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Chapter no 6 – Breakfast with a Crocodile

The Red Pyramid

HOW TO DESCRIBE IT? Not a nightmare. It was much more real and frightening.

As I slept, I felt myself go weightless. I drifted up, turned, and saw my own sleeping form below.

Iโ€™m dying, I thought. But that wasnโ€™t it, either. I wasnโ€™t a ghost. I had a new shimmering golden form with wings instead of arms. I was some kind of bird. [No, Sadie, not a chicken. Will you let me tell the story, please?]

I knew I wasnโ€™t dreaming, because I donโ€™t dream in color. I certainly donโ€™t dream in all five senses. The room smelled faintly of jasmine. I could hear the carbonation bubbles pinging in the can of ginger ale Iโ€™d opened on my nightstand. I could feel a cold wind ruffling through my feathers, and I realized the windows were open. I didnโ€™t want to leave, but a strong current pulled me out of the room like a leaf in a storm.

The lights of the mansion faded below me. The skyline of New York blurred and disappeared. I shot through the mist and darkness, strange voices whispering all around me. My stomach tingled as it had earlier that night on Amosโ€™s barge. Then the mist cleared, and I was in a different place.

I floated above a barren mountain. Far below, a grid of city lights stretched across the valley floor. Definitely not New York. It was nighttime, but I could tell I was in the desert. The wind was so dry, the skin on my face was like paper. And I know that doesnโ€™t make sense, but my face felt like my normal face, as if that part of me hadnโ€™t transformed into a bird. [Fine, Sadie. Call me the Carter-headed chicken. Happy?]

Below me on a ridge stood two figures. They didnโ€™t seem to notice me, and I realized I wasnโ€™t glowing anymore. In fact I was pretty much invisible, floating in the darkness. I couldnโ€™t make out the two figures clearly, except to recognize that they werenโ€™t human. Staring harder, I could see that one was short, squat, and hairless, with slimy skin that glistened in the starlightโ€”like an amphibian standing on its hind legs. The other was tall and scarecrow skinny, with rooster claws instead of feet. I couldnโ€™t see his face very well, but it looked red and moist and…well, letโ€™s just say I was glad I couldnโ€™t see it better.

โ€œWhere is he?โ€ the toadie-looking one croaked nervously.

โ€œHasnโ€™t taken a permanent host yet,โ€ the rooster-footed guy chided. โ€œHe

can only appear for a short time.โ€ โ€œYouโ€™re sure this is the place?โ€ โ€œYes, fool! Heโ€™ll be here as soonโ€”โ€

A fiery form appeared on the ridge. The two creatures fell to the ground, groveling in the dirt, and I prayed like crazy that I really was invisible.

โ€œMy lord!โ€ the toad said.

Even in the dark, the newcomer was hard to seeโ€”just the silhouette of a man outlined in flames.

โ€œWhat do they call this place?โ€ the man asked. And as soon as he spoke, I knew for sure he was the guy whoโ€™d attacked my dad at the British Museum. All the fear Iโ€™d felt at the museum came rushing back, paralyzing me. I remembered trying to pick up that stupid rock to throw, but I hadnโ€™t been able to do even that. Iโ€™d completely failed my dad.

โ€œMy lord,โ€ Rooster Foot said. โ€œThe mountain is called Camelback. The city is called Phoenix.โ€

The fiery man laughedโ€”a booming sound like thunder. โ€œPhoenix. How appropriate! And the desert so much like home. All it needs now is to be scoured of life. The desert should be a sterile place, donโ€™t you think?โ€

โ€œOh yes, my lord,โ€ the toadie agreed. โ€œBut what of the other four?โ€

โ€œOne is already entombed,โ€ the fiery man said. โ€œThe second is weak. She will be easily manipulated. That leaves only two. And they will be dealt with soon enough.โ€

โ€œEr…how?โ€ the toadie asked.

The fiery man glowed brighter. โ€œYou are an inquisitive little tadpole, arenโ€™t you?โ€ He pointed at the toad and the poor creatureโ€™s skin began to steam.

โ€œNo!โ€ the toadie begged. โ€œNo-o-o-o!โ€

I could hardly watch. I donโ€™t want to describe it. But if youโ€™ve heard what happens when cruel kids pour salt on snails, youโ€™ll have a pretty good idea of what happened to the toadie. Soon there was nothing left.

