She turned her flowerpot head toward Walt. "You'll be coming along, I hope?"

Her tone had a hint of reproach, like she was still upset that Walt hadn't attended the school dance/ma.s.s blackout party.

"I'll be there," he promised. "I'm fine."

He shot me a warning look, but I wasn't going to contradict him. Whatever he and Anubis were plotting, I could wait for him to explain it to Sadie. Jumping in the middle of the whole Sadie-Walt-Anubis drama sounded about as much fun as diving into a food processor.

"Right," Sadie said. "We'll meet you two at the Hall of Judgment before sunset tonight. That should give us time to finish up."

"Finish up?" I asked. "And who is us?"

It's hard to read expressions on a smiley-face pot, but Sadie's hesitation told me enough. "You aren't in the First Nome anymore," I guessed. "What are you doing?"

"A small errand," Sadie said. "I'm off to see Bes."

I frowned. Sadie went to see Bes in his nursing home almost every week, which was fine and all, but why now? "Uh, you do understand we're in a hurry."

"It's necessary," she insisted. "I've got an idea that might help us with our shadow project. Don't fret. Zia's with me."

"Zia?" It was my turn to feel self-conscious. If I were a flowerpot, I would've checked my hair. "That's why Bast is watching Ra today? Why exactly are you and Zia-?"

"Stop worrying," Sadie chided. "I'll take good care of her. And no, Carter, she hasn't been talking about you. I have no idea how she feels about you."

"What?" I wanted to punch Sadie Junior in her ceramic face. "I didn't say anything like that!"

"Now, now," she chided. "I don't think Zia cares what you wear. It's not a date. Just please brush your teeth for once."

"I'm going to kill you," I said.

"Love you too, brother, dear. Ta!"

The pottery creature crumbled into pieces, leaving a mound of shards and a red clay face smiling up at me.

Walt and I joined Bast outside my room. We leaned on the rail overlooking the Great Room while Ra skipped back and forth on the balcony, singing nursery songs in Ancient Egyptian.

Down below, our initiates were getting ready for the school day. Julian had a breakfast sausage sticking out of his mouth as he rummaged through his backpack. Felix and Sean were arguing over who stole whose math textbook. Little Shelby was chasing the other ankle-biters with a fistful of crayons that shot rainbow-colored sparks.

I'd never had a big family, but living at Brooklyn House, I felt like I had a dozen brothers and sisters. Despite the craziness, I enjoyed it...which made my next decision even harder.

I told Bast about our plan to visit the Hall of Judgment.

"I don't like it," she said.

Walt managed a laugh. "Is there a plan you'd like better?"

She tilted her head. "Now that you mention it, no. I don't like plans. I'm a cat. Still, if half the things I've heard about Setne are true-"

"I know," I said. "But it's our only shot."

She wrinkled her nose. "You don't want me to come along? You're sure? Maybe I could get Nut or Shu to watch Ra-"

"No," I said. "Amos is going to need help at the First Nome. He doesn't have the numbers to fend off an attack from both the rebel magicians and Apophis."

Bast nodded. "I can't enter the First Nome, but I can patrol outside. If Apophis shows himself, I will engage him in battle."

"He'll be at full strength," Walt warned. "He's getting stronger by the hour."

She lifted her chin defiantly. "I've fought him before, Walt Stone. I know him better than anyone. Besides, I owe it to Carter's family. And to Lord Ra."

"Kitty!" Ra appeared behind us, patted Bast on the head, and skipped away. "Meow, meow, meow!"

Watching him prance around, I wanted to scream and throw things. We'd risked everything to revive the old sun G.o.d, hoping we'd get a divine pharaoh who could stand toe-to-toe with Apophis. Instead we got a wrinkly, bald troll in a loincloth.

Give me Ra, Apophis had urged. I know you hate him.

I tried to put it out of my mind, but I couldn't quite shake that image of an island in the Sea of Chaos-a personal paradise where the people I loved would be safe. I knew it was a lie. Apophis would never deliver on that promise. But I could understand how Sarah Jacobi and Kwai might be tempted.

Besides, Apophis knew how to strike a nerve. I did resent Ra for being so weak. Horus agreed with me.

We don't need the old fool. The war G.o.d's voice spoke inside my head. I'm not saying you should give him to Apophis, but he is useless. We should put him aside and take the throne of the G.o.ds for ourselves.

