When he pressed it back into my chest I felt such loss that my knees knocked together.
“Pure,” his voice rasped. “Of both body and soul.”
I remembered this entire thing differently.
This wasn’t how it happened the first time.
Then again, I wasn’t the same person was I?
Furthermore, neither was he.
I met his gaze. Even as part beast he was beautiful with a long sharp snout and matching pointy black ears. His chest heaved as he watched me. Something stirred inside as my fingers burned to reach out, to touch that jet-black fur.
“Well then,” King Set laughed and spread his arms wide. “Bring my betrothed here.”
My feet didn’t budge.
He was massive, the King, at least twelve feet tall with jet black hair and eyes that glowed both red and gold switching every few seconds. They reminded me of Timber’s eyes, and longing pulsed through my body.
I was doing this for him.
For Timber.
For the beast currently holding his hand out to me.
I took it because I had no other choice.
“Prince Anubis,” Set said through clenched teeth. “You will escort the princess to the throne.”
Anubis.
Anubis.
Of course he was.
The Prince of Darkness.
The damned.
My mythology or what I thought was mythology, was rusty, but thanks to my parents I knew exactly what Anubis did. He judged the souls, determining where they would be placed in the afterlife.
He was also one of the oldest gods mentioned in mythology, some say more powerful than the one I was supposed to be marrying.
His head tilted toward me and with a slight growl he changed into a man, a beautiful man.
“Timber,” I whispered.
It was Timber.
My heart hammered so loud against my chest I figured he was going to tell me to calm down.
Instead, he inspected me like I was a science experiment, his golden eyes narrowing into tiny slits as he held out his hand. “Princess.”
Tears stung, but didn’t fall.
I kept them in as his warmth wrapped around me, the simple graze of his hand was enough to make my knees buckle.
“Remember,” I whispered under my breath. “I need you to remember.”