Hey! Hey hey I hope you enjoy this chapter, I am an emotional wreck right now but don't worry my guys, you have a fair chunk of chapters before it effects you, cause my guys, somehow- at the moment I'm in the middle of writing the most painful parts of both this fic and my KC ones, like, we're talking the chapters around the fall and the chapters around Apophis' escape from his prison. Like- I'm making myself cry and it'll be the same today. But hey, at least I get the painful ones at once because like, it's one huge does of angst then I can breath- seriously I keep taking short breaks because I know what's coming and I'm like 'FUCK!'
Replies:
Undeath9087: Hehehehe. And yeah. Desjardins isn't going to just let Menshikov get his way even though he's weak and uncertain because of that asshole- and honestly I love the next chapter with him in because it's just iconic okay. I love his character because yeah, he's against the Kanes but it's genuinely because he believes he's the one in the right and he's protecting the House of Life. He's not actually a bad guy.
Guest: Yeah, Percy and Desjardins are awesome and I love them, but you won't get to see that yet. And you'll have to wait and see- but remember Desjardins is a decent man at heart and Percy is very good at winning people over. I will not say more because spoilers!
Guest: I mean, they're awesome but like, when you're Carters age? In front of his girlfriend? I get it. And yeah, Desjardins has standards. We stan Desjardins for being like 'Yeah I don't trust you get away from the nine year old'.
Unknownloser097: We love Sadie very much. She is awesome.
Sadie was not sure exactly why Carter was crushing her with a hug- and if asked she'd pretend that she hated it- even if a part of her was secretly very pleased about the show of affection. Though she didn't let it go on too long, she squirmed out of his grip, "Sheesh, you'd think I just told you I had a day to live what's up with you."
"I-" Carter shook his head, "You read it without any trouble? Really?" and- was he seeking reassurance? From her? Now that wasn't exactly a common thing. Carter was usually the one doing the comforting.
"Of course." Sadie paused, because okay that wasn't entirely true and she wasn't going to lie to him "Well, just the introduction: warnings, instructions, that sort of thing. I won't read the actual spell until we find Ra, but I know where we're going."
"If we decide to go," and that stopped Sadie in her tracks- because what could possibly make him second guess their plan? It was the only chance they had.
"If?" that was Zia, she leaned forward slightly, brows furrowed in confusion. "What do you mean if Carter. We all agreed that this was our best chance of stopping Apophis yes? You were so determined."
"I was." Carter shifted, "Until I learned what Menshikov is planning-not with Percy- annoyingly enough he didn't let anything slip about that but-" he shook his head and launched into an explanation- and Sadie felt kind of sick as Carter told them about the strike force that was probably already headed toward Brooklyn House, and she scowled when he told them about Menshikov's plans to track them through the Duat- if he did Sadie was very much going to take the chance to punch him in the face for kidnapping her sister, she knew that much.
And then he told them about his talk with Horus, about the gods suggestion that Carter use the crook and flail himself to fight Apophis. Which made Zia's eyes widen in shock."
"But those symbols are sacred to Ra," Zia said.
"They belong to any pharaoh who is strong enough to wield them," Carter pointed out "If we don't help Amos in Brooklyn—"
"Your uncle and all your friends will be destroyed," Bes said. "From what you've described, Menshikov has put together a nasty little army. Uraei—the flaming snakes—they're very bad news. Even if Bast gets back in time to help—"
"We need to let Amos know," Walt said. "At least warn him."
"You have a scrying bowl?" Carter asked
"Better." He pulled out a cell phone. "What do I tell him? Are we going back?"
And Sadie watched her brother, he looked torn and she didn't blame him- she didn't know what to do either, the idea of abandoning her family- and gods but not all of them were fighters- she thought about Sally, who, as brave and amazing as she was, wouldn't be able to defend herself against magicians like that. Sadie didn't want to lose the small amount of family she had left. Carter, Percy, Amos and Sally meant everything to her. She never wanted to lose them- but- they needed Ra. They'd decided that. Gods but it wasn't fair, having to make that sort of choice. They were to young for this.
"Carter-" Zia shook her head, "We can't go back to Brooklyn. You know that. Lord Iskander-he left the Crook and Flail there for a reason." her voice was tight, "I understand wanting to go back and protect them. I do, but we must do this." Sadie watched Zia grab Carter's hand and squeeze- and she saw the way Carter's shoulders slumped. "Menshikov- he's doing something to Desjardins I am sure of it. Using magic to manipulate him. Maybe he does want us to raise Ra but- it's the only chance we have you know that. We won't be strong enough without him."
"Zia's right." Sadie's voice was pained and she picked up the Senet sticks before forcing herself to take a deep breath, "At sunset we'll open a portal at the top of the Great Pyramid. We'll follow the sun boat's old course down the River of Night, find Ra, wake him, and bring him out again at dawn. And possibly find someplace for dinner along the way, because I'm hungry again."
"It'll be dangerous," Bes said. "Reckless. Probably fatal."
"So, an average day for us," Carter's words made Sadie laugh- sometimes, very rarely her brother did have a sense of humor. Sadie appreciated that.
Walt frowned, still holding his phone. "Then what should I tell Amos? He's on his own?"