He made it sound so tempting-such an obvious solution.

But, no. If Apophis wanted me to give up Ra, then Ra must be valuable in some way. The sun G.o.d still had a role to play. I just had to figure out what it was.

"Carter?" Bast frowned. "I know you're worried about me, but your parents saved me from the abyss for a reason. Your mother foresaw that I would make a difference in the final battle. I will fight Apophis to the death if necessary. He won't get past me."

I wavered. Bast had already helped us so much. She had almost been destroyed fighting the crocodile G.o.d Sobek. She'd enlisted her friend Bes to help us, and then seen him reduced to an empty sh.e.l.l. She'd helped us restore her old master, Ra, to the world, and now she was stuck babysitting him. I didn't want to ask her to face Apophis again, but she was right. She knew the enemy better than anyone-except maybe Ra, when he was in his right mind.

"All right," I said. "But Amos will need more help than you can give, Bast. He'll need magicians."

Walt frowned. "Who? After the disaster in Dallas, we don't have many friends left. We could contact So Paulo and Vancouver-they're still with us-but they won't be able to spare many people. They'll be worried about protecting their own nomes."

I shook my head. "Amos needs magicians who know the path of the G.o.ds. He needs us. All of us."

Walt digested that silently. "You mean, abandon Brooklyn House."

Below us, the ankle-biters shrieked with joy as Shelby tried to tag them with her sparking crayons. Khufu sat on the fireplace mantel eating Cheerios, watching ten-year-old Tucker bounce a basketball off the statue of Thoth. Jaz was putting a bandage on Alyssa's forehead. (Probably she'd been attacked by Sadie's rogue Thermos, which was still on the loose.) In the middle of all this, Cleo was sitting on the sofa, engrossed in a book.

Brooklyn House was the first real home some of them had ever known. We'd promised to keep them safe and teach them to use their powers. Now I was about to send them unprepared into the most dangerous battle of all time.

"Carter," Bast said, "they're not ready."

"They have to be," I said. "If the First Nome falls, it's all over. Apophis will attack us in Egypt, at the source of our power. We have to stand together with the Chief Lector."

"One last battle." Walt gazed sadly at the Great Room, maybe wondering whether or not he'd die before that battle happened. "Should we break the news to others?"

"Not yet," I said. "The rebel magicians' attack on the First Nome won't happen until tomorrow. Let the kids have one last day at school. Bast, when they come home this afternoon, I want you to lead them to Egypt. Use Freak, use whatever magic you have to. If all goes well in the Underworld, Sadie and I will join you before the attack."

"If all goes well," Bast said dryly. "Yes, that happens a lot."

She glanced over at the sun G.o.d, who was trying to eat the doork.n.o.b to Sadie's room. "What about Ra?" she asked. "If Apophis is going to attack in two days..."

"Ra has to keep making his nightly journey," I said. "That's part of Ma'at. We can't mess with it. But on the morning of the equinox, he'll need to be in Egypt. He'll have to face Apophis."

"Like that?" Bast gestured toward the old G.o.d. "In his loincloth?"

"I know," I admitted. "It sounds crazy. But Apophis still thinks Ra is a threat. Maybe facing Apophis in battle will remind Ra who he is. He might rise to the challenge and become...what he used to be."

Walt and Bast didn't answer. I could tell from their expressions that they didn't buy it. Neither did I. Ra was gumming Sadie's doork.n.o.b with intent to kill, but I didn't think he'd be much good against the Lord of Chaos.

Still, it felt good to have a plan of action. That was much better than standing around, dwelling on the hopelessness of our situation.

"Use today to organize," I told Bast. "Gather up the most valuable scrolls, amulets, weapons-anything we can use to help the First Nome. Let Amos know you're coming. Walt and I will head to the Underworld and meet Sadie. We'll rendezvous with you in Cairo."

Bast pursed her lips. "All right, Carter. But be careful of Setne. However bad you think he is? He's ten times worse."

"Hey, we defeated the G.o.d of evil," I reminded her.

Bast shook her head. "Set is a G.o.d. He doesn't change. Even with a G.o.d of Chaos, you can pretty much predict how he'll act. Setne, on the other hand...he has both power and human unpredictability. Don't trust him. Swear to me."

