*Man, the description of Paris in chapter 18 really be hitting differently rn.

Bast

We huddle under the eaves of some white government building, hidden from the poring rain. The weather is awful. The winter skies are heavy and low. The city of love reminds of a ghost town. There are no tourists on the streets, no traffic. Everyone with any sense is inside, cuddled by the fireplace with a drink. To our right, the River Seine flows calmly through the city, unbothered by the rest of the world. Across the enormous plaza, the gardens of the Tuileries are shrouded in a soupy haze. The Egyptian obelisk stands lonely and dark in the middle of the square.

"Hold still," I tell Carter.

He winces as I press my hand against his chest. This boy really knows how to get hurt. I whisper "Sneb", at the same time scanning and healing his body.

"Broken rib," I announce. "Better now, but you should rest for at least a few minutes."

"What about the magicians?"

"I wouldn't worry about them just yet. The House will assume you teleported somewhere else."

"Why?"

"Paris is the Fourteenth Nome—Desjardins' headquarters. You would be insane trying to hide in his home territory."

"Great." Carter sighs.

"And your amulets do shield you," I add. "I could find Sadie anywhere because of my promise to protect her. But the amulets will keep you veiled from the eyes of Set and from other magicians."

Carter tries to sit up and winces.

"Stay still," I order. "Really, Carter, you should learn to fall like a cat."

"I'll work on that. How are you even alive? Is it that 'nine lives' thing?"

I wave my hand. "Oh, that's just a silly legend. I'm immortal."

"But the scorpions!" Sadie comes closer, shivering. She draws my raincoat around her shoulders. She seems to like it. Good thing I borrowed the coat before coming here. "We saw them overwhelm you!"

I purr quietly. "Dear Sadie, you do care! I must say I've worked for many children of the pharaohs, but you two… "It's been a while since I've had kittens to care about. " Well, I'm sorry if I worried you. It's true the scorpions reduced my power to almost nothing. I held them off as long as I could. Then I had just enough energy to revert to Muffin's form and slip into the Duat."

"I thought you weren't good at portals," Carter says.

"Well, first off, Carter, there are many ways in and out of the Duat. It has many different regions and layers—the Abyss, the River of Night, the Land of the Dead, the Land of Demons—"

"Sounds lovely," Sadie mutters.

"Anyway, portals are like doors. They pass through the Duat to connect one part of the mortal world to another. And yes, I'm not good at those. But I am a creature of the Duat. If I'm on my own, slipping into the nearest layer for a quick escape is relatively easy."

"And if they'd killed you?" Carter asks. "I mean, killed Muffin?"

"That would've banished me deep into the Duat. It would've been rather like putting my feet in concrete and dropping me into the middle of the sea. It would've taken years, perhaps centuries, before I would've been strong enough to return to the mortal world. Fortunately, that didn't happen. I came back straightaway, but by the time I got to the museum, the magicians had already captured you."

"We weren't exactly captured."

"Really, Carter? How long were you in the First Nome before they decided to kill you?"

"Um, about twenty-four hours."

I whistle. "They've gotten friendlier! They used to blast godlings to dust in the first few minutes."

"We're not—wait, what did you call us?"

Sadie answers before I can. "'Godlings.' That's what we are, aren't we? That's why Zia was so frightened of us, why Desjardins wants to kill us."

I pat her knee. "You always were bright, dear."

"Hold on," Carter says. "You mean hosts for gods? That's not possible. I think I'd know if..."

"Carter," Sadie says. "When the Rosetta Stone shattered, it let out five gods, right? Dad joined with Osiris. Amos told us that. Set...I don't know. He got away somehow. But you and I—"

"The amulets protected us." Carter clutches the Eye of Horus around his neck. "Dad said they would."

"If we had stayed out of the room, as Dad told us to," Sadie reminds him. "But we were there, watching. We wanted to help him. We practically asked for power, Carter."

I nod. "That makes all the difference. An invitation."

"And since then..." Sadie looks at Carter tentatively. "I've had this feeling. Like a voice inside me..."

"Okay," Carter admits. "I've been hearing a voice too. So either we're both going crazy—"

"The amulet." Sadie pulls it from her shirt collar and shows it to me. "It's the symbol of a goddess, isn't it?"

I look at her amulet. It would look like an ankh if it wasn't for the curved down hands. Not my favourite goddess, if I'm being honest.

"That is a tyet," I say. "A magic knot. And yes, it is often called—"

"The Knot of Isis," Sadie says, she sounds absolutely certain. "In the Hall of Ages, I saw an image of Isis, and then I was Isis, trying to get away from Set, and—oh, god. That's it, isn't it? I'm her."

When I don't answer, Sadie grabs her shirt like she's trying to pull Isis away from her. My poor little kitten.

