Chapter Fifteen

Thoth was sat in the wicker chair outside, watching his beloved Ibises with a glass of ruby wine at his side. A small smile was cemented on his face, the adoration for the creatures clear.

He barely looked away as Shu arrived, creating a flurry of sand as he did so.

"Wine?" Thoth gestured to a covered pitcher on the window sill. "It's homemade, rather more potent than most." He gave a sheepish chuckle. "Truthfully I really ought to keep to tea or water but I thought in such circumstances I've earned it."

"I'd best not, flying and alcohol rarely mix," Shu smiled. "I've done it once before and I ended up marooned on some island in the pacific. Nice area, but not when you've somewhere to be or when you've a shocking headache."

Thoth laughed softly. "Indeed, but anyway, enough of the idle chitter chatter. What is it you've come for? I take it Atum is in need of my help?" He pressed his hands together with subdued excitement. "Anything I have to offer is at your disposal."

"And we are grateful for it," Shu gave a small bow of his head. "Atum has requested something that will call forth lucid dreams, dream to release locked away memories with as little distress to the mortal as possible. Awakening these recollections from their slumber might lead to some clarity about what we face, and perhaps what we can do."

"He believes the human is part of the key to this?" Thoth got to his feet with a brief, wistful look to his birds, before heading inside.

"Yes, at least the humans reply seems to indicate that his being taken is for more than just shielding."

"Am Heh hardly needs a shield," Thoth sighed and went directly to his medicine cupboard where vials and jars were kept in relative coolness. Outside they stood no chance, the sun moved all about the homestead and nowhere remained in complete shade. "No one dared approach him without needing protection themselves. Not the other way about."

He scanned the labels briefly, barely needing to read them before plucking several out and placing them on the table.

"Get me a teaspoon, I find it easier to gauge weight that way than using scales. Scales judge the weight of sin; my hands judge the weight of aid."

Shu smiled but said nothing as Thoth's eyes glazed with rigid focus, his brow furrowing as he painstakingly mixed granules and oils. Shu barely breathed lest he break the concentration.

Minutes passed. Each feeling as if he were standing on a crumbling glacier, awaiting rescue or woe.

After what felt like hours, Thoth set down a tiny vial, barely a quarter full of sparkling but murky paste. A sheen of sweat clung to his skin and his hands finally allowed themselves to shake, realising the tautness that had taken over.

"He simply needs to add water and swallow it. I shall send you with another of my birds, Panya. She is shy but swift. Bring the vial back otherwise Am Heh will know."

"Water, what if...?"

"He will not leave him without water. From my recollection his slaves were treated decently enough and were never denied fluid. I cannot see that will have changed, even in this rage of his."

He pushed open the window, allowing the sparse breeze to blow away what residues he couldn't collect, and gave a whistle towards the flock. Several heads glanced up but soon returned to spooning the mud, turning it over in their search for the small grubs and crustaceans that hid in the folds.

Thoth tapped his foot patiently and gave a small smile. "I told you she was shy," he explained lamely. "Give her a moment though."

A moment passed and slowly one of the birds edged its way from the hub, her legs shaking. Grey in colour she blended well and was glad of it. She preferred the quiet and seldom even joined the morning chorus of the others, occasionally giving the soft puppy-like growl when addressed.

Thoth moved to the porch and crouched down, bringing himself lower so as not to lower over like a titan ready to crush her.

He whispered something as she came within earshot and her poise seemed to relax, bowing her head with understanding.

Looking over he held the vial out. "Take it, you can give it to her to take in when you reach there. She broke her leg some years back and I don't want to tie anything too tightly. At the same token I don't want to lose the potion either. I have told her to indicate to any water. If the human has the brains, he was born with then he will understand that gesture. Once he has taken it then she will take it back to you."

Shu looked at the potion as it was passed to him, deciding to hold it in his hand rather than risk losing it in his sleeve or pocket. He smiled at Panya who eyed him cautiously.

"I often say ladies first but I will lead the way," he said to her softly. "Do not fear, nothing will happen to you and I will lead you on a quiet route."

The increase of air travel made movement with birds difficult and hazardous. He'd seen all too many pulled into the roaring engines, their blood staining the mechanics.