Rooster Foot took a nervous step back. I couldnโ€™t blame him.

โ€œWe will build my temple here,โ€ the fiery man said, as if nothing had happened. โ€œThis mountain shall serve as my place of worship. When it is complete, I will summon the greatest storm ever known. I will cleanse everything. Everything.โ€

โ€œYes, my lord,โ€ Rooster Foot agreed quickly. โ€œAnd, ah, if I may suggest, my lord, to increase your power…โ€ The creature bowed and scraped and moved forward, as if he wanted to whisper in the fiery manโ€™s ear.

Just when I thought Rooster Foot was going to become fried chicken for sure, he said something to the fiery dude that I couldnโ€™t make out, and the fiery dude burned brighter.

โ€œExcellent! If you can do this, you will be rewarded. If not…โ€

โ€œI understand, my lord.โ€

โ€œGo then,โ€ the fiery man said. โ€œUnleash our forces. Start with the longnecks. That should soften them up. Collect the younglings and bring them to me. I want them alive, before they have time to learn their powers. Do not fail me.โ€

โ€œNo, lord.โ€

โ€œPhoenix,โ€ the fiery man mused. โ€œI like that very much.โ€ He swept his hand across the horizon, as if he were imagining the city in flames. โ€œSoon I will rise from your ashes. It will be a lovely birthday present.โ€

I woke with my heart pounding, back in my own body. I felt hot, as if the fiery guy were starting to burn me. Then I realized that there was a cat on my chest.

Muffin stared at me, her eyes half closed. โ€œMrow.โ€ โ€œHow did you get in?โ€ I muttered.

I sat up, and for a second I wasnโ€™t sure where I was. Some hotel in another city? I almost called for my dad…and then I remembered.

Yesterday. The museum. The sarcophagus.

It all crashed down on me so hard I could barely breathe.

Stop, I told myself. You donโ€™t have time for grief. And this is going to sound weird, but the voice in my head almost sounded like a different person

โ€”older, stronger. Either that was a good sign, or I was going crazy.

Remember what you saw, the voice said. Heโ€™s after you. You have to be ready.

I shivered. I wanted to believe Iโ€™d just had a bad dream, but I knew better. Iโ€™d been through too much in the last day to doubt what Iโ€™d seen. Somehow, Iโ€™d actually left my body while I slept. Iโ€™d been to Phoenixโ€” thousands of miles away. The fiery dude was there. I hadnโ€™t understood much of what heโ€™d said, but heโ€™d talked about sending his forces to capture the younglings. Gee, wonder who that could be?

Muffin jumped off the bed and sniffed at the ivory headrest, looking up at me as if she were trying to tell me something.

โ€œYou can have it,โ€ I told her. โ€œItโ€™s uncomfortable.โ€

She butted her head against it and stared at me accusingly. โ€œMrow.โ€ โ€œWhatever, cat.โ€

I got up and showered. When I tried to get dressed, I found that my old clothes had disappeared in the night. Everything in the closet was my size, but way different than what I was used toโ€”baggy drawstring pants and loose shirts, all plain white linen, and robes for cold weather, kind of what the fellahin, the peasants in Egypt, wear. It wasnโ€™t exactly my style.

Sadie likes to tell me that I donโ€™t have a style. She complains that I dress like Iโ€™m an old manโ€”button-down shirt, slacks, dress shoes. Okay, maybe.

But hereโ€™s the thing. My dad had always drilled into my head that I had to dress my best.

I remember the first time he explained it to me. I was ten. We were on our way to the airport in Athens, and it was like 112 degrees outside, and I was complaining that I wanted to wear shorts and a T-shirt. Why couldnโ€™t I be comfortable? We werenโ€™t going anywhere important that dayโ€”just traveling.

My dad put his hand on my shoulder. โ€œCarter, youโ€™re getting older. Youโ€™re an African American man. People will judge you more harshly, and so you must always look impeccable.โ€

โ€œThat isnโ€™t fair!โ€ I insisted.

