Chapter Text
Seth ordered the others to wait while Seth walked with Anubis to another private room where they could chat. The sun was lower in the sky and casting things into shadow, and Anubis’ expression was even glummer than usual as he gazed up at his father. Anubis was still too thin and pale, but he was defiant. And Seth could respect that, at least. He wanted Anubis to fight for himself, and not give in to fear. It was probably part of why he’d helped Horus: to prove Seth hadn’t cowed him. Or to fight back.
You brought an army into our home to punish and kill me, Seth thought as he gazed down at Anubis. Isis threatened me with a knife. Horus stabbed me.
It didn’t matter that Isis and Horus – at least at the time – hadn’t been real threats, but the gods coming in for the trial had been difficult to deal with. And as a result, Seth had to face Osiris again for the first time in hundreds of years.
You’ve been punished once, Seth thought, why not run this time?
Anubis could hate him. Even fight him. And he could choose a side that wasn’t Seth’s. But that didn’t mean Seth was regretful, or that Seth would be somehow merciful this time.
“Please don’t punish me in front of Mother,” Anubis said, with a firm voice.
The corner of Seth’s right eye twitched. He and Anubis had fought before, in practice, but that moment after Horus and Isis’ forces arrived…
It was different.
“She didn’t like it last time,” Anubis continued. And there was an odd neutrality in his tone, as if he was trying to distance himself from matters. “And despite everything, it still hasn’t convinced her to abandon you.” He sounded angry, then. “I don’t want to bring her more pain needlessly.”
Yes, Seth thought as he gazed at Anubis, choosing to not punish Anubis for speaking before Seth gave him leave. Perhaps her reaction is proof that there is some merit to Horus’ ridiculous story.
Seth knew Nephthys loved Anubis. Or at least she’d demonstrated it before. Nephthys was a loving goddess, and she’d have loved any child she had, or so he thought. But to do so little in light of Anubis’ struggles? Her begging hadn’t exactly made Seth stop, not after everything she’d done. Surely at some point she’d have enough and leave him, and stop punishing them both. Or try to intercede: there was magic she could have used, and chose not to.
If she’d been afraid of Seth turning on her instead, ignoring that Seth had never done so in the entire time they’d been together, why not find a way to escape? She’d helped Isis before. She was creative in her own way, and quite powerful as a god of peace. She and Anubis could have gotten out somehow. It’s not like Seth had ever found Isis and Horus while they were on the run.
But if she’s not really Nephthys, Seth thought, grimly, or not fully herself due to a curse, maybe she doesn’t realize how much her inaction is hurting Anubis. Maybe she doesn’t know how to properly leave.
Then again, Seth wasn’t the only person Nephthys had lied to. Perhaps hurting Anubis was more part of her personality than he thought.
But there was still the chance that what they were planning could help not only Nephthys but also Anubis. And no matter how angry and hurt Seth was by Anubis’ actions, he still wanted Anubis to ultimately find happiness, even if it meant watching Anubis and Nephthys leave forever.
Anubis straightened his shoulders, as if preparing for another beating. Most gods would expect such a thing. Or perhaps even expect Seth to kill him, given the rumors about Seth’s proclivities.
I wouldn’t murder my own son, Seth thought, angrily. I’m not Osiris.
“You’re not going to fight back?” Seth finally demanded. “Even though you assume I’ll beat you like I did last time?” If Seth were in Anubis’ shoes, he’d probably attack first. Geb and Nut were distant parents, so it wasn’t like he’d ever been in a similar situation, but he wasn’t one to let his enemies just attack him without repercussion.
Anubis pressed his lips together, but stayed still, as if daring Seth onward.
“You’ve shown so much initiative, Anubis,” Seth said, annoyed now. “It’s unlike you to be a coward. Even if you use others as proxies.” Seth smiled, then. “But you’re a proper general’s son, I suppose, spreading your pieces on a board to fight against me, rather than simply confronting me yourself, knowing it won’t work. I can almost respect that.”
Anubis’ face twisted in distaste, as if Seth’s respect were revolting.
“A general doesn’t back down because his pieces failed,” Seth said, frowning now at Anubis. “He comes up with another strategy. And another. And another. I imagine you have others lined up even now.” He imagined that once Nephthys’ interrogation was over, Anubis would skulk around until he could talk to Isis in private, perhaps planning their next move.
Seth needed to ensure Horus was somewhere Isis and Anubis couldn’t use him. Horus was Seth’s servant now, allegedly, but the demigod was tricky in his own right, and needed to be handled appropriately.
Anubis’ eyes narrowed a bit, but it was hard to tell if that was because Seth guessed right or not.
Seth sighed and said, “Your little gambit won you little, other than embarrassing me. I still came out the victor.” The throne was properly his. Isis and Horus were in his power. The gods were afraid.
