Thank you for reviewing! I'll be posting two chapters today.

To save confusion, this chapter starts with a memory, I just didn't want to italicize it.

I don't own the Kane Chronicles.

Chapter Thirteen- The Dark Wall Staring Back

It was raining, quite harshly actually for being a ten percent chance. I didn't manage to get any sleep, the rain echoed off of the ceiling. Or maybe I was making excuses? Home sick, though I preferred being in this strange Nome over Brooklyn House. Why can't I ever make up my mind? Honestly.

Three days ago, Michel found me breaking into the library in the First Nome. It was three in the morning, and I couldn't get any sleep, mind racing to the slightest interest in how a healer goes about talking to the unconscious. I had given in and tested my luck, I only got so far as the first step. As you can see, the Chief Lector was thoroughly upset, though a little amused to my reasoning. Parents found out just as quick, making Brooklyn dangerous for me to even think about entering.

Julius, apparently feeling that he needed to step in, asked several magicians if I could stay in their Nome during the break. Usual answer? No, and some of them didn't even bother coming up with exotic excuses as to why. I didn't see why he even asked, I was more than willing to put up with our father threatening to disown.

Except for her. Rumors spread rather quickly about Julius' pleas. A week of this nonsense and she suddenly approached Julius, offering to let me stay with her. Gods of Egypt, that made me sound like an insane five-year-old.

I exhaled slowly, taking in the cold breeze from the open window. I had hoped that the rain would help ease my mind, but it didn't. Being in a new Nome made me uncomfortable too, staring up at a blank ceiling that I didn't want to familiarize with.

Being in Miami wasn't awful, I rather enjoyed seeing Caroline outside of the First Nome. Recently, we started group studying, comparing notes on pretty much everything. Healing, sympathetic, and elemental magic was the usual categories. The weird part about it was the fact that we simply did so out of 'fun'. Like our contorted way of communicating with each other. Otherwise, it was quiet between us, an uncomfortable shyness that we bounced between ourselves.

I closed my eyes, but I knew I couldn't sleep no matter how much I try. It was starting to get to the point that I pass out while reading during the day, but that pretty much depended on the topic the book is centered on. The dark wall staring back at me seemed to be highly intriguing, making me think over everything twice. Maybe it was best not being in Brooklyn, knowing that Julius would probably worry himself over it.

I opened my eyes again and sat up finally. The clock read two, three hours of overthinking everything. I sighed and stood up, slowly making my way to the door as to not wake anyone else up.

I don't know if it's a good thing or not, but I've become a specialist in sneaking around during the early morning; not including the incident that got me here in the first place. Or maybe people learned to ignore me, rolling their eyes and going back to sleep. Either way, they didn't draw attention, which is just fine with me.

I closed the door behind me slowly, only making a whisper of a click, and then proceeded down the stairs. The Sixty-Seventh Nome wasn't too different from the Twenty-First. There were more people on the count of everyone having good reputation compared to the Kane family. And I'll admit, I could tell it had a woman's touch to it with silk curtains and everything having lace. That's probably what's been provoking my awkwardness more than anything.

I slowly slide the glass door open leading to the balcony. I found a familiar face leaning against the railing, her hair loosely dripping from the rain, eyes peering down at the city. Oh great, now you are really turning into a creeper.

I hesitated, closing the door behind me and took a step forward. She didn't notice, her focus was absorbed into something else other than her surroundings. How do I break the ice? I thought quickly.

Then made the amazing move of clearing my throat, almost making her jump as she turned wildly. "Oh, ever heard of knocking?" She teased as she quickly went to ease her pulse.

"Sorry, I was trying to shoot for casual," I smiled as I approached, standing beside the railing as she kept her eyes on me.

A small smirk appeared, "Amos, there's absolutely nothing casual about you."

"So they keep telling me." I went to observing the city view, "What were you looking at?"

Caroline sighed, eyes still on me, "I wasn't really looking at the view."

I faced her now, noting how quickly the rain soaked my clothes. "Then what are you thinking about?"

"Well," her amber eyes drifted back to the illuminating lights, "I was just thinking about things."

"Wow, I do that too," I added jokingly, "though I'm sure we differ on what we're thinking about the majority of the time."

She laughed a bit, facing me again, "Have you been thinking about the future?"

"Not as an obsession," I admitted.

She sighed, fingers tracing the wood of the railing. "You have a few more years before you have to think much on it," she continued. "Before we left, one of the older magicians had mentioned our plans for our lives. Cover stories, what we want to be beyond our studies."

The rain was starting to slow as I watched her eyes observe the railing along with her fingers. "And what have you decided so far?"

