Thanks again for being awesome your amazing 70 people who chose to read my story. I love you all. Also, I'm probably going to shift the updates to Saturday and Monday because I have a large role in our school play and am wiped by the end of the week.

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Chapter 21

House of Pelicans

"It's Sarah, right? Sarah Frobisher-Smythe?" an unfamiliar voice called as Sarah and I passed through the hallway. We stopped to find a platinum-haired girl running towards us a smile bright on her yellow-lipstick lips. "I'm Shaba, I know, horrible name."

Sarah and I exchanged a glance wondering who this girl was and why she was so happy to see Sarah. This school wasn't a very big place, so I knew for a fact she didn't go here. Or at least hadn't before that day. "Yeah, Nina and Sarah," I politely introduced. "Are you knew?"

Shaba nodded, "Yeah, first day. It's nice to meet you both. Sorry if I scared you by knowing your name, it's just you're kinda famous in the pagan circle." Wait, did she just say pagan…. As in gods….as in Anubis? "Sorry, I'm freaking you out again, aren't I?" Shaba nervously giggled. "It's just like meeting a celebrity. Where's Rufus?"

"I'm sorry, but I think you must have us confused…" Sarah coughed stepping back from the girl. "I really don't know what you're talking about…"

Shaba laughed, "You don't have to hide from me Sarah. I know you're the Chosen One. Actually, everyone knows you're the Chosen One. Rufus Zeno is your Osirian, right? I'm surprised he's not here already. You look pretty freaked. Oh! I bet that's him now."

Turning around, I saw Eddie and Rufus appearing behind us. Eddie gave me a look, clearly wondering what was going on, and I just shrugged. If I knew what was going on, I probably wouldn't be so terrified. All I knew was that this Shaba knew about the Servants…and she knew who they were. "What's going on here?" Rufus bluntly asked sensing Sarah's apprehension.

"Don't freak out on me," Shaba requested holding up her hands in surrender. "I couldn't hurt you two if I tried. I just know things. There's a few of us around the world… a few who haven't forgotten. The Chosen One and the Osirian…that's always been my Cinderella. You're both superheroes, and I'm just the only one who knows it."

Shaba didn't seem to be a threat. She stood shorter than me, and probably could break in half when bending over she was so skinny. Still, I didn't like the idea of someone who wasn't in Sibuna, someone who I didn't trust with my life, knowing what I was. What we were.

But she doesn't know what you are, Nina. She knows about Sarah and Rufus. You and Eddie aren't even born yet. This is exactly what Nebthet meant when she said that the scale would only be safe with us. Even this pagan girl didn't know that Eddie and I had power too.

Lots of power. I realized running my fingers through my hair and feeling the feather's pulse. "So it that why you're here? Because Sarah and Rufus are?" Eddie interrogated studying the girl. "Because I idolize lots of people but you don't see me knocking on their doors."

Shaba's face burned red, "No. Of course not. I just needed a school to go to and I just went here and saw you and… What's your name again?"

"Eddie Miller," the boy replied eyes tight with suspicion. "I never got yours."

"Her name's Shaba," I told my Osirian hoping he'd get the message. Maybe I didn't like Shaba, and maybe I didn't trust her, but she was still a girl. Eddie really needed to just give her a break. "Eddie. Don't you have things you need to do?" Like hide the scales of truth.

Eddie nodded in understanding and backed off, "Yeah. I better go do that. Nina, Sarah, Rufus, I think the bell is about to ring for class."

"We better get going," I told the pagan girl with a weak smile. "Maybe we'll see you around."

Shaba nodded sadly, clearly getting the message. There's a reason they say never meet your heroes though, and this was it. It's insanely creepy… especially when your heroes are constantly under the threat of their lives.

Everyone went to go, but as I did Shaba grabbed my arm. Eddie stiffed up tightly, but I nodded for everyone to go on. If Shaba wanted a word with me… I was going to give it to her. No matter how much she crept me out.

"That feather in your hair," she whispered once the others were gone. "Did Sarah give it to you?"

I guess I needed to hide the feather a bit better, but I wish I knew how. "No. It's just an accessory," I lied with a gulp.

Shaba gave me an *are-you-kidding-me* look, "We both know it's not. It's the feather of truth. I want to know how it is that you have it."

"I don't even know what the feather of truth is," I vowed pulling my arm from her tight grip. "I really need to get to class."

Shaba just shook her head, "Fine. It's not the feather of truth. That's good because if it was I'd be wondering how it wasn't burning you considering you're not a servant of Anubis. I might even go as far as saying you were a Chosen One too, but of course that's ridiculous. There can only be one Chosen One, it's in the name… Still, if it was the feather of truth, and you were somehow the Chosen One, I'd be willing to advice you in a few magic spells that could make the feather shrink so others, like your clueless Osirian, never know you have it on you. Too bad it's not the feather…that would have been fun."

Why that little… "Wait!" I called after the retreating girl. "I'm not saying it is this feather of lies or whatever, but I would like to learn some magic spells… maybe later we meet in the woods and you show me?"

Shaba smiled, "Nina Martin, it would be my honor to teach you magic."