Without another word, Malvor scooped Annie up bridal style, tucking the statue under one arm like an insulted football, and ran.
Massive stones crashed behind them. The golden light flickered. Annie buried her face against his chest as the world turned into thunder and falling rock.
Malvor shielded her with his body, taking the brunt of the debris, shoulders scraping stone, arms straining to keep her safe as they flew through narrow passages and crumbling exits.
"This is not how I wanted our night to end!" he yelled over the chaos.
"Same!" she shouted back, clinging to him.
They burst out of the pyramid's entrance just as the final section collapsed behind them in a glorious heap of stone and glittering sand.
Silence.
Malvor bent, panting, and set Annie on her feet with exaggerated care.
She dusted herself off and looked at him, deadpan. "…Next time, we leave the statue."
He held up the little gold Luxor with a grin. "But Annie… we won."
Annie burst out laughing, brushing the dust off Malvor's shoulders and arms. He stood there smugly, letting her fuss over him, secretly enjoying every second of her touch.
With a snap of his fingers, both of them were instantly spotless, clothes fresh, hair perfect, and not a speck of dust in sight.
They grinned at each other.
Then he leaned in and kissed her, quick, hot, and full of unspoken fire.
"Let's go get that prize," Annie said, breathless but composed.
"I want the kiss," Malvor teased, his eyes glittering.
She rolled her eyes. "Of course you do."
They made their way back to the temple's grand dais, where Luxor lounged on his golden throne, positively glowing, literally and figuratively. He gave them both a long, slow once-over, clearly impressed.
"Let me see if that one is the real deal this year, Malvor," Luxor said, holding out his hand. "Four hundred years ago, he made a copy. The cheater."
Annie turned, eyes wide. "Seriously?"
Malvor didn't even flinch. "It was a very good copy." Annie sensed the surge of pride in him and had to bite back a laugh.
He handed over the statue with a flourish.
Luxor examined it carefully, running golden-lit fingers along its base. "Hmph. Real thing. Impressive." Then his eyes slid to Annie, slow and filled with open desire. "The prize was a divine favor and a kiss."
Luxor looked at Annie.
Before the words even settled, Malvor stepped up with a grin that was all teeth and trouble. "The kiss is mine."
Luxor arched a perfectly groomed brow. "Greedy."
Malvor shrugged, smug. "Possessive."
Annie watched them both, somewhere between amusement and exasperation. But deep down, she could feel it, underneath all the jokes, all the showmanship, Malvor was deadly serious.
She is his. And he is not sharing.
Malvor did not hesitate.
With a dramatic flourish, he grabbed Luxor by the front of his ornate collar and pulled him in, planting a kiss that was supposed to be mocking, over the top, just for show—
But it was not.
Luxor responded immediately, not one to be outdone, one hand sliding to Malvor's waist while the other tangled in the back of his hair. They moved together with practiced ease, like two gods who had absolutely done this before, or something very, very close.
The kiss deepened.
Annie stared.
She blinked.
Then blinked again.
Her mouth slowly fell open as Malvor made an obscene noise into Luxor's mouth. There was tongue. There was drama. There was an audible gasp from one of the minor gods nearby. It was less of a kiss and more of a divine entanglement of sin and eyeliner.
Luxor finally pulled back, golden eyes glittering, lips just barely parted. "Still dramatic as ever, Mal."
Malvor looked utterly dazed for half a second. Then he turned to Annie, straightening his kilt with a satisfied smirk like nothing unusual had happened.
"Well?" he asked. "Worth the prize?"
Annie was speechless.
But unfortunately for her pride, Malvor didn't need her to say anything, he could feel her reaction through the bond. The flicker of surprise. The intrigue. The heat.
He grinned like a bastard.
"Oh, you liked that."
"I did not hate it," she managed, voice dry.
"I knew I was your type," he teased, eyes flashing with glee. "Me. And also me. With eyeliner. Making out with hot golden gods. Really, Annie, your taste is impeccable."
She rolled her eyes hard enough to see past lives. "If you ever kiss him like that again in front of me, I expect equal entertainment rights."
Malvor bowed low, already plotting a performance worthy of her attention.
The rest of the Pantheon arrived just in time for the divine favor request. Malvor bowed out to Annie on this one.
She stepped forward. "Do I have to ask for it now?"
Luxor lounged back on his golden throne, clearly amused. "Traditionally, yes. The favor is granted at the time of victory."
Annie glanced at Malvor, who gave her a low, elegant bow. "All yours, my radiant jewel of the desert. Ask for whatever your heart desires. Chaos is watching."
The rest of the Pantheon gathered, curious. A few eyebrows raised. Aerion stood with his arms crossed. Navir right next to him. Leyla watched with a serene smile. Yara bit her lip in delight, clearly enjoying the spectacle. Maximus winked at her.
Annie cleared her throat and looked back at Luxor. "Can I ask for something… to be determined later?"
Luxor arched a perfect brow. "A deferred divine favor?"
There was a brief murmur among the gods.
"It's unusual," Luxor continued, tapping his fingers on the gilded armrest, "but not forbidden."
"She is chaotic," Malvor added proudly. "Let her be chaotic."
Luxor's lips curled into a grin. "Very well. You may call upon my favor once, at any time of your choosing. Use it wisely, little flame."
Annie nodded, surprisingly serious. "Thank you, Luxor."