Nephthys would be cured. Things could perhaps, at least on some level, be as they were. Even if Nephthys left, and even took Anubis with her, things might be better.
It didn’t matter that it brought him little joy.
It reminded him too much of the night Osiris died. Seth’s foolish brother, who’d discounted Seth’s abilities, too. And lost.
And left Seth in turmoil.
Seth looked at Anubis and saw flashes of Osiris: from his face to his haughty arrogance, and hated everything about it. It didn’t matter that Osiris wasn’t around to instruct Anubis. He was there, in Anubis’ very blood. In how Anubis had sided with Isis.
Anubis and Osiris both wanted Seth dead, even if the reasons were different.
Seth grimaced and said, “Go to your room. I’ll decide on your punishment later.”
Anubis’ eyes widened in surprise. “What? But, Father—!”
“That was an order,” Seth said, making Anubis step back. “Or do you want your punishment to be worse?” Anubis already knew how bad it could be.
Anubis clenched his hands into fists, but said nothing, as if being isolated in his palace rooms was a trial.
It wasn’t like Seth was going to stick him in the dungeons with the human prisoners.
But when he thought about it, he sighed and said, “Fine. You want something punishing rather than stewing in your own frustration?”
Anubis looked up at him in surprise.
Seth simply gazed back, wondering if one day, Anubis would aim true in his attacks on Seth, and make things simpler for them both. “I have a job for you. It will be hard.”
Anubis’ expression grew firm again. “I can do whatever it is.” He likely thought it was some kind of trial to prove himself.
Seth snorted and said, “The human prisoners. They looked weak and underfed in the arena with Horus. Go see how things are going with them. That’s your job now.”
“…What?” Anubis seemed shocked now.
Seth smirked and replied, “You wanted to overthrow the tyrant, didn’t you? You wanted to free your mother. Well, here’s your chance to free someone if you so choose. But you’re responsible for them. And you might find that taking care of humans so they don’t just spontaneously die is harder than you think.” He knew well enough how easily they perished, even with proper care, from his years in the army and working alongside Isis.
Anubis looked worried, then. It was a lot of responsibility. More than just welcoming guests or being sneaky. “But you never cared if they died…”
Seth laughed and said, “They’re just humans, so why should I care?” Osiris was the one who existed for humans, not Seth.
“But…” Anubis began slowly, “You fought for so many years to protect them…”
“And for what?” Seth demanded. “They worship their precious Osiris. They worship Isis, who ran from helping Egypt after Osiris—!” He blinked and stared at Anubis, who was gazing back at him in surprise.
Seth scoffed and said, “Fine. If you think you know better what it is to be a king, then that’s your new charge. Prove you’re better than me.”
Anubis grimaced, but didn’t respond this time. He was accepting it.
Seth breathed in deeply and turned away to leave. He didn’t care about any prisoners now that he finally had Isis. And it looked like he was going to have other headaches to keep him occupied for a time.
Everyone thinks they know me, Seth thought in frustration. But as he walked away, he rethought his decision to bring so many to question Nephthys. Anubis was proof that he couldn’t just leave things be.
He needed to talk to Isis.
Seth and Isis went to Nephthys’ cell alone, walking the quiet and darkening corridors of the main palace together in largely uncomfortable silence. The slaps of their footsteps echoed on the stone.
Seth had ordered only Isis would accompany him. He wanted to keep what Nephthys had to say to as few ears as possible. Of course, he didn’t trust Isis, but after everything they’d gone through, he had connected the dots on what she knew of the night Osiris died…
And if she knew and hadn’t spoken about it yet, when it would have benefitted her to speak out and denounce Seth, declaring him a cuckhold and a weakling, he doubted she’d speak out now, beyond what was relevant for dealing with the mirror. But it would be stressful enough to navigate interrogating Nephthys about the past without worrying what Thoth, Maat, and Horus would do with any information they learned.
Horus had objected to Seth’s order, saying, “But I can detect if she’s lying!”
“So can your mother,” Seth replied, annoyed at the stupid pigeon. “Are you my servant or aren’t you?”
Isis simply frowned at everything, clearly annoyed. But she didn’t protest. She also perhaps knew why Seth wanted fewer witnesses to whatever Nephthys had to say.
“We are not allies,” Isis said now as she and Seth walked forward. “I will kill you if I get the chance.” Her expression was angry and determined, and she marched ahead firmly.
Seth laughed and said, “I’m aware, dear Isis. And maybe if Nephthys is made whole, she’ll help you, like she did before.” Helping Isis escape the labyrinth wasn’t the same as helping Isis commit murder, but it was something.
It had hurt back then, but Seth had grown past it. It was hardly the worst betrayal Nephthys had committed.
