"Isis?"

Like a prayer, the name left my lips on a whisper as I stared at the stone goddess sitting on her throne. She hadn't moved, which didn't surprise me. But the fact remained that I had heard a female voice. When I turned to look at Vincent, his wide-eyed expression confirmed this, and I clutched the cube to my chest as I waited for the goddess to speak again.

"It is Isis. Your queen. Can you understand me? I speak not in my native tongue."

"Yes...your highness. I understand."

A whoosh pounded inside my ears as blood rushed to my brain. Could I really be hearing the voice of Isis, or was this a trick devised by that sneaky bastard, Dmitry?

"Very good. I had hoped I heard your intentions correctly when you and your mate spoke at the door. You are here to return the power source to this sacred space, yes?"

"Yes, we are." I held out the box containing the cube, although I had no idea if the goddess could see what I was doing. The statue on the throne still had not moved a stone muscle.

"And what are your intentions for this power source once it is in place?"

"The necromancer has promised to remove a curse from me if I do it. So...um. I intend to return home and never see him again." I surveyed the mostly empty room for the source of the voice, but the more I searched the more I was convinced it was coming from everywhere.

"Explain this curse, child."

I took in a quivering breath, remembering how Dmitry insisted my curse was actually a gift. Would Isis think of it as a gift as well? "It started when I came into contact with the cube. My body temperature spiked to one hundred and five in a very short time. I nearly died. Then Dmitry...the necromancer...he triggered the fever again when I pricked my finger on a sharp object he had infected with black magic."

"Black magic, you say?"

"That was the consensus, yes. But I know nothing about magic, so I had to take someone else's word for it."

Silence fell over the chamber, and I turned to look at Vincent, who stood outside the circle shaking his head in confusion.

"Do you expect me to believe that lie?" the voice said angrily. "You are a bearer of the eternal flame. Yet you claim to know nothing of magic?"

"I was raised by humans. I didn't know I was...different until I met Vincent, my mate. That was only nine months ago."

"How can you claim ignorance while you stand before me without fear of catching fire."

"Dmitry already proved to me that I could withstand the flames of the pyre. All I want to do is return the cube and go home, your highness. I just want my old life back."

"Is that really all you want? Do you even know what will happen when you return the cube?"

Glancing down at the box in my hand, I thought about the plan Christoph and his demon friends devised to outwit Dmitry. It was a stupid, reckless plan against the necromancer's power. And their rescue attempt would, no doubt, lead to someone's death. I didn't want that someone to be Christoph.

"I don't know exactly what will happen. I just know the necromancer will become more powerful. I don't really want that, but I've carried around this curse nearly my whole pregnancy. Who knows what it's done to my baby. I just want it gone."

"You keep calling the magic a curse. Why?"

"It's written in books that the pharaoh's cube holds a curse that affects demons. My grandfather is a demon."

"Hmph. Mortals have always believed words that are written. They are gullible and weak. You are not cursed, young one. You are blessed, as is your offspring."

I sucked in my lower lip and turned to Vincent again. He looked skeptical, and I couldn't help but agree. The goddess could be just as deceitful as the necromancer. "But the fevers..."

"The fevers came because you were not prepared for the magic, and your expectant state made you susceptible. Should you choose to retain the magic, you could be as formidable as the necromancer himself. I expect he does not want you to know this."

"Excuse me? How can that be? I'm just...nobody."

"A nobody could not have triggered the magic to unlock my chamber. You are most certainly somebody. The necromancer would not have chosen you if he did not believe this. So, now that you know about your unique nature, what would you like to do about it?"

"What do you mean?"

"You could rule over mortals as the necromancer wishes to. Just as I did when I held a corporal form."

I pictured myself sitting on a throne beside Vincent and the image looked utterly ridiculous. "I'm no ruler. I just want to live happily ever after with my mate and family."

"I understand. I wished that many times during my reign. But we are often handed responsibilities we do not want because of our gifted nature. You and I are alike. We have been blessed with the eternal flame, and I do not doubt you hold other gifts you are not yet aware of."

As I listened to the goddess speak, my jaw hung open, and when I heard the sound of splintering wood, I realized I was squeezing the box between my hands. "What does this cube do, exactly?"

