The throne of fire

by BharatReader

Summary:

With Apophis’s army gathering strength, Annea, Sadie and Carter must find a way to stop him before it's too late. Will they succeed in time or will Anna's secrets be what breaks them apart? Join Anna and the Kanes as they navigate the events of the Throne of Fire.

Notes:

Don't repost without permission. Thank you Rick Riordian for introducing us to this wonderful world. Hope you all enjoy!

Chapter 1

The end of the world started with a heist gone wrong.

The job was supposed to be simple: sneak into the Brooklyn Museum, borrow a particular Egyptian artifact, and leave without getting caught. No, it wasn’t stealing. They were going to return it eventually.

Well. Maybe. If the world didn’t end that is.

A little over a year ago, Carter and his sister Sadie had discovered that they were not ordinary kids but magicians of the Per Ankh. But to make things harder, they weren’t just magicians but were also godlings and in an attempt to bring back their mom, their dad had released gods. Which was against the Per Ankh’s laws.

So they had to travel across the world to escape from the magicians of the House that were after them and also stop Set from killing everyone. Thankfully, they had help—Bast and Annea. Unfortunately, they discovered that Set was just a distraction and Apophis was rising.

He, Sadie and Anna had repaired Brooklyn House and begun training the blood of pharaohs. They had spent the last many months bringing back the path of gods and learning and teaching it.

After many late-night discussions with Bast, Amos Horus and Isis; the plan they’d agreed upon was this: wake up the former Pharoah. Ra, the sun god.

They’d done a lot of research and everything they’d read; everyone they’d spoken to (how Anna had convinced Geb to tell them about Ra was a mystery) had told them the same thing—the first step was to find the Book of Ra.

After weeks of asking for help, Horus had finally answered, speaking in his dreams: ‘Oh, by the way, that artifact you wanted? The one that might hold the key to saving the planet? It’s been sitting down the street in the Brooklyn Museum for the last thirty years, but tomorrow it leaves for Europe, so you’d better hurry! You’ll have five days to figure out how to use it, or we’re all doomed. Good luck!’

That led to the last-minute plan of burglary. Or was it robbery now that the museum wasn’t empty?

Whatever.

Carter was sure something would go wrong. Maybe when this museum inevitably exploded or was set on fire, they could blame it on another gas leak. The House had done that last time when their dad had exploded the Rosetta Stone.

 

 

Two hours later he wished he could take his words back. Things had gone horribly. Not only did they accidently set Brooklyn on fire, but Jaz was in a coma and Sadie’s hand was stuck to a burning scroll.

They had found a part of the Book. And if Bast was right, then Ra didn’t want to be awakened. They had about four days to find the other parts, wake Ra and defeat Apophis.

“Freeeek” The griffin nuzzled his palm. Carter smiled and arranged the pillows he’d brought for the guy. Griffin.

“Hey buddy,” Carter said, “I hope this is comfortable. Do you want to stay here?”

“Freek!”

Carter took that as agreement.

“I hope you don’t plan to bring every lost animal you come across back home.” A woman’s voice said.

Carter turned around to see Bast leaning against the rooftop door.

“Hey Bast.”

“Hey kitten, you should come inside and rest.”

Carter shook his head. “Actually, I need to talk with you, I’ll rest later. Let’s go to the library.”

The walk to the library was silent. There was so much Carter wanted to say, wanted to ask. But every time he started to speak, he’d remember the monster’s words: ‘If you don’t stop your quest then Zia will die.’ Already both Sadie and Jaz had gotten hurt. Should he really proceed with the plan? Could they defeat Chaos without the Sun god on their side?

Anna would have told him to get more information. Find out if Ra’s help really was needed.

“Did you hear from Anna?” He asked.

Bast nodded. “She was working on something personal. She called to say that she was done with that and she was planning a surprise for Sadie’s birthday.”

Carter was ashamed to say he felt a twinge of jealousy.

It wasn’t like Anna hadn’t done the same for him on his last birthday. But Anna had been distant ever since she’d gotten back from her family meet on Winter Solstice. Anna knew so much about them and yet they didn’t know much about Anna’s past or her family.

And every time he’d tried to bring up her family or whatever it was that was bothering her, she shut it down. Carter was worried. Anna was family. He wanted to help her but she didn’t let him. He couldn’t even help Zia. And then this whole thing with the Book of Ra…

He was the host of Horus. He was meant to be this fearless leader but he felt inexperienced and scared. And he couldn’t even talk to Anna about all this with her being so secretive and whatnot.

“The world might be ending in four days but Anna’s planning Sadie’s birthday party?” Carter asked bitterly.

Bast sighed. “I can’t say I agree with her. But Anna’s right that we need whatever joy we can get. If nothing else it will cheer Sadie.”

Carter didn’t argue. He’d talk to Sadie the next day but she probably wouldn’t agree to cancel her plans.

“We need to know more about Apophis’s movements.” He said instead. “And inform both Anna and Amos about the scroll.”

“I’ll tell Amos and its possible Anna already knows.” Bast spoke. “She was working with the gods to find it. But Carter I’m not sure how we’ll find out the Serpent’s plans.”

Carter hesitated. There was one way but he didn’t want to say it.

Bast understood. “You want me to go in the Duat.”

Carter didn’t meet her eyes. Bast was the only one who could do it but he was asking her to go to her old cage.

“I’m sorry.” He started but Bast interrupted.

“No, it’s a good idea. I’ll get in contact with Amos and Anna, and leave after breakfast.”

Bast left before he could apologize. Carter tried not to cry. Not only had Jaz and Sadie gotten hurt because of his plan but now Bast was also upset.

Four days. End of the world.

They could do it. Their initiates, the entire world depended on it. They’d already found one part of the Book. And they were meeting Anna and Amos soon. Anna had said she’d managed to convince Desjardins (Again, how she had managed that?) With the House backing them, they had a good chance.

They would stop Apophis and then Carter was going to go save Zia from wherever she was in the Red Sands.

‘Four days,’ he reminded himself.

---

Running away from her childhood home with possessed grandparents on her tail was not how she’d envisioned her birthday. She was hoping for a nice, relaxing day spent with her grandparents and her old mates—Liz and Emma. Instead, the stupid vulture goddess Nekbutt and Bobby the god had taken over her grandparents’ body and were trying to kill her.

“Sadie!” Liz yelped, dropping a birthday present. “What’s wrong?”

“No time!” Sadie yelled. “Come on!”

“Nice to see you, too,” Emma grumbled. “Where are you rushing off—”

She was cut off by the loud bellow of the creature behind them. Emma and Liz paled. Sadie didn’t glance behind and instead grabbed her friends’ arms and pulled them further away from the house.

 

“Is this what your friend meant by family problems?” Emma gasped out as they ran down the South Colonnade.

“What friend?” Sadie asked.

“Anna. You know, the American chick with green eyes and amazing fashion taste?” Liz answered. “She told us to call her in case some weird, inexplicable thing happened—said your family was crazy and sorted things out by explosions and stuff.”

“You met Anna?”

“Yeah, she helped us plan your birthday party. Wait I’ll call her; she gave us a number.”

Sadie wasn’t sure what she was feeling right then. Anna had been out of touch for the last two weeks. Sure, Sadie and Carter had a way to contact her, but she’d ask to be left alone for that duration.

That she’d taken time to meet up with Sadie’s old mates and plan her birthday felt really nice.

“Hello?” Anna’s voice came out of the phone.

Sadie made a gimme motion and Emma passed over the phone.

“Anna?” Sadie asked. Her voice shook a little.

“Sadie! Happy 13^th birthday,” Anna greeted, “I’m guessing something went wrong?”

“When you said their family has issues, I didn’t realize you meant getting chased by mutant creatures!” Liz shouted in the background.

“…what? Never mind, get to All Saints Churchyard. I’ve set up some safety measures there.”

“You planned my birthday party on a cemetery?” Sadie asked dryly, already calming down now that Anna was nearby.

Anna snorted and cut the call.

 

 

 

When they finally reached the cemetery, Sadie’s heart was beating hard and she was barely holding the panic down. They had zigzagged through the alleyways, hugged the walls whenever the vulture goddess swooped overhead. There were many close calls, Babi’s roar very close behind; but he seemed to have lost their scent for the moment.

Sadie had seen Annea as soon as they entered but she missed him until a voice behind her whispered, “Sadie.” She didn’t jump but it was a close thing. She turned to find herself face-to-face with Anubis. He was in his mortal form as a teen boy with dark, windblown hair and warm brown eyes. He wore a black Dead Weather T-shirt and black jeans that fit him extremely well.

“Sadie!” Anna rushed and hugged her. “I see you’ve met the surprise guest.”

Wow. Anna was officially the best. Carter was never catching up.

Both Liz and Emma made embarrassed sounds and stumbled into each other. Anna steadied them and guided them to a stone bench, leaving her alone with her crush.

Deep breaths, Sadie.

“How are you here? And why?” Sadie asked. She hadn’t heard from him once since their adventure with the Red Pyramid, and that shouldn’t have surprised her. Even though he’d seemed interested in her at the time and possibly even dropped some hints….No, surely she’d been imagining it.

Anubis pursued his lips before offering her a tight smile. “Not the best news, unfortunately.” He spoke.

“Fill me in about your ‘creature problems.’” Anna interrupted.

Sadie summarized about Nekhbet, Babi and the gods’ civil war. Anna didn’t give any outwards reactions, but Sadie had known her long enough to see the signs of worry and protective anger.

“Alright, so we’ll take care of the gods over the nearest bridge then have cake.” Anna said.

Anubis gave Anna a judgmental look.

“O-Ohkay, time out” Liz called out.

“Yeah, Sadie Kane will you please explain what’s going on?” Emma said.

Her poor friends. She’d never gotten them into this much trouble before.

Anna and Anubis exchanged a glance and left her to it.

“I can’t interfere but I’ll meet you when you defeat those two. I have information that you’ll need. Take the Underground. There’s a station half a block south. They won’t be able to track you very well below the earth. Running water is also good. Creatures of the Duat are weakened by crossing a river. If you must battle them, find a bridge over the Thames. Oh, and I told your driver to come get you.” Anubis suggested and disappeared into thin air.

 

 

 

Getting to a bridge was easier than expected. As soon as they reached, Anna did something to get the bridge emptied. Sadie directed Liz and Emma and began drawing a protective circle.

“We’ll use shabtis to tie them down.” Sadie said, going through her magician’s set. “Anna any idea how to un-possess them?”

Anna surveyed the bridge. “Maybe.”

Alright. A maybe was better than a flat no. They’d figure something out.

“Emma and Liz, stay inside the circle,” she ordered, “Anna and I will protect you. We’ve got this.”

They offered her a shaky smile.

 

Firstly, Sadie gulped down the potion. It was disgusting and light green and animation scroll blended with oil, water, and a few secret ingredients. As the potion hit her gut, she understood why exactly potions were so popular among the ancient Egyptians.

The power of the animation spell coursed through her and she tapped into Isis’s magic to shape the enchantment as she’d envisioned.

Protect. N’dah.

A gold hieroglyph burned in front of them.

All the inanimate objects around them—cars, bicycles, briefcases—began to move. They slammed into the baboon god’s troops as the gods came into view.

 Sadie touched her staff to the protective circle and golden light flared up, covering half the bridge.

Babi slammed into the protective force field like it was a metal wall. He staggered backward. Nekhbet swerved away at the last second and flew around, cawing in frustration.

It was enough to make her see black spots. She’d used too much magic in too little time. The shield wouldn’t hold the next hit.

Thankfully, Anna was there.

She used magical rope to tie down the gods while they were still disoriented. The inanimate objects helped her keep the gods separate and contained, and a well-timed, overpowered sleep spell knocked them out.

Sadie breathed out in relief and brought down the protective shield.

“How do we get them back to normal?” Sadie poked the snoring, tied up form of Nekhbet.

“Want my help?” A voice came from behind.

Emma and Liz shrieked, Sadie jumped and Anna made an aborted motion with her hands before stilling.

“Damn, we left our backs open.” She muttered.

“Yep.” He sounded American, was shorter than her by half, stouter than Uncle Amos, and uglier than anyone else on the planet. His facial features were positively Neanderthal. Under his thick furry mono-brow, one eye was bigger than the other. His beard looked as if it had been used to scrape greasy pots. His skin was poxy with red welts, and his hair looked like a bird’s nest that had been set on fire then stomped out. He stood next to a black Mercedes limousine.

Sadie supposed Anubis had said that he’d send their driver earlier than expected.

“You’re Bes. The god of dwarves.” Anna stated. Sadie wasn’t dure how she’d known, but she’d learnt to not ask how Anna knew things. It got either cryptid remarks, or an entire lecture about fore-knowledge and power of observation.

“And you must be Bast’s friends.” Bes returned.

Sadie decided to have a serious talk with Bast about her choice of friends.

“You’re a god?” Liz asked.

“Huge,” Bes said. “I’m huge in the world of gods.”

“A huge god of dwarves,” Emma marvelled. “You mean as in Snow White, or—”

“All dwarves.” Bes waved his hands expansively. “Egyptians were smart. They honoured people who were born unusual. Dwarves were considered extremely magical. So yeah, I’m the god of dwarves.”

 Liz cleared her throat. “Isn’t there a more polite term we’re supposed to use nowadays? Like…little person, or vertically challenged, or—”

“I’m not going to call myself the god of vertically challenged people,” Bes grumbled. “Now do you want my help or not?”

Anna and Sadie exchanged a glance and shrugged.

“Okay, Lord Bes, we’d really appreciate your help.”

And Anna was back to her ‘polite and respectful, god mode.’

“It’s just Bes.” Bes grumbled. “Now close your eyes, I need to get into my ugly outfit.”

His what?

---

          Bes’s ‘help’ comprised of him changing into the ugliest clothes Anna had seen and then shouting ‘Boo’ at the sleeping gods at the top of his voice.