Isis scoffed, but only said a brief, “Monster,” under her breath before remaining quiet.
Seth stayed quiet, too. Despite everything, this was the first time they were really alone together since Isis fled Heliopolis hundreds of years before. Of course, Seth had guaranteed Isis’ safety, so it wasn’t like he was going to attack her, but…
“I know there’s a reason you left Nephthys behind when you escaped the labyrinth,” Seth said. “You wouldn’t just leave her with me if you hated and feared me so much.” He needed proof of his belief, even if he was quite certain.
Isis was silent, but her angry gaze was focused ahead.
“Why didn’t you say anything?” Seth demanded as he stopped walking. They were far enough from everyone else now, and the servants avoided the area. “I came to you to ask for you to join me against them both, and you kept silent!” All the years he'd wondered, and now...
Isis stopped and stood still for a time before slowly turning to face him. Her eyes were narrowed in distaste. “You expected me to join up with you? After everything you did?”
Seth scoffed and said, “Osiris and Nephthys betrayed us both, what did you expect me to do?” He assumed she’d have felt as betrayed as him.
“I expected my friend to come to me for help!” Isis said, her blue eyes bright with fury now. “As we worked together in the past!”
Seth was surprised at that remark. “But I did come to you for help!” He’d begged for her support, offered her a place at his side!
“After you’d gone to challenge Osiris first!” Isis said, clutching at her flail. “After you’d lain with him!”
Seth’s eyes widened in horror. “What?! You… You knew?! When did you…? How did you—?!”
Isis scoffed and said, “Of course I knew! I ran into Nephthys after you did. I heard from Sekhmet and Nephthys. And then I ran after you. And I saw it all.”
Seth’s heart raced, and he found it was a little hard to breathe. But as Isis continued to glare at him, he felt some anger too. “Then why…? Why curse us both?! Why run?! We could have taken revenge together!” If Isis knew and still fled…?
Isis scoffed and said, “You are the reason he went insane. Why in the world would I side with you for anything?”
Seth’s heart hurt, it was racing so fast. “What are you talking about?! Osiris’ madness is his own!”
“After everything you’ve done,” Isis said, bitingly, “to me, to my followers, to my son, you dare lecture me about such things…”
“He betrayed you first!” Seth said, furious she wasn’t seeing sense. “He went behind your back twice and you still revived him?! Even knowing what he did?!” It made no sense.
“You gave Osiris your body in order to achieve your goals,” Isis said. “So why couldn’t I?”
Seth stared at her in shock.
“Osiris and I are married anyway,” Isis said. Her eyes seemed to glow in mad fury. “I have to use all the pieces I have to my advantage.”
Like a general, Seth thought, even as he felt a bit of a chill.
“Revenge was my goal,” Isis finished. “I did whatever it took.”
Seth scowled and said, “Revenge, huh? You gave birth to Osiris’ son just so you could take revenge on me for not coming to you sooner? For doing what I had to in order to save Anubis?” It felt like what little he recalled of their friendship was falling to ash before him.
“I was your family,” Isis said, still looking angry. But there was hurt in her voice, too, which was surprising. “And your closest friend. Your trusted companion. But after everything we’d gone through, every hardship we faced, you abandoned that, all for your selfish need to be acknowledged as superior. To be declared king!”
“What?” Seth said. “That’s not true!"
“You never told me the truth,” Isis countered. “If I hadn’t run into Nephthys that night, you would have continued lying to me.”
“You can’t know that,” Seth said, feeling shaky. “I just wasn’t myself then, that’s all. If I’d had more time…” He’d felt like he was holding himself together by his fingernails. Everything had been hard that night. And his pain and rage had been so tied together then.
“You took everything from me,” Isis said. “My husband. My throne. My followers. And now my son’s birthright. And you expect me to sympathize with you somehow?!”
“…Do you still love Osiris?” Seth demanded. “Is that what this is? Is that why you cursed yourself, too? You couldn’t forgive yourself for loving him?” Is that why you hated me just as much?
Isis scoffed at that. “You beat your own son bloody rather than denouncing him or your wife, and have the audacity to accuse me of anything?”
“I’m not accusing—!” Seth breathed in deeply, caught by what she’d said. “When did you learn about Anubis being beaten?”
“Osiris brought him to me,” Isis said, dismissively. “At the start of the trial. He asked me to care for Anubis’ injuries.”
Seth scowled. “As if he’d care for Anubis… He was the one who tried to kill Anubis first!”
“Then perhaps it makes you even,” Isis said. “You’ve both nearly killed him.”
“I didn’t—!” Seth scoffed and looked away. They were getting nowhere.