โ€œFairness does not mean everyone gets the same,โ€ Dad said. โ€œFairness means everyone gets what they need. And the only way to get what you need is to make it happen yourself. Do you understand?โ€

I told him I didnโ€™t. But still I did what he askedโ€”like caring about Egypt, and basketball, and music. Like traveling with only one suitcase. I dressed the way Dad wanted me to, because Dad was usually right. In fact Iโ€™d never known him to be wrong…until the night at the British Museum.

Anway, I put on the linen clothes from the closet. The slipper shoes were comfortable, though I doubted theyโ€™d be much good to run in.

The door to Sadieโ€™s room was open, but she wasnโ€™t there.

Thankfully my bedroom door wasnโ€™t locked anymore. Muffin joined me and we walked downstairs, passing a lot of unoccupied bedrooms on the way. The mansion couldโ€™ve easily slept a hundred people, but instead it felt empty and sad.

Down in the Great Room, Khufu the baboon sat on the sofa with a basketball between his legs and a chunk of strange-looking meat in his hands. It was covered in pink feathers. ESPN was on the television, and Khufu was watching highlights from the games the night before.

โ€œHey,โ€ I said, though I felt a little weird talking to him. โ€œLakers win?โ€ Khufu looked at me and patted his basketball like he wanted a game.

โ€œAgh, agh.โ€

He had a pink feather hanging from his chin, and the sight made my stomach do a slow roll.

โ€œUm, yeah,โ€ I said. โ€œWeโ€™ll play later, okay?โ€

I could see Sadie and Amos out on the terrace, eating breakfast by the pool. It shouldโ€™ve been freezing out there, but the fire pit was blazing, and neither Amos nor Sadie looked cold. I headed their way, then hesitated in front of the statue of Thoth. In the daylight, the bird-headed god didnโ€™t look quite so scary. Still, I could swear those beady eyes were watching me expectantly.

What had the fiery guy said last night? Something about catching us before we learned our powers. It sounded ridiculous, but for a moment I felt a

surge of strengthโ€”like the night before when Iโ€™d opened the front door just by raising my hand. I felt like I could lift anything, even this thirty-foot-tall statue if I wanted to. In a kind of trance, I stepped forward.

Muffin meowed impatiently and butted my foot. The feeling dissolved. โ€œYouโ€™re right,โ€ I told the cat. โ€œStupid idea.โ€

Besides, I could smell breakfast nowโ€”French toast, bacon, hot chocolateโ€”and I couldnโ€™t blame Muffin for being in a hurry. I followed her out to the terrace.

โ€œAh, Carter,โ€ Amos said. โ€œMerry Chrstmas, my boy. Join us.โ€ โ€œAbout time,โ€ Sadie grumbled. โ€œIโ€™ve been up for ages.โ€

But she held my eyes for a moment, like she was thinking the same thing I was: Christmas. We hadnโ€™t spent a Christmas morning together since Mom died. I wondered if Sadie remembered how we used to make godโ€™s-eye decorations out of yarn and Popsicle sticks.

Amos poured himself a cup of coffee. His clothes were similar to those heโ€™d worn the day before, and I had to admit the guy had style. His tailored suit was made of blue wool, he wore a matching fedora, and his hair was freshly braided with dark blue lapis lazuli, one of the stones the Egyptians often used for jewelry. Even his glasses matched. The round lenses were tinted blue. A tenor sax rested on a stand near the fire pit, and I could totally picture him playing out here, serenading the East River.

As for Sadie, she was dressed in a white linen pajama outfit like me, but somehow sheโ€™d managed to keep her combat boots. Sheโ€™d probably slept with them on. She looked pretty comical with the red-streaked hair and the outfit, but since I wasnโ€™t dressed any better, I could hardly make fun of her.

โ€œUm…Amos?โ€ I asked. โ€œYou didnโ€™t have any pet birds, did you? Khufuโ€™s eating something with pink feathers.โ€

โ€œMmm.โ€ Amos sipped his coffee. โ€œSorry if that disturbed you. Khufuโ€™s very picky. He only eats foods that end in -o. Doritos, burritos, flamingos.โ€

I blinked. โ€œDid you sayโ€”โ€

โ€œCarter,โ€ Sadie warned. She looked a little queasy, like sheโ€™d already had this conversation. โ€œDonโ€™t ask.โ€

โ€œOkay,โ€ I said. โ€œNot asking.โ€

โ€œPlease, Carter, help yourself.โ€ Amos waved toward a buffet table piled high with food. โ€œThen we can get started with the explanations.โ€

I didnโ€™t see any flamingo on the buffet table, which was fine by me, but there was just about everything else. I snagged some pancakes with butter and syrup, some bacon, and a glass of OJ.

