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“They don’t think so. The police think there is a group doing it. They’ve been unable to trace anyone linked to the letters or any of the kidnapping attempts. They believe they are being funded and supported by someone with contacts in high places.”
I looked at her as it suddenly dawned on me what she and my father had been through. “Mum, I’m so, so sorry. I’d never have... Why on earth didn’t you tell me? I’m twenty-three, not eight anymore.”
“I said we should, but your father wanted to protect you. He wanted you to be happy and safe and not looking over your shoulder at university. He didn’t want you to be scared to make friends or boyfriends for fear of who they might be. We were planning to tell you when you became engaged to Jasper. We would tell you both, so his family could help with the arrangements to keep you safe, but until then, your father was determined you would have as close to a normal life as possible. Being afraid and keeping you safe, that was our job. And West’s.”
I didn’t say anything, just leaned forward and wrapped my arms around her. She hesitated then hugged me back. I buried my face in her hair, breathing in her floral scent. “I am so sorry. I promise I’ll be more careful now that I know the truth.”
She squeezed me slightly. “I’m so sorry we kept it from you. I know why your father did it, but all those times you were so angry and confused as to why we were so strict with you, I wanted to tell you. Now you know.”
I drew back as she did. “And Daddy? Will he forgive me?”
“He was beside himself when you disappeared, and when they couldn’t find you straightaway, we thought our worst nightmares had been realised. Only a small part of what you see is anger. Most is fear and guilt at not being able to protect you. Give him time. He’ll come around.” She stood up and straightened her skirt. “I know you’re at a crossroads, and you’ll need time to organise your move to London for your placement, but try to play along. Let them work out the best way to protect you, even if it’s stifling. Please.”
I nodded. “I will. I’ll do whatever they say.” She gave me a smile then left the room.
I sat a little longer, my eyes on the letters on the desk. I didn’t read any more. I didn’t want to know what they were threatening to do to me. Shame and guilt surged through me, and hot tears formed in my eyes. I dashed them away. I was furious at myself for what I’d done, for what I’d put my parents through, even though there was no way I could have known. I should have had more faith in them, in knowing they always wanted what was best for me. And West... He’d known all along, known what he was protecting me from in the mundane world as well as the supernatural one, and I’d put him through hell for it.
As if he’d heard my thoughts, the door opened behind me and West came in. He moved quietly to my side and stopped, staring at the pile of letters on the desk.
“So now you know,” he said quietly.
“Yes.” We were silent for a few moments.
West moved forward and looked at a couple of the letters.
“You have no idea who sent them?” I asked.
He looked over at me, raising his eyebrows.
“I mean, could they be related to other stuff? The supernatural stuff?”
“It’s extremely likely. The references to the holy sun definitely indicate that it might be some kind of cult or religious extremist that has some sense of what you are.”
“I thought Ra was the sun god? Why would his followers want me dead?”
West set the letters down and walked over to the full-length window that looked out into my mother’s rose garden. “There have been many, many sun god cults over the millennia. Ra is only one of those, though many borrow from each other’s mythologies and beliefs. Mithras, for example, was a Roman sun god based on the earlier Iranian sun god, Mithra, and worshipped throughout the empire. He even had a temple in the north of England. There was also Apollo, another sun god, and Christ, who is known as a sun god, his assigned birthday in December linking him to earlier pagan traditions of the sun child returning light to the world at midwinter.”
“Are those gods real too?” I asked, considering the Greek, Roman, and Norse gods I had studied at school over the years.
West shrugged, turning back to me. “Whether they are or were real, or are simply reimaginings of our own history, I have no idea. I have never encountered another deity that did not hail from ancient Egypt, but that is not to say they have not kept themselves well hidden. Wesley is the history and religious scholar. You should ask him.”
I nodded. “I will. So you think a follower of some other god has it in for me just because of who or what I am?”
He turned away. “There could be many reasons or none. We could simply have someone who is insane—clever and cunning, but insane.”
“Oh, that’s reassuring,” I muttered dryly.
West’s blue eyes connected with mine, and I felt a shiver go through me. “I will always protect you, my lady, to death and beyond. You need have no fear.”
I remembered what my mother had told me about how many times West had been there to stop the unthinkable from happening. Emotion swelled inside me, threatening to spill over into tears, but I fought to keep control. I knew he didn’t care for emotional outbursts. “I know,” I replied simply.
His eyes closed briefly then opened again. “I’m glad. I have something to show you.”
I stood up and moved around the desk to stand by him at the window.
He reached into his blazer pocket and pulled out a brown envelope, handing it to me. I glanced at him then opened it, pulling out a wad of photographs.
“West... what are these?” I asked, sliding them out one at a time. They were images of me at Cairo airport, wandering through the souq, walking on the campus at Zagazig, and leaving the Four Seasons on our way home. I felt sick.
