It has been a while since I posted part of my new book on this blog. I realised this afternoon that I really shouldn't leave it any longer, as it now has 27 pages, so a bit further than I had meant it to go before posting any more! Anyway, for those who missed the first few pages, here is a quick summary of what is going on (it has since been edited quite a bit, so bear with me please):
The book is set in modern day Egypt. Paul is the Highest of High Priests in Egypt. His main devotion is to the temple of Bast. His second temple is that belonging to Amun-Ra, the High Priest of that temple is Ademus. The lower high Priest of Bast's temple is Michael. Paul is seemingly immortal and is bound to every temple in Egypt through his act of drinking the blood and eating the meat of the sacrifices made to each deity at the appointment of each temple's High Priest and High Priestess. Until recently, he had shared his supremacy over the temples with Saska, the Highest of High Priestesses in Egypt. A few months before the book begins Saska was killed and Paul was badly injured defending their temple from enemies. Now starting to feel the passing of the years, Paul knows that he is due to go for a rest in his home country until he recovers his strength. Before he can fully plan for his rest, he is warned of the imminent destruction of Amun-Ra's temple by Amun-Ra who is angry at his temple staff deserting him for a second time. Amun-Ra's temple is not the only one, other temple's have also deserted their deity in order to worship a new god brought to Egypt by invaders. The leader of these invaders is called Francois. Paul goes to the temple to warn Ademus and persuades him to make a human sacrifice in the tradition of the ancients to appease Amun-Ra. Ademus agrees reluctantly and a victim is chosen. The name of the victim is Kieran, he is the grandson of the first High Priest of Amun-Ra's temple, Nicklaus, who left his service when he fell in love. Nicklaus's son later became High Priest, but also left after falling in love. Paul knows that by tradition, Kieran should be appointed High Priest, as he is a descendant of the first High Priest. Not wanting to be any part of the sacrifice, he asks Bast to allow him to leave her service, but is refused, and told that he will only be allowed to rest. The day before the sacrifice, Paul, who is visiting Amun-Ra's temple, is left weakened by his confrontation with the goddess and is unable to return to his temple. Ademus and Kieran persuade him to stay the night, and he requests that he is allowed to sleep out side so that he may feel the wind on his skin. Unable to sleep, he hears the call of a wild stallion and decides to run with the stallion and it's herd until morning. The others are awake before he returns, and are frantic for his safety. Paul returns with bad news, there is a large army gathered to the East and it's sights are trainied upon Egypt. Paul returns to his temple before the sacrifice to consult with Bast and is told that he must make the sacrifice, as Ademus doe not know what he is doing. The goddess tells him that at some point in the future, he will not be able to leave the temple, as he and her sacred book will become the weapon with which the army to the East will be destroyed. Paul returns to Amun-Ra's temple and is informed by Amun-Ra of a change of plan. Francois hears Paul arguing with some one before the ceremony and, thinking that Ademus will be making the sacrifice, decides to stay and watch. He is shocked to be told by Paul that he must leave the temple if he does not wish to be bound to it by what he sees. He is even more shocked when he sees that Paul will be carrying out the sacrifice. He notices that Kieran and Ademus look slightly different to how he has normally seen them, but thinks nothing of it. After the sacrifice, Francois is told by Paul that, since he has been witness to what has happened, he must also drink the blodd of the scrifice and eat the meat. After Francois has eaten some of the meat of the sacrifice, Paul tells him that it was not Kieran who was sacrificed to Amun-Ra, but Ademus. Francois is outraged at what has happened and vows that Kieran must be killed. Paul replies that Francois will ahve to kill him first, before taking Kieran into hiding with a tribe of followers of Amun-Ra and Bast in the desert.
I think the summary is a bit longer than I expected, so I will put the book in a second part.
