So, bit of honesty, I didn't write much over christmas so I got to the stage where I was like, two chapters pre written and I went 'ohhhhh fuck!' but I am now about to start chapter 49 so I'm building up my backlog again lol. Also- Percy in this chapter shows that she's a stubborn little shit. Someone tells her she doesn't want to do something and she's just there like 'Well now I want to so fuck you!'
Replies:
Undeath9087: I mean you don't have to wait too long to find out who Percy is hosting- though I will say that they don't merge in the way that Carter and Horus or Sadie and Isis do. And remember- I said that some of the changes will cause other changes.
Guest: I can't say too much without spoiling- But I will say that both Percy and Sadie and Percy and Zia will be close by the end of the fic so make of that what you will. I personally love the thought of Percy and Zia's friendship for reasons I will not elaborate on. And also, Percy will figure out fairly soon.
Guest: Sally is only blood of pharaohs from Hapetshut- both of her great grandparents were magicians but only one was blood of pharaohs.
Deborah Swenson: I shall consider it- though I haven't planned out exactly when he'll show up -if it'll be in the PJO plotline or if it won't happen until HoO.
Annonymous: That's fine! I love all my readers, and thank you for loving it.
Guest: Why thank you- I hope I do them justice.
The journey to Las Cruces was a surprisingly easy one- given their record so far, a fact that Percy was extremely grateful for.
It was just under an hour after their hasty flight from El Paso that they arrived in Las Cruces- and Sally found a quiet street where they could park the car- and together the three children and Sally made their way to the plaza. Zia and Geb hadn't given exact locations for them to go, so they headed to the plaza- and Percy was more than willing to admit that the air around them smelled amazing.
And- since Sally hadn't been able to buy the food she'd been planning on getting she told the three younger Kanes that they could have whatever they wanted, and Sadie grabbed Percy's hand and dragged her towards where a large woman in a white dress was busy rolling out balls of dough in her flour-caked hands, and she flattened and baked tortilla's on a hot skillet before handing them out on paper napkins.
Sally ordered Percy and Sadie several of them, and Carter some too.
As much as Percy knew that it wouldn't last, she was willing to admit that she was having fun as she ate her food- which was delicious- and she and Sadie both cackled with laughter when Carter tried some red-chilli tamales at another booth- his face went ridiculously red and he gasped out, "Hot! Drink!"
And while Carter recovered- and Percy and Sadie both quietly agreed that they'd never let their brother live that down- they took the tamale that he hadn't been able to finish and split it in half- and he'd glared at them as they'd declared that it was delicious- which it was.
Even Sally had to laugh when Percy had looked her brother dead in the eye and called him a big baby.
Percy wasn't sure how long they'd been there when Sadie suddenly tensed up, "Carter-" she was looking across the plaza, and Percy followed her gaze as Sadie spoke, "Someone's here to see you."
And Percy spotted Zia, she looked like she was ready for battle, clad in loose black linen clothes, her staff and wand in hand. Her dark choppy hair was blown to one side like she'd been caught in a gale.
"Oooh." Sally pitched her voice low as she turned her head to look at Zia, a knowing smile on her lips- and Percy wondered what it was that her mom knew that she didn't. "I see what Sadie meant. She's very pretty Carter-" she whispered the words- and Sadie started to snicker as Carter glared at the older woman.
"Mom." his voice was a hiss. "Stop it-"
"You came." and that drew everyone's attention back to Zia, who was watching them all carefully.
"Yeah." Carter's voice was nervous, "You uh- you remember Sadie and Percy and this is-"
"I'm Sally." Sally smiled warmly at Zia, "Carter and Percy's mother. It's a pleasure to meet you. What's your name."
"I-" Zia looked like she was caught off guard by that. "I am Zia Rashid of the House of Life-"
"Of course." Sally nodded, "It's a pleasure to meet you. You're the one gave my kids the chance to escape. Thank you for that."
"It may have been a mistake- Desjardin's is angrier than ever after what happened in Paris."
Carter scoffed, "You mean after we got away."
"After- no, though that did annoy him-" Zia paused, her gaze focusing on Percy, "Have you not told them what you did?"
"What-" Sally frowned, "what she did?"
"She destroyed Lord Desjardin's home." Zia's voice was incredulous, "He said he doesn't know how she even did it but it's wrecked- it will take weeks to fix the damage even with magic-"
"So he is gonna need a plumber then." Percy couldn't help herself- really she couldn't.
"Percy." Carter gave her a look, "What exactly did you do?"
"I made all the pipes burst and I used the water to escape." Percy gave an innocent smile, "And I may have basically flooded his entire house."
"You-" Sadie grinned, "You actually blew up his house oh my gods you are the best- sorry Carter but Percy is officially my favorite person right now that is amazing-"
"That is not amazing he is furious- she's made it much harder for you to make peace with him-"
"Well maybe if he hadn't been mean I'd have been less destructive." Percy shot back with a little scowl.
"Calm down now." Sally held up her hands placatingly, "I'm sure we can handle this without arguing." Sally turned to Zia, "Why do you think that the children
need to make peace with Desjardins? From what Percy has told me he's been anything but helpful so far."
"Do not dismiss him." Zia's voice was stiff. "He is very powerful. You'll need his help. Our help, to challenge set."
