MaraandKali.Their treachery slices deep, knocking what little breath I have from my chest.
And in my delirium, I remember it—where I’ve heard her name before. Kali is the Hindu goddess of death, time, and doomsday.Ironic. Though I’m still not sure how much of Kali’s hand was forced. I’ll likely never know.Especially if I’m going to die soon.
“Should I regale your friends with all you’ve done for us?” Ingrid muses. “Howyouwere the one to bring Ansaldo theassistant’s journal with the encryption for opening the Osireion in the Temple of Seti? Or how you’ve been sending us coded telegrams with order secrets for the past few months, for instance, when these three would be docking in the Port of Civitavecchia to track down valuable information regarding the Third Reich?”
I knew that was Ingrid at the club.I guess the blood oath doesn’t specify not telling truths about the order in code, except for the location of the base and the names of the Themis’s. If we get out of this, I’m going to tell Ansaldo that he needs to be more specific with his oaths.
With the blood slowly draining from my body, it’s hard for me to wrap my head around it all. But even though I blame myself for getting caught here, I couldn’t have avoided this if I tried. It’s all been a setup. From the beginning, we were meant to lose. My reeling mind battles with the ebbing pain in my shoulder for attention.
“Mara, no,” Cec chokes out. “I cannot believe it.”
Mara’s flat, emotionless eyes turn on Cec. “I owe you nothing, Cecilio Giudice, least of all an explanation. As for Kali, she was easy enough to manipulate once the God Men had her brother. Family is a weakness.”
Her brother’s not dead?Another falsehood manufactured by the God Men.
Cec takes a dangerous step forward in the direction of Mara’s voice. “Why betray everyone you know, everyone who—”
One of the men flanking Bes points his gun at Cec instead and cocks it. Cec halts at the sound.
Mara blinks, unaffected by the weapon pointed at someone who I thought was her friend. “They’re just as corrupt as any government, except its leaders dress it up in flashy benevolence. I’m loyal to no one but myself.”
“You joined us only to betray us?” Cec demands. “To sell your soul to the God Men—to the racist fascists trying to cleanse the world?”
That sparks fire in her dead eyes. “Don’t you dare judge me, Cecilio,” she bites out. “You’ve always looked the other way from your father’s prejudices, his biased decisions—it was only a matter of time before it came back to bite you.”
I search for Bes again, hot duplicity swinging through me. His head hangs low like he’s given up.God, I hope not. For all our sakes.Then, I catch a glimpse of his eyes through his lashes: they appear to be churning silver.
He’s warning the order.
“Enough squabbling.” Ingrid flaps her hand in dismissal. “It’s pointless anyway, considering you’re all about to die. Though, not before we have a little fun first.”
Ingrid struts over and kneels down beside me. Adopting a saccharine smile, she reaches out and sinks her thumb into my bullet wound. The pain sharpens and drags along my body like a hot knife, cutting to the bone. I can’t stop the scream that wrenches itself from my throat, echoing across the hilltop. My vision blackens from the searing pain—I can’t breathe.
“Stop,” Bes begs, something I never thought he’d do. “For the gods’ sakes, stop.”
At his command, Ingrid extracts her thumb from the hole in my body, leaving me there aching, struggling for breath. Then, of all things, shelicksthe blood from her finger. If I weren’t in such agony, I’d throw up my breakfast torte.
She turns to Bes. “I’d love nothing more than to stop all this, Mr. Belzoni. But you’ve given me no choice. The Führer needs the Amulet of Amun, and I’m going to be the one to deliver it to him.”
“You said you needed her too,” Mara cuts in. “Something about her father.”
My father? What about my father?
Ingrid’s mouth twitches. “Yes, well, I was waiting to reveal that part to Miss Hawkins once her friends were dead.”
Rage and adrenaline relieve my pain for the moment. She wants to take me? Fine. But I won’t allow her to kill Bes and Cec for sport. I have to do something. Now.
Fuck. This. Nazi. Bitch.
“I’ll never…” I squeak out, finding it difficult to breathe much less talk.
“What’s that?” Ingrid comes close again, still crouching beside me. “You’ll have to speak up.”
My next words are a trembling whisper: “I’ll never come with you.” She leans in further to hear me, and I gather what’s left of my strength. “I’d rather die.”
Before she can respond, I headbutt her. Our foreheads smack, bone hitting bone.
Bes chooses that moment to yell, “Now!”