Every time Anna thought she’d overcome the weirdness of her life—because being a Greek demigoddess learning with the Egyptian gods and dreaming and having memories of an age-old titan introduced you to many strange things—something new popped up.

It was like the Fates were spinning her thread with a steel wire to see how long she could go without going insane.

It was still better than—

 

Anyway.

Whatever Bes did (his head swelled, his eyes bulged, his hair stuck straight up like Bast’s. He shook his face and waggled his slimy green tongue and roared BOOOO! so loudly, the sound rolled across like a cannon shot. This blast of pure ugly blew the feathers off Nekhbett’s cloak and drained all the colour from her face. It ripped away the essence of the goddess—) had banished the gods back into the Duat. Anna convinced him to drive her, Sadie, Sadie’s grandparents, and friends, to the nearest cemetery.

She brought out the cake from where she’d stored it into the Duat. Anubis appeared from wherever he was hiding and continued his conversation with Sadie.

Did Anna approve of his interest in Sadie? Absolutely not.

But Sadie liked him back so she would stay out of it.

Anna cut the cake into multiple equal sized pieces and distributed it among the gods, before guiding the mortals away. Sadie’s grandparents were not happy about it; but she’d spent the last two days charming them and earning their trust, so they listened.

It was quiet. The food was good, the company was…acceptable; and she was as safe and far away from her relatives as she could be but she was still-

Scared.

Hanging around Brooklyn House had helped, training with Desjardins and Bast was a blessing (even though he was getting weaker from the chaos, even if she was worried the other shoe would drop and he would not want to deal with his enemy’s daughter anymore-)

Things were fine.

She was getting stronger, better.

Everything was fine.

“Hey girls,” Anna turned back her attention to the present, “I bet you know many embarrassing stories involving Sadie. So do I. We could trade.”

“Ooh yes!” Liz squealed. “There was this one time we got stuck in the boy’s changing rooms for over an hour!”

“Yeah, it involved a five quid bet, Dylan Quinn’s knickers, and a squirrel—” Emma continued

“What!” Mrs Faust looked scandalized.

Both Emma and Liz went beet red and started stammering. Anna took pity on them and changed the subject. She also kept an ear out on Sadie and the gods’ conversation.

“Your birthday gift for me is a knife?” Sadie sounded annoyed.

Anubis voiced out something about the ‘opening of the mouth’ ceremony and the blade being important.

Bes interjected that it would help in their quest.

Looked like party time was over.

“I, for one,” Anna walked over to Sadie, “think a knife is a wonderful gift. So, who are we using it on first?” Then she glanced directly at Anubis.

Anubis glared as Sadie and Bes snorted; before turning serious once more.

“The Eighteenth Nome,” Anubis said. “That’s where you must go. Vlad Menshikov has the second section of the Book of Ra in the top drawer of his desk, in his headquarters in St. Petersburg. It’s a trap, of course. He’s hoping to bait you. But if want the scroll, you’ve got no choice. You should go tonight, before he has time to strengthen his defences even further. And Sadie, if the other gods found out I was telling you this, I would be in big trouble.”

Anna didn’t catch Sadie’s outraged reaction as she was too busy containing her wince without clearing her face of all emotions.

“Who’s this guy?” Emma asked, reminding them of the mortals’ presence.

“Vlad the inhaler.” Anna told them. “He’s a magician. Known for his ruthlessness.”

Was it wise to share this? It would only scare them. But the not knowing was also pretty scary.

“You know him?” Sadie’s grandfather asked.

“He reminds me of my uncle.” Anna said flatly. Her voice was even and tone neutral but she was sure Sadie had caught her anger and disgust. “Not someone you want to meet.”

Bes and Anubis exchanged glances. Both looked as if they’d just had an epiphany.

“Yes.” Anubis told Sadie. “You should try to avoid him if you can. Bes will take you there. I’m sorry I can’t do more. But happy birthday, Sadie.” Then he leaned forward and kissed her. Before Sadie’s grandparents or Anna could beat him to death, he disappeared into the mist.

“Teenagers.” Bes growled under his breath.

Anna rolled her eyes and used magic to start cleaning up while Sadie shared a heartfelt goodbye with her friends and grandparents.

Anna wasn’t exactly enthused to get in the messy car to meet the magician known for his cruelty and torture; but there was no way she was leaving Sadie alone.

So thus began her next quest with the Kanes and the gods of Egypt.

Joy.

Chapter 2

Bes tore through the streets humming under his breath. The kids exchanged stories—subduing two major gods of Egypt, agents of chaos attacks—these kids didn’t do anything halfway, did they?

Bast had told him that they were a handful. And that the demigoddess was not like her ancestors.

“She’s really sweet,” Bast had said, “you’ll like her. Just don’t mention her family.”

Bes had thought it was because the kids with her were clueless about her history. But the hidden contempt in her voice as she spoke about her uncle…

Maybe there was more there than he’d previously thought. Olympians weren’t exactly nice, not even to their children.

 

Driving through the city was painful. There was a time when he was loved, respected. They worshipped him, prayed to him for protection. There was a time when he’d been one of the greatest among the gods. And now here he was babysitting a bunch of magicians and a demigod.

Speaking of babysitting—

He summoned warm clothes for the kids to wear, Russian winters were no joke. Even with the warm clothes the Kane siblings looked like ice popsicles by the time they reached the palace.

“Prince Menshikov’s palace.”

 The demigod made an evil warding gesture as they got out of the car.

“You mean Menshikov as in Vlad the Inhaler?” The boy asked.

“He’s a descendant.” Bes said and then added a few Russian insults. The demigod sent an amused glance. “Back in the seventeen hundreds, Prince Menshikov threw a party for Peter the Great—the tsar who built this city. Peter loved dwarves. He was a lot like the Egyptians that way. He thought we were good luck, so he always kept some of us in his court. Anyway, Menshikov wanted to entertain the tsar, so he thought it would be funny to stage a dwarf wedding. He forced them…he forced us to dress up, pretend to get married, and dance around. All the big folk were laughing, jeering…”

He remembered it like yesterday. The jeers, how helpless he felt, how nobody had come to save him but Ta—

It was the worst time of his life. Worse than even when he’d almost died on the Sunboat.

The girl—Sadie—put her hand on his shoulder. “I’m sorry, Bes. Must have been awful.”

Bes’s scowl softened at the genuine worry and care in her words. Carter opened his mouth to probably ask about his escape but the demigod elbowed him.

“Thank you, Bes.” The demigod smiled. “We can handle the next part. I know the terrain.”

“You do?” Both the younger ones asked.

Bes raised an eyebrow. Menshikov was old and powerful enough to recognize a demigod’s essence. And cruel enough to experiment and then kill one slowly.

“I haven’t been here personally.” The demigod clarified. “But I’ve worked with the Chief Lector, he’s given descriptions about this Nome. So that I’d know to avoid its leader…and how to get way if required.”

That was surprising.

“Okay.” Carter said. “Uhm. Anna will guide us from here and we’ll meet you…”

“I’ll meet you on the Nevsky Prospekt, the main street with all the shops, just south of the Hermitage. I’ll be at the Chocolate Museum.”

The demigod—Anna snorted.

“So let me get this straight,” Sadie said. “We break into a heavily guarded Russian national museum, find the magicians’ secret headquarters, find a dangerous scroll, and escape. Meanwhile, you will be eating chocolate.”

Bes nodded with mock solemnity. “It’s a good plan. It might work. If something happens and I can’t meet you at the Chocolate Museum, our exit point is the Egyptian Bridge, to the south at the Fontanka River. Just turn on the—”

“Enough,” Sadie said. “You will meet us at the chocolate shop. And you will provide me with a takeaway bag. That is final. Now, go!”

It was good that they had hope and optimism. Maybe they had a better chance than he’d expected.

Bes gave Sadie a lopsided smile. “You’re okay, girl.”

“And don’t get captured alive.” He added.

The younger ones didn’t understand what he meant, but Anna did. Bes wondered if she was just more familiar with the cruelties of life or if it was something she’d personally experienced. He hoped not. She didn’t seem too bad.

“Be back soon.” Anna waved.

Bes watched the kids disappear into the museum.

Hopefully, they’d return. He didn’t want to break off his promise to Bast this soon.

 

---

Set hated magicians. They always acted so righteous and sanctimonious; as if they didn’t look down upon mortals themselves, as if they didn’t kill godlings, trap gods. So maybe the gods sometimes caused mass destruction, but really it wasn’t as if magicians themselves didn’t also do so! And their attitude towards him was detestable.

Point was, he hated magicians. But, there wasn’t any magician he hated more (not even the Kanes) than this one. Vladmir Menshikov.

He could feel the pull—an excretion of a demon summoning him to Vlad’s ballroom. With coppery geometric designs on the ceiling, walls lined with dark green columns and gilded doors, white and gold inlaid marble octagonal pattern on the floor and a blazing chandelier above the room was as ostentatious as the magician himself. Vlad had always been big with words with nothing to show for it.

“Hello, Vladimir. Long time.” Set greeted. Regardless of his murderous feelings towards the magician, he could be polite.

“Set.” Menshikov of course didn’t bother with manners, the heathen. “We need to talk.”

Set sent a bolt of lightning at the stupid jar holding him. It shuddered but didn’t break. Pity.

“A malachite vase? Really, Vladimir. I thought we were on friendlier terms than that.”

Vlad’s laugh sounded like Bast did when drowned. “Excellent at constraining evil spirits, isn’t it? And this room has more malachite than any other place on earth. Empress Alexandra was quite wise to have it built for her drawing room.”

Yes, he really hated this magician. He was the god of chaos, not evil. Just because he committed some atrocities didn’t make him evil. He bet Vlad had done worse.

“But it smells like old pennies in here, and it’s much too cold.” Set complained. “Have you ever been stuck in a malachite jar, Vlad? I’m not a genie. I’d be so much more talkative if we could sit face-to-face, perhaps over tea.”

“I’m afraid not,” said Menshikov. “Now, you’ll answer my questions.”

“Oh, very well,” Set said. “I like Brazil for the World Cup. I’d advise investing in platinum and small-cap funds. And your lucky numbers this week are 2, 13—”

“Not those questions!” Menshikov snapped.

Ra, it was so easy to rile him up.

“You will tell me what I need to know,” Menshikov demanded, “or that jar will become even more uncomfortable.”

Was that meant to be threat? He’d rate it a five out of ten. Hardly intimidating as the worst Menshikov could do was banish him to the Duat and even that wouldn’t be permanent now that he had a host.

“My dear Vladimir.” Set’s voice was full of amusement. “What you need to know may be very different from what you want to know. Didn’t your unfortunate accident teach you that?”

At the reminder of his failure waking Ra, Vlad touched his sunglasses and hid a wince. Aww, had he hit a nerve?

“You will tell me the binding for Apophis,” Vlad said in a steely tone. “Then you will tell me how to neutralize the enchantments on Brooklyn House. You know Kane’s defences better than anyone. Once I destroy him, I will have no opposition.”

Set laughed. Destroy Amos? Yeah, good luck with that. “So: the binding for Apophis and the secrets of Brooklyn House. Is that all, Vladimir? I wonder what your master Desjardins would think if he found out your real plan, and the sort of friends you keep.” But if he was working with Aphophis…yes, it was worrying.

Menshikov snatched up his staff. The carved-serpent tip flared again. “Be careful with your threats, Evil Day.”

The entire room shuddered. Damn. He had to appreciate the effect of his name even if he didn’t like it much.

The English translation was horrible and made him sound like some two-tier villain. Oh look, there’s Evil Day.

Set looked around for some way to get rid of the idiotic magician—if Vlad thought Apophis was a better choice, then he had lost whatever little sanity he’d had—as he continued stalling.

“I really hate that name. Why couldn’t it have been Glorious Day? Or the Rockin’ Red Reaper? That’s rather nice. Bad enough when you were the only one who knew it, Vlad. Now I’ve got the Kane girl to worry about—”

“Serve us,” Menshikov said, “and the Kanes will be destroyed. You will be the honoured lieutenant of Apophis. You can raise another temple, even grander than the Red Pyramid.”

Wow. Did he think that would really work? Apophis may have fooled him once but it wouldn’t work again.

“Uh-huh,” Set said. “Maybe you haven’t noticed, but I don’t do well with the whole second-in-command concept. As for Apophis, he’s not one to suffer other gods getting attention.”

Set had to get out sooner rather than later—this magician was both foolish and dangerous. But how…ahh, standing next to the fireplace were the infamous younglings and their demigod friend.

They seemed to be having a whispered, heated debate as Sadie rummaged through a desk drawer. Annea won, apparently, as the Kanes made unhappy faces but didn’t argue as Annea looked up and caught Set’s eyes. ‘Five minutes’ she gestured.

“We will free Apophis with or without your help,” Menshikov warned. “By the equinox, he will rise. But if you help us make that happen sooner, you will be rewarded. Your other option is execration. Oh, I know it won’t destroy you completely, but with your secret name I can send you into the abyss for eons, and it will be very, very painful. I’ll give you thirty seconds to decide?”

He could stall for five more minutes, he supposed. The demigod’s plans were always explosive and entertaining.

Set sighed. “Well, Vladimir, you do know how to make an appealing offer. The binding for Apophis, you say? Yes, I was there when Ra cast the Serpent into that prison of scarabs. I suppose I could remember the ingredients he used for the binding. Quite a day that was! I was wearing red, I think. At the victory feast they served the most delicious honey-baked locusts—”

“You have ten seconds,” Menshikov said.

“Oh, I’ll cooperate! I hope you have a pen and paper handy. It’s a rather long list of ingredients. Let’s see…what did Ra use for a base? Bat dung? Then there were the dried toads, of course. And then…”

Set rattled off a list of ingredients, reciting a play about witches from the 80s. Oh, the 80^th century was great. Horus was surprisingly good at musicals.

He kept an eye on the younglings. They had already found what they were looking for and Sadie and Carter were inching towards the exit while Annea was casting some spell and pulling out supplies from the Duat. And was that Greek fire? Spectacular.