Then I noticed movement in the corner of my eye. I glanced at the swimming pool. Something long and pale was gliding just under the surface of the water.

I almost dropped my plate. โ€œIs thatโ€”โ€

โ€œA crocodile,โ€ Amos confirmed. โ€œFor good luck. Heโ€™s albino, but please donโ€™t mention that. Heโ€™s sensitive.โ€

โ€œHis name is Philip of Macedonia,โ€ Sadie informed me.

I wasnโ€™t sure how Sadie was taking this all so calmly, but I figured if she wasnโ€™t freaking out, I shouldnโ€™t either.

โ€œThatโ€™s a long name,โ€ I said.

โ€œHeโ€™s a long crocodile,โ€ Sadie said. โ€œOh, and he likes bacon.โ€

To prove her point, she tossed a piece of bacon over her shoulder. Philip lunged out of the water and snapped up the treat. His hide was pure white and his eyes were pink. His mouth was so big, he couldโ€™ve snapped up an entire pig.

โ€œHeโ€™s quite harmless to my friends,โ€ Amos assured me. โ€œIn the old days, no temple would be complete without a lake full of crocodiles. They are powerful magic creatures.โ€

โ€œRight,โ€ I said. โ€œSo the baboon, the crocodile…any other pets I should know about?โ€

Amos thought for a moment. โ€œVisible ones? No, I think thatโ€™s it.โ€

I took a seat as far from the pool as possible. Muffin circled my legs and purred. I hoped she had enough sense to stay away from magic crocodiles named Philip.

โ€œSo, Amos,โ€ I said between bites of pancake. โ€œExplanations.โ€ โ€œYes,โ€ he agreed. โ€œWhere to start…โ€

โ€œOur dad,โ€ Sadie suggested. โ€œWhat happened to him?โ€

Amos took a deep breath. โ€œJulius was attempting to summon a god.

Unfortunately, it worked.โ€

It was kind of hard to take Amos seriously, talking about summoning gods while he spread butter on a bagel.

โ€œAny god in particular?โ€ I asked casually. โ€œOr did he just order a generic god?โ€

Sadie kicked me under the table. She was scowling, as if she actually believed what Amos was saying.

Amos took a bite of bagel. โ€œThere are many Egyptian gods, Carter. But your dad was after one in particular.โ€

He looked at me meaningfully.

โ€œOsiris,โ€ I remembered. โ€œWhen Dad was standing in front of the Rosetta Stone, he said, โ€˜Osiris, come.โ€™ But Osiris is a legend. Heโ€™s make-believe.โ€

โ€œI wish that were true.โ€ Amos stared across the East River at the Manhattan skyline, gleaming in the morning sun. โ€œThe Ancient Egyptians were not fools, Carter. They built the pyramids. They created the first great nation state. Their civilization lasted thousands of years.โ€

โ€œYeah,โ€ I said. โ€œAnd now theyโ€™re gone.โ€

Amos shook his head. โ€œA legacy that powerful does not disappear. Next

to the Egyptians, the Greeks and Romans were babies. Our modern nations like Great Britain and America? Blinks of an eye. The very oldest root of civilization, at least of Western civilization, is Egypt. Look at the pyramid on the dollar bill. Look at the Washington Monumentโ€”the worldโ€™s largest Egyptian obelisk. Egypt is still very much alive. And so, unfortunately, are her gods.โ€

โ€œCome on,โ€ I argued. โ€œI mean…even if I believe thereโ€™s a real thing called magic. Believing in ancient gods is totally different. Youโ€™re joking, right?โ€

But as I said it, I thought about the fiery guy in the museum, the way his face had shifted between human and animal. And the statue of Thothโ€”how its eyes had followed me.

