-Jasmine Anderson-

Lunch came, and I was earning brief looks for the dark blue cap hiding the top of my disaster of hair, which I had put into a ponytail after finding no spells I knew could reverse it. But you know what; I wasn't in the mood for any of it now. I used to only think kind things of people. Somehow everything just went south since we restored order after Apophis' escape.

I shot some new burnet initiate the nastiest glare I could summon once I caught her staring at me. She quickly got the hint and pretended to be more interested in what her blonde friend was rambling about. "Can't do this anymore," I mutter to myself as I took my anger out on my baked potato.

"So hey," a blur followed the familiar voice before I could take in that Sean was sitting across from me.

I groaned immediately, shielding my eyes from him. "What could you possibly want this time?"

"I was wondering if you have a long lost brother that just joined the ranks or not," he said before taking a sip of apple juice.

"What are you talking about?" I faced him now, shooting fire at him that he just seemed to brush off.

"You're last name is Anderson, right?"

Big duh, Hathor's victim. "Yeah, so?"

"There's a new guy with the same last name!" He continued ecstatically.

"Sean, let me stop you right now. Do you know how popular the last name, Anderson, is?"

He weighed the question for a small moment. "It's one of the big ones, right? But still, it's weird that he's a magician as well."

I sighed out of irritation. "Sean, before you continue making a mockery of yourself, does the person you're trying to pin as my brother even look like me?"

"Uh no, but it could be like Carter and Sadie." He was just not going to let his ideas be trashed by me today.

Gods, I sound like a complete bitch thinking badly of him. I mean, he's just love-struck and annoying. So why am I struggling to just smile and walk away? Why do I always want to prove him wrong and curse like it might cost my life to do otherwise?

Before I could say anything in response, Zia promptly sat to my right. "Good evening," she shot me a smile as if she knew just from my expression that I'm still in an irritable mood.

"Well, I'm glad to hear it's okay for you." I tried to sound genuinely happy but my tone pretty much destroyed it.

Zia quickly frowned and gently lifted the cap off to see I hadn't succeeded in my endeavor yet. She then went to put it back on but I grabbed it to show I'd rather just have it off. It's not like it's concealing the fact anyways, so why bother? "You seem pretty lively Zia," Sean was hasty to point out.

"I do?" Zia blushed a second after asking. "I figured I'd change things up a bit today. I mean, I'm always hanging around the Kanes, figured I should pick a different group of people to be around for a moment."

"Oh, Carter annoying you?" Sean continued out of interest.

"What? No! If any of them annoy me its Sadie," Zia clarified. "It's just that I hardly know anyone else here. So I chose to sit here for lunch. Besides, Jaz looked like she was plotting to tear your head off at any second."

I rolled my eyes as she leaned towards my right ear. "If it means anything to you, Carter has his annoying moments as well."

Oh great, now she thinks I like him but want to keep him at a distance. I'm not a tease; Sean's just not my type. I do appreciate his compliments at times and the company, but I only see him as a friend. A small scowl formed before I even realized it was there.

"Hey, you're welcome to sit with us any time you want," Sean spoke up; a look in his eyes stating he was interested in whatever was irritating me now. "To be truthful, I kind of figured you as the girl that sticks with just one group."

Zia's eyebrows rose after taking a sip of juice. "You don't even know me, you're assuming a lot."

"I do that, ask Jaz," Sean shrugged off. "So, are you adjusting to our culture yet?"

Zia quickly rolled her eyes, "I think it's safe to say I am. There are a few things that throw me off still, but I've concluded that sometimes it's just best not to ask."

I sucked on my bottom lip. She's probably referring to Sadie's rant on dating customs and pretty much labeling her brother helpless. All Zia did was ask what she should wear for her first lunch date at the mall's food court. I think she's learned her lesson to never ask Sadie anything that contains Carter on the subject.


I don't know why I even bother showing up to Bast's class. Really, the majority of the time you learn the proper way to take a nap on a hardwood floor. I suppose some tips on the subject would be nice for the next time I spend a night away from the Nome. But every day? Why did Carter and Sadie even allow her to teach a class?

I pried my eyes open once I could hear her purring in her sleep, ensuring she was out with the rest of the class. Sitting up slowly, I scanned the room before proceeding to stand, deciding to ditch. I have more important things to do than close my eyes after lunch.

Entering the hall, I realized I didn't even know what I wanted to do. Though a small level of peace was wanted, so I headed to the library. Seriously, that's the only place you will ever find some sort of quiet in this mansion. Otherwise you could be either entering a room full of vultures or walking into the middle of a duel just across the hall.