Sadie waved and caught his attention and pointed to herself and her brother. Was he meant to point them out to Vlad? Who was he to refuse to cause some chaos.

“And a sacrificial victim would be good! Maybe a young idiot magician who can’t do a proper invisibility spell, like CARTER KANE over there!” Set called out loudly.

Menshikov turned and Annea used the distraction to light up the entire room and break the floor under his feet. Then too fast for Vlad or the younglings to see, she stabbed Vlad in the gut and reappeared next to Set’s jar. Menshikov’s body collapsed and the fires around them extinguished themselves.

“What did you do to him?” Sadie sounded curious.

“Oh, I put him to sleep. I’m good at sleep spells.” Annea replied blithely.

Set muffled a laugh. He loved this demigod. Oh, the potential of chaos of this one.

“He’s working with Apophis! And he wants to attack Amos!” Carter said angrily. “We should kill him.”

Sadie nodded in agreement. Looked like the kittens had claws. Bast would be proud.

Before Annea could reveal that she’d already killed the magician, Vlad began leaking black blood and chaos magic. His body reassembled itself with more serpentine features and he stood up.

“Nice try,” Vlad or Apophis hissed, “but Chaos is not that easy to defeat.” Then it turned to Annea. “And you are a greater threat than I anticipated, demigod. You will be the first one destroyed and then I will kill the Kanes.” Menshikov threw down his staff and it turned into a tjesu heru.

To her credit, Annea didn’t look scared. Well, she didn’t have any emotions on her face.

The siblings exchanged a glance.

“Should I?” Sadie asked.

“Do it.” Carter agreed.

The snake lunged at Annea who was quick to dodge.

“Ha-Di!” Sadie intoned.

Wait, were they actually freeing him? Wow, they were insane.

A golden hieroglyph appeared over Set’s head and the green jar shattered.

Set laughed as his sandstorm exploded throughout the room. A wall of red sand slammed into the tjesu heru and sent it flying sideways into a malachite column. Menshikov crumpled to the ground, red sand swirling over him until he was completely buried.

Annea ran to the younglings’ side.

“So, Vlad the inhaler has been possessed by capital C Chaos.” She remarked lightly. “And we are his first targets.”

“And I’m guessing he can’t be killed?” Carter sighed.

“Also why did he call you a demon god?” Sadie asked Annea.

Set snorted.

Annea glared at him before turning back to the younglings. “It’s related to the whole half-blood thing. I’ll tell you, I promise, but first you should get out of here. I’ll see if he can be killed with fire and follow you out.”

The tjesu heru chose that moment to hiss and get back on its feet.

“Do something, Evil Day!” Sadie commanded. “Get rid of them!”

Set winced. “No need to get personal with the names.”

“Maybe you’d prefer Rockin’ Red Reaper?” Carter asked.

Set tilted his head. “Yes, that is nice, isn’t it?”

The snake was now glaring at the kids.

“It has beautiful coloration, doesn’t it?” Set asked. “A gorgeous specimen.”

 “Just kill it!” Carter yelled.

Set looked shocked. “Oh, I couldn’t do that! I’m much too fond of snakes. Besides, GETM would have my hide.”

“Get ’em?” Carter asked

“Gods for the Ethical Treatment of Monsters.”

 “You’re making that up!” Sadie yelled.

Annea winced and shook her head. Her Parthenon also had such monster protection programs, didn’t it?

Set grinned. “Still…I’m afraid you’ll have to deal with the tjesu heru on your own. Me and Annea will stay here and deal with Vladimir.”

 

A few explosions later both Set and Annea teleported out of Menshikov’s palace. Apophis’s magician body couldn’t be destroyed by fire unfortunately, and Set couldn’t do any too serious damage because the magician had his name. The entire room had been destroyed and Vlad was buried for now, but it wouldn’t last. The demigod was cursing under her breath as they rushed to join the younglings.

“Carter!”

Sadie Kane was on the ground, cradling her brother's head. Carter was shivering, his eyes rolled back in his head. Two puncture wounds in his coat were smoking.

Annea fell to her knees next to him. She removed his coat and placed a hand over his wound.

“Slow.” She murmured in the Egyptian tongue.

A violet hieroglyph appeared over him.

It was always interesting to watch the demigod use Egyptian magic. Especially divine words. It was something she should not be able to do. And yet.

“A dozen senior magicians were rallying to Menshikov when we made our exit. You should probably get out of here.” Set reminded the younglings.

“You.” Sadie’s voice shook but still conveyed utter loathing.

“Sadie he’s right, we need to get out of here,” Annea sounded calm, unlike her magic which was in disarray. “Go get Bes. I’ll carry Carter.”

“Bes is here? Love that guy.” Set said as he shouldered Carter between them. The demigod glared at him briefly but didn’t refute the help.

Sadie rushed ahead and Annea kept muttering a steady stream of low-level healing spells in Greek.

“Oh, that won’t work, my dear,” Set explained, “The tjesu heru poison is completely incurable! Fatal in about twelve hours. It’s amazing stuff!”

Annea didn’t give any outwards reaction but her magic conveyed her anger for her. Set wondered how much he could push before her magic manifested physically to attack. Before he could find out, a black Mercedes rolled up to them.

“Bes,” Annea breathed out, “thank the gods. Can you heal him?”

“Hello Bes, old friend,” Set greeted, “how are you?”

“Get out of here, Set!” Bes said.

Was a ‘How nice to see you Set,’ too much to hope for?

“Well, I could do that, but since our friends are on their way, I thought perhaps we should make a deal.” Set said.

He snapped his fingers, and a globe of red light appeared in front of him. In it, the holographic images of six men in security uniforms piled into two white sports cars. Their headlights blazed to life. The cars swerved across a parking lot, then passed straight through a stone wall as if it were made of smoke.

“I’d say you have about two minutes.” Set smiled, and the globe of light faded. “You remember Menshikov’s minions, Bes. Are you sure you want to meet them again?”

Bes’s face darkened. He crushed a white chocolate chess piece in his hand. “You lying, scheming, murdering—”

“Stop!” Sadie said.

Carter groaned and the demigod fed him more of her healing potion. It momentarily eased him but then Carter regained his sickly pallor.

Annea looked up at Sadie. “Sadie, I can’t heal Carter and we need to get out of here.”

Sadie nodded and turned to him. “Set, what deal are you offering?”

“I was going to offer you the location of the last scroll in the Book of Ra. That is what you’re after, isn’t it?”

“Is it possible he knows?” Sadie asked Bes.

Bes grunted. “More than possible. The priests of Ra gave him the scroll for safekeeping.”

“Why on earth would they do that?”

Because there was a time when he used to be more than just a Chaos god.

“Come now, Sadie. I was a loyal lieutenant of Ra. If you were Ra, and you didn’t want to be bothered by any old magician trying to wake you, wouldn’t you trust the key to your location with your most fearsome servant?”

“What do you want in return?” Annea asked, quick to the uptake as usual.

“I’ll give you the location if you give me back my secret name.” Set replied.

Set grinned and ignored the outraged denials.

“What if I used your secret name to force you to tell me?” Sadie cut in.

Set shrugged. “With a few days to research the correct spell, you might manage that. Unfortunately—”

“Set. Please.” Annea pleaded. Her green eyes were glittering with tears and she looked at him with something close to desperation and fear.

It felt wrong to look at the demigod so close to breaking. She was always so in control of herself and she had never feared him. Even when he was moments away from killing her, she’d stood tall and unafraid.

“I’ll give you the location of the final piece and some extra information that you need. In return for my name.” Set compromised.

He told himself that it wasn’t a big deal. He’d wanted Nephthys to be found and if the Kanes found her then even better.

Sadie agreed and the deal was struck.

“You’ll find the scroll at Bahariya. Bes knows the place I mean.”

Bes didn’t look happy. There was only one way they could get there and it wasn’t very convenient. “That place is heavily protected. We’ll have to use the Alexandria portal.”

“Yes.” Set grinned. “Should be interesting! How long can you hold your breath?”

Annea flinched.

Why?

Something to find out later.

But for now, he observed Bes pile the younglings in his car.

Amos would be heartbroken if they didn’t survive.

For Amos’s sake, he hoped the kids didn’t die.

---

Anna fought her panic as the portal dropped them thirty feet underwater. The car was crushed under the pressure and water began trickling in.

She was on her knees and someone was holding her head underwater and why wasn’t her magic responding—

No.

She wasn’t at Othyrs.

She was not on the Mountain of Despair.

She was with Sadie, Carter and Bast’s friend and she had to do something before they drowned to death.

“Up.” She intoned.

The hieroglyph wasn’t visible but the car careened towards the surface at full speed. She winced as her ears popped and her joints ached.

Ugh. Decompression sickness was horrible.

Bes opened the door and helped her out. Anna somehow summoned a few pieces of ambrosia from the Duat and gulped it in one go.

The next few hours were a blur.

Bes and her getting Sadie, Carter out of the car, hunting for hotels, setting defences, trying to wake either sibling.

“Please, please tell me you can heal him?” Anna asked Bes.

They had finally settled into a large room. Bes had arranged something with the locals and gotten them food, water and other supplies. Sadie wasn’t waking up and Carter’s situation was only getting worse.

Nothing Anna tried had worked—healing potion, Greek or Egyptian healing spells, even Ambrosia and Nectar hadn’t worked.

“Sorry kiddo, healing is not one of my talents.” Bes said apologetically.

Anna tried not to despair. This was Sadie and Carter. They had done more impossible things. And Sadie was already muttering about Anubis and secret names. Maybe she’d find some answer in her dreams. It would be okay.

“You should also rest.”

“It’s been six hours since Carter was poisoned. I need to keep an eye on him, make sure he doesn’t get worse.” Anna replied distractedly.

Bes sighed and then suddenly a hand was placed on her shoulder.

Anna reacted instinctively. She flipped the person by grabbing their hand, summoned fire and jumped out of range.

Bes groaned as he hit the ground.

Fuck

“Shit, my lord, I’m sorry.” Anna helped him up and moved away, “I was distracted and really, it’s not the best choice to surprise a demigod.”

“Right. I’m sorry,” Bes apologized. “Wow, you have hell of reflexes kid. Also, no need for this lord thing.”

“Right.”

Anna knew that it was different with the Egyptian gods, that Bast’s friend wouldn’t put her in danger. But it was difficult to swallow down fear, to keep in the reflexive apology. She had spent a week at Othrys where her every word, every action was used against her. Where her uncle used every perceived disrespect as a chance for a ‘lesson.’ He hadn’t broken her, hadn’t even come close. But her time there had left its marks.

“When I mentioned Prince Menshikov’s palace…” Bes started. Anna sat down and made herself comfortable on the couch.

---

          Bes observed the demigod’s face go blank. And when he said blank, he meant it. Nothing in her body language hinted discomfort, but her face was eerily expressionless. Like a clean slate.

What had those Greeks done to her?

Bes had lived for millennia. He had seen violence, had inflicted a lot of it himself. Menshikov wasn’t the first to capture him. It hadn’t even been the worst situation he’d been in. And yet somehow it was then that he’d come close to.…He’d felt helpless, he’d lost hope.

The demigod kid before him had experienced that.

Bes changed the subject. “Who taught you all those healing spells? I bet you’re on the level of a House of Life healer.”

Annea untensed bit by bit. “I had excellent teachers.” She answered cautiously. “And I did learn from the Per Ankh.”

Wait what?

“Really? How? Aren’t you an enemy of the House?”

Annea shrugged. “I’m charming, I guess. It’s a long story.”

Bes settled down opposite to her. “We have time. If you want to stay awake watching the younglings, we might as well entertain ourselves.”

They talked for over three hours before the demigod decide to rest. Annea had checked on both kids every fifteen minutes, and renewed a ‘slow’ spell on the boy every thirty minutes. He was still getting worse but he had time.

Stress, the steady use of magic and the long conversation finally tired her out (or maybe she finally trusted him enough to be vulnerable around him. Couldn’t blame the kid for being cautious) and she headed inside to sleep.

Bes touched up their defences and then checked on the kids. All of them. This—helping the kids out—had been just a favour for Bast. But he was getting attached.

 

 

The first thing Sadie did after walking up was asking for her brother. The next was asking for Anna.

“About time,” Bes said. “I was beginning to think you’d never wake up.”

He filled her in on what she’d missed during the twelve hours she’d been unconscious. She was understandably panicked about her brother’s situation. But she also seemed certain that she could save him.

Bes hoped for both her and the demigod’s sake that Sadie succeeded.

Thankfully, when he came back half an hour later, Carter was healed and awake. He still looked pale and sick, but at least the kid wasn’t dying.

“Good work Sadie,” He offered Carter some chocolate, “Here, boy. You’ve earned this.”

Carter frowned. “Does chocolate have magic healing properties?”

Bes snorted. “If it did, I’d be the healthiest dwarf in the world. Nah. It just tastes good. I’ll go wake up Anna.”

Carter straightened. “She’s okay, right?”

Bes held in a smile. The love all of them had for each other was heartening. “She’s fine,” He promised. “She did a lot of magic and spent many hours checking on both of you while you were out and slowing down the poison. I’ll go give her the good news.”

“And then we can talk,” Sadie added, “I have news.”

Chapter 3

Anna was too well trained to react outwardly but hanging around the Kanes both lowered her inhibitions and really tested her. The conversation after Carter’s revival for example.

To say it had gone badly was an understatement.

Anna understood Carter’s desperation to some extent. If it was him or Sadie that were in danger then she would go to the ends of the earth to save them. Screw the world.

But she was also a soldier, a leader and the strategic part of her mind screamed that this—splitting up to save Zia—was a mistake. They were at war; Horus was barely holding the gods from rebelling as it was, and Vladmir the fucking assassin of magicians was possessed by Chaos and after them and—

They were being maneuvered. Getting the scroll had been easy even with Carter being poisoned and Vladmir hadn’t put much effort in capturing them. They were playing into Apophis’s hands somehow and splitting up would only leave them vulnerable.