โ€œCarter,โ€ Amos said, โ€œthe Egyptians would not have been stupid enough to believe in imaginary gods. The beings they described in their myths are very, very real. In the old days, the priests of Egypt would call upon these gods to channel their power and perform great feats. That is the origin of what we now call magic. Like many things, magic was first invented by the Egyptians. Each temple had a branch of magicians called the House of Life. Their magicians were famed throughout the ancient world.โ€

โ€œAnd youโ€™re an Egyptian magician.โ€

Amos nodded. โ€œSo was your father. You saw it for yourself last night.โ€

I hesitated. It was hard to deny my dad had done some weird stuff at the museumโ€”some stuff that looked like magic.

โ€œBut heโ€™s an archaeologist,โ€ I said stubbornly.

โ€œThatโ€™s his cover story. Youโ€™ll remember that he specialized in translating ancient spells, which are very difficult to understand unless you work magic yourself. Our family, the Kane family, has been part of the House of Life almost since the beginning. And your motherโ€™s family is almost as ancient.โ€

โ€œThe Fausts?โ€ I tried to imagine Grandma and Grandpa Faust doing magic, but unless watching rugby on TV and burning cookies was magical, I couldnโ€™t see it.

โ€œThey had not practiced magic for many generations,โ€ Amos admitted. โ€œNot until your mother came along. But yes, a very ancient bloodline.โ€

Sadie shook her head in disbelief. โ€œSo now Mum was magic, too. Are you joking?โ€

โ€œNo jokes,โ€ Amos promised. โ€œThe two of you…you combine the blood of two ancient families, both of which have a long, complicated history with the gods. You are the most powerful Kane children to be born in many centuries.โ€

I tried to let that sink in. At the moment, I didnโ€™t feel powerful. I felt queasy. โ€œYouโ€™re telling me our parents secretly worshipped animal-headed

gods?โ€ I asked.

โ€œNot worshipped,โ€ Amos corrected. โ€œBy the end of the ancient times, Egyptians had learned that their gods were not to be worshipped. They are powerful beings, primeval forces, but they are not divine in the sense one might think of God. They are created entities, like mortals, only much more powerful. We can respect them, fear them, use their power, or even fight them to keep them under controlโ€”โ€

โ€œFight gods?โ€ Sadie interrupted.

โ€œConstantly,โ€ Amos assured her. โ€œBut we donโ€™t worship them. Thoth taught us that.โ€

I looked at Sadie for help. The old guy had to be crazy. But Sadie was looking like she believed every word.

โ€œSo…โ€ I said. โ€œWhy did Dad break the Rosetta Stone?โ€

โ€œOh, Iโ€™m sure he didnโ€™t mean to break it,โ€ Amos said. โ€œThat wouldโ€™ve horrified him. In fact, I imagine my brethren in London have repaired the damage by now. The curators will soon check their vaults and discover that the Rosetta Stone miraculously survived the explosion.โ€

โ€œBut it was blown into a million pieces!โ€ I said. โ€œHow could they repair

it?โ€

Amos picked up a saucer and threw it onto the stone floor. The saucer

shattered instantly.

โ€œThat was to destroy,โ€ Amos said. โ€œI couldโ€™ve done it by magicโ€”ha-di

โ€”but itโ€™s simpler just to smash it. And now…โ€ Amos held out his hand. โ€œJoin. Hi-nehm.โ€

A blue hieroglyphic symbol burned in the air above his palm.

image

The pieces of the saucer flew into his hand and reassembled like a puzzle, even the smallest bits of dust gluing themselves into place. Amos put the perfect saucer back on the table.

โ€œSome trick,โ€ I managed. I tried to sound calm about it, but I was thinking of all the odd things that had happened to my dad and me over the years, like those gunmen in the Cairo hotel whoโ€™d ended up hanging by their feet from a chandelier. Was it possible my dad had made that happen with some kind of spell?

Amos poured milk in the saucer, and put it on the floor. Muffin came padding over. โ€œAt any rate, your father would never intentionally damage a relic. He simply didnโ€™t realize how much power the Rosetta Stone contained. You see, as Egypt faded, its magic collected and concentrated into its remaining relics. Most of these, of course, are still in Egypt. But you can find some in almost every major museum. A magician can use these artifacts as

focal points to work more powerful spells.โ€ โ€œI donโ€™t get it,โ€ I said.