"It is a link to the influences of the afterlife. With the cube in place, the necromancer can use the magic to resurrect the dead. But, know this, I do not condone the practice. He used my latent powers to build an army of demon soldiers. Back then, he called himself Zenthophelius, and we remained at odds for centuries. He was finally destroyed by a female demon who he developed strong feelings for. At least, I thought he had been destroyed."

"It sounds like you don't want the cube back."

"Not if the necromancer intends to rebuild his army with it. True, there are benefits to having the cube restored. In the right hands, the object can provide a direct link to the powers of the universe. Of course, not many are pure enough to use the power for good."

I snorted. "I can't think of a single person I would trust with that kind of power, no matter how benevolent they seem. I know that sounds cynical, but you're right about mortals. They're weak, and the world is too complicated. But I have to return the cube if I want Dmitry to remove the curse... I mean, the magic."

A soft chuckle filled the chamber, and the flames lifted and lowered with the sound. "My dear child, have you not been listening? You and your offspring are in no danger from the magic. In fact, a weaker spirit would have succumbed to the power and died when they first encountered it. You have a choice here. If you keep the magic and learn to harness it, you will always be able to protect yourself and your family. And if you feel confident enough, you can use it one day to defeat Zenthophelius once and for all."

The words the goddess spoke sounded crazy in my ears, but she also seemed completely sane as she said them. I wished like hell I could defeat Dmitry once and for all, but I was in no condition to do that now. Frowning, I glanced once more at Vincent, who shook his head subtly. He didn't trust the voice.

"If I were to learn how to harness the magic, how would I do that?" I said to the air.

"Practice. Do you know of the spell book Zenthophelius uses for his magic?"

"Yes."

"You will find all you need there."

Yikes. 

"Unfortunately, it's going to be nearly impossible to get my hands on that book."

"I imagine it would be. Well, you know the incantation for igniting the flame, yes?"

"Yes."

"Then you need only to use your gift often. The more you use it, the more it will strengthen. However, if you choose to face the necromancer in battle, you will need one more thing if you are to protect yourself. Something the last demon did not have. Are you connected to a hive?"

"Somewhat, but the queen hates my guts."

"Oh. That may be a problem. Perhaps, if you explain to her that the lives of many demons are at stake, she may be inclined to help."

"What are you asking me to do?"

"In order to protect your spirit from destruction, you will need a supernatural object imbued with the power of eternal life. I feel certain you can defeat the necromancer should you arm yourself with this weapon. Do you think you can obtain such an object?"

This time Vincent was scowling when I glanced his way. He was thinking about the same object I was. The Seal of Solomon. "It's possible," I offered weakly.

"I sense your apprehension, as well as your mate's. I understand. If it is of any help, I can feel your gifts growing stronger every moment you stand in my presence, but I fear our time runs short. You are not alone inside the labyrinth."

The sound of violent flapping echoed outside the open door, like sails being unfurled in a storm. This was followed by a loud – Thud! – and Vincent and I turned as a pair of winged silhouettes wrestled just beyond the doorway.

"Drop dead asshole!" Christoph's no-bullshit tone had my chest heaving, and based on the sound of cracking knuckles, he was battling one of Dmitry's zombies. Christoph was told to stay hidden until Vincent and I left the property. He must have had a good reason to interfere. Had the demon been listening to my conversation with Isis?

I glanced back at the pyre still blazing inside a ring of fire. Did I dare take the advice of a disembodied goddess? I had to admit, she seemed just as eager to be rid of the necromancer as we were. Another thud startled me, and I turned in time to watch the demon tumble into the chamber. Christoph staggered in after him with another demon clinging to his back, forcing Christoph's wings forward at an uncomfortable-looking angle.

"Son-of-a-bitch!" Christoph's curse rang inside the sacred space, which made me want to apologize for his bad manners. His shout was accompanied by a growl, but the growl didn't come from him or his enemies. It came from Vincent as he morphed into his gollum form and jumped into the fray.

Bloody hell.

"This is your chance to prove your worth, young one. With your gifts, you have the power to destroy your enemies." Isis spoke over the grunts of battle, and I stared at the stone goddess. It seemed foolish to follow the instructions of an inanimate object, but she was right about one thing. I felt stronger the longer I stood inside the circle.