"Has it ever occurred to you." Sadie's eyes narrowed, "That Desjardins might be helping Set."
Zia glared at them at that, "Never. Desjardins is many things but he would not help Set."
"You're blind." Sadie snapped, "Desjardins' first order as Chief Lector was to have us killed. He's trying to stop us, even though he knows Set is about to destroy the continent. And Desjardins was there that night at the British Museum. If Set needed a body—"
The top of Zia's staff burst into flame.
And that little voice in Percy's mind that was speaking up more and more frequently whispered;
It is not him. Set is not in this Desjardins body.
Carter moved between Sadie and Zia, "Woah! Both of you just calm down. We're here to talk-"
"I don't think he's Set." Percy blurted out. "I don't trust him or want to work with him but he isn't Set."
"At least your sister has some sense." Zia huffed the words, "Listen to me. All of you. You need the House of Life on your side. You have to convince
Desjardins that you're not threats- as hard as that may be."
"By surrendering?" Sadie snorted, "No thank you. I'd rather not be turned into a bug and squashed."
"Sadie's right about that at least." Percy spoke up, pressing close to Sadie's side. "Zia he will kill me."
"I'm not letting any of the kids surrender themselves to the House." Sally spoke up, her voice firm, "It's not happening. I respect you, and I know you think
it's the only way but- I trust my husbands judgement and he didn't trust the House to do the right thing and he told me about Desjardins. He's jealous and hateful and he won't listen to us I'm sure of that. As much as I hate it- and as much as I wish my kids weren't involved at all, I don't think the House will help us."
"Please-" But Percy had felt a shiver run down her spine- and she knew to trust her instincts- and as she glanced around she spotted Desjardins, wearing
cream colored robes with the Chief Lector's leopard-skin cape tied across his shoulders.
He was advancing towards them from the east end of the plaza- and Percy let out a shocked gasp, "There!" She pointed- and Sadie cursed loudly.
When they turned to run they saw that there were two more magicians in black robes marching in from the west.
"You set us up!" Sadie had her wand out in an instant and she was almost snarling the words at Zia.
"No! I swear-" Zia's face fell- and Percy found that it was hard not to believe her when she looked so guilty. "Mel. Mel must have told him."
"Right-" Sadie's voice was angry, "Blame Mel."
"We need to get to the car." Sally's voice was firm, "Come on kids we need to run-"
"Zia-" Carter's voice was pleading, "Come with us!"
"But-"
"Please!"
"They're coming-" Percy's voice shook slightly- the look on Desjardins face when his gaze focused on her was not even remotely comforting.
"KANES!" His voice was almost a roar, "You do not want to fight us!"
And really, really people should learn that telling her that she didn't want to fight them usually just made her want to fight them even more.
She had her wand in her hand in less than a second, chanting rapidly- and a wave of power burst out from the staff, knocking Desjardin backwards by a good few feet and throwing the other advancing magicians off their feet.
Percy grabbed Sadie's hand tightly, "Run!" and Sadie gave a small nod- and Percy could see her mom grabbing Carter's arm and Zia's wrist as they started to
run.
"KANE!" Desjardins voice was even angrier than before- if that was possible.
And the Chief Lector slammed his staff into the ground. A crack opened in the pavement and began snaking towards us. As the crevice grew wider, the buildings trembled. Stucco flaked off the walls. The fissure would've swallowed them but Sadie whirled around, raising her wand. "Quiet! Hah-ri!" and the
hieroglyphs blazed to life in front of them.
The fissure stopped just short of their feet and the earthquake died.
Desjardins expression was suddenly horrified. "Divine words! You dare speak the Divine words! You are corrupted by Isis girl!"
"Leave my children alone!" that came from Sally, who thrust her staff forward- almost tossing it towards Desjardins- and it transformed into a snarling lioness
which instantly leapt at the man.
"Run!" And the five of them- because Zia appeared to have made up her mind now, were running.
"Think he's gonna listen to reason now." Sadie gasped the words, giving Zia a sidelong glance.
"You were right-"
"Is now the time for this?" Carter gasped before yelping- there were loud cracking sounds- and cracks appeared in the buildings all around them. Chunks of cement and brick came flying towards them- Percy screamed- but a strange burst of wind somehow sent them whirling in the other direction.
When they glanced back towards Desjardins Percy could see someone- she wasn't sure who it was, they were too far away now, fighting against the man.
RUN! The voice in Percy's mind almost seemed to seize control of her body and her legs pumped faster as they sprinted away, Sally dragging Carter and Zia into an alley that led to where she'd parked up the car.
Percy and Sadie were close behind, even as Sally rushed to the drivers side of the car.
Carter was yanking open the car door open and he and Zia scrambled inside even as Percy and Sadie caught up- and Percy pushed Sadie into the car, glancing behind them- she could hear the noises from the battle- it sounded almost like there was a storm going on- and she could see a red glow in the distance- Percy was willing to bet that whatever it was it wasn't good.
She yanked open the passenger door, scrambling into the car, her heart pounding in her chest, "Mom, go go go!" And Sally, pale faced, gave a small nod and and a moment later the car came to life and they were speeding through the streets- but whenever Percy glanced back the glowing figure in the distance was gaining on them.
Whatever it was- they were clearly the targets.
And gods but Percy could only hope that they could get away from whatever it was- because she had a bad feeling that they would struggle to fight it.