowledge where every moment in time became one. Ionna had known she would break through. She had foretold it in the pages. Theo had read them, and he had drawn on Ionna’s faith to help her get there. Semele could feel Ionna with her, their minds now connected beyond space and time. Ionna had been tasked by Wadjet to be the bridge, to connect her to a deeper antiquity. Semele saw the lives of her ancestors as clearly as Ionna had. Together they formed an unbroken chain leading her to where the Oracle of Wadjet stood waiting—her first grandmother—the world’s first seer and keeper of the record. Her written words had been destroyed by time, but they still lived on in her descendents, and they always would. Wadjet’s power would be carried on forever.
Semele’s awareness returned to the room.
0:20… 0:19… 0:18… 0:17…
She took the cutters and cut the wire.
The clock stopped.
Theo grabbed Semele and squeezed her tight. “You did it.” There were tears in his eyes as they held each other.
Viktor applauded and let out a chilling laugh. “And so they lived. What a joyous success. Truly, truly, truly!” His arms opened wide in the air with triumph, like a runner crossing the finish line.
Semele could see his eyes glistening with tears and arrogant pride. He was mad, his mind twisted like brambles.
“Now!” he clapped hands together. “Now we can move forward in the light. You made it, Semele. We did it.”
Semele didn’t acknowledge him. Instead she began untangling her mother from the wires. The bomb hadn’t been fully disarmed, and only Semele knew they had three minutes before it detonated. They needed to get out.
Theo could read the panic in her eyes and rushed to help her.
Her hands fumbled with her mother’s bindings. “Hurry,” she whispered under her breath. “It’s still going to explode.”
Viktor continued talking. “It’s amazing the things we do for our parents. I think Nettie and my father would be so proud. My only regret is that you removed pages from the manuscript.” He looked accusingly at Theo. “I must know what Ionna thought about this little ending I’d devised. Or perhaps I should say beginning. Because that’s what I’ve given you, dear girl.” He gave Semele a tired smile. “Just think, maybe in a thousand years you’ll be the myth. You’ll be remembered as a goddess like Wadjet, and our whole struggle to see through the fabric of reality will be ancient lore.”
Semele tried hard not to listen to him as she undid the last binding. Helen fell forward. Theo caught her and helped her to stand.
Semele turned toward Viktor. “Give them to me,” she commanded, motioning to the cards and manuscript.
“I’m afraid I can’t do that. These are mine. I quite earned them. Don’t you agree?” He grinned.
“Please,” she begged.
The cards were in his hands. Semele wanted to race across the room and rip them away. But she had run out of time.
“Semele!” Theo shouted.
“You can leave these walls but you can’t escape me,” Viktor said. “Our work here today is far from over, Semele.” He pointedly quoted Ionna’s words back to her. “You and I are entangled.”
Semele stared at him, transfixed. He was a monster like his father, another Evanoff playing God in a laboratory.
“No, we’re not,” she said, shaking her head with finality.
For a split moment she saw the surprise in Viktor’s eyes before she turned and ran. There would be no time for him to call Moscow, no time to reveal her identity to anyone. She had seen their futures; he had no idea his was ending.
“Run!” Semele grabbed her mother’s hand and dragged her out of the room. Theo ran behind them with his arms spread wide to shield them from the blast.
They had barely made it to the street when the building exploded. The force launched them several feet forward and they hit the pavement in a broken huddle.
Semele’s ears were ringing as she watched flames engulf the orphanage. She felt her body being pulled up and into the strength of Helen’s arms around her. “I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry” was all she could say to her mother.
“Oh, baby. Oh, my baby,” Helen cried, holding her tightly. Then she opened her arms to Theo. “Thank you,” she said between sobs.
Semele closed her eyes, feeling herself wrapped in their embrace. They had made it. Viktor was gone, taking with him a nightmare that would remain forever in the past. Now Semele knew how Nettie must have felt kneeling by the river.