Amos spread his hands. โ€œIโ€™m sorry, Carter. It takes years of study to understand magic, and Iโ€™m trying to explain it to you in a single morning. The important thing is, for the past six years your father has been looking for a way to summon Osiris, and last night he thought he had found the right artifact to do it.โ€

โ€œWait, why did he want Osiris?โ€

Sadie gave me a troubled look. โ€œCarter, Osiris was the lord of the dead.

Dad was talking about making things right. He was talking about Mum.โ€

Suddenly the morning seemed colder. The fire pit sputtered in the wind coming off the river.

โ€œHe wanted to bring Mom back from the dead?โ€ I said. โ€œBut thatโ€™s crazy!โ€

Amos hesitated. โ€œIt wouldโ€™ve been dangerous. Inadvisable. Foolish. But not crazy. Your father is a powerful magician. If, in fact, that is what he was after, he might have accomplished it, using the power of Osiris.โ€

I stared at Sadie. โ€œYouโ€™re actually buying this?โ€

โ€œYou saw the magic at the museum. The fiery bloke. Dad summoned something from the stone.โ€

โ€œYeah,โ€ I said, thinking of my dream. โ€œBut that wasnโ€™t Osiris, was it?โ€ โ€œNo,โ€ Amos said. โ€œYour father got more than he bargained for. He did

release the spirit of Osiris. In fact, I think he successfully joined with the god

โ€”โ€

โ€œJoined with?โ€

Amos held up his hand. โ€œAnother long conversation. For now, letโ€™s just say he drew the power of Osiris into himself. But he never got the chance to use it because, according to what Sadie has told me, it appears that Julius released five gods from the Rosetta Stone. Five gods who were all trapped together.โ€

I glanced at Sadie. โ€œYou told him everything?โ€ โ€œHeโ€™s going to help us, Carter.โ€

I wasnโ€™t quite ready to trust this guy, even if he was our uncle, but I decided I didnโ€™t have much choice.

โ€œOkay, yeah,โ€ I said. โ€œThe fiery guy said something like โ€˜You released all five.โ€™ What did he mean?โ€

Amos sipped his coffee. The faraway look on his face reminded me of my dad. โ€œI donโ€™t want to scare you.โ€

โ€œToo late.โ€

โ€œThe gods of Egypt are very dangerous. For the last two thousand years or so, we magicians have spent much of our time binding and banishing them whenever they appear. In fact, our most important law, issued by Chief Lector

Iskandar in Roman times, forbids unleashing the gods or using their power. Your father broke that law once before.โ€

Sadieโ€™s face paled. โ€œDoes this have something to do with Mumโ€™s death?

Cleopatraโ€™s Needle in London?โ€

โ€œIt has everything to do with that, Sadie. Your parents…well, they thought they were doing something good. They took a terrible risk, and it cost your mother her life. Your father took the blame. He was exiled, I suppose you would say. Banished. He was forced to move around constantly because the House monitored his activities. They feared he would continue his…research. As indeed he did.โ€

I thought about the times Dad would look over his shoulder as he copied some ancient inscriptions, or wake me up at three or four in the morning and insist it was time to change hotels, or warn me not to look in his workbag or copy certain pictures from old temple wallsโ€”as if our lives depended on it.

โ€œIs that why you never came round?โ€ Sadie asked Amos. โ€œBecause Dad was banished?โ€

โ€œThe House forbade me to see him. I loved Julius. It hurt me to stay away from my brother, and from you children. But I could not see youโ€”until last night, when I simply had no choice but to try to help. Julius has been obsessed with finding Osiris for years. He was consumed with grief because of what happened to your mother. When I learned that Julius was about to break the law again, to try to set things right, I had to stop him. A second offense wouldโ€™ve meant a death sentence. Unfortunately, I failed. I shouldโ€™ve known he was too stubborn.โ€

I looked down at my plate. My food had gotten cold. Muffin leaped onto the table and rubbed against my hand. When I didnโ€™t object, she started eating my bacon.

