His frame filled to bursting and in the blackness of the obelisk he sucked in the first breath he’d taken in centuries. Fixedly, he sifted through the memories of the trembling creature at his side, studying certain things in particular until he was satisfied. Then, with his goal set in place, he gathered himself to push a final time.
He knew it was totally unnecessary to close his eyes, and yet, he did so, regardless. Seth channeled all his unmaking power on the peephole the necromancer had created. It grew larger. Time and space rippled and then the wall fractured. A bolt of lightning shot through the fabric of space. The wind surrounding him hissed through the tear he’d made and disappeared into the vacuum.
Sliding his hands around the split edges, he used his power to open the gap wider and waves of darkness buffeted against him, pushing and tugging with a force that could drown, but then, he felt the strength of the waves ebb and wash away from his form. The walls fell away, fading until he could no longer sense them. One by one, the stars appeared. Nebulas swirled before him in clouds of cerulean, amber, and magenta.
The stars brightened and he knew they whispered of his escape, but it didn’t matter now.
He knew what he had to do.
Once, he thought Isis was to be his counterpart. But, thanks to the woman currently hanging onto his arm, her form a black fluttering cloud, barely able to hold itself together, he knew there was another one destined to be his.
She was beautiful. She was powerful. She was untouchable. An adder stone clothed in flesh. Because of that, it would be difficult to find her. But there was one who held her heart. Who, even now, clutched it in his undead hands. And Seth knew exactly where to find him.
Reignited Discussion Guide
1. Seth felt unloved, unappreciated, and untalented when compared with his siblings. Is he entirely to blame for the person he became and the choices he made?
2. Seth’s power is perhaps the greatest of all second only to Amun-Ra. Compare and contrast their abilities. How are they two sides of the same coin?
3. Isis tells her sister, Nephthys, the secret wishes of her heart. What are Nephthys’ secret wishes?
4. Isis knows of the edict forbidding love between the gods and yet she still falls for Osiris. Is forbidden love sweeter or more desirable?
5. What is Isis willing to sacrifice for Baniti? What is their relationship?
6. Nephthys knows more about what’s going on than she shares. Why do you think she keeps information from Isis?
7. Would you rather have the power to unmake or to create? Why?
8. The adder stone is a symbol in the series. Lily is often referred to as an adder stone and in REIGNITED there is an actual adder stone on top of a mountain. What is the purpose of such a place and why do you think it is important in the story?
9. All the characters in this book are called upon to make sacrifices. What are they and does Seth sacrifice anything?
10. Many of the gods and goddesses, despite their great power, feel lonely. Why? How is Seth’s destruction of an ecosystem a symbol of this?
11. Does Seth really love Isis or does he just want to absorb her power into himself? How do you know?
12. How would the story have changed if Isis and Osiris had not fallen in love? Would Seth have pursued the same path?
13. Osiris does not see the danger in Seth as easily as Isis. Is he blind to it or does he still dismiss him as being less than?
14. If Nephthys knew what kind of a husband Seth would be, why did she marry him?
15. How does knowing the origin story of the gods and goddesses influence your understanding of Lily’s story?
16. Was the bond created between Isis and Osiris the same as Lily’s and Amon’s?
17. How is the goddess Isis different in REIGNITED than in RECREATED? How does losing your love affect you?
18. What is Seth really trying to accomplish in this book? Are his goals attainable?
19. Which character grew the most in the course of this book? Why do you think so?
20. How has your understanding of Egyptian mythology changed by reading this story? Does it fit with what you know of the traditional tales?