Desert Book - Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Isis believed that it was his own shortcomings that drove me away, causing me to vanish for an entire century.

He held my hand, his tone as solemn as a vow. “Xie Weila, I will take good care of you from now on.”

He was a man of his word, and his “care” reached a level of meticulousness that was almost overwhelming.

There were meals and drinks tailored perfectly to my palate, dresses made of fabric so fine that a rough heel could snag the silk, an endless variety of entertainment, and twenty-four-hour personal service.

I used to think the all-powerful butlers I saw online were perfect. I hadn’t realized that my imagination was simply limited by the constraints of reality.

I gradually began to sink into this decadent, idle lifestyle. I even started to feel that if I stayed like this forever, it wouldn’t be so bad…

Until Isis appeared in my bathroom clutching a bath towel.

I was shocked.

“I’m taking a bath! What are you doing in here?!”

Isis naturally reached into the tub, checking the temperature before answering me in a soft, gentle voice.

“I said I would take care of you. Human mothers bathe their children as well. This is perfectly normal, Xie Weila. You don’t need to be shy.”

This is not normal at all!

I wanted to grab his shoulders and shake him violently, but at this moment, I could only crouch vulnerably in the tub and scream, “Get a grip! You’re not my mother!”

Isis paused to consider this seriously for a moment.

Then he said, “I can be.”

Me: “?”

He tilted his head slightly to look at me, his long golden hair trailing into the water. His hair, which usually brought to mind the shimmering surface of the Nile River, now looked like a golden python winding through the water, waiting for its chance to strike.

Isis’s smile remained soft and warm, but his voice carried a nearly pathological possessiveness.

“I am your lover; we should be intimate. If you wish, I can be your mother, your best friend, your teacher… I can play every important role in your life. As the God of Life, this is my divine right.”

Instinctively, I felt something was wrong, but when I met his darkening eyes, everything I wanted to say vanished instantly.

My consciousness felt swollen from the rising steam. I watched as Isis stepped slowly into the pool. A sense of crisis enveloped me, yet I couldn’t muster the slightest thought of escape.

Isis drew closer, his cool fingers tracing circles against my heated skin.

“Good… you’re doing so well. Just relax and give yourself to me.”

Amidst the warm ripples, the God of Life wrapped his arms around me. A sense of security, like returning to the womb, made me close my eyes involuntarily.

Isis ran his fingers through my hair, cradling the back of my head as he pressed me toward him.

“Good girl. I will nurture you well. You only need me… Let us stay like this, together forever and ever.”