But she didn’t know how to explain all this to Carter without scaring them even more, so she didn’t.

“Taxi? Taxi? I take you.” A driver said in broken English.

They were in a Bahariyan market, searching for a method of transportation. Anna was out of magic cards; Duat travel was too risky and portals needed auspicious times and they didn’t know where they were supposed to go exactly.

That left them with only mortal transportation—cars or camels. Problem was that the place was filled with shady characters. Like their current driver.

But they needed a ride so Anna suffered the man’s bad taste in music and robbery attempt. That had been easily dealt by Sadie turning her staff into a lion.

“So what now?” Sadie asked as they watched the driver and his friends be chased by the magical lion.

“I can drive us. It would be best to avoid the locals.” Anna said. “But I don’t know the direction.”

“I think we are close enough to risk using a little magic.” Walt said.

They charmed a handful of sand to point the way to Bahariya, and set out across the desert.

Anna drove in silence as Walt and Sadie had a whispered in the back seats. She could have listened in but she had so many of her own secrets that it felt unfair to listen in on Walt’s. And he would tell her when he felt ready. Just as she would.

She felt it when they were very close. Some godly presence. Judging by the magic, probably her favourite god’s.

Anna stopped the car, which startled Sadie and Walt.

“Wha-”

Coming up the hill was a very disgruntled-looking cat.

“It’s about time,” said the cat

Bast

“Bast?” Sadie exclaimed. “What are you doing inside that—what is that, exactly?”

Both of them got out of the car.

 “An Egyptian mau, of course. Beautiful leopard spots, bluish fur—”

“It looks like it’s been through a blender!” Sadie said.

Anna smiled and scratched the cat’s ears.

“It’s good to see you, B.” Anna said. “I was worried. Do you have anything for us?”

“Apophis is waking.” Came the reply.

“We knew that!”

“But it’s worse than we thought,” Bast added. “He’s got a legion of demons working on his cage, and he’s timing his release to coincide with your waking Ra. In fact, he’s counting on your freeing Ra. It’s part of his plan.”

Oh that was not good…

Anna had suspected it but it was another thing for her fears to be confirmed.

“Apophis wants us to free his archenemy?” Sadie asked. “That makes no sense.”

 “I can’t explain it,” Bast said, “but as I got closer to his cage, I could glean his thoughts. I suppose because we fought so many centuries we have some sort of connection. At any rate, the equinox begins tomorrow at sunset, as I said. The following dawn, the morning of March twenty-first, Apophis intends to rise from the Duat. He plans to swallow the sun and destroy the world. And he believes your plan to awaken Ra will help him do that.”

Walt frowned. “If Apophis wants us to succeed, why is he trying so hard to stop us?”

“Is he?” Anna asked.

They all got silent.

“So we shouldn’t awaken Ra?” Walt asked.

“That’s not the answer either,” Sadie said.

Bast tilted her head. “I’m confused.”

“We have to stick to the plan. We need Ra. Ma’at and Chaos have to balance, right? If Apophis rises, Ra has to as well.” Sadie insisted.

“But—”

“We know we cannot win against Chaos alone, not without Ra’s help.” Anna interrupted Walt. “Uniting gods and magicians is our best option. Apophis doesn’t think it will ever happen. We need to prove him wrong.”

Sadie nodded. “We have to make order from chaos. That’s what Egypt has always done. “It’s a risk—a huge risk—but if we do nothing because we fear we’ll fail, we play right into Apophis’s hands.”

“Don’t underestimate Apophis,” Bast said. “You haven’t fought him. I have.”

Anna didn’t frown as much as she wanted to. She still thought that Ra was wrong on many levels to leave Bast to fight his greatest enemy alone. But that was an argument for another day.

Sadie agreed with Bast and then filled her in on all that had happened. Bast promised to get to Brooklyn as soon as she could.

“The best entrance to the tombs is on a small date farm just to the southeast. Look for a black water tower.” Bast told them. “And do watch out for the Romans. They’re quite—”

The cat puffed up its tail. Then it blinked and looked around in confusion.

“What Romans?” Sadie asked. “They’re quite what?”

But the connection had already broken. The now ordinary cat meowed at them.

Sadie scowled. They got back in the car and started towards the direction Bast had said.

The romans…they would be a problem.

The Roman spirits could recognize Anna. She had to do her best not to let that happen. The last thing they needed was word getting back to the Olympians. Or worse, the titans.

 

---

Carter didn’t know how everything had gone so wrong.

They’d found Zia. She’d been placed in suspended animation. With her flowing white robe and the crook and flail, she looked like a goddess of the old. But things had gotten out of hand after he’d woken her.

Zia had thought he was taking advantage of her and had attacked, then she’d seen Bes and panicked. Carter tried to convince her that they weren’t enemies, tried to remind her of Chaos rising but she hadn’t believed him. Then Desjardins and Vladmir had shown up.

 

Seeing Bes in that fluorescent cage, imprisoned by the descendants of his captors sent a wave of anger his chest.

How dare they?

And then Vladmir had mentioned Anna and the next thing Carter knew, he had the Pharoah’s symbols in his hands and had sent Apophis’s host crashing against the far end. But even Horus’s powers rushing through him hadn’t been enough. Menshikov’s vines of dark magic crawled over him, crushing his avatar, forcing it to shift to a serpent. Carter fell to his knees. He was terrified, could feel the venom in his mouth as the spell forced him to change—

Zia cried out. “Stop it! This is too much!”

 “On the contrary,” Menshikov said, rubbing his chafed neck. “He deserves worse. Chief Lector, you saw how this boy threatened you. He wants the pharaoh’s throne. He must be destroyed.”

Zia tried to run forward, but Desjardins held her back. “Discontinue the spell, Vladimir,” he said. “The boy can be contained in more humane ways.”

“Humane, my lord? He’s barely human!”

Carter would’ve laughed if he could. The host of Apophis, calling him inhuman? What a joke.

Desjardins and Menshikov locked eyes.

 Carter didn’t know what would’ve happened—but just then a portal opened under Bes’s cage.

The portal was unlike he’d ever seen before. The whirlpool opened level with the ground, sucking down a trampoline-size area of red sand, dead fish, old lumber, pottery shards, and one glowing fluorescent cage containing a dwarf god. As the cage entered the vortex, the bars broke into splinters of light. Bes unfroze, found himself halfway submerged in sand, and did some creative cursing.

Then Sadie, Walt and Annea shot straight up out of the portal, suspended horizontally, as if they were running toward the sky.

Sadie and Walt flailed as gravity took over but Anna leaned forward, tucked herself in a roll and came up standing a few feet away from the whirlpool portal. Bes grabbed Sadie and Walt before they could be pulled under the sand and managed to haul them out of the whirlpool. He dumped them on firm ground.

Then he turned to Vlad Menshikov, planted his feet, and ripped off his Hawaiian shirt and shorts like they were made of tissue. His eyes blazed with anger. His Speedo was embroidered with the words Dwarf Pride (which Carter really didn’t need to see)

 Menshikov only had time to say, “How—”

“BOO!” yelled Bes.

The sound was like the blast of an H-bomb—or a U-bomb, for Ugly. The ground shook. The river rippled. Carter’s avatar collapsed, and Menshikov’s spell dissolved with it—the venom taste in his mouth subsiding, the pressure lifting so he could breathe again.

Sadie and Walt were already on the ground. Zia had quickly backed away and Desjardins was out of range, moving towards Anna. But Menshikov got a full blast of ugly right in his face. His expression turned to astonishment, and he disintegrated on the spot.

Bes turned towards Desjardins, ready to repeat the process but Anna shouted “No!” and got in front of him.

“Bes, wait!” Anna said, hiding Desjardins from view, “He’s on our side.”

“He worked with Menshikov—you know, Apophis’s host—and tried to kill Carter and me.” Bes grumbled but he’d already put away the ugly outfit.

Anna sighed in relief and then glanced around the now destroyed tomb. Carter grunted and pushed himself to his feet.

“Vladmir is the host of Apophis?” Desjardins asked Anna. He sounded weary and surprised but not disbelieving.

Anna nodded.

“B-but that’s impossible!” Zia gasped. “He’s a scribe of the House of Life! He wouldn’t break the-Apophis can’t be back. No, my nightmares…It can’t be…” Zia’s legs shook. Her hands trembled. Then she did the only logical thing for someone who’d been through her kind of day after a three-month coma. Her eyes rolled back in her head, and she passed out.

Carter rushed to catch her but he was still weak from Menshikov’s torture. Anna spelled Zia’s body to float before it could hit the ground.

“We need to get out of here.” She spoke.

“Yes, yes,” Desjardins agreed, “The god’s magic may buy us a few hours but then Vladmir will rally the House and attack.”

“Buy us time?” Sadie exclaimed angrily, “You were the one planning to invade our Nome! Why should we trust you?”

“You what?” Anna turned to Desjardins in surprise.

“I was delaying Vladmir until I could find the traitor in the House, and gather enough support to overturn the old law.” Desjardins explained. “I didn’t expect that the traitor would be…Vladmir organised an army of exiled magicians and demons—none who have my support or approval.”

Sadie scoffed but Desjardins gazed pleadingly at Anna. She hesitated then glanced at him.

“He did try to stop Menshikov.” Carter admitted grudgingly.

Anna nodded and turned to Desjardins. “Will you swear not to harm them unless in self-defence?”

Desjardins made the vow without pause.

Anna fully relaxed and even Sadie and Walt eased. Bes was suspicious but still guided them all to their vehicle without protest, and Desjardins didn’t complain about getting stuck in the noisy truck with a bunch of enemies of the House.

It was hard to fully relax with Zia—the real Zia—sleeping fitfully next to him and Desjardins and Anna talking in hushed tone in the corner; but somehow Carter found his eyelids drooping.

 

 

The next time Carter woke, it was to a very strange scene. Sadie, Anna, Bes, Walt, Zia, and Desjardins were sitting around a table, playing a board game like old friends.

Sadie was the first one to see him awake. “Well, well. Next time you take an extended ba trip, Carter, do let us know in advance. It’s not fun carrying you up three flights of stairs.”

Anna raised her eyebrow. “I was the one that did the carrying.” She looked well-rested and was dressed in a mixture of ancient styled clothes. Sadie could have better explained the whole look—kohl lined eyes, some amulets, magical rings etc—but Carter focused on the runes and symbols.

“Good that you’re awake Kane,” Desjardins added, “perhaps now we can finally—”

“Micheal, be nice.” Anna interrupted.

Sadie mouthed ‘Micheal’ with wide eyes behind their backs.

What in the world was going on?

“How long was I out?” Carter asked faintly.

“Longer than me,” Zia said.

She looked amazing—calm and rested. Her freshly washed hair was swept behind her ears, and she wore a new white sleeveless dress that made her bronze skin glow.

“It’s three in the afternoon,” she continued. “I’ve been up since ten this morning.”

“You look—”

“Better?” She raised her eyebrows, like she was challenging him to deny it. “You missed the excitement. I tried to fight. I tried to escape. This is our third hotel room.”

“The first one caught fire,” Bes said.

“The second one exploded,” Walt said.

“I said I was sorry.” Zia frowned. “At any rate, your sister finally calmed me down.”

“Which took several hours,” Sadie said, “and all my diplomatic skill.”

“You have diplomatic skills?” Carter asked to distract himself from the terror of Zia and Sadie getting along. The world could not stand it. “Also, where was our actual diplomat—Anna and Chief Lector over there?”

Anna gave him a small smile. “Me and Micheal went back to First Nome to call off the attack on Brooklyn House.” Anna said. “Well, I went to Brooklyn House to shore up some extra defences and fill Amos in while Micheal went to the First Nome. He announced Amos as his successor if something happened to him—which it won’t because he’s going to go back to look over the House—and he discredited Menshikov who’s now gone rogue and is still going to attack Brooklyn House.”

“I’m coming with you,” Desjardins sighed as if they’d had this conversation many times, “It is my responsibility as Chief Lector to defend Ma’at and fight Chaos. Even the dwarf god agrees with me.”

Bes nodded and threw down the dice. “We need all the help we can get Annea. And now that Carter’s awake, we can plan the next step.”

Bes and Desjardins were agreeing? The Chief Lector was voluntarily working with gods? What had the world come to? Was he still in some ba-vision?

Anna agreed with Carter’s line of thought. “I liked it better when you both hated each other and didn’t team up against me.”

“Oh, I still hate the guy,” Bes said, “Walt, move that piece over there—not that one. Anyway, Carter you should change.”

Carter got up and –what in Horus’s name was he wearing?

Pokémon pajamas.

“Sadie,” Carter spoke slowly, “I’m going to kill you.”

She batted her eyes innocently. “But the street merchant gave us a very good deal on those. Walt said they would fit you.”

Walt raised his hands. “Don’t blame me, man. I tried to stick up for you.”

Bes snorted, then did a pretty good imitation of Walt’s voice: “‘At least get the extra-large ones with Pikachu.’ Carter, your stuff’s in the bathroom. Now, are we playing senet, or not?”

Anna watched on with an amused expression before playing her next turn. Her and Desjardins were a team. As were Sadie and Zia.

Carter hurried to the bathroom to change and rushed back out. The game was still going on and Sadie and Zia were crushing the others miserably.

“You’re not very good at this.” Desjardins told Anna after their piece was stuck in a house which required a specific number on the die to get out.

Anna sniffed. “Hey! Not my fault that the only games my family taught me to play were mind games and war games.”

Both Bes and Desjardins made a complicated face—somewhere between horror, anger, sadness—before they realised Anna was joking.

Desjardins opened his mouth (to lecture her, Carter was sure) but Anna interrupted. “Now that sunset is approaching, we need to start our journey.”

“What’s the plan?”