She lifted her hand from the railing, inhaling sharply before facing me again. "I want to freely move around the world, meet new people, and experience everything it has to offer," she spoke with eagerness before sighing, turning away from the balcony edge. "And I picked the worst skill of magic to do so. Rekhet? You're pretty much sentencing yourself to the Nomes."

"No one ever said that," I pointed out quickly.

She turned to me again, a look testing me to prove her wrong. "There's always groups of magicians working under Iskandar. And I hear he's always looking to make new squadrons. A healer would be beneficial to have."

"For me to stand in the background until needed?" Her eyes loosened a little, but only out of annoyance.

"You could always be a mobile magician," I offered.

"Nome Hopper? Is it me or do they all seem like they haven't taken a shower in ten years?" Caroline waved the idea away.

"That might actually be true," I smiled to see her slouch, leaning her right hand against the balcony. "What do you want me to say?" I finally gave in.

Her expression hardened, "That I worked too hard to ditch for my own interests."

My left hand tightened, if my cousin were here, she would have eased this into something about archery minutes ago. "Doesn't personal happiness count before others?"

"You're implying I drop everything I worked on as a healer to go chase some version of happiness?" She shook her head.

Awkward silence again, but I was starting to realize it was common between us, and I utterly despised it. Could a two-year difference really be that different? "Well," I hesitated to start, keeping my eyes on her as she fidgeted with her hands, "since we are discussing future plans, I'm going to make mine now."

She faced me; the moon hit her eyes perfectly to shine. "Oh?"

"Yep," I let go of the balcony, "but it depends on if you want part of it or not."

Shock was written perfectly in her facial features, but I continued anyways. "I have been considering joining one of those groups under Iskandar; Julius has been nagging me about it. But of course, they want more than just two people in a group, and I'm sure someone to make sure we stay in line."

She laughed at the last bit, "I can just see it now, a demon getting away simply because you two start arguing over who should get the first hit."

"Oh hey, we're not that bad," I defended in good humor. "I would allow him the first; I wouldn't let anything get away over something so petty. And besides, one of us has to be the mature one."

"And that has you written all over, does it?" She joked.

"No, pretty sure we know that," I added as my smile beamed to her laugh. "That's why we'd need someone who can put up with us."

She rolled her eyes now. "Or you could have just asked me out on a date, get the same results I'm sure."

I froze as she peered back at me, amusement playing across her expression. "Anyways, what are you doing out here?" She wondered.

"Um, couldn't sleep," I recalled, almost forgetting about it.

She frowned immediately, "I'm starting to believe you're an insomniac."

"I'd lean towards hyperactive-brain," I admitted. "And I'm not the only one who's up."

She smiled a little now. "As we can see," she humored. "And on that note, I will now head to bed." She suddenly leaned towards me and planted her kiss on my left cheek, making me blush uncontrollably. "I know I probably just made it worse, but you should try to get some sleep too," she added before leaving.

I watched the glass door close behind her, leaving me to my embarrassment on the balcony. It was during this that I realized it had ceased to rain, leaving a slight breeze to keep the morning air cool. Why didn't I make the move? I questioned myself.

You can bring her back, make things right again.

My mind raced, it never seemed possible to bring someone back. Maybe there was a way? Something Osiris would keep quiet on for the sake of his title.

Aid me, together we will fix the world to how it should be. The throne will be yours, and your queen beside you.

I was starting to snap out of it, realizing the voice wasn't my own thoughts, though he did do his best to camouflage it. You know how to bring back the dead? I spoke critically.

Oh yes, don't question my ability to find Osiris' secrets. The darkness rang with his voice. You failed to save her, now is your chance to fix it.

The possibility gave me a sudden surge of hope. All I require is power, Amos. We must gather the other three, bring them to the pyramid. Then you can live without regret. I will rid of Horus and Isis hosting's, Carter and Sadie can attempt a normal magician life. Everything back to where it belongs.

I found myself tempted, but a nagging feeling was telling me not to. Don't question me, you are my favored one. We want the same things.

"You killed her!" Her mother screamed, Julius trying his best to defend me from the family.

"He saved us, he did the best he could," Julius made sure there was a ten-foot distance between Caroline's father and I. "There wasn't a chance she was going to recover-"

"If she hadn't known the two of you, she would be safe at home!" Mr. Smith snapped, tears running down his face. "She was our only child, you took her away."

I didn't do my best, I've known that for years. And I've dwelled in guilt from it, taking blame from everyone for killing her. But it didn't matter what they said, the worst one to point the finger was myself.

Yield, Amos.