"Not quite," Zia said. "I'll go to Brooklyn."
"What?" Carter looked stunned- Sadie couldn't blame him for that- poor thing had been practically attached at the hip with Zia since the Red Pyramid thing. She knew that Carter was very attached to Zia- and they'd not done anything big like this apart since then either.
"I am good at magic Carter." Zia pointed out, "I know how to fight and when the House of Life appears- I may be able to intervene. To stall for time. I have some influence with other magicians…at least I did when Iskandar was alive. Some of them might listen to reason, especially if Menshikov isn't there egging them on."
"But Zia-"
"Carter- I know." Zia gave Carter a look that actually made Sadie feel kind of awkward, like she was intruding on something that should be private. And Carter's expression just made that feeling even stronger- but he swallowed hard and nodded slowly.
"I hate this." he muttered the words, looking incredibly unhappy.
"I hate to say it-" Walt spoke up, "But if you teleport in at sunset," he said, "you'll arrive at the same time as the attackers. It's going to be chaos, not much time for talking. What if you have to fight?"
"Let's hope," Zia said, "it doesn't come to that."
Not a very reassuring answer, but Walt nodded. "I'll go with you."
Sadie dropped her senet sticks on the floor, a rush of horror flooding through her at that idea. "What? Walt, no! In your condition—" the words came out before she could stop them, and her mouth snapped shut at the look that Walt gave her.
"What condition?" Carter's gaze flicked between them- it wasn't hard for him to realise that Walt had told Sadie something- and she really did feel bad for letting it slip. She hadn't meant too, the words had popped out out of sheer terror.
Still, the words were out there and Sadie couldn't take them back, so Walt didn't have much choice but to be honest.
"My family history." he said slowly, "Something I told Sadie. In confidence-"
"Percy was there too." Sadie almost mumbled the words, her cheeks flushing, "I didn't mean to blurt it out I just- I don't like it."
"But it's not your choice." Walt's voice was almost gentle as he said that, before he reluctantly repeated the story he'd told Sadie- and gods it felt like a lifetime ago, not less than twenty four hours. So much had happened in such a short time- it was insane that they were all still going.
"Oh man." Carter looked incredibly guilty and horrified as he looked at Walt, "Walt-"
"Look, Carter, whatever you're going to say, I appreciate the sentiment. But I'm through with sympathy. I've been living with this disease for years. I don't want people pitying me or treating me as though I'm special. I want to help you guys. I'll take Zia back to Brooklyn. That way, Amos will know she comes in peace. We'll try to stall the attack, hold them off until sunrise so you can come back with Ra. Besides…" He shrugged. "If you fail, and we don't stop Apophis, we're all going to die tomorrow anyway."
"That's looking on the bright side." Carter let out a snort before he paused, his eyes going wide, "Hold up. Menshikov said he was descended from the priests of Amun-Ra."
Bes snorted disdainfully. "Hated those guys. They were so full of themselves. But what does that have to do with anything?"
"Weren't those the same priests that fought Akhenaton and cursed Walt's ancestors?" Carter asked. "What if Menshikov has the secret of the curse? What if he could cure—"
"Stop." The anger in Walt's voice took Sadie by surprise. His hands were shaking. "Carter, I've come to terms with my fate. I won't get my hopes up for nothing. Menshikov is the enemy. Even if he could help, he wouldn't. If you cross paths with him, don't try to make any deals. Don't try to reason with him. Do what you need to. Take him down."
But Sadie met her brothers gaze, her heart pounding in her chest-and sometimes, not very often but sometimes she felt like Carter could be the best brother in the world. Because he was a genius-and she knew he had no intentions of giving up on that line of thought- but she forced herself not to hug him- it would probably annoy Walt and she didn't want that.
And Carter seemed to realise that pushing it wouldn't work. "Okay Walt. I won't mention it again."
His eyes flicked to Sadie again and she resisted the urge to grin, sometimes she, Carter and Percy could have silent conversations and they'd just know what the others were thinking. And even without Percy there they could have moments like that.
And Sadie knew that if they met Menshikov they would beat the shit out of him, find out what he and Apophis wanted with Percy and figure out how they could save her from the evil asshole and then they'd also beat the answers about how they could cure Walt.
"So." Zia's voice cut over the silent conversation and drew the attention of the two Kanes, "We will leave at sunset. Walt and I for Brookly, you and Sadie for the Duat. It's settled."
"Except for one thing." Bes glared at the senet sticks Sadie had dropped on the floor. "You did not roll that. It's impossible!"
Sadie looked down. A grin spread across her face. She'd accidentally rolled a three, just what she needed to win.
She moved her last piece home, then picked up Menshikov's white glasses and tried them, and she saw an uneasy look cross Carter's face so she took them off, looking down at them in her hands- she could understand Carter's unease. They were kind of creepy.
"I'm giving them to Percy." Sadie repeated her earlier declaration, gripping them tightly, her chest felt like someone was sitting on it.
"She'll enjoy destroying them together." Carter's voice was soft, and when she looked up Sadie met her brother's gaze.
"She is a destructive person." Zia's voice was gentle "And stubborn, and strong too. Whatever they want from her, I suspect that Apophis and Menshikov will have a much harder time than they're expecting."