“Walt and Zia are going to Brooklyn to help Amos,” Sadie explained, “and we are going to follow Ra’s path. Which means going into the Duat at sunset and coming back out at sunrise. We’re arguing over whether Desjardins is coming with us or not.”

“The Chief Lector,” Anna emphasised the words, “needs to go lead his House before it falls into disarray fighting its own members. More than its already doing.”

“Anna’s worried he’ll over exert himself.” Sadie whispered, coming over next to him.

“Yeah, got that.” And Carter understood her worry. Desjardins looked, well, horrible. “Also, Amos really needs help. Our help even.”

Carter filled them in about his vision—about Menshikov’s strike force heading to Brooklyn at sunset, and his plans to track them personally through the Duat. He explained what Horus said about the dangers of waking Ra, and how he could use the crook and flail instead to fight Apophis.

It was tempting. The urge to help, to lead, to rule.

Desjardins aged a few more years. “If Vladmir has summoned the uraeus and other creatures of Chaos, only he would be able to control them.” He spoke gravely. “And the magicians you described—the exiled ones, they have nothing to lose by following him.”

“And there’s nothing you can do to stop him.” Walt guessed.

“We need to help.” Carter said.

“Carter, you can’t go to Brooklyn.” Zia’s voice became hoarse. “I’ve been seeing nightmares of…of Apophis. I believe my old mentor, Iskandar, was trying to protect me when he put me into that tomb. It was not a mistake that he let me hear the voice of Apophis in my dreams. It was some sort of warning—one last lesson. He hid the crook and flail with me for a reason. Perhaps he knew you would find me. At any rate, Menshikov must be stopped.”

“If Iskander approved of this…It means that you cannot abandon your quest.” Desjardins said. “Iskandar must have foreseen this path. He believed the gods must unite with the House of Life, and I trust his judgment. You have to awaken Ra.”

Hearing the Chief Lector, hearing Desjardins, who’d once tried to execute them for being godlings say the path of God was necessary was really fucking weird.

(Forget gods possessing his grandparents, this was weirder)

But it also made their quest more real somehow.

Sadie picked up the senet sticks. “Well, that’s sorted, then. At sunset, we’ll open a portal at the top of the Great Pyramid. We’ll follow the sun boat’s old course down the River of Night, find Ra, wake him, and bring him out again at dawn. And possibly find someplace for dinner along the way, because I’m hungry again.”

“I’ll follow you from behind,” Desjardins said ignoring Anna’s glare, “Perhaps I’ll capture Vladmir before he ambushes you.”

“It’ll be dangerous,” Bes said. “Reckless. Probably fatal.”

Carter couldn’t tell if he was talking about their or Desjardin’s decision.

“If we take a portal at sunset,” Walt said, “we’ll arrive at the same time as the attackers. It’s going to be chaos, not much time for talking. We’ll have to fight.”

Sadie dropped her senet sticks on the floor. “What? Walt, no! In your condition—”

She clamped her mouth shut, too late.

“What condition?”

Walt gave Sadie an evil eye before reluctantly turning towards them.

“My family history,” he said. “Something I told Sadie…in confidence.” He didn’t sound happy about it, but he explained the curse on his family, the bloodline of Akhenaton, and what it meant for him.

It made so much sense. Walt’s secretive behaviour, his talks with Jaz, his moodiness. Carter’s own problems seemed so insignificant in comparison.

“Oh Walt,” Anna started but Walt cut in.

“Look guys, I appreciate the sentiment. But I’m through with sympathy. I’ve been living with this disease for years. I don’t want people pitying me or treating me as though I’m special. I want to help you guys. We’ll try to stall the attack, hold them off until sunrise so you can come back with Ra. Besides…” He shrugged. “If you fail, and we don’t stop Apophis, we’re all going to die tomorrow anyway.”

Anna made a hurt sound.

“I’m not pitying you.” She spoke. “I understand better than most focusing on the present problem to…Anyways, I wished you’d have told me so I could help. I hope I never felt that you couldn’t trust me with this.”

Walt looked a little overwhelmed. He shuffled his feet. “You were busy with your own things. And teaching, and whatever secret plans you and Bast are making. It’s not that I didn’t trust you, its just-I don’t know.”

Anna nodded thoughtfully.

Carter reached over and patted Walt’s shoulder. “Hey, you’re just as important to us. But I get it. And you’re right, there’s a high chance that we’ll all die; so maybe we’ll just meet in the underworld.”

Walt snorted. “That’s one way of looking on the bright side.”

Carter grinned and made to reply but then something occurred to him: a thought so jarring it was like a tiny nuclear reaction in his head. “Hold up. Menshikov said he was descended from the priests of Amun-Ra.”

Bes snorted disdainfully. “Hated those guys. They were so full of themselves. But what does that have to do with anything?”

“Weren’t those the same priests that fought Akhenaton and cursed Walt’s ancestors?” Carter asked. “What if Menshikov has the secret of the curse? What if he could cure—”

“Stop.” The anger in Walt’s voice took him by surprise. His hands were shaking. “Carter, I’ve come to terms with my fate. I won’t get my hopes up for nothing. Menshikov is the enemy. Even if he could help, he wouldn’t. If you cross paths with him, don’t try to make any deals. Don’t try to reason with him. Do what you need to. Take him down.”

Carter exchanged a glance with his sisters. Anna’s face was set in neutrality but her eyes were slightly narrowed. And Sadie’s eyes were gleaming. They both nodded at him.

It was settled. They would go in the Duat, awaken the sun god. And while they were there, we’d turn the tables on Vlad Menshikov. They’d find him, beat the crud out of him, and force him to tell us how to cure Walt.

“Okay, I won’t mention it.” He lied to Walt.

Desjardins shifted uncomfortably before straightening. “So we leave at sunset. Zia and your associate for Brooklyn and us five for the Duat.”

Anna geared up to argue but Carter settled an arm over her shoulder. Anna slumped. “By the gods—fine. Micheal will follow us as we follow Ra’s path. Happy?”

“And I’ll join you in the River of Night, in the Fourth House.” Bes added.

---

The Duat was…yeah.

Anna wasn’t sure if it was affecting her more because she was a Greek demigod or because she was a daughter of magic. She had known the mist since she was a child. This? This was beyond the mist. Magic swirled around them, like waves in an ocean. It pulled at their thoughts, feelings, personal magic. It transformed them, challenged them.

Sadie and Carter shivered and changed. Not just their clothes—though Sadie found herself wearing an Egyptian white gown with golden jewellery adorning her arms and neck; and Carter was bare-chested with a linen skirt—but also their magic, their presence.

The Duat was an alternate plane of reality—another world. It was an endless abyss and the mist was just the curtain on top which veiled this world from mortal eyes. (Thank gods for the mist, because if she had to see this all the time then she’d have gone insane)

As soon as they had stepped in the portal, the world around them faded and rearranged itself. Anna instinctively strengthened her mental barriers but still some of her darker memories affected their surroundings.

It looked like the quayside of River Thames. Sadie’s grandparents’ place. And simultaneously, it looked like the San Francisco Bay with the Mountain of Doom looming over them.

“This is rude,” Sadie said.

Anna would say showing them the places associated with their worst memories before setting off on a world-ending-saving quest was more than just rude.

The river (or ocean) was shrouded in mist. There were no city lights, just an eerie glow in the sky. The skyline seemed fluid—buildings shifting around, rising and melting as if they couldn’t find a comfortable place to settle.

Below them, the mist drifted away from the docks.

“Sadie,” Carter said, “Look.”

At the bottom of the steps, a boat was moored, but it wasn’t Amos’s. It was the barque of the sun god, no longer a regal ship of the legends, barely able to stay afloat. The sail was tattered, the oars broken, the rigging covered with cobwebs.

Halfway down the steps, blocking their path, stood Nekhbett and Babi.

“Them again,” Sadie growled. “Come on.”

Anna glanced at Carter who mouthed ‘what’ at her. Right. He hadn’t had the pleasure to meet these particular gods, had he?

“Nekhbett and Babi.” Anna whispered as her and Carter followed Sadie down. “They possessed your grandparents and tried to kill us.”

Carter’s expression hardened. She had no doubt he would have had his sword out had Sadie not reached the gods just then.

“Shove off,” Sadie told the gods.

“My dear.” Nekhbett’s eyes glittered. With her flowery housecoat and white hair, she pulled off the harmless grandma act very well. “Is that any way to address your grandmother?”

“Oh, pardon me,” said Sadie. “This must be the part where I say ‘My, what big teeth you have.’ You’re not my grandmother, Nekhbett! Now, get out of our way!”

“Show more respect, love,” the goddess cooed. “We’re only here to give you a friendly warning. You’re about to pass the Point of No Return. If you step on that boat, there will be no turning back—no stopping until you’ve passed through all Twelve Houses of the Night, or until you die.”

“Arggh!” Barked the Baboon god.

“Listen to Babi,” Nekhbett urged. “You have no idea what awaits you on the river. You could barely fend off the two of us in London, girl. The armies of Chaos are much worse!”

Barely fend off? They had decimated these two back in London.

“As far as I remember Sadie and I dealt with you in a matter of minutes and then spent the rest of the morning eating cake.” Anna drawled. She set her face the way her uncle had taught—a smooth blend of neutrality and cool amusement.

“Anna and Sadie are more than capable of dealing with you. And they have me too this time.” Carter agreed and stepped forward with the crook and flail. “Now, get lost.”

Nekhbett sneered at her. “You can’t help them here, demigod. If you cared about them, you’d turn around now.”

Anna sneered back but remained silent.

Then the goddess turned to Carter. “You would wield the pharaoh’s weapons?” Her tone held a hint of grudging admiration. “A bold move, child, but that will not save you.”

“You don’t get it,” Carter said. “We’re saving you too. We’re saving all of us from Apophis. When we come back with Ra, you’re going to help. You’re going to follow our orders, and you’re going to convince the other gods to do the same.”

“Ridiculous,” Nekhbett hissed.

Carter raised the crook and willed his power through it. The gods crumpled to their knees.

“Swear loyalty,” He commanded. “When we return with Ra, you will obey him.” “

You’ll never succeed,” Nekhbett said.

“Then it won’t do any harm to pledge your loyalty,” he said. “Swear it!”

He raised the war flail, and the gods cringed.

 “Agh,” Babi muttered.

“We swear,” Nekhbett said. “But it is an empty promise. You sail to your death.” Carter slashed his crook through the air, and the gods vanished into the mist.

By silent agreement they held hands as they climbed into the boat.

“We’ve got this.” Anna breathed out. “We’re together.”

“Yeah.” Sadie smiled. “Let’s blow this popsicle stand.”

 

 

The journey was…not simple; but mostly expected until they reached the gates of the Fourth House. The boat didn’t co-operate at first but Sadie willed it to heed her and it did. They had to name a god—Ra’s first aspect—and the answer was in the scroll. (At least this time they didn’t have to flirt with the god to get his name)

The whole ‘reborn in fire’ thing was the first real challenge.

“We’ve got to turn around!” Carter yelled. “Even if that wasn’t fire, we’ll never survive the drop!”

His face was reddening, so was Sadie’s. The water around them turned into flames and they were heading towards a waterfall straight into the boiling lake.

“We can’t turn around,” Sadie yelled back, “Reborn in fire. It was a line in the book. We have to take the ship through the fire. That was part of the sun’s nightly rebirth, right? Ra would have done it.”

“Ra wasn’t flammable!” Carter exclaimed.

“Hey, it’s fine.” Anna interjected before the siblings could really get into it. She summoned a stylus and gestured Carter to come forward. Sadie caught on and immediately dipped her own stylus in ink.

Anna drew the hieroglyphs for ‘fire,’ ‘shield’ and ‘safety’ on Carter’s forehead and arms. “This will keep you from burning up.”

Carter didn’t seem completely reassured as he and Sadie burst into flames but at least he was no longer screaming.

“Anna hurry!” Sadie called.

Anna nodded and quickly drew the same pattern over her own arms. She was fairly certain she was fire-proof, but no need to take chances. Burning was one form of torture that Atlas hadn’t subjected her to; no need to change that.

Then the boat plunged into the flames and Anna knew no more.

 

          “Take a step, little one,” Kronos called to his son, “let go. I will ensure that you don’t fall.” The child little god giggled and trustingly let his grip on the wall loosen and stepped forward.

“Good job, Poseidon.”

The god giggled again and jumped towards the titan with a cry of ‘Daddy.’

The scene shifted to other such glimpses of Kronos loving his family, his children. He was a fair king. A good king even. But every time he glanced at the sky, he was reminded of Ouranos’s words.

“You can’t trust anyone.” Gaia told him one day.  

He was reminded of their words when the cyclops’ rebelled, when Prometheus ignored his orders to create humans when his own sisters glanced at his son with more respect. ‘He is different,’ ‘Kinder,’ ‘Powerful’ the whispers said about his son.

‘Was he not a just king? Had he not been an obedient son? And what did that get him? How could he remain kind with Ouranos as his father? With Gaia as a mother? How could he be kind when it was only a weakness?’

 

 

“Give up, father.” His children united with his own family. His sisters had chosen neutrality as usual. Rhea…his wife had betrayed him.

Kronos laughed. Love was a weakness. And yet he couldn’t repeat his father’s words, couldn’t curse his own children to the same fate.

His youngest cut him into pieces. Even as his essence was thrown into Tartarus, his domain over agriculture and time called him to the surface.

He watched as the mortals progressed from rocks and fire to weapons of mass destruction. As they fought each other, just as his family did.

Mortals. So similar to titans, to gods, to immortals. And yet so different.

They used their creativity—for both cruelty and pleasure, creation and destruction—in ways he hadn’t imagined.

He whispered in their ears, seeded doubt and used it fuel his own rise to power.

Immortality. What a gift. Nobody could kill him forever.

(Or so he thought before he saw Helios and Selene depend too much on mortals, to give too much to Leto’s twins and fade away. He vowed to never give mortals so much power when he ruled once more.)

