22.01.2015

Sadie Kane

I wake up to Khufu and Ayanna barging into my room.

"Sadie!"

I pull the cover over my head.

"Sadie!"

"Whatever it is, can't it wait?" I groan.

"You have to see this!"

The excitement in Aya's voice peaks my interest. I open one eye to look at her. She's practically beaming. I sit up.

"Did anything happen?"

She nods quickly.

Khufu tugs on my arm. "Agh! Agh!"

I sigh. Bye sleep. "Can I at least get ready first?"

Aya shakes her head. "It's a pijama day. We've earned it. Now come!"

She and Khufu basically drag me out of my room. Which is probably for the best, because I freeze at the sight of the hallway. I blink a couple of times, then look up at the ceiling, just to make sure. I smile at Aya. "It's fixed!"

"I know!"

"What about downstairs?"

"Haven't checked yet."

"Let's go!"

We run down the stairs, laughing. I feel like I've arrived at the mansion for the first time all over again. The Great Room is shining, even the weapons and musical instruments are back on the walls! Magical brooms and mops, which we have been trying to activate for weeks now, are going about their cleaning routine. And under the statue of Thoth, as if it is a Christmas Tree, are seven wrapped presents.

We hurry over. I smile at the first I see. "This one is for Muffin!"

"There's one for Philip, too! And Khufu, there you go!"

The baboon picks up his presents and tears the wrappings. Inside are a new Lakers jersey and a brand-new basketball. Muffin gets a new soft bed with a leopard pattern. It reminds me so much of Bast, I have to bite the inside of my mouth. This is a happy moment, Sadie! Don't ruin it! Philip's is a box full of bacon. As for me and Aya…

A couple of weeks after my sixth birthday, the two of us had watched this commercial. It was something about a forest I think, I don't even remember anymore. Ever since that day, however, we were obsessed with the idea of those rainbow-colored teddy bears. That wish died with mom. Someone has remembered.

I never understood how in the movies people would cry and smile at the same time. Now I do.


All in all, it's a pretty good morning. We left Carter and Amos's presents under the statue and went to activate the morning buffet. We were probably going to watch TV while waiting for the food to get ready, if it wasn't for Khufu. When a baboon decides to celebrate, he takes it seriously. By the time Carter comes down to the Great Room, we are in the middle of a dance party. I don't notice he's here till Aya calls out "Morning, Carter!"

I look up at him and grin. And then I take in his outfit.

"Carter, what—what are you wearing?"

I do a double take, just in case it's some kind of magical glamour. My brother, the junior college professor, has put on Reeboks, blue jeans, a T-shirt, and a hoodie.

"It's, um, all cotton," He says quickly. "Okay for magic. Dad would probably think I look like a gangster..."

I laugh. "It's brilliant, Carter. You look almost like a regular teenager! And Dad would think..." I pull the hoodie over his head. "Dad would think you look like an impeccable magician, because that's what you are. Now, come on. Breakfast is waiting on the patio."

I toss some more bacon in the pool. Philip jumps up and catches it in the air. We are just about to dig in, too, when Amos comes outside. His change of clothes is even more surprising than Carter's. For weeks he's hardly cared to even put shoes on. This morning, however, he is wearing a crisp new suit with matching coat and fedora. His shoes are shined, his round glasses are polished, his hair is freshly braided with amber beads. The three of us stare at him.

"What?" he demands.

"Nothing," we say in unison before quickly attacking the breakfast again.

Amos joins us at the table. He flicks his fingers and coffee magically fills his cup. Aya squeezes my hand under the table. He hasn't used magic since the Demon Days.

"I thought I'd go away for a while," Amos announces. "To the First Nome."

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Carter asks.

Amos takes a sip of his coffee. He is staring across the East River as if he can see all the way to Washington, D.C. "They have the best magic healers there. They will not turn away a petitioner seeking aid—even me. I think...I think I should try."

His voice is fragile, like it will crack apart any moment. But still, it's the most he's said in weeks.

"I think that's brilliant," I offer. "We'll watch after the place, won't we?"

"Yeah," Carter says. "Absolutely."

"I'll take care of the library." Ayanna adds.

"I may be gone for a while," Amos says. He turns to me and Carter. "Treat this as your home. It is your home. And I think, perhaps, you should start recruiting. There are many children around the world with the blood of the pharaohs. Most do not know what they are. What you two said in Washington—about rediscovering the path of the gods—it may be our only chance." He hesitates, as if choosing his next words carefully. "Aya, can we talk before I leave?"

She nods and tugs on my hand to get up together.

I kiss Amos on the forehead. "Leave it all to us, Uncle. I've got a plan."

"That," Carter says, "sounds like very bad news."

Amos manages a smile. He squeezes my hand, then gets up and ruffles Carter's hair as he and Ayanna head inside.

I sit back down and pick at my scrambled eggs. "I suppose it would be selfish to ask for more."

Carter looks at me and I realize we are thinking the same thing. When the gods said a gift...Well, you can hope for things.

"It's going to be hard to travel if we need to go recruiting," he says cautiously. "Three unaccompanied minors."

I nod. "No Amos. No responsible adult. I don't think Khufu counts."

This is it then. If divine timing really exist…

A voice from the doorway says, "Sounds like you have a job opening."

And so the gods complete their gift. Leaning against the door in a leopard-spotted jumpsuit is a dark-haired lady with golden eyes and two very large knives.

"Bast!"

The cat goddess gives us a playful smile, as if she has all kinds of trouble in mind. "Someone call for a chaperone?"