Infinite Sacrifice Read Online Free Page A

after the last
purification of the day, Nebu inquires, “I am relieved to hear
Bastet passed your palm reading, but I am anxious to hear of her
dream.”
    “Yes, she has truly been a
remarkable subject.” I lie, “She displayed an amazing ability to
connect with the spirit world.”
    Nebu raises her painted eyebrows in
interest. “What have you interpreted?”
    “There is no need for me to
interpret since she had direct communication facilitated by
Serapis.”
    She pulls back in surprise, never
having had direct contact with him herself. I unroll the scroll and
let her read:
    I was walking up to the statue of
Serapis and saw my own dead form laid out as an offering. The
statue of Serapis came alive, took his sacred offering of donkey
meat, and put it in front of me. I came to life and ate the
flesh.
    Nebu rolls the scroll back up and
hands it to me. I don’t need to tell her that those are the
portents of long life, promotion, and divine acceptance.
    “Serapis has spoken, then, and
picked for us. I, his dutiful wife, will make sure his will is
granted.”
    She humbly bows and walks off to
notify her apprentices in the harem room.
     
    ∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞
     
    I’ve never wanted a woman more. My
own wife, chosen by my father to secure our lands to the east of
Memphis, thought to be attractive by most standards, is a wife for
a man; Bastet is a wife for a god! In moments, I disregard all that
is sacred to me, worshipping only Bastet.
    That evening I retire to my own
quarters provided beside the temple. I walk past the peasants
putting their livestock safely away for the night, the farmers
digging the grime from under their fingernails before supper, and
the serenely empty crop fields. As I make my way down the row of
simple sandstone dwellings, I watch the smoke lift from cooking
fires on rooftops and blend into the darkening sky. Nun rushes to
open the gate to the courtyard, and I wave away the plate of food
offered as I head straight into my room.
    Earlier that morning, I sent Nun on
the half-day’s walk back outside Memphis to fetch my tailless black
cat, Sehket. All the wooden lamps were lit within, and I search the
sparse room. My soul is finally at ease once Sehket’s large, golden
eyes stare up at me. I find Nun outside rubbing honey on blisters
he acquired from his errand. I strike the small gong at the
entranceway for him to serve me, and he limps inside carrying warm
water from the fire. Nun washes, oils, and dries my feet, then
retires to his woolen blanket beside the mud-baked firepot outside.
Before getting into bed, I throw back the sheet and am relieved to
find the bed empty. Sehket takes her usual place on my chest as I
fall asleep to her loud purr, secure she’d protect me from the
serpents that plague me.
    It’s a glorious dawn, and I’m
sitting in an orchard in the sun when something catches my eye. A
flashing light surges out from an unfamiliar temple. Dark clouds
start to gather, so I run to the temple for shelter. I enter and
stand before a large statue of Edjo. The statue comes to life and
hands me a deep cup. I drink from it, seeking refreshment, yet find
it is warm beer, and I spit it out.
    I awake, nudge Sehket off of me,
and drop to my knees by my bed. After such a nightmare, I recite
the prayer: “Hail to thee, Isis my mother, thou good dream which
art seen by night or by day. Driven forth are all evil filthy
things which Seth, the son of Nut, has made. Even as Ra is
vindicated against his enemies, so I am vindicated against my
enemies.”
    The next
afternoon, coming from my midday purification and heading to the
dream chamber, I hear a faint noise within and pause outside the
entranceway to listen. It is her voice. A voice I imprinted on days ago,
chanting:
    “Hathor, Goddess of Love
    Make him think only of
me.
    My lovely charms he can’t
resist.
    My lover coax him to be.
    The first part of my prayer
fulfilled,
    Hathor, you healed my
strife,
    Removed Edjo from