And he would rise.

 

“Annea!”

Anna gasped and lurched up coughing. (was she coughing blood? flames?)

“Oh Annea you’re awake. Thank the gods!” Carter said and then he and Sadie squeezed the life out of her.

“Can’t breathe.” Anna muttered.

They squeezed harder in response before reluctantly letting go.

Anna got on her feet and looked around. Bes and a hippopotamus in nurse’s outfit were standing a little distance away. They were in an hospital room of sorts. Bes and the…goddess? seemed in midst of an awkward conversation.

 Bes smiled when he noticed her sitting up. “Hey kiddo! Glad you’re awake.” He sounded but sincere but also a little too relieved.

Then Anna noticed the goddess’s sad, lingering look at Bes’s back as he hurried over to them and it clicked. Ahh. They were exes.

“Hey Bes,” Anna accepted readily his hug. They had come a long way and she trusted him now. Bast would always be her favourite goddess but Bes tied with Horus on he second spot now. “Good to see you. So this is the Fourth House?”

Bes nodded and after a quick introduction of his exe (Tawaret, goddess of hippos, mothers etc) recounted what happened while she was unconscious.

“So how do we find Ra in such a large place?” Anna asked finally.

“I saw a falcon-headed god in a room in the southeast wing, oh, ages ago. I thought it was Nemty, but it’s possible it could have been Ra. He sometimes liked to go about in falcon form.” Tawaret mentioned.

“Which way?” Sadie pleaded. “If we can get close, the Book of Ra may be able to guide us.”

Tawaret turned to Bes. “Are you asking me for this, Bes? Do you truly believe it’s important, or are you just doing it because Bast told you to?”

“No! Yes!” He puffed out his cheeks in exasperation. “I mean, yes, it’s important. Yes, I’m asking. I need your help.”

Tawaret pulled a torch from the nearest sconce. “In that case, right this way.”

They encountered many wandering gods on their way. It was painful to see such great creatures reduced to a state of such sadness, dependency. They were forgotten. Not just by their priests, the mortals but also by themselves

(A few months later when Percy, Thalia and Nico would introduce her to the amnesiac form of her great uncle it would be this moment she’d think of before choosing to help him)

“She’s brilliant,” Sadie said as Tawaret was busy guiding a lost god back to his room.

“Yeah,” Bes said. “Yeah, she’s fine.”

He sounded both embarrassed and pained to admit that. That combined with how Tawaret had asked Bes if he was only doing this as a favour to Bast, made the situation a little clearer.

‘Oh Bast,’ Anna thought a little forlornly. But she couldn’t blame Bast. They were at war. Even Anna would do anything to her family at such a time. Using someone’s feelings for her to use them wasn’t even the worst she’d do for them.

But at the same time, she felt for Bes too. She’d been in his place once. (Luke had attempted to use her love for him to trap her) Bast, at least, wasn’t trying to send him to his death.

Sadie and Carter guessed most of that. They were perceptive. Bes sighed and explained how he’d been obsessed with Bast and how it was Tawaret who’d saved him.

“She’s always saving me,” he said bitterly. “She’s always wonderful, nice, kind. Back in ancient times, everyone assumed we were dating. They always said we were a cute couple—the two demon-scaring gods, the two misfits, whatever. We did go out a few times, but Tawaret was just too—too nice. And I was kind of obsessed with somebody else. Yeah, Bast. She was the most popular goddess with the common folk. I was the most popular god. So, you know, we’d see each other at festivals and such. She was…well, beautiful.”

“Anyway,” Bes sighed, “Bast treated me like a little brother. She still does. Has no interest in me at all, but it took me a long time to realize that. I was so obsessed, I wasn’t very good to Tawaret over the years.”

“But she came to get you in Russia,” Sadie said.

 He nodded. “I sent out distress calls. I thought Bast would come to my aid. Or Horus. Or somebody. I didn’t know where they all were, you understand, but I had a lot of friends back in the old days. I figured somebody would show up. The only one who did was Tawaret. She risked her life sneaking into the palace during the dwarf wedding. She saw the whole thing—saw me humiliated in front of the big folk. During the night, she broke my cage and freed me. I owe her everything. But once I was free…I just fled. I was so ashamed, I couldn’t look at her. Every time I think of her, I think about that night, and I hear the laughing.”

Anna winced. She hated how much she could understand that feeling.

“Bes, it isn’t her fault,” Sadie said gently. “She cares about you. It’s obvious.”

“It’s too late,” he said. “I’ve hurt her too much. I wish I could turn back the clock, but—”

“I understand if your feelings for her are tainted by that night.” Anna interrupted. “Or if you just don’t feel for her what she feels for you. But Bes, if it’s the thought that its too late that’s stopping you then don’t. Talk to her. She obviously still likes you. Don’t take that choice away from her by deciding you know her feelings better than she does.”

Bes didn’t get a chance to retort as Tawaret came back with a lost goddess on her arm. Then the goddess’s throwaway comment gave Sadie an idea and then they found Ra. (Before the spell backfired and burnt Sadie, thank gods)

When they burst in the lobby with Ra on Bes’s back, they saw a papyrus scroll tied with the House of Life’s symbols. Desjardins. Anna ignored Ra’s childish antics to pick up and read her mentor’s words.

It was short and to the point.

‘You’re too late. Don’t worry, I’ll buy you time.’

Anna shuddered. Micheal was already weakened by Vlad’s actions and Chaos rising. He wouldn’t survive stalling Apophis alone. She couldn’t lose him.

“Anna?”

She mutely passed the note to Carter who read it grimly.

On the sundial, the needle’s shadow was pointing to eight.

Even if they could still leave the Fourth House, even if we could get through the Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh Houses, it wouldn’t matter. The gates of the Eighth House would already be closed.

They’d lost.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Anna was worryingly silent on their journey ahead. She looked defeated. Carter had never seen her just give up. Even when things were at their worst, Anna always, always had an idea, some plan. And even when she had no plan, she would still fight for the hell of it. She never gave up.

Carter felt the same despair. How was this fair? They’d come all this way and risked so much just to be beaten by a time limit. Game over. How was anyone supposed to succeed in bringing back Ra? It was impossible

‘Carter, this isn’t a game,’ the voice of Horus said inside his head. ‘It isn’t supposed to be possible. You must keep going.’

What was the point? The gates of the Eighth House were already closed. Ra was only partially awake—he was old, feeble and would be useless against Apophis at his full strength. Maybe Desjardins would succeed where they’d failed but with how weak he’d been…

Why should we keep charging forward when the battle was lost?

‘A general never shows despair,’ Horus said. ‘He instils confidence in his troops. He leads them forward, even into the mouth of death.’

 ‘You’re Mr. Cheerful,’ Carter thought. ‘Who invited you back into my head?’

‘This is what Annea always does for you. Pull you up when it seems there’s no hope. Finds a way out when there seems to be none. Now you must do the same. Lead, Carter.’

Carter took a deep breath. Horus was right. He couldn’t give up. They’d done impossible things before. It wasn’t over until it ended. They had to keep on trying, keep on believing that they could salvage something from the disaster. Amos, Zia, Walt, Jaz, Bast, and our young trainees…all of them were counting on them. If their friends were still alive, he couldn’t give up. He owed them better than that.

He remembered their conversation with Tawaret before they’d climbed onboard.

“Bes, I’m so sorry,” Tawaret said. “I wish there was more I could do.”

“It’s not your fault.” Bes held out his hand like he wanted to shake, but when their fingers touched, he clasped hers. “Tawaret, it was never your fault.”

She sniffled. “Oh, Bes…”

“Wheee!” Ra interrupted as the shabti set him in the boat. “See zebras! Wheee!”

 Tawaret let go of his hands. “You—you should go. Perhaps Aaru will provide an answer.”

“Aaru?” Carter asked. “Who’s that?”

“Not who, my dear. Where. It’s the Seventh House. Tell your father hello.”

They were going to meet their father. He and mom had begun the plan to free the gods, to stop Apophis. Maybe they’d have an idea?

 

Their dad greeted them at the gate.

“Sadie, Carter.” Dad pulled them into a hug like they were still little kids, but neither of them protested. He felt solid and human, so much like his old self. His goatee was neatly trimmed. His bald head gleamed. Even his cologne smelled the same: the faint scent of amber.

He held them at arm’s length to examine them, his eyes shining. Carter could almost believe he was still a regular mortal, but if looked closely, there was another layer to his appearance, like a fuzzy superimposed image: a blue-skinned man in white robes and the crown of a pharaoh. Around his neck was a djed amulet, the symbol of Osiris

“Hey dad.” Carter smiled weakly. “Sorry to not meet you in better circumstances.”

“Shhh,” he said. “None of that. This is a time to rest and renew.”

Mom smiled. “We’ve been watching your progress. You’ve both been so brave.”

Carter swallowed a lump. Seeing her was harder than seeing his dad. She had no physical substance, and when she touched his face, it felt like nothing more than a warm breeze. Her white dress seemed to be woven from mist.

“I’m so proud of you both,” she said. “Come, we’ve prepared a feast.”

Anna stepped forward and bowed. “Lord Osiris, Mr and Mrs Kane.”

“No need to be so formal, dear,” Mom said, “You can call me Ruby.”

Anna smiled blandly. She had her usual expression of wariness disguised as neutrality. Carter was glad that she no longer looked subdued. Even if she did see their parents as possible enemies.

Ghostly servants in Ancient Egyptian clothes ushered them toward an outdoor pavilion lined with life-size statues of the gods. Bes carried Ra who was in a good mood, squealing about Feasts and Zebras. They crossed a footbridge over a moat full of albino crocodiles, which made Carter think about Philip of Macedonia, and what might be happening back at Brooklyn House.

Then he stepped inside the pavilion, and his jaw dropped.

A feast was spread out on a long mahogany table—their old dining table from the house in L.A. He could even see the notch he’d carved in the wood with his first Swiss Army knife—the only time he recalled dad getting really mad at him.

The chairs were stainless steel with leather seats and the view outside shimmered back and forth —the grassy hills with glittering blue sky of the afterlife, and white walls with huge glass windows of their old house.

Anna’s brow rose but she didn’t comment, just took the seat farthest from both his parents.

Subtle she was not. Or perhaps he knew her well enough to see under the mask and polite manners.

Bes sat next to Anna and helped Ra into the chair at the head of the table. Carter started towards the chair farthest from Ra but his mom gestured him to sit next to her.

“That chair is for…another guest.” She said the last two words like they left a bitter taste in her mouth.

Anna’s hand tightened slightly on the fork.

“Who else is coming?” Carter tried to not to sound suspicious.

“Anubis?” Sadie asked hopefully.

Dad chuckled. “Not Anubis, though I’m sure he’d be here if he could.”

Sadie slumped as if someone had let the air out of her. “Where is he, then?” she asked.

Dad hesitated just long enough for Carter to sense his discomfort. “Away. Let’s eat, shall we?”

The statues of the gods stood behind us—Horus, Isis, Thoth, Sobek—kept silent watch as they ate. Outside the pavilion, the lands of Aaru spread out as if the cavern were endless—green hills and meadows, herds of fat cattle, fields of grain, orchards full of date trees. Streams cut the marshes into a patchwork of islands, just like the Nile Delta, with picture-perfect villages for the blessed dead. Sailboats cruised the river.

“This is what it looks like to the Ancient Egyptians,” Their father said, as if sensing his thoughts. “But each soul sees Aaru slightly differently.”

“Like our house in L.A.?” Carter asked. “Our family back together around a dining table? Is this even real?”

“The birthday cake is good, eh?” Their father asked with a sad smile. “My little girl, thirteen. I can’t believe—”

Sadie swept her plate off the table. It shattered against the stone floor.

“What does it matter?” she shouted. “The bloody sundial—the stupid gates—we failed!”

She buried her face in her arms and began to sob.

 “Sadie.” Mom hovered next to her like a friendly fog bank. “It’s all right.”

Anna reached over and embraced her. “Sadie darling, remember what I always say?”

“It’s not over until the end?” Carter completed. “I’d love to believe that really, but what do we even do now that the gate is closed?”

“There’s still Desjardins.” Anna reminded them. “He…he’ll buy us time. Maybe there’s another way through the House.” Then she hesitated as if her next words were both a hint and something she was afraid of saying. “Or maybe…maybe there’s a way to get through in time.”

“We’d have to, like, reverse time.” Carter said.

Bes stopped munching grasshoppers. His eyes widened like he’d just had a revelation. He looked at their dad incredulously. “Him? You invited him?”

“Who?” Carter asked. “What do you mean?”

But their father wouldn’t meet his eyes. He turned to Anna who was already staring back patiently. “What are they talking about? Is there a way to teleport across or something?”

“Or something.” Anna said softly. “Carter what are the myths related to time? What are the Demon Days?”

“Moon pie,” Ra said helpfully.

Anna closed her eyes and breathed out deeply.

The demon days were the day Horus, Set, Isis, Osiris and Nepthys were born. But Carter didn’t get what Anna was getting at.

“Carter, the journey must be followed. It is part of Ra’s rebirth. I can’t interfere with that.” Dad said. “However, you’re right: you need extra time. There might be a way, though I’d never suggest it if the stakes weren’t so high—”

“It’s dangerous,” their mom warned. “I think it’s too dangerous.”

“What’s too dangerous?” Sadie asked.

“Me, I suppose,” said a voice behind them.

Carter turned to see a man standing with his hands on Carter’s chair. Either he’d been silent enough to not be heard or he’d materialized through air.

The man looked about twenty, thin and tall and kind of glamorous. His face was totally human, but his irises were silver. His head was shaven except for a glossy black ponytail on one side of his head, like Ancient Egyptian youth used to wear. The fabric of his silver suit shimmered like some bizarre mix of silk and aluminium foil. His shirt was black and collarless, and several pounds of platinum chains hung around his neck. The biggest piece of bling was a silver crescent amulet.