Two doors down, I spotted a familiar face heading the other way, seeming as if he was hiding from someone. So, of course I stopped. He didn't notice and instead rammed into me. "I am so sorry," he started immediately, complete apology written in his expression as he helped me from the floor.

"It's okay; I have worse things going for me at the moment," I brushed off as I got back on my feet.

He took in my hair, which just irritated me further. "Oh, right, you're the one with the hair problem today," he noted quickly with a hint of nervousness.

"Yes, it's just marvelous," I grumbled. "I'm sorry, but what's your name?"

He smirked for a second. "Seems I've been asked that quite a bit today. The name is Kaden Anderson."

The kid Sean tried to pin as my brother. I took him in again and realized he was the one I brushed past after confronting Julian on his prank. "We have the same last name," I spat out before things could get awkward.

"Oh, really?" His eyes lit up out of amusement. "Common name, hu?"

"Yes, very," I laughed nervously. "So, who are you hiding from?"

He tensed for a second, "That would depend on if you're the type to rat people out."

I rolled my eyes. "That would depend on who you're running from," I continued.

We stood there for I think five seconds before he gave in, "Sadie Kane."

I abruptly laughed, "Let me guess, she's chasing you like a sad puppy?"

His eyes almost bulged out of his head. "What?"

"Don't be shocked, she pretty much falls for any guy that gives her eye contact, I swear," I reassured.

"I don't think that's the situation," he seemed rather disturbed by the thought. "She's just irritating, been breathing down my neck since I got here."

I shot him a puzzled look, taking him in again. He didn't seem like he could trigger such a reaction from her. "You run into her in the hall like you just did to me?" I asked, confused as he sighed.

"Yeah, guess you could call it that." He cleared his throat quickly. "You know of any good hiding places around here? For someone to have at least a two hour break from a rather insane English teenager?"

I felt bad, but I couldn't contain my laughter to his question. "You're kidding right? The mansion is swamped with kids pretty much everywhere. The only chance you have is in your room. Also, Sadie is an American citizen, just was raised by her grandparents."

He crossed his arms, getting a little frustrated now. "I just asked for a little bit of help and you handed me an entire set of information on little details that I already figured out."

My right eyebrow rose, "Okay, you're confusing me."

"Where do you take refuge around here?" He spoke with directness, brown eyes steadily on me. "Or do I have to hide in a cupboard with a six-year-old?"

My right hand went immediately to the wall, bracing myself as I shook my head, trying not to laugh. "Oh hell, just come with me," I finally offered, which his arms loosened before following me to the staircase.

Like I said, the only place for some peace around here is typically the library. But he seemed like he already tried that, so the next best place would be one of the rooms. Even better being a girl's room. So when I opened the door to my room, he froze before his eyes suddenly gazed back at me.

"It's that or you're on your own," I tossed up now.

This was answered by muttering, though the words sounded to be in an entirely different language than the usual English or even Arabic I've self-taught. He hesitated to enter, apparently being fully aware that the room was not random, that it was in fact mine as I locked the door behind us. Now that I took it in, I discovered it probably was odd for a guy to be in such a bright room like this.

The walls are a bubbly blue adorned with lavender curtains, the bed being a matching red with little white designs. The closet door closed, but containing magician clothing, old clothes that I wear for casual days, and my cheerleading uniform. Yeah, I know, why the uniform? But it helps sometimes to remember what normal life was like before getting tossed into the world of Egyptian magic.

"I see you're organized with your room as well," he broke the silence that stood between us for a minute.

I smiled and nodded a little. "Some people use the word clean-freak though."

He smiled back for a second, taking in the room a little more. "You can tell a lot about someone from their room."

I promptly sank into my office chair before the computer desk, noting that he was still observing the room. "You can sit; I don't imagine you'd want to stand like that for two hours."

He faced me again; I could tell he felt uncomfortable. "Honestly, we just met," I rolled my eyes from irritation to the thought. "Consider this a friendly thing, you're not my type."

"I wasn't even thinking along those lines," he defended quickly. "I'm just curious as to where it's safe for me to 'sit'? Don't want to cross any lines; you're kind of the only person I actually like here."

The right corner of my lips lifted a little as I crossed my arms. "Anywhere you find comfortable. I'm not that picky, I just have the standard rules. Like not going through my things without asking, blah blah blah."

He replied with a small nod, taking the bright green recliner tucked in the corner to the left of my desk, having a small bookshelf on the other side. "So," I clasped my hands together as I kept my focus on him, "where are you from?"

A look of panic seemed to pass over him. "Miami, why?"

"I heard you speaking in a different dialog a few minutes ago. Thought you might be from out of country," I explained.

"Oh," he relaxed a little, "I picked up French a year ago."