โ€œLast night at the museum,โ€ I said, โ€œthe girl with the knife, the man with the forked beardโ€”they were magicians too? From the House of Life?โ€

โ€œYes,โ€ Amos said. โ€œKeeping an eye on your father. You are fortunate they let you go.โ€

โ€œThe girl wanted to kill us,โ€ I remembered. โ€œBut the guy with the beard said, not yet.โ€

โ€œThey donโ€™t kill unless it is absolutely necessary,โ€ Amos said. โ€œThey will wait to see if you are a threat.โ€

โ€œWhy would we be a threat?โ€ Sadie demanded. โ€œWeโ€™re children! The summoning wasnโ€™t our idea.โ€

Amos pushed away his plate. โ€œThere is a reason you two were raised separately.โ€

โ€œBecause the Fausts took Dad to court,โ€ I said matter-of-factly. โ€œAnd Dad lost.โ€

โ€œIt was much more than that,โ€ Amos said. โ€œThe House insisted you two

be separated. Your father wanted to keep you both, even though he knew how dangerous it was.โ€

Sadie looked like sheโ€™d been smacked between the eyes. โ€œHe did?โ€

โ€œOf course. But the House intervened and made sure your grandparents got custody of you, Sadie. If you and Carter were raised together, you could become very powerful. Perhaps you have already sensed changes over the past day.โ€

I thought about the surges of strength Iโ€™d been feeling, and the way Sadie suddenly seemed to know how to read Ancient Egyptian. Then I thought of something even further back.

โ€œYour sixth birthday,โ€ I told Sadie.

โ€œThe cake,โ€ she said immediately, the memory passing between us like an electric spark.

At Sadieโ€™s sixth birthday party, the last one weโ€™d shared as a family, Sadie and I had a huge argument. I donโ€™t remember what it was about. I think I wanted to blow out the candles for her. We started yelling. She grabbed my shirt. I pushed her. I remember Dad rushing toward us, trying to intervene, but before he could, Sadieโ€™s birthday cake exploded. Icing splattered the walls, our parents, the faces of Sadieโ€™s little six-year-old friends. Dad and Mom separated us. They sent me to my room. Later, they said we mustโ€™ve hit the cake by accident as we were fighting, but I knew we hadnโ€™t. Something much weirder had made it explode, as if it had responded to our anger. I remembered Sadie crying with a chunk of cake on her forehead, an upside- down candle stuck to the ceiling with its wick still burning, and an adult visitor, one of my parentsโ€™ friends, his glasses speckled with white frosting.

I turned to Amos. โ€œThat was you. You were at Sadieโ€™s party.โ€

โ€œVanilla icing,โ€ he recalled. โ€œVery tasty. But it was clear even then that you two would be difficult to raise in the same household.โ€

โ€œAnd so…โ€ I faltered. โ€œWhat happens to us now?โ€

I didnโ€™t want to admit it, but I couldnโ€™t stand the thought of being separated from Sadie again. She wasnโ€™t much, but she was all I had.

โ€œYou must be trained properly,โ€ Amos said, โ€œwhether the House approves or not.โ€

โ€œWhy wouldnโ€™t they approve?โ€ I asked.

โ€œI will explain everything, donโ€™t worry. But we must start your lessons if we are to stand any chance of finding your father and putting things right. Otherwise the entire world is in danger. If we only knew whereโ€”โ€

โ€œPhoenix,โ€ I blurted out. Amos stared at me. โ€œWhat?โ€

โ€œLast night I had…well, not a dream, exactly…โ€ I felt stupid, but I told him what had happened while I slept.

Judging from Amosโ€™s expression, the news was even worse than I

thought.

โ€œYouโ€™re sure he said โ€˜birthday presentโ€™?โ€ he asked. โ€œYeah, but what does that mean?โ€

โ€œAnd a permanent host,โ€ Amos said. โ€œHe didnโ€™t have one yet?โ€ โ€œWell, thatโ€™s what the rooster-footed guy saidโ€”โ€

โ€œThat was a demon,โ€ Amos said. โ€œA minion of chaos. And if demons are coming through to the mortal world, we donโ€™t have much time. This is bad, very bad.โ€

โ€œIf you live in Phoenix,โ€ I said.