“Moon pie!” Ra cackled with delight.

Oh. The Demon Days hadn’t existed before Nut had won them in a gamble against the moon god. That was the part of story Anna was hinting at. And that was their way across.

“You’re Khonsu,” Carter stated, “The moon god.”

The god grinned at him as if Carter was an appetizer.

“Not you,” Bes growled.

Khonsu spread his arms in a big air hug. “Bes, old buddy! How’ve you been?”

“Don’t ‘old buddy’ me, you scam artist.”

“I’m hurt!” Khonsu sat down on the empty chair and leaned towards Carter conspiratorially. “Poor Bes gambled with me ages ago, you see. He wanted more time with Bast. He wagered a few feet of his height. I’m afraid he lost.”

“That’s not what happened!” Bes roared.

“Gentlemen,” Their father Osiris said sternly. “You are both guests at my table. I won’t have any fighting.”

“Absolutely, Osiris.” Khonsu beamed at him. “I’m honoured to be here. And these are your famous children? Wonderful! Are you ready to play, kids?”

“Julius, they don’t understand the risks,” their mother protested. “We can’t let them do this.”

“I think we do actually.” Sadie said before turning to Anna. “The Demon Days were created by him, right?”

“The goddess Nut gambled with Khonsu and won enough time to create five new days. That’s how she got around Ra’s order.” Anna agreed.

“Oh Nut, now, there was a gambler!” Khonsu snapped his fingers and the table was cleared leaving a glowing senet board. “The sky goddess wouldn’t stop playing until she’d won five whole days from me. Do you know the odds against winning that much time? Astronomical! Of course, she’s covered with stars, so I suppose she is astronomical.”

Khonsu laughed at his own joke. He didn’t seem bothered that no one joined him.

“Nuts,” Ra muttered. “Bad nuts.”

The moon god raised an eyebrow. “Dear me, Ra is in bad shape, isn’t he? But yes, Annea Jones. You’re absolutely right. I’m the moon god, but I also have some influence over time. I can lengthen or shorten the lives of mortals. Even gods can be affected by my powers. The moon is changeable, you see. Its light waxes and wanes. In my hands, time can also wax and wane. You need—what, about three extra hours? I can weave that for you out of moonlight, if you and your friends are willing to gamble for it. I can make it so that the gates of the Eighth House have not yet closed.”

“If you can help, why not just give us the extra time? The fate of the world is at stake.” Carter asked.

Khonsu laughed. “Good one! Give you time! No, seriously. If I started giving away something that valuable, Ma’at would crumble. Besides, you can’t play senet without gambling. Bes can tell you that.”

Bes spit a chocolate grasshopper leg out of his mouth. “Don’t do it, Carter. You know what they said about Khonsu in the old days? Some of the pyramids have a poem about him carved into the stones. It’s called the ‘Cannibal Hymn.’ For a price, Khonsu would help the pharaoh slay any gods who were bothering him. Khonsu would devour their souls and gain their strength.”

The moon god rolled his eyes. “Ancient history, Bes! I haven’t devoured a soul in…what month is this? March? At any rate, I’ve completely adapted to this modern world. I’m quite civilized now. You should see my penthouse at the Luxor in Las Vegas. I mean, Thank you! America has a proper civilization!”

“So you’re proposing a game of stakes.” Anna interjected. Her face was blank but the tightness of her jaw gave away her anger or fear. “Me, Sadie, Carter—that’s three mortal souls. Three pieces for three hours of moonlight. If we win, we get three extra hours.”

“Sharp, aren’t you, little demigod?” Khonsu mused. (There was that word again. Demigod) He studied Anna as one would an interesting specimen. “You’re right mostly, except for one part. Yours cannot be the third soul. After all, I can’t barter with a soul already claimed by another time lord, can I?”

“What?” Anna hissed. The table erupted in green flames.

“Shiny.” Ra muttered and touched a flame before pulling back the burnt finger. “Hot!”

Their dad stood up. “Carter and Sadie, I brought Khonsu here so that you’d have the choice. But whatever you do, I’m still proud of you both. If the world ends tonight, that won’t change.”

Their mother looked ready to protest but Carter beat her to it. “Mom, it’s okay. You gave your life to close Apophis’s prison. How can we back out?”

Their parents smiled while Anna still looked angry, worried, confused—then with a shimmer they all disappeared leaving only him, Sadie and Bes to face the moon god.

“Three blue pieces for you,” Khonsu said. “Three silver pieces for me. Now, who’s feeling lucky?”

---

The demigod was out of her seat even before he’d finished the spell. A second later and the spell that called them away would have left her behind.

She whirled towards them. “You-”

Osiris leaned back to feign indifference. “Sit down, girl.”

The demigod’s eyes flashed and her shoulders tightened but surprisingly she obeyed.

“Drink.” Osiris ordered. “You know as well as I do that, we cannot risk your soul. It would cause pantheon-wide issues.”

“So you would risk your children’s souls.” She shot back.

Julius’s heart constricted. Had they not been in company, Osiris was sure his host would’ve cried.

Osiris had never much liked the demigod, had only tolerated her disrespect last time because it was a happy occasion and she’d done the gods a favour.

In the face of his host’s grief and guilt whatever tolerance he had for the demigod vapourised. He would’ve struck down the impudent mortal had he not noticed the faint tremble of her hands.

The tightness of her shoulders, straight posture and blank face was not sign of her readiness to fight. But rather it was her bracing for a blow.

The anger left him all at once.

‘Anubis was right,’ Julius spoke in his mind. He sounded worried. ‘Something happened to make her afraid. She wasn’t scared of us a year ago when she called us out to be better parents.’

‘Fear is good, it will keep her from being disrespectful and being smote by a god.’ Osiris answered half-heartedly. Even he couldn’t help feel a small, minuscule amount of concern for the girl.

“I wish it weren’t required.” Osiris sighed heavily. “But for Ra to be truly awakened, for Chaos to be stopped, we need Khonsu’s help. Eat, drink. We must wait for them to be done.”

Annea gripped her wine glass tightly but didn’t drink. There was nothing in her expression that betrayed any emotion. Had he not observed the glimpse of fear he wouldn’t have known she was afraid.

Impressive.

‘What made her learn to hide so well?’ Julius wondered.

Osiris was careful not to show the thought aloud.

Fortunately, the tense atmosphere was broken when Ruby appeared with Ra.

“Come my Lord, we’ll wait here for the children to be done.” His wife helped Ra onto a seat.

Ra grumbled something about a weasel and zebras. Poor Ra. It must be frustrating to still be stuck in a body so old.

‘Hopefully he will be renewed when they pass the final house.’ Julius said.

“I’m sorry that you couldn’t be there for them Annea.” Ruby smiled at the demigod comfortingly. The tension seeped from her shoulders as she sighed and leaned back.

The hall was muted. Ruby paced around while the rest of them sat in silence. The demigod was sitting unnaturally still, which could be because Ra was staring intently at her.

“Aren’t you supposed to be acting as a deranged, old man?” Annea finally snapped at the Sun God.

Osiris pursued his lips but let the disrespect go unchallenged. He didn’t need to agitate the demigod more than she already was and their former Pharoah had been, what was the mortal term?

‘Staring creepily.’ Julius suggested in his mind.

‘Studying intently.’ Osiris corrected.

“Tick-tock.” Ra answered the demigod.

Annea’s jaw ticked.

“Oh dear,” Ruby said. “He is not fully restored so we cannot make sense of what he’s saying. Don’t take whatever he says to mind, Annea.”

Annea nodded before turning to Osiris. “What does it mean for you when you ‘claim’ a mortal?” She asked.

“It means different things for your gods than for us.” Osiris replied. “Isn’t this question better suited for your mother?”

“They are not ‘my gods’.” Annea said, her tone clipped. “And considering it was Khonsu that made this remark—” She broke off, taking a deep breath.

Ruby laid a hand on the girl’s shoulder. “For a god to ‘claim’ a mortal in our world, means selecting them as a host or priest. Mostly as a host.”

“Lovely.”

“But your gods—I mean the Greco-roman gods—do not need hosts. Khonsu’s words may have a different meaning.”

The demigod didn’t answer which was an answer in itself.

Ruby’s brows crinkled in worry but she didn’t push.

“I might know what he meant.” Annea admitted. “Things…they-we are at war too. It-it’s complicated.”

“Oh you poor dear,” Ruby cried, “I’m sorry you have to deal with so much.”

Annea shrugged. “I might die in few hours. Then I won’t have to deal with my mom and other relatives.”

“That does not sound reassuring.” Osiris said dryly.

“I wasn’t trying to reassure you.” She shot back.

Julius laughed at the girl’s cheek. Osiris fought a smile. He would have replied but then he felt the palace shudder.

Khonsu had used his powers.

Fear gripped his heart.

He had hoped, foolishly, that they would win. Ruby was right, it was too dangerous. And now he had to live with the fact that one of his children had lost their soul, because of his decision to—

“It won’t be Sadie or Carter.” The demigod said hoarsely. She was tense and weary and grieving but her face gave no indication of it.

“What?”

“Bes wouldn’t let them. He would insist on paying the price.”

“What are you both talking about?” Ruby demanded. But she was pale and a terribly knowing expression graced her beautiful face.

Osiris slumped in his seat.

Selfishly, the first emotion he felt was relief. His children were safe.

“Then you must join them before the sands of time leave you behind.” Osiris said. Then he made so that she appeared back on the sun boat.

Ruby joined him at the now empty table. “It will be alright.” She spoke.

“Will it?”

“We must believe it. We must hope.”

‘Hope’ Osiris mused as he watched his children and the demigod blast their way through the Eighth House. They tore their way through enemies, monsters. In grief they were united, powerful, and terrifying. Their enemies stood no chance. Then they entered the Ninth House and he could see them no longer.

‘They’ll succeed.’ Julius promised.

Ma’at be with them.

---

Looking at the battered form of Menshikov gave them some satisfaction.

The host of Apophis looked like he’d swum through the lake of fire without a magic shield. His curly grey hair had been reduced to black stubble. His white suit was shredded and peppered with burn holes. His whole face was blistered, so his ruined eyes didn’t seem out of place. As Bes might’ve said, Menshikov was wearing his ugly outfit.

The thought of Bes sent a fresh wave of anger through Carter.

Horus understood. Bes was a loyal friend and soldier. He’d helped them against every challenge and even sacrificed his ren to buy them extra time. And all of it could’ve been avoided if this stupid magician hadn’t accelerated Chaos’s release.

The sun boat ground to a halt on the scarab-shell beach.

 Ra warbled, “Hel-lo-o-o-o-o!” and stumbled to his feet. He began chasing a blue servant orb around the deck as if it were a pretty butterfly.

Horus could feel his host’s despair. They had hoped completing the journey would restore Ra but, in this form, the sun god was no match for Apophis.

“Wonderful,” Menshikov said. “You brought Ra, after all.” His voice was no longer warbled but a deep, smooth baritone.

“I was worried,” he continued. “You took so long in the Fourth House; I thought you’d be trapped for the night. We could have freed Lord Apophis without you, of course, but it would’ve been so inconvenient to hunt you down later. This is much better. Lord Apophis will be hungry when he wakes. He’ll be most pleased that you brought him a snack.”

 “Wheee, snack,” Ra giggled. He hobbled around the boat, trying to smash the servant light with his flail.

 The demons began to laugh. Menshikov gave them an indulgent smile.

Annea clenched her fists. She was pale and looked almost sick. Poor girl. Chaos sickness was bad enough for a magician. For a demigod with no host-God protecting her…

“And what will you do when the serpent rises?” She asked sharply. “He will destroy everything in his path including you. I doubt he has use of a pathetic mortal form such as yourself.”

Oohh burn

Menshikov growled and took a step forward.

Not on their watch.

‘Take back the weapons of the pharaoh.’ Horus urged. ‘This is your last chance!’

Carter was tempted; Horus could tell from his thoughts. ‘If I claimed the weapons of the pharaoh now, I’d never return them. And the powers I’d gain wouldn’t be enough to defeat Apophis. Still, it would feel so good to grab the crook and flail from that stupid old god Ra and smash Menshikov into the ground.’

The Russian’s eyes glittered with malice. “A rematch, Carter Kane? By all means. I notice you don’t have your dwarf babysitter this time. Let’s see what you can do on your own.”

That was it. Carter and Horus became one once more. This deep in the Duat, they didn’t just summon the Horus’s avatar; this time his host was the one who became the avatar. They grew taller until they were a fifteen feet flesh-and-blood giant, dressed in the battle armour.

They screeched with elation and stared down at the insignificant form of Vladmir.

Menshikov sneered and pointed his staff. Whatever he was planning, Mother was faster. She threw down her own staff, and it transformed into a kite (the bird of prey kind) as large as a pterodactyl. Her kite buffeted the air with its massive wings. Menshikov and his demons went somersaulting backward across the beach.

“Two large birds!” Ra started to clap.

“Carter, Anna guard me!” Sadie/Isis pulled out the Book of Ra. “I need to start the spell.”

Anna nodded and began chanting in Ancient Greek.

Meanwhile, Menshikov rose to his feet. “By all means, Sadie Kane, start your little spell. Don’t you understand? The spirit of Khepri created this prison. Ra gave part of his own soul, his ability to be reborn, to keep Apophis chained.”

Sadie looked like he’d slapped her in the face. “The last scarab—”

“Exactly,” Menshikov agreed. “All these scarabs were multiplied from one—Khepri, the third soul of Ra. My demons will find it eventually, digging through the shells. It’s one of the only scarabs still alive now, and once we crush it, Apophis will be free. Even if you summon it back to Ra, Apophis will still be freed! Either way, Ra is too weak to fight. Apophis will devour him, as the ancient prophecies predicted, and Chaos will destroy Ma’at once and for all. You can’t win.”

This time it was Horus who despaired. So it had all been useless. He’d given up his throne, his role as Pharoah and now they would die anyway. With the crook and flail he could have fought if not won but now—

“There is one thing you haven’t considered.” Annea reminded. “Me.”