"What do I do?"

"Once your enemy is within your sights, you simply repeat the mantra and call up the eternal flame. Then you can direct your power at your target. Just be careful your mate is not caught in the fire. If possible, do not leave the sacred circle."

As I watched Vincent and Christoph battle the demons, a memory flashed in my brain of the altercation I had with Deidra in Chicago. She had doubled over in pain when I conjured the flame and pushed her. Was that the power Isis was talking about? I set the cube on the ground, took a deep breath, and turned to face my enemies.

"Hey, zombie scum! You ever get beat up by a girl? Come and get some of this."

Flames shot from my hands as I repeated the mantra, and Vincent was the first to notice. "Reese, what are you doing?"

"Didn't you hear Isis? She said I could take the zombies out with my gift."

"Had it occurred to you that Dmitry could be behind all of this?" He grabbed his opponent by the horns and drove his knee into the demon's face.

"I don't think he is. Otherwise, Isis would have encouraged me to give her the cube. Just bring that guy over here and let me try this out."

Vincent stared at me. Incredulously, at first. Then, as his attacker slammed a fist into his gut, he seemed to have a realization. His face pinched as he dragged the demon across the room toward the sacred circle.

"You need to stay out of the way, Vincent. I don't want you to get hurt."

His eyes were like steel as he released his opponent and took a step back, and when the demon pushed to his feet, I directed my fiery palms at him, focusing all my anger at his emotionless face. The guy was just a pawn in the necromancer's game. He hadn't felt anything for a long time.

This was what I told myself as I watched the demon shake uncontrollably. He seemed unable to move from the spot, and his dull eyes remained wide as his mouth fell open. Suddenly, his clawed feet caught fire, and the flames consumed him so quickly it was as if he was made of paper. In a matter of seconds, his body was reduced to a pile of ash, and a wisp of smoke drifted upward into the darkness.

I couldn't take my eyes off the demon's smoking remains, so I didn't notice when Vincent walked over to break up the fight between Christoph and his attacker until he was throwing the winged zombie at my feet. Vincent and Christoph watched as I repeated the grizzly process with my second victim, and when he had been turned to scraps, I doused the flames in my hands.

"Are there any more out there?" I asked, rubbing the feeling back into my fingers.

"Not yet, but I'm pretty sure the necromancer saw me," Christoph said.

"You were supposed to stay hidden," Vincent huffed.

"I did stay hidden. But when I saw one of those zombie assholes fly into the labyrinth, I thought he was going to trap you two inside the chamber. Can someone please explain what's going on? Reese, when did you learn to incinerate demons?"

"Just now, actually. Isis spoke to us. She wants me to keep the magic. She says if I had a supernatural object with the power of eternal life, I could defeat the necromancer."

A maniacal laugh carried into the chamber, and Dmitry entered through the door with a demon in his clutches. The demon was Willem, who appeared to be under some kind of spell. His eyes were glassy and unfocused, and he leaned against Dmitry's shoulder as if it was the only thing holding him up.

"You are a fool if you believe zat," Dmitry spat. "My powers have been growing for centuries and yours have just begun. You are no match for me."

After delivering his speech, he noticed the incinerated remains of his former henchmen, and his lips curled as he snarled.

"Get out!" The voice of the goddess rang inside the room like a clap of thunder, and I felt her anger reach deep inside my bones. "You are not welcome inside this sacred space, Zenthophelius. If you stay, I will destroy you!"

The flames around the gazebo surged upward, forcing Vincent and Christoph back, and I watched Dmitry's beady eyes flash angrily beneath his hood. "I vill go," he said. "But not before my young, gifted friend carries out my vishes. You vill return zhe cube to its proper place, Reese, or you vill never see your grandfather alive again. I vill leave him here as encouragement to make your choice quickly."

With a hard shove, he threw Willem to the ground. Then he directed his hands at Willem and released a bolt of electricity that lit up the room with a blinding light. This was followed by a loud – Crack! – which tore through my chest like a gunshot, and Dmitry disappeared, leaving my grandfather staring upward with wide, unblinking eyes.