โ€œCarter, our enemy wonโ€™t stop in Phoenix. If heโ€™s grown so powerful so fast…What did he say about the storm, exactly?โ€

โ€œHe said: โ€˜I will summon the greatest storm ever known.โ€™โ€

Amos scowled. โ€œThe last time he said that, he created the Sahara. A storm that large could destroy North America, generating enough chaos energy to give him an almost invincible form.โ€

โ€œWhat are you talking about? Who is this guy?โ€

Amos waved away the question. โ€œMore important right now: why didnโ€™t you sleep with the headrest?โ€

I shrugged. โ€œIt was uncomfortable.โ€ I looked at Sadie for support. โ€œYou didnโ€™t use it, did you?โ€

Sadie rolled her eyes. โ€œWell, of course I did. It was obviously there for a reason.โ€

Sometimes I really hate my sister. [Ow! Thatโ€™s my foot!]

โ€œCarter,โ€ Amos said, โ€œsleep is dangerous. Itโ€™s a doorway into the Duat.โ€ โ€œLovely,โ€ Sadie grumbled. โ€œAnother strange word.โ€

โ€œAh…yes, sorry,โ€ Amos said. โ€œThe Duat is the world of spirits and magic. It exists beneath the waking world like a vast ocean, with many layers and regions. We submerged just under its surface last night to reach New York, because travel through the Duat is much faster. Carter, your consciousness also passed through its shallowest currents as you slept, which is how you witnessed what happened in Phoenix. Fortunately, you survived that experience. But the deeper you go into the Duat, the more horrible things you encounter, and the more difficult it is to return. There are entire realms filled with demons, palaces where the gods exist in their pure forms, so powerful their mere presence would burn a human to ashes. There are prisons that hold beings of unspeakable evil, and some chasms so deep and chaotic that not even the gods dare explore them. Now that your powers are stirring, you must not sleep without protection, or you leave yourself open to attacks from the Duat or…unintended journeys through it. The headrest is enchanted, to keep your consciousness anchored to your body.โ€

โ€œYou mean I actually did…โ€ My mouth tasted like metal. โ€œCould he have killed me?โ€

Amosโ€™s expression was grave. โ€œThe fact that your soul can travel like that means you are progressing faster than I thought. Faster than should be possible. If the Red Lord had noticed youโ€”โ€

โ€œThe Red Lord?โ€ Sadie said. โ€œThatโ€™s the fiery bloke?โ€

Amos rose. โ€œI must find out more. We canโ€™t simply wait for him to find you. And if he releases the storm on his birthday, at the height of his powers

โ€”โ€

โ€œYou mean youโ€™re going to Phoenix?โ€ I could barely get the words out. โ€œAmos, that fiery man defeated Dad like his magic was a joke! Now heโ€™s got demons, and heโ€™s getting stronger, andโ€”youโ€™ll be killed!โ€

Amos gave me a dry smile, like heโ€™d already weighed the dangers and didnโ€™t need a reminder. His expression reminded me painfully of Dadโ€™s. โ€œDonโ€™t count your uncle out so quickly, Carter. Iโ€™ve got some magic of my own. Besides, I must see what is happening for myself if weโ€™re to have any chance at saving your father and stopping the Red Lord. Iโ€™ll be quick and careful. Just stay here. Muffin will guard you.โ€

I blinked. โ€œThe cat will guard us? You canโ€™t just leave us here! What about our training?โ€

โ€œWhen I return,โ€ Amos promised. โ€œDonโ€™t worry, the mansion is protected. Just do not leave. Do not be tricked into opening the door for anyone. And whatever happens, do not go into the library. I absolutely forbid it. I will be back by sunset.โ€

Before we could protest, Amos walked calmly to the edge of the terrace and jumped.

โ€œNo!โ€ Sadie screamed. We ran to the railing and looked over. Below was a hundred-foot drop into the East River. There was no sign of Amos. Heโ€™d simply vanished.

Philip of Macedonia splashed in his pool. Muffin jumped onto the railing and insisted we pet her.

We were alone in a strange mansion with a baboon, a crocodile, and a weird cat. And apparently, the entire world was in danger.

I looked at Sadie. โ€œWhat do we do now?โ€

She crossed her arms. โ€œWell, thatโ€™s obvious, isnโ€™t it? We explore the library.โ€

โ€ŒS A D I E

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