to take him to creation point, the opposite direction of vanishing point. Bring him to supernova, cell splitting, galaxy annihilating, light fractals that only reconstruct when and how you say so. When you're done, I want that man on his hands and knees, too weak to breach the barrier, but willing to crawl over it with his last ounce of energy, like an addict, to get to you. On the other side, you thrust the Caduceus in the ground, supposedly to revive him as he apologizes profusely for his lack of control and you siphon the last of what he's got from him. Your gentle embrace and tender words telling him that it's all right are to wrap around him like a silver vine. Bondage. Tie him up. Then jettison him back, for you fear your lover is coming to attack him... of course he would, and you don't want two Neteru males to kill each other--truth. Cain will surrender without protest to your gentle shove through the rip. because he'll be in no position to deal with a battle-bulked, irrational male who is beyond outrage."
The regal queen laughed so hard she covered her mouth for a moment before composing herself again. "Open the ring, douse the tattoos, and be totally undone when Carlos finds you--which, by that point, I'm sure you adequately will be. Then never, ever, again, bring up Carlos's transgressions... and allow him to benefit from the batde with Cain. To the victor goes the spoils. Such is the rule of war. All men understand the concept. Harmony will be restored. All dignity preserved. Cain knows how this works, and his ego will allow him to take comfort in the fact that you simply had no other choice or you'd die at Carlos's hands." Nefertiti laughed harder. "That, too, is probably not a lie."
Aset stood and paced with Nzinga. "Nefertiti, remind me to confer with you about oil of Hathor before I go into negotiations with Ausar for his shields."
Nzinga chuckled. "Gives a whole new meaning to going to war." She patted away the dampness that had risen to her cleavage, picked up a bottle from one of the trays, then simply held it up to the light, shaking her head.
"Prepare her to my specifications," Nefertiti commanded the initiates with no nonsense in her tone.
"I just have one question," Damali said, not bothering to disguise her hysteria. "Can you block this from Carlos until the end of time... especially if it goes down badly?"
Nefertiti winked. "That's a given."
He'd looked everywhere for her, but no Damali. Carlos sat down on the beach and simply stared at the water. Based on her state of mind when they'd parted, she could be anywhere. He couldn't blame her as he kept sensing for her life force. He didn't perceive she was in danger, but it was clear from her lack of response that she wasn't ready to be found.
Marlene had ripped open his mind, made him see and feel things that he hadn't fully realized before. Juanita had gone so far into the Darkness and had held so much of it inside her for so long on his behalf that it scared him.
Carlos pitched a seashell into the waves. Damali had been right. A good dragon had died unnecessarily. He'd also hurt so many people that several lifetimes couldn't make it all up.
When he went to her this time, he vowed it would be with humility, a listening ear, and patience beyond compare. If she would just hear him out and let him beg her forgiveness... he'd go down on his hands and knees. No matter what she'd done, or where she'd been, he wouldn't ask. Didn't have the right to, after all the changes he'd taken her through. Now he knew that, too.
Until she came home, he'd guard their almost shattered family. Until she came home, he'd keep a light on in the window at the house. From this point forward, he would treat her like the queen she was... if she would only come home before it got dark, and anything else crazy kicked off.
Damali stood before Aset, Nzinga, and Nefertiti awaiting their response. The queens hadn't allowed her to look in the mirror until Nefertiti gave the nod.
The queens smiled. Nefertiti closed her eyes.
"I approve," Nefertiti murmured, and then gently turned Damali to look at herself.
The transformation was so startling that for several moments Damali could only stare. A pair of dark, sultry, Egyptian eyes stared back at