“You’ve won this trial,” Isis said. “But that doesn’t mean I give up. Once this business with Nephthys is over…”
“Even if it was Osiris who did it?” Seth asked. “You know it’s too much of a coincidence.” He simply didn’t understand how she still sided with Osiris!
“My revenge is against you both,” Isis said. “And if the curse makes it so that I can’t have what I want, as this whole farce seems designed to push things, then I will use Horus to get what I want.”
“He already lost to me,” Seth said. “Even with your help. And Osiris’ help.”
“Yes,” Isis said, coolly. “For once, you thought before you did something. And you managed to succeed.”
Seth laughed and said, “Tell that to Osiris. He’s the one who chose to kill himself.”
Isis’ eyes widened in surprise. “What?”
Seth gazed back at her, glad to surprise her somehow. To shake her rigid arrogance. “I suppose you left before that, then?”
She glared at him and stepped forward. “Tell me!”
Seth scoffed and replied, “No.” As he turned aside, he felt a spell grab him and pull him into the air. He struggled, even though it was like fighting smoke. He had no real way to escape it.
“You will tell me!” Isis said. Her eyes glowed blue. “Tell me how he died!”
Seth coughed and gagged, and tried to get out. But it was no use. The spell held him tightly. It made him so dizzy and immobilized him enough that he couldn’t even strike out at her.
It reminded him of that wretched night, with Osiris and his damn plants…
“Speak up!” Isis demanded. “You were so cocky before! All the spell does is make you tell the truth! Just tell me how he died!”
Seth coughed loudly, feeling saliva dribble down his chin. He was getting nowhere. He couldn’t win against Isis in a magic duel.
“The wine Osiris gave me…” he finally began, “I couldn’t turn into sand. Which made me think… perhaps I could die easily as a human being. And… if I died, I could be free of Osiris.”
Isis frowned at him, clearly confused. Seth wondered if she, like others, had assumed Seth just dismembered Osiris and that was that.
She deserved to know what a fool she was in love with.
“So I killed myself,” Seth said. The spell didn’t hurt him as much as he spoke. “Again and again. But he kept healing me, refusing to let me go. No matter how many times. How many ways.” He coughed twice before he could continue, “and then I opened a path to Duat, and the souls of those killed in war dragged me down.” He remembered the touch of their hands on his skin. The way they’d ripped that piece of his body to shreds.
“You went to Duat?” Isis asked, confused.
“Just as the wine made me mortal,” Seth said, “it was also filled with life. I used it to keep a piece of myself outside of Duat, hidden, to observe and see what Osiris would do.” Seth grinned, recalling Osiris’ ridiculous fumbling. “He believed me dead, and consumed Nephthys’ power of creation to reject his immortality, and descend into Duat after me. And he could not resurrect himself, either.”
Isis simply stared at him.
After a while, the spell released itself, and Seth fell to the ground. He’d had worse injuries than his butt hitting stone, and was more bothered by the spell exiting his lungs. He coughed until his throat felt clear. His powers were still his own, his body felt normal. Unlike with Osiris, the spell wasn’t long-lasting.
“We should question Nephthys,” Isis said. “We’ve delayed long enough.” She sounded tired, somehow.
Seth scowled and pushed himself up. He couldn’t attack Isis at the moment, due to his agreement with Horus, but he was tempted.
Even if he supposed after everything he’d done, it was her right, as well, to treat him this way. He’d gone to her that night in the hopes they could help each other in their revenge, not solely for his own gain. Even if she didn’t care for it, in the end.
But at least her outburst had twigged his thoughts when he recalled that wretched night. “Osiris said that love is a delusion created by Hathor.”
Isis frowned at him, clearly confused by the comment. “What?”
“Isn’t that strange?” Seth said. “He believed his actions were the proper way to show love. But his wording… And now this mirror of Hathor’s that can possibly create illusions?” He shook his head and looked down the hall, towards the cell where Nephthys kept herself. “Of course he was full of ridiculous nonsense about everything, as always. Insisting Nephthys agreed to marry him because he was stronger… But I thought maybe… Maybe… he knew about that mirror.”
“Maybe the mirror did something he planned?” Isis wondered. “It is too coincidental, after everything he’s done.”
So she doesn’t trust him, Seth thought. He supposed using Osiris was her means to revenge, as well. She truly hates me almost as much as if not more than him.
Isis breathed in deeply. “Then let us go and see for ourselves.”
Seth was almost impressed with the way Isis was so confident he wouldn’t do anything in revenge for her casting a spell on him, and would stick to his agreement with Horus. Despite how she viewed him as a monster, as someone who couldn’t be trusted or relied on.
But he needed Isis to figure out what had happened with Nephthys, and attacking Isis wouldn’t bring him closer to that goal.
And if Osiris really had a hand in this, Seth thought, I want to know.