Over time he had worked out the routes and found some safe passages even though it may take longer to reach his destination.

Panya stood, frozen in place, as Shu vanished, looking at Thoth pleadingly. She was satisfied when the God gave her a nod and bade her follow. She never wanted to displease him and the permission was crucial, a strange personality for such a large, grand bird.

Thoth watched her go with an amused chuckle and yet his emotions were in turmoil and anything but amused. Unconsciously he knotted his fingers together as her silhouette faded in the midday sky.

________________

Isaac had little to do but pace idly about the room, pausing only to look down through that clear pane to see the world he knew slipping ever closer to chaos.

The gnawing sense of familiarity still griped in his head and was on the brink of causing a far worse migraine that he knew would be pulsating violently across the side of his skull for hours.

Days if he was unlucky.

"This is worse than that camp trip I went on with the school," he muttered, hiding his face in his hands in an effort to calm his breathing which had slowly been getting more ragged as time passed. "The only good thing here is that it's clean, I don't have to worry about woodlice or cockroaches getting in my trousers." He gave a hum. "Or red ants. Lord knows that taught me to look before I sat down."

The mere thought of those acidic bites caused him to glance behind him as if half expecting a sandy looking mound to rise out of the floor.

It seemed highly unlikely though, Am Heh would certainly see ants as beneath his powers.

The sound of strong wings beating the air mercilessly outside caught his attention as he lapsed into silence and cautiously, he got to his feet and approached the window.

Panya seemed to flinch and Isaac paused, waiting instead for her to move. She gazed at him for several moments before reticently lowering her head and dropping a small object to the floor. It rolled over easily, stopping when it hit his foot.

"What's this?" Isaac knelt to retrieve it, looking over the strange contents. The paste within didn't look pleasant and the thought of swallowing it never once crossed his mind.

He looked up inquiringly at the bird and frowned as she seemed to motion to the water. He pointed at the vial and received an odd growl in response.

"I suppose that's a yes?" He sighed and moved to the jug, grimacing as he uncorked the vial. The smell was subtle but still unpleasant, a mingled odour of swamp and soil. It brought to mind the breaks he'd taken in the country as a child and had gone rambling in the marshes.

Even so, the Ibis had been sent for a reason and he would do as required even if it churned his stomach.

The paste fizzed as he added a tiny quantity of water, bubbling up like a witch’s brew to the rim before slowly settling down again. Still, it hissed as he lifted it to his lips, bolstering himself before drinking it in one, practically throwing it down his throat to avoid tasting it.

It was thick as it slipped down, the feeling worse than the mouldy taste that inevitably touched his palate.

The bird flapped its wings impatiently and moved its head towards the vial as the last droplet slithered away, anxious to be away from the place. It had a strange, foreboding atmosphere despite the lightness and heightened her desire to get back to her roost near the lakes.

"One second," Isaac grabbed the jug, trying to wash away the rancid taste. "You might be used to swallowing things like this but I'm not and I don't think you want me to vomit on you."

Panya growled indignantly, making her displeasure and impatience clear. She refused to cease her scraping and fluttering until Isaac nearer enough for her to take the now empty container.

She practically snatched it back, catching his fingers in her haste, and escaping the sill before the yelp of pain left him.

Cradling his red fingers Isaac gazed after her as she disappeared into the mist that surrounded them, slowing when the shield rippled and fought against her exit. He felt his heart sink as he watched the brief struggle, as it proved how hopeless it would be for him to attempt anything.

"Maybe they don't want me to," he muttered as his stomach grumbled angrily. "Maybe that's the point of that potion, I suppose I'm just going to have to wait and see."

Sighing despondently, he moved to examine the books on the walls, recognising some of the titles immediately. Grimoires and ancient scripts that all had believed as lost.

Reeling sickness struck his stomach and he staggered to lean against the desk, knowing it was not just due to the potion he'd consumed.

"I just hope whatever they are planning works," he breathed, dropping back down to the floor. The cool of the marble was calming. At least it took his mind from the nausea. "If it doesn't then the only option is, I try and use those myself and that isn't a risk I want."