At her command, the Duat came alive. A wave of magic as tall as their avatar form crashed into them all—vaporizing the demons and submerging Vladmir.

Horus watched in awe and shock as the prison of Apophis itself shook with the demigod’s power. The level of control, this much power this deep in the Duat…It was something only a god or goddess of magic could’ve done.

‘Or,’ Horus mentally amended, ‘Something a demigod child of magic could do.’

Annea collapsed as soon as her spell ended. Sadie unfroze and rushed towards her.

Menshikov got himself out from where he’d been buried. “Impressive but it won’t stop us. Apophis will rise. And as his host I will survive forever.”

There was a fractured look in his eyes. The magician had been blinded by grief and despair, he was enslaved by Apophis. Horus would’ve felt sorry for him had he not lost his throne, had his entire family not be in danger because of this foolish magician.

That was when Desjardins showed up. The Chief Lector’s hair and beard were now white as snow. Glowing hieroglyphs floated from his cream-colored robes, making a trail of divine words behind him.

“There are worse things than death, Vladmir.” The Chief Lector said as he stopped by Annea’s side. His eyes flashed as glanced up from her unconscious (hopefully) form. “Pray I kill you before you find out.”

He walked between their giant hawk warrior and Sadie’s mega-kite like they were no big deal, and planted his staff in the dead scarabs. “Prepare to die.”

Menshikov laughed cruelly and revealed that it was him who’d poisoned Desjardins, weakened the House to the point that it would fall.

‘Annea would have killed Vladmir if she was awake.’ Carter thought. ‘For some reason she really cares about Desjardins.’

‘And perhaps that care was reciprocated.’ Horus thought as he observed the Chief Lector glance at Anna with grief, regret before beginning to battle Apophis’s host.

Menshikov tried to persuade Carter and Sadie to kill Desjardins and join him, to pledge to Apophis. That they would survive the night if they surrendered, that the new world would be have no laws, they could be anything they wanted.

It would’ve been more convincing if Annea didn’t lie pale and almost lifeless in front of them. Even Menshikov himself didn’t believe the words. He spoke the will of Apophis but when he locked eyes with them, they saw his real thoughts—a tortured plea he would’ve screamed if he had control of his own mouth: Kill me now. Please

The battle began.

Desjardins and Menshikov rose into the air, locked inside a tornado. They whirled around each other, firing blasts of fire, poison, and acid. Horus and Carter shielded both Anna and Sadie as Sadie read from the book while Ra cheered from the Sun boat.

Thank you, Ra, for your help.

Sadie spoke the last words of her spell: “‘Khepri, the scarab who rises from death, the rebirth of Ra!’” and the Book of Ra vanished in a flash. The ground rumbled, and from the mass of dead shells, a single scarab rose into the air, a living golden beetle that floated toward Sadie and came to rest in her hands.

For a single second they dared to hope they’d won. Then hissing laughter filled the cavern. Desjardins lost control of his whirlwind, and the Chief Lector went flying toward the sun boat, slamming into the prow so hard he broke the rail and lay absolutely still.

Anna groaned and got up. “W-what?”

Her eyes went wide as she processed the situation before her face cleared of all emotions.

Vladimir Menshikov dropped to the ground, landing in a crouch. Around his feet, the dead scarab shells dissolved, turning into bloodred sand.

“Brilliant,” he said. “Brilliant, Sadie Kane!” He stood, and all the magical energy—golden mist, red light, glowing hieroglyphs—all of it collapsed into Menshikov. His ruined eyes healed. His blistered face became smooth, young, and handsome. His white suit mended itself, then the fabric turned dark red.

Anna got to her feet and stood protectively in front of Sadie.

On the sun boat, Ra muttered, “Oh, noes. Need zebras.”

The entire beach turned to red sand. Menshikov held out his hand. “Give me the scarab, Sadie. I will have mercy on you. You and your brother will live. Walt will live.”

Sadie flinched but then her expression hardened. “You want the scarab, Apophis?” Her voice was full of loathing. “Then come and get it, you disgusting—”

While Apophis was distracted by Sadie’s words, Carter snuck behind Apophis and plunged him in sand once more. Horus added a blast of his power for good measure. Sadie pointed at his burial site and spoke the glyph for fire. The sand melted, hardening into a coffin-size block of solid glass

“Get here, children.” Desjardins called from the sun boat.

Anna grabbed Sadie’s hand and they both ran towards him. They had just gotten on the boat when Menshikov’s glass grave blew up.

The explosion was fifty times more powerful than Sadie’s Ha-Di, even when she hosted Isis. It was only the quick appearance of Anna’s shield that protected from the worst of the blast.

“Give me the scarab, little girl.” Apophis hissed. He stalked towards the boat.

Desjardins yelled, “Heh-sieh!” and a hieroglyph blazed between them. Apophis went flying off and crashed in the sand about forty feet away.

Then Desjardins did something unexpected. He pulled Anna in a tight hug (Anna squeezed back just as desperately) and he spelled her unconscious.

“What did you do?” Carter demanded.

Desjardins eyes were weary and red. He didn’t answer and instead staggered off the sun boat. His robes were still smouldering, but from his sleeve he pulled a ceramic statuette —a red snake carved with hieroglyphs.

Sadie gasped. “A shabti of Apophis? The penalty for making those is death!”

The Chief Lector had officially gone insane.

Images had power. In the wrong hands, they could strengthen or even summon the being they represented, and a statue of Apophis was way too dangerous to play with. Carter was the one who made sense of the Chief Lector’s mad actions.

“An execration,” Carter said. “He’s trying to erase Apophis.”

 “That’s impossible!” Sadie exclaimed. “He’ll be destroyed!”

‘Hence why he had put Annea to sleep.’ Horus thought.

Desjardins began to chant. Hieroglyphs glowed in the air around him, swirling into a cone of protective power.

Apophis sat up. When he saw the statue in the Chief Lector’s hands, he roared in outrage. “Are you insane, Michel? You can’t execrate me!”

 “Apophis,” Desjardins chanted, “I name you Lord of Chaos, Serpent in the Dark, Fear of the Twelve Houses, the Hated One—”

“Stop it!” Apophis bellowed. “I cannot be contained!” He shot a blast of fire at Desjardins, but the energy simply joined the swirling cloud around the Chief Lector, turning into the hieroglyph for “heat.”

Desjardins stumbled forward, aging before their eyes, becoming more stooped and frail, but his voice remained strong. “I speak for the gods. I speak for the House of Life. I am a servant of Ma’at. I cast you underfoot.”

Desjardins threw down the red snake, and Apophis fell to his side.

The Lord of Chaos hurled everything he had at Desjardins —ice, poison, lightning, boulders—but nothing connected. They all simply turned into hieroglyphs in the Chief Lector’s shield, Chaos forced into patterns of words—into the divine language of creation.

 Desjardins smashed the ceramic snake under his foot. Apophis writhed in agony. The thing that used to be Vladimir Menshikov crumbled like a wax shell, and a creature rose out of it—a red snake, covered in slime like a new hatchling. It began to grow, its red scales glistening and its eyes glowing.

“I cannot be contained!” It hissed.

But it was having trouble rising. The sand churned around it. A portal was opening, anchored on Apophis himself.

“I erase your name,” Desjardins said. “I remove you from the memory of Egypt.”

Apophis screamed. The beach imploded around him, swallowing the serpent and sucking the red sand into the vortex.

Desjardins collapsed forward. Sadie floated his body towards them and Carter got the boat to start.

It was over.

---

Desjardins was dying.

The hieroglyphs had faded around him. His forehead was burning hot. His skin was as dry and thin as rice paper, and his voice was a ragged whisper. “Execration w-won’t last,” he warned. “Only bought you some time.”

Anna made a sound halfway between a sob and a scream.

“Why?” She hissed. Her face twitched before settling on grief. “You-please. Please, Michel don’t do this to me.” She begged. “Why didn’t you ask for my help? We could’ve-together—”

Desjardins squeezed her hand and said something in French. Anna sobbed and touched their foreheads before replying in French. Then she got up and picked up the leopard cape.

“Tell Amos…tell Amos what happened.” Desjardins murmured. “Show this to…the others.…Tell Amos…”

His eyes rolled into his head, and the Chief Lector passed. His body disintegrated into hieroglyphs—too many to read, the story of his entire life. Then the words floated away down the River of Night.

Anna stood trembling slightly but she gave no other indication to how she felt.

“Bye-bye,” Ra muttered. “Weasels are sick.”

Carter had almost forgotten about the old god.

Ra slumped in his throne again, resting his head on the loop of his crook and swatting his flail half-heartedly at the servant lights.

Sadie took a shaky breath. “Desjardins saved us. I—I didn’t like him, but—”

“He did his duty as the Chief Lector.” Anna said. Her voice was steady and emotionless. Carter and Sadie exchanged a worried glance.

“I know,” Carter said. “Now we have to keep going. Do you still have the scarab?”

 Sadie pulled the wriggling golden scarab from her pocket. Together they approached Ra.

“Take it,” Carter told him.

Ra wrinkled his already wrinkled nose. “Don’t want a bug.”

“It’s your soul!” Sadie snapped. “You’ll take it, and you’ll like it!”

Ra looked cowed. He took the beetle, and to Carter’s horror, popped it in his mouth.

“No!” Sadie yelped.

Too late. Ra had swallowed.

“Oh, god,” Sadie said. “Was he supposed to do that? Maybe he was supposed to do that.”

“Don’t like bugs,” Ra muttered.

They waited for him to change into a powerful youthful king. Instead, he burped. He stayed old, and weird, and disgusting.

Sadie laughed hysterically. It was what snapped Anna out of her stupor.

“Come,” Anna said gently, “We need to get back to Brooklyn. Ra will heal our chaos sickness. Our trainees need us.”

 

Carter only remembered the battle in flashes.

Anna had taken the Chief Lector’s cape and disappeared to find Amos. Bast had been whirling around with her knives in hand, slicing both and the rogue magicians. She joined them as soon as the sun boat landed.

Their trainees were fairly very well. Sadie might’ve said that they were dominating the rogues.

Then Amos appeared wearing the leopard cape. He stood at the base of Thoth’s statue, swirling his staff and summoning lightning and thunder, blasting enemy magicians, and flinging them away in miniature storm clouds. A woman magician charged at him, her staff glowing with red flames, but Amos simply tapped the floor. The marble tiles turned to sand at her feet, and the woman sank up to her neck.

A portal opened and other magicians—the ones loyal to Per Ankh—appeared. Then the fight was finished in minutes.

Many magicians bowed and swore their allegiance to Uncle Amos. Many more defected. Carter and Sadie walked through the House searching for injured friends and enemies. Nobody had died. And miraculously, nobody was injured.

“It’s because of the power of Ra,” Bast explained when he mentioned it. “When he rose, he brought new life, new energy to all of us. He revitalized our spirit. Without that, we would’ve failed.”

 

Could Walt have been cured?

Carter’s hopes were dashed when Walt shook his head silently.

Ra looked at Walt and clucked disapprovingly. “Weasels are sick.”

Walt turned to look at them in confusion.

Carter shook his head. He didn’t understand what the senile former king was saying. Anna completely ignored whatever was happening around her. And Sadie looked as she was realising something important. Carter was about to ask her but then he saw Zia.

Zia and Amos entered the room together. Amos wore the leopard cape denoting him as Chief Lector.

“Zebra!” Ra called, tottered towards her with a big toothless grin. He pulled something out of his mouth—the glowing gold scarab and offered it to her. “I like zebras.”

Zia backed up. “This is—this is Ra, the Lord of the Sun? Why is he offering me a bug?”

“Lord Ra, I am the Chief Lector.” Amos bowed. “What do you mean?”

“You know very well what he means Amos.” Anna snapped.

Amos took a step back and Anna’s face crumbled.

“I-I’m sorry Amos,” She said, “I just-he’s dead. I could have helped and he—”

Amos hugged her tightly. They had a whispered conversation

“I’ll escort him to the other gods.” Bast appeared next to Carter. “Don’t worry. I’ll be back by sundown.”

She jumped on the boat which had started to glow. When the brightness faded both Ra and Bast were gone.

“And I need to go to the First Nome.” Amos said, done with the conversation with Anna. “I must secure my place as Chief Lector.”

“I’ll accompany you.” Zia joined in.

Anna glanced between him and Sadie and Amos. Carter wasn’t sure what she saw, she had been unreadable since…

“Take care. I’ll visit you once things have settled.” Anna promised Amos. “For now, Carter, Sadie and I have some gods to visit.”

Amos hugged her briefly. He kissed Sadie on her forehead and patted Carter’s shoulder. “You’ve made me proud. You’ve given me hope for the first time in years.”

“And Anna,” He hesitated. “If you need me, I’m here for you. With the full strength of the Per Ankh if needs be. Its what Desjardins would’ve wanted too.”

Anna blinked back tears and bowed her head in his direction.

Then Amos and Zia stepped through the portal and disappeared.

“We’re visiting the gods?” Carter asked.

Anna walked to the edge of the balcony. The city was beautiful, bathed in the setting sun’s rays. They sat side by side and simply observed the view for a while.

“There was a lot of unrest between the gods.” Anna finally said. “And now Ra is back. Horus would have to publicly acknowledge it. And as his and Isis’s hosts…Well, you’ll probably be invited.”

“Are you coming with us?” Sadie turned to Anna. The last time they had visited the god’s palace; Anna hadn’t joined them.

“Yes.” Anna said. “And when we return…I think its about time we have a discussion about the half-blood thing.”

Notes:

So the timeline is a bit different than in the canon. Carter is 15 in this, Annea is 18 and Sadie is 13. The Greek and Egyptian wars are going on simultaneously so Anna is not really having a good time. Story mostly follows canon. Hope you enjoy

Series this work belongs to:

• Part 6 of Annea Jones--daughter of Hecate