"Oh, no," Carter says. He's panicking now, too. "No, no, no. Somebody get a can opener. I've got a god stuck in my head."

My eyes light up. "You communicated with Horus directly? That's excellent progress!"

I bet Horus would've high fived me if he could.

"Progress?" Carter bangs his palms against his head. "Get him out!" After one more bang, he snaps. "Don't tell me to calm down!"

I frowns. "I didn't."

"Talking to him!" He points at his forehead.

"This is awful," Sadie wails. "How do I get rid of her?"

I sniffs. "First off, Sadie, you don't have all of her. Gods are very powerful. We can exist in many places at once. But yes, part of Isis's spirit now resides inside you. Just as Carter now carries the spirit of Horus. And frankly, you both should feel honored."

"Right, very honored," Carter says. "Always wanted to be possessed!"

Possession's such a strong word. Carter and Sadie weren't even aware of Isis and Horus until now. He should see how some other gods treat their hosts.

I roll my eyes. "Please, Carter, it's not possession. Besides, you and Horus want the same thing—to defeat Set, just as Horus did millennia ago, when Set first killed Osiris. If you don't, your father is doomed, and Set will become king of the earth."

Carter glances at Sadie. She rips the amulet off her neck and throws it down. "Isis got in through the amulet, didn't she? Well, I'll just—"

"I really wouldn't do that," I warns. I've seen that look in her eyes before and nothing good'has ever come from it.

Sadie pulls out her wand and smashes the amulet. Blue sparks fly in the air. She yelps and drops the smoking wand. Her hand is covered in black scorch marks, but the amulet looks untouched. "Ow!"

I sighs and put my hand over Sadie's. The burn marks disappear.

"I did tell you. Isis channeled her power through the amulet, yes, but she's not there now. She's in you. And even so, magical amulets are practically indestructible."

"So what are we supposed to do?"

"Well, for starters," I says, "Carter must use the power of Horus to defeat Set."

"Oh, is that all?" Carter asks. "All by myself?"

"No, no. Sadie can help."

"Oh, super."

"I'll guide you as much as possible," I promise, "but in the end, the two of you must fight. Only Horus and Isis can defeat Set and avenge the death of Osiris. That's the way it was before. That's the way it must be now."

"Then we get our dad back?" Carter asks.

My smile wavers. "If all goes well."

I'm sure Horus and Isis know that's a lie. I just hope they don't tell the kids. Nature has to take its natural course, the story must be retold so Ma'at could resurface in Duat. But now, looking at the hope in Sadie's eyes, I wish there was another way.

Carter looks down at his hands. "If I've got the powers of a god, then why am I so..."

"Lame?" Sadie offers.

"Shut up. Why can't I use my powers better?"

"Takes practice," I say. "Unless you wish to give over control to Horus. Then he would use your form, and you would not have to worry."

"No."

I look at him. Good, the boy is strong. He'll be there for his sister when I can't be.

"I mean I'm not giving up control," Carter explains. "This is our fight. Our dad's locked in a coffin. Our uncle's been captured."

"Captured?" Sadie asks.

Carter tells us about his recent ba trip. When he's done, Sadie looks stricken.

"God, no."

"Yeah," Carter agrees. "And Set spoke in French—'Bon soir.' Sadie, what you said about Set getting away—maybe he didn't. If he was looking for a powerful host—"

"Desjardins," Sadie finishes.

I growl deep in her throat. "Desjardins was in London the night your father broke the Rosetta Stone, wasn't he? Desjardins has always been full of anger, full of ambition. In many ways, he would be the perfect host for Set. If Set managed to possess Desjardins' body, that would mean the Red Lord now controls the man who is Chief Lector of the House..." I shiver." By Ra's throne, Carter, I hope you're wrong. The two of you will have to learn to use the power of the gods quickly. Whatever Set is planning, he'll do it on his birthday, when he's strongest. That's the third Demon Day—three days from now."

"But I've already used Isis's powers, haven't I?" Sadie asks. "I've summoned hieroglyphs. I activated the obelisk at Luxor. Was that her or me?"

"Both, dear. You and Carter have great abilities on your own, but the power of the gods has hastened your development, and given you an extra reservoir to draw on. What would've taken you years to learn, you've accomplished in days. The more you channel the power of the gods, the more powerful you will become."

"And the more dangerous it gets," Carter guesses. "The magicians told us hosting the gods can burn you out, kill you, drive you crazy."

I look at him. The look in his eyes reminds me of Ruby. "Not everyone can host a god, Carter. That's true. But you two are both blood of the pharaohs. You combine two ancient bloodlines. That's very rare, very powerful. And besides, if you think you can survive without the power of the gods, think again. Don't repeat your mother's—" I stop myself.

"What?" Sadie demands. "What about our mother?"

"I shouldn't have said that."

"Tell us, cat!" Sadie says.