I nodded in understanding. It actually isn't a bad idea to study different languages, especially when dealing with people from around the world. "Did you receive Carter and Sadie's recordings?" I continued on.

"No," his hands nervously clasped before him too.

"You already know you're a magician then?" I continued on.

He shot me a smile. "Yeah, I'm from the Sixty-Seventh Nome actually."

"Oh, sorry, I kind of assumed you were an initiate," I admitted dryly, noted to slam my forehead into the desk when he's gone.

He waved it off, "I've been getting that a lot too."

Then our conversation pretty much died. I mean, I wanted to continue asking him some of the many questions going through my head, like why Sadie was hounding him down, or why he's here. But he's edgy; his hands fidgeted a little as he returned his gaze to the room, as if trying to remember it.

"Are you considering getting back at Julian?"

I blinked a few times before I realized he had asked me a question now. "Oh, for the Gods-awful hair color job? No, even if I try to come up with something, it'll just not do any justice in the end," I shrugged off.

He sat up a little; a hint of something evil seemed to cross his smile that kind of struck me wrong. "I happen to have an idea, that's if you're willing to aid me of course."

My eyebrows furrowed. "You know, revenge is a poison," I started quickly. "I do find myself slipping up at times, but otherwise I genuinely keep to myself."

Just like that, he had laid back again into the recliner, the evil twinge to his expression gone in a blink of an eye. "It's not like I was plotting to kill him-"

"I get that, but retaliation is what people want when they act that way. Julian is no different." I shook my head as I quickly searched for something to change the subject. "Anyways, what brings you out here? A chance to be annoyed and hide in my room?"

His right eyebrow rose questionably. "You know, might as well clear the air. I happen to have a girlfriend."

I let out a snort from amusement. "And I'm anti-dating. That doesn't stop people from pairing people up anyways."

Five seconds of his hands fidgeting still. "What brought you here?" He decided to turn the question to me first.

A little agitated by his avoidance, I sighed and quickly decided it might be the only way to get him to relax. "Carter and Sadie's recording after the Red Pyramid incident. But these recordings only came to Blood of the Pharaohs thanks to the djed of Osiris. I used to be a lively cheerleader in Nashville before I found out." I shrugged, "Prefer this over cheer-drills to be honest."

He let out a nervous laugh, rubbing the back of his neck with his right hand. "This will sound stupid then, but what is a cheerleader?"

I blinked, a little taken off by that. Unfortunately it was quiet for a minute. "You don't know?"

His right hand met his left again, fidgeting. Just watching his hands made me want to just pry them apart out of annoyance. A visual pet-peeve of mine, people playing with their hands. "Okay, a cheerleader is a member of a 'cheer squad' for a team. You raise motivation by using catchy cheers and gymnastics. Wear outfits to support the team, get the crowd excited for whatever game is going on at the current moment."

He just kind of gave me a blank look. "I'm assuming you're like Zia then," I quickly puzzled out myself. "Haven't been associated with normal life."

"I didn't think it would be too different compared to normal magician life," He admitted dryly.

"That's fine; I'll get you adjusted during your stay," I reassured. "How long are you staying in Brooklyn?"

"A week maybe," he sounded pretty uncertain. "I'm just searching or a book, and then I'll be on my way."

"What book?" I pushed; might as well while he's willing to discuss it.

He tensed before letting out a nervous laugh. "That's the thing, I don't actually know. All I do know is it's addressed to 'Chief Lector' and leather bound."

"Chief Lector Kane?" I tossed out.

His brown eyes lit up. "Just said Chief Lector," he continued, but a hint of suspicion remained in his eyes. "Kane hu? Is it Sadie?"

I shook my head, a little amused by his blindness. "No, Amos Kane."

Silence stuck between us for five minutes. His hands started shaking, gaze averted from mine. "Eh bien, merde."

"How do you not know who our current Chief Lector is?" I finally asked, confused by how someone could actually remain blind to the chaos Apophis had tried to inflict.

He stood up from the chair, looking as if weighing leaving or staying. "I get the feeling that you wouldn't understand. Hell, I'm trying to make sense of it." He waved his right hand as if to dismiss the topic, "Thanks for allowing me a few minutes in your room."

I stood up as he closed the door behind him. "Hey, I'm not done with you," I snarled as I opened the door again.

Carter had apparently succeeded in blocking Kaden's escape route. "Jaz, I'm going to need your help too," he suddenly spoke towards me.

"Wait, on what?" I took a step closer, closing the door.

"Don't know, we just have guests currently rampaging the veranda," Carter explained hastily. "Come on."


Thank you for R&Rs! Please review and tell me what you think, it really helps!