**Earlier Before Nightfall**
(Nessy's mansion)
Geb walked back and forth, deep in thought. Nut had told him that they would be going back to their time that very night. His plan was really falling apart. He had wanted to lure Nut into revealing where Nessy was, but instead, he was the one being lured into something he never wanted in his life again—'Nut's love.' It was a love forbidden for him. He had fallen for it the first time, but now he was determined not to fall for it again.
He thought of a plan B, because plan A seemed to be failing. Scratching his head in frustration, he really didn't know what to do or if his Nessy was okay. Still engulfed in his thoughts, he didn't notice when Nut entered. He only felt her cold hand on his neck, startling him at first before he turned to meet her sky-blue eyes.
"You seem to be in deep thoughts. What's the matter, Geb?" she asked, love and care evident in her voice.
"Nothing, Nut. I'm just thinking of ways I can punish that useless mortal, Nessy Saadid, for seducing me and luring me away from your love," he said through gritted teeth, anger simmering beneath his words.
Nut felt like she was going to burst with joy. She was on top of the moon! She was sure to bless Egypt with a soothing rain when they returned. She had really won back her Geb—and this time, for eternity. He even wanted to punish the worthless mortal, just as she had desired. This was her Geb speaking: her earth god, her twin brother, her lover, and they were inseparable for life.
"What if I told you there is a way?" she said with a sly smile. "I can help you punish her in the most horrible way she would never forget in her miserable mortal life," she added wickedly.
Geb smiled inwardly. She really was easy to trap. Now he would finally know where his Nessy was before the time they were to leave for their era arrived.
"How, love?" he asked, cupping her face and planting a kiss on her forehead. "I want to know how you can help me punish that worthless mortal."
Heat crept into Nut's skin as Geb traced her jawline after the kiss. She closed her eyes and focused on his touch but was jolted by his question.
"Well, I can take you to her," she said, pride swelling within her.
"Really?!" Geb asked, eyes eager.
"Yes, really, but you have to promise me one thing," she said, her tone serious.
"Anything, love," Geb replied with a sweet smile.
"Promise me you won't kill her. You can hurt her as much as you want, but do not take her life," she demanded.
Geb stared into her eyes, trying to read her thoughts, but the ancient replica magic still shielded them from him. 'Dammit,' he cursed silently. He really needed to know what she was thinking so he could stay ten steps ahead.
Although Geb knew Nut had fallen for his act, he still sensed she was hiding something important from him. He didn't want to push too hard, so he refrained from reading her mind. But the fact remained: he needed to find out what she was keeping from him.
"Why, my love?" he asked, putting on a fake angry face. "Don't you want me to teach her a lesson? She deserves to pay with her life for making me hurt and despise you," he fumed with feigned rage.
"No, darling, it's not that," Nut tried to reason with him. 'He is really hellbent on punishing that worthless mortal. I like that. My only reason for curtailing him is Aposis. He would deal with her if he ever finds out that Geb hurt Nessy because of me, and would destroy her if he realizes that he killed her. Though I believe Geb could protect her from Aposis, I don't want to deprive him of her love by having him kill her—as he helped me be with Geb again. So killing her is way out of line,' she thought.
"Then what is it?" he said sadly. "Don't you want me to prove how much I love you by dealing with that Nessy Saadid? She almost made me kill you—have you forgotten?" he pressed, raining on the deep ocean of her thoughts.
He was quite sure she was contemplating whether to spill the truth or not. She seemed cautious, and this only made Geb more curious. His hunger to uncover her secret intensified.
He needed to think of a way—and fast—a way to penetrate the replica magic's coverage and know what she was thinking.
After a few seconds, a light bulb went off in his head. 'Yes, this is my only chance. I'm sure it will work,' he thought with determination. He now realized the only way to penetrate the mind's defenses without asking was by making her create a mind link with him.
Mind links were only possible between gods who were related or bonded in marriage, and they were temporary connections—just for the moment. Among Egyptian gods or deities, they allowed telepathic communication for only a few seconds, depending on the strength of their bond.
Now, he was going to utilize that will. He and Nut were twins and had a connection before, so the mind link was sure to happen smoothly. All he had to do was figure out how to make her mind link him without raising suspicion.
He looked at Nut for a few seconds. She was still thinking over what to say, not ready to open up. Thinking quickly, he came up with a plan.
"Aaaaaah!" he screamed, contorting his face in pain.
"What is it?!" Nut asked, worry washing over her face. She couldn't understand what was happening as he continued screaming in agony, leaving her more confused.
"Aaaaah!" he fell drastically to the floor, clutching his head as if it were about to burst.
"What is it, Geb?!" Nut pleaded desperately. "What's going on? Talk to me!" She shook him fiercely, but Geb was hellbent on the act.
His behavior only deepened her worry as he rolled on the floor, twisting his tongue as if trying to speak but held back by an unseen force.
Nut looked at him with desperate eyes. She didn't want to lose him again—not now that he had finally agreed to go with her.
Geb smiled inwardly as he saw the desperation, worry, and fear flood her eyes. He was now certain the mind link would happen sooner rather than later, but he couldn't wait. He intensified the act, mumbling nonsense and gesturing towards his head.
"What is it, Geb? Talk to me!" she cried.
Geb exercised patience, waiting for her to mind link him. He screamed again, this time more painfully than before, trying to yell for a second time—until Nut was cut short by the mind link.
Yes! She did mind link him.
'Thanks for letting me in,' he sent silently.
---
*Earlier On*
"Then what is it?" he said sadly. "Don't you want me to prove how much I love you by dealing with that Nessy Saadid? She almost made me kill you—have you forgotten?" he said, pouring over her deep ocean of thoughts.
Nut just didn't know how to talk to Geb or tell him she was an ally to Aposis—and that he was the one who had Nessy and wouldn't want her dead. Although Aposis had said he would reveal himself to Geb as the one who helped reunite him with Nut and maybe form an alliance, to be honest, she wasn't sure if Geb would heed that given their past rivalry—or maybe he would.
But the fact remained: she didn't want to be the one to spill the beans, and she didn't know what to say to Geb.
She was still lost in thought when she jolted at the loud scream.
"Aaaaaah!" he screamed, contorting his face in pain.
"What is it?!" she asked, worry washing over her.
She couldn't understand what was happening as he kept screaming in agony, confusing her more.
"Aaaaah!" he fell drastically to the floor, clutching his head as if it would burst.
"What is it, Geb?!" she pleaded desperately. "What's going on? Talk to me!" She shook him desperately, but Geb didn't respond.
His behavior made her even more worried as he rolled on the floor, twisting his tongue as if trying to speak but restrained by an unseen force.
Nut looked at him with desperate eyes. She didn't want to lose him again—not now that he had finally agreed to go with her and make her his consort.
He shrieked in pain, and it pained her deeply.
"What is it, Geb? Talk to me?!" she cried, then suddenly realized he couldn't talk—but she could communicate with him through the mind. She could find out what was happening through a mind link.
'Yes! The mind link,' she gasped in relief. She now had a way to talk to him and discover what was wrong.
Without wasting a moment, she mind linked him immediately…