"That's easy," I said. "I promise."

Walt folded his arms. "So how are we going to get to the Underworld? Portals are unreliable. We're leaving Freak here, and the boat is destroyed-"

"I have another boat in mind," I said, trying to believe it was a good idea. "I'm going to summon an old friend."

S A D I E.

9. Zia Breaks Up a Lava Fight.

I'D BECOME QUITE AN EXPERT at visiting the G.o.dly nursing home-which was a sad statement on my life.

The first time Carter and I found our way there, we had traveled the River of Night, plunged down a fiery waterfall, and almost died in a lake of lava. Since then, I'd discovered I could simply call on Isis to transport me, as she could open doorways to many locations in the Duat. Honestly, though, dealing with Isis was almost as annoying as swimming through fire.

After my shabti conversation with Carter, I joined Zia on a limestone cliff overlooking the Nile. It was already midday in Egypt. Getting over portal-lag had taken me longer than I'd expected. After changing into more sensible clothes, I'd had a quick lunch and one more strategy talk with Amos deep in the Hall of Ages. Then Zia and I had climbed back to the surface. Now we stood at a ruined shrine to Isis on the river just south of Cairo. It was a good place to summon the G.o.ddess, but we didn't have much time.

Zia still wore her combat outfit-camouflage cargo pants and an olive tank top. Her staff was slung over her back, and her wand hung at her belt. She rummaged through her pack, checking her supplies one last time.

"What did Carter say?" she asked.

[That's right, brother dear. I stepped out of earshot before I contacted you, so Zia didn't hear any of those teasing comments. Honestly, I'm not that mean.]

I told her what we'd discussed, but I couldn't bring myself to share how my mum's spirit was in danger. I'd known about the problem in general terms since I'd spoken with Anubis, of course, but the knowledge that our mother's ghost was huddled under a cliff somewhere in the Duat, resisting the pull of the serpent's shadow-well, that bit of information had lodged in my chest like a bullet. If I tried to touch it, I feared it would go straight to my heart and kill me.

I explained about my villainous ghost friend Uncle Vinnie, and how we intended to solicit his help.

Zia looked appalled. "Setne? As in the Setne? Does Carter realize-?"

"Yep."

"And Thoth suggested this?"

"Yep."

"And you're actually going along with it?"

"Yep."

She gazed down the Nile. Perhaps she was thinking of her home village, which had stood on the banks of this river until it was destroyed by the forces of Apophis. Perhaps she was imagining her entire homeland crumbling into the Sea of Chaos.

I expected her to tell me that our plan was insane. I thought she might abandon me and go back to the First Nome.

But I suppose she had got used to the Kane family-poor girl. She must've known by now that all our plans were insane.

"Fine," she said. "How do we reach this...nursing home of the G.o.ds?"

"Just a mo'." I closed my eyes and concentrated.

Yoo-hoo, Isis? I thought. Anyone home?

Sadie, the G.o.ddess answered immediately.

In my mind she appeared as a regal woman with dark braided hair. Her dress was gossamer white. Her prismatic wings shimmered like sunlight rippling through clear water.

I wanted to smack her.

Well, well, I said. If it isn't my good friend who decides whom I can and can't date.

She had the nerve to look surprised. Are you speaking of Anubis?

Right, first try! I should've left it at that since I needed Isis's help. But seeing her floating there all shiny and queenly made me angrier than ever. Where do you get the nerve, eh? Going behind my back, lobbying to keep Anubis away from me. How is that your business?

Surprisingly, Isis kept her temper. Sadie, there are things you don't understand. There are rules.

Rules? I demanded. The world is about to end, and you're worried about which boys are socially acceptable for me?

Isis steepled her fingers. The two issues are more connected than you realize. The traditions of Ma'at must be followed, or Chaos wins. Immortals and mortals can only interact in specific, limited ways. Besides, you cannot afford to be distracted. I'm doing you a favor.

A favor! I said. If you want to do me a real favor, we need pa.s.sage to the Fourth House of the Night-the House of Rest, Sunny Acres, or whatever you want to call it. After that, you can b.u.t.t out of my private life!

Perhaps that was rude of me, but Isis had stepped over the line. Besides, why should I act proper with a G.o.ddess who had previously rented s.p.a.ce in my head? Isis should have known me better!