Why do I continue to slip up? With a sigh, I lean against the wall. My eyes drift towards the rain as I remember my escape. "When your parents released me from Cleopatra's Needle...there was much more energy than they expected. Your father spoke the actual summoning spell, and the blast would've killed him instantly, but your mother threw up a shield. In that split second, I offered her my help. I offered to merge our spirits and help protect them. But she would not accept my help. She chose to tap her own reservoir..."

"Her own magic," Sadie murmurs.

I nod. "When a magician commits herself to a spell, there is no turning back. If she overreaches her power...well, your mother used her last bit of energy protecting your father. To save him, she sacrificed herself. She literally—"

"Burned up," Carter finishes. "That's what Zia warned us about."

For a while after that we just listen to the pouring rain. Finally, Sadie whips a tear from her cheek and picks up her amulet. She glares at it resentfully. "We've got to save Dad. If he's really got the spirit of Osiris..."

"All right," Carter says. "So how do we stop Set?"

How can two magicians defeat Set without giving over the control? This is a very rare situation. Horus and Isis have worked with Eyes before to stop him, but never with mere hosts. The House has many scrolls on this. Maybe too many. In fact, Thoth has given the House of Life scrolls on many things…

I smile. "There might be a way without completely giving yourself over to the gods. There's a book by Thoth—one of the rare spell books written by the god of wisdom himself. The one I'm thinking of details a way to overcome Set. It is the prized possession of a certain magician. All we need to do is sneak into his fortress, steal it, and leave before sunset, while we can still create a portal to the United States."

"Perfect," Sadie says.

"Hold up," Carter says. "Which magician? And where's the fortress?"

I stare at him. Did I not mention we are in the 14th nome? "Why, I think we already discussed him. Desjardins. His house is right here in Paris."

14th nome is yet another family mansion on the east side of a river. Fortunately, it's just on the other side of Tuileries, on rue de Pyramids.

"Pyramids Road?" Sadie asks. "Obvious, much?"

"Maybe he couldn't find a place on Stupid Evil Magician Street," Carter says.

Despite its residents, the house is worth the compliments. The spikes atop its wrought iron fence are gilded. Even in the winter rain, the front garden is bursting with flowers. Five stories of white marble walls and black-shuttered windows loomed before us, the whole thing topped off by a roof garden.

Carter points to the front door. The metal is painted bright red. "Isn't red a bad color in Egypt? The color of Set?"

I scratch my chin. "Now that you mention it, yes. It's the color of chaos and destruction."

"I thought black was the evil color," Sadie says.

"No, dear. As usual, modern folk have it backward. Black is the color of good soil, like the soil of the Nile. You can grow food in black soil. Food is good. Therefore black is good. Red is the color of desert sand. Nothing grows in the desert. Therefore red is evil." I frown. "It is strange that Desjardins has a red door."

"Well, I'm excited," Sadie grumbles. "Let's go knock."

"There will be guards," I warn them. "And traps. And alarms. You can bet the house is heavily charmed to keep out gods."

"Magicians can do that?" Carter asks.

"Alas, yes. I will not be able to cross the threshold uninvited. You, however—"

"I thought we're gods too," Sadie cuts me off.

"That's the beauty of it," I say. "As hosts, you are still quite human. I have taken full possession of Muffin, so I am pretty much me—a goddess. But you are still—well, yourselves. Clear?"

"No," Carter says.

At least he's honest. "I suggest you turn into birds," I say. "You can fly to the roof garden and make your way in. Plus, I like birds."

Carter nods. "First problem: we don't know how to turn into birds."

"Easily fixed! And a good test at channeling godly power. Both Isis and Horus have bird forms. Simply imagine yourselves as birds, and birds you shall become."

"Just like that," Sadie asks. "You won't pounce on us?"

I can't believe she'd ever think that! "Perish the thought!"

Carter closes his eyes. "Okay. Here goes."

Sadie shudders almost immediately. Her skin grows at feathers as her form shrinks. Soon enough, there is a beautiful grey kite with black-tipped wings and golden eyes in her place. Carter is still standing there with his eyes closed. After a couple of minutes, he changes, too. The falcon blinks against my ankles.

"Better late than never," I tell him. "Took you almost ten minutes."

The kite lets out a chirping sound—"Ha, ha, ha." Sadie is laughing at him.

He opens his own beak, but nothing comes out.

"Oh, you two look delicious" It's been awhile since grandma had let me out to hunt. I realize I'm licking my lips. "No, no—er, I mean wonderful. Now, off you go!"

The falcon spread his wings, lunches himself off the sidewalk and hits the fence.

"Ha—ha—ha," Sadie chippers again. Carter shakes his head and they fly off just as my instincts kick in. Sometimes it's embarrassing to be a woman with the brain of a cat.