Everyone feared Mehen.

For good reason.

Ancient.

Powerful.

Terrifying.

The sort of being who could end wars simply by deciding he was bored.

Naturally, everyone assumed he was the biggest threat.

Everyone except Sovereign.

Who remained completely unimpressed.

Which should have been alarming.

Because confident people fear gods.

Wise people fear gods.

Only two categories don't.

Fools.

Or equals.

Sovereign wasn't a fool.

And Mehen knew it.

The first time they truly looked at one another, the atmosphere shifted.

Not hostility.

Recognition.

Like two predators discovering another apex hunter had entered their territory.

Nobody spoke.

Nobody needed to.

Because power communicates fluently without words.

Especially ancient power.

Ra noticed.

Of course, she noticed.

She noticed everything.

What she didn't notice was why.

Not yet.

The answer was buried beneath centuries of secrets.

Beneath identities.

Beneath histories rewritten and hidden.

Because Sovereign wasn't merely connected to the story.

He was part of it.

A very old part.

And when the truth finally surfaced...

Nothing would ever be the same.

Next week: Sovereign's real identity begins to crack through the mask.