The Queen Of Gods

Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

"What am I going to do, Ura?" I asked my snake.

She lifted her head from my chest and shook it. A fat lot of help she was being. Then again, I wasn't sure what I was expecting. I was talking to a snake while lying on my bed, despite the fact I knew that wasn't going to help me with my mission.

"I have to go check on my temple," I told her. "That's not going to be fun."

"Hissssss."

I sighed and leaned in to scratch her head. "I know, you're right. I have to make sure everyone's safe and that we can start rebuilding. It's just, going there will make this feel so much more real." As opposed to chasing after gods who clearly didn't want to be found.

"Talking to yourself is the first sign of madness, you know?" Khonsu asked as he sauntered into my room.

I twisted my head so I could see him, not even bothering to try and get him to leave. The soft glow around him intensified, bringing the sexuality aspect of me to the forefront. Not in a way that was attracted to him, just in one that could sense he'd had some fun with Horus.

"I'm not talking to myself," I pointed out.

"Ah, sorry." He dropped down onto my bed and reached out to scratch Ura's head. She leaned into him, enjoying the touch. She was a strange snake, it had to be said. But then, most of them were from my experience. "Is she giving you good advice?" he asked.

I chuckled. "Better than some I've gotten, worse than others. I have to say, her conversation is enlightening," I joked, but then regained some composure. "How did your meeting with Horus go?" I asked.

"Delightfully. He said I had hips like a cobra." He paused and looked at Ura. "I'm not sure if that's a compliment or not."

"From him? It sounds like it," I muttered.

Khonsu shifted, then laid down next to me.

"I suspect there'd be more than one person excited that we're in the same bed," he joked.

"And disappointed that it's not mine you want to be in," I retorted.

"I'm sorry, Hathor, you're not..."

"Your type. Trust me, I'm fine with that." It wasn't that he was unattractive. Far from it. Like most gods, he was handsome, well built, and confident. I actually couldn't put my finger on what wasn't my type about him. But I was certain we weren't a romantic match. "Have you always preferred men?" I asked.

"What makes you ask?" There wasn't any accusation in his voice, he really wanted to know the answer.

"Call it professional curiosity," I responded. "As Horus pointed out, I am the goddess of sexuality. My interest is easily piqued when it comes into question."

"That makes sense," he admitted. "To answer your question, yes and no. I've been with my fair share of all genders, as we all have."

"Fair point."

"But overall, especially in the past two thousand years or so, I've found myself more drawn to male companionship than women's. As lovers, I mean."

"I get that. I'm the same." It felt like the right time to admit it, though I couldn't say it would be a surprise to anyone. Most gods and goddesses were fluid when it came to who they chose to take to bed. Mostly because we'd all been around a long time and the pool of choice was fairly small. Though I supposed it did get better when the demis who served as our priests and priestesses got added into the mix.

"But Horus isn't your cup of tea?" There was a hesitation to his voice that hurt me to the core.

"No. He never has been, and never will be," I assured him. "Besides, I always assumed it would be too weird and all I'd be able to think about was the fact some people think we're mother and son."

A shudder ran through me at the thought, causing Ura to hiss as I jostled her. I scratched her head in apology, and she curled back up, going back to sleep. At least, that was what I assumed she'd been doing. Despite the fact I had a snake, I didn't know a lot about them. But she'd been a present from a former High Priestess of mine thousands of years ago, and I'd treasured her ever since.

Khonsu chuckled, no doubt at the imagery I'd put in his head. "That would be a bit of a mood killer. I guess that means you don't want a blow by blow, then?"

"I don't want to hear about any of your lovers, but especially not Horus."

"I thought you were the goddess of sexuality?" he teased. "Shouldn't you demand to know every detail?"

"If you want to talk explicit details, then you should go find Min or Qetesh, I'm sure either of them would be willing to help. I'm more interested in how people identify themselves and who they fall in love with." At least, that was what people had asked me for help with most often. They probably hadn't wanted to ask for help with pleasure from a goddess with so many different things to focus on.

"Suddenly I'm so glad the moon is a simple concept."

I snorted. "Don't even get me started on all the other things. I've lost count of how many people have prayed to me for beauty, but not given any parameters for that. Making them beautiful on the outside is easy, but even that fades if the inside is ugly." I sighed. For all the times I'd complained about requests like that in the past, I wished people were still making them. It would keep me busy and away from the boredom that had taken hold over the past few thousand years.

Which meant that Ma'at's quest was the most exciting thing to happen to me in a long time. Next time I questioned why I was doing it, I'd have to remember that.

"What did Horus say about joining us?" I asked. I should have started with that, but talking to Khonsu about more personal matters had grabbed my attention too quickly. It had been a long time since I'd had someone who acted like nothing more than a friend around me. I liked it. Hopefully, I could keep things this way after Ma'at's plan had ended.

"The exact words, or do you want me to paraphrase?" Khonsu answered, a seriousness entering his voice.

I restrained the groan which wanted to escape. "That bad?"

"I believe it was something along the lines of I could give him the most immense pleasure imaginable in this life or the next, but there was no way he would ever join you, even if the world was ending."

"Huh. Somehow I expected worse."

"I took some of the expletives out, if that helps."

"A little," I admitted. "But I still expected it to be worse."

"I'm sorry I couldn't do better," he said.

"Don't be. It wasn't like my mission was the real reason you went," I teased.

"Admittedly not."

I stared at the canopy over my bed. "I guess that means I have to blackmail him."

"Unfortunately."

I supposed that meant I'd have some time to visit my temple before I saw Horus again. As the list of things I didn't want to do grew, I had to at least do some of them, and this one seemed like the one I shouldn't put off any longer.

"I can go with you, if you want?" Khonsu suggested.

It was a nice offer, but one I couldn't take, especially not if the two of them were going to continue sleeping together. I didn't want to cause any issues in their relationship.

"Thank you, but I feel like it's the kind of thing I have to do on my own. You can tell me how to get around his amulet against me, though."

He chuckled. "He hasn't put that up. I think he secretly likes the challenge you bring."

A small smile tugged at the corners of my lips. That was fair. There was something enjoyable about taunting Horus, though I wasn't sure what. It was best not to question it, or I might end up feeling like I couldn't blackmail him after all.

"I'll go after I've been to my temple." And done a few other things. But I didn't say that out loud.

"I can go before you and make sure he's in a good mood," Khonsu said in a tone laden with suggestiveness.

I smirked. "You can try, but I think his mood would be ruined the moment I stepped foot in his temple."

"True. How did it go with Amun?"

I winced. "He wasn't there. I left a note, but I don't expect much to come of it." I filled him in on the rest of my trip to the temple. It helped to get everything off my chest, and oddly, it made me feel less like I'd failed.

"I hope he comes through. I've done some asking around about Atum too."

"Oh, thank you." I hadn't realised he'd had time to do anything more than visit Horus. "Where is he?"

"At a temple on the top of a mountain."

I groaned. "Great. Just what I need."

"We," he corrected. "I am going with you for that one. It's too long of a journey to do on your own."

I wanted to protest, but he was right. Plus, I didn't particularly want to climb a mountain on my own. It sounded lonely.

"Deal. But let's focus on Horus first." And hope that Amun would write back to me. I almost laughed at that one. As if he was going to. If I had to take my bets on what would happen as far as Amun was concerned, then I'd say that I'd end up searching the entirety of Egypt for him.

Potentially even the world.