Bast

The Egyptian Queen breaks through the waves. Orbs of multicolored fire flitter around the decks. It's been awhile since I've been on this boat. The very air here feels heavy. The very essence of the boat is soaked in painful silence. If the wood it's made of could talk, I wonder how long it would cry for. Would it whisper her name desperately, again and again till it doesn't sound real, the way he did?

Bloodstained Blade, a demon with the head of a battle axe, stirs the wheel towards the shore. Carter and Sadie are already waiting for us. And Khufu is there, too! They are alive, at least this part of the deal is going well.

The ship pulls up to the dock. Balls of fire begin zipping around—lowering the gangplank, tying off ropes and reading the boat for the rest of the trip.

I climb down from the wheelhouse and hug my kittens – even Khufu, who tries to return the favor by grooming me for lice. How sweet of him.

"I'm glad you survived!" I tell them. "What happened?"

They brief me on their visit. I can feel my hair poofing out. If that's not enough, I start rambling. "Elvis? Gah! Thoth is getting cruel in his old age. Well, I can't say I'm glad to be on this boat again. I hate the water, but I suppose—"

"You've been on this boat before?" Carter asks.

My smile wavers. They could have had a normal childhood if I was stronger. "A million questions as usual, but let's eat first. The captain is waiting."

I lead Carter and Sadie to the dining parlor. It's lavishly decorated in Egyptian style. Colorful murals depicting the gods cover the walls. Gilded columns support the ceiling. A long dining table is laden with every kind of food under the sun. On a side table stands an ice chest, a line of golden goblets, and a soda dispenser. The mahogany chairs are carved to look like baboons. Khufu seems to like them. He barks at his chair just to show it who is the boss, then sits on its lap. He picks an avocado from a basket of fruit and starts peeling it.

Across the room, a door opens. The captain comes in. He has to duck to avoid cleaving the doorframe.

"Lord and Lady Kane," He says, bowing. His voice is a quivery hum that resonates along his front blade. "It is an honor to have you aboard."

"'Lady Kane,'" Sadie muses. "I like that."

As any cat would. I've thought her well.

"I am Bloodstained Blade," the captain continues. "What are your orders?"

Sadie raises an eyebrow at me. "He takes orders from us?"

"Within reason," I say. "He is bound to your family. Your father..." I clear my throat before I've said too much. Again. "Well, he and your mother summoned this boat."

The demon hums disapprovingly. "You haven't told them, goddess?"

"I'm getting to it," I grumble. Why must it be demons? Can't the orbs control the wheel? I've seen that happen on the Sun barque when Sobek was ill.

"Told us what?" Carter asks.

"Just details." I rush on. "The boat can be summoned once a year, and only in times of great need. You'll need to give the captain your orders now. He must have clear directions if we're to proceed, ah, safely."

"We need to visit the Hall of Judgment," Carter tells him. "Take us to the Land of the Dead."

Bloodstained Blade hums thoughtfully. "I will make the arrangements, Lord Kane, but it will take time."

"We don't have a lot of that." Carter turns to Sadie. "It's...what, the evening of the twenty-seventh?"

She nods in agreement. "Day after tomorrow, at sunrise, Set completes his pyramid and destroys the world unless we stop him. So, yes, Captain Very Large Blade, or whatever it is, I'd say we're in a bit of a rush."

"We will, of course, do our best," says Bloodstained Blade. "The crew will prepare your staterooms. Will you dine while you wait?"

Carter eyes the table and nods. "Yeah. Um, thanks, BSB."

The captain bows again and leaves.

For a while, we eat in silence. Good, I have no idea what I'll tell them otherwise. The balls of fire float around the room, refilling our goblets and clearing away our plates as we finish.

"Agh!" Khufu wipes his mouth and grabs one of the balls of fire. He fashions it into a glowing basketball and snorts at Carter.

I don't know what happened back at Thoth's, but Khufu is determined to play alone.

"No problem, man," Carter says. "Have fun."

Khufu snorts again, then lops off with the ball under his arm.

After poking my tuna Friskies for about ten minutes, I finally push my plate away.

"Not hungry?" Carter asks.

"Hmm? Oh...I suppose not." I turn my goblet listlessly.

Carter and Sadie stare at each other. I try to not meet their eyes and instead concentrate on the milk in my goblet.

"Bast?" Carter asks finally. "What did the captain want you to tell us?"

I hesitate. Promise… "Oh, that? You shouldn't listen to demons. Bloodstained Blade is bound by magic to serve, but if he ever got loose, he'd use that axe on all of us, believe me."

"You're changing the subject," Carter says.

I trace my finger across the table, searching for the right words to say. Are there any right words I could say, at all? It takes me a moment to realize I'm drawing the hieroglyphs for protection in the condensation ring from my goblet.

"The truth? I haven't been on board since the night your mother died. Your parents had docked this boat on the Thames. After the...accident, your father brought me here. This is where we made our deal."

I brace myself for whatever Carter and Sadie are about to say. Carter's questions, though, catches me completely off guard.

"It wasn't just a chaos monster, was it?"

I eye him. "What do you mean?"

"The thing you were fighting when our parents released you from the obelisk. It wasn't just a chaos monster. You were fighting Apophis."

Chills run down my spine. It takes a lot to keep my hair from puffing up again. All around the parlor, the servant fires dim. One drops a plate and flutters nervously.

"Don't say the Serpent's name," I warn. "Especially as we head into the night. Night is his realm."

"It's true, then." Sadie shakes her head in dismay. "Why didn't you say anything? Why did you lie to us?"

I drop my gaze, unable to look at them. Why did I lie to them, really? Because I'm afraid. I'm a warrior. I'm a protector. I am a daughter of Ra. Huh. I'm the disposable, weak one. A domesticated pet compared to how powerful my siblings are. The end of the world might be here soon. Sekhmet wouldn't have let that happen.

"I was the Eye of Ra." I speak quietly. "The sun god's champion, the instrument of his will. Do you have any idea what an honor it was?"

I remember all the festivals and celebrations. All the 'Thank you's. All the praises. I wasn't feared, I was respected. Father was so proud. I extend my claws, studying them. A perfectly sharp weapon. "When people see pictures of Ra's warrior cat, they assume it's Sekhmet, the lioness. And she was his first champion, it's true. But she was too violent, too out of control. Eventually Sekhmet was forced to step down, and Ra chose me as his fighter: little Bast."

My little kitten.

"Why do you sound ashamed?" Sadie asks. "You said it's an honor."

"At first I was proud, Sadie. I fought the Serpent for ages. Cats and snakes are mortal enemies. I did my job well. But then Ra withdrew to the heavens. He bound me to the Serpent with his last spell. He cast us both into that abyss, where I was charged to fight the Serpent and keep it down forever."

"So you weren't a minor prisoner." Carter says. I'm not sure if I've imagined the horror in his voice. "You were imprisoned longer than any of the other gods."

I close my eyes. The scene appears in my head, clear as day. "I still remember Ra's words: 'My loyal cat. This is your greatest duty.' And I was proud to do it...for centuries. Then millennia. Can you imagine what it was like? Knives against fangs, slashing and thrashing, a never-ending war in the darkness. Our life forces grew weaker, my enemy's and mine, and I began to realize that was Ra's plan. The Serpent and I would rip each other to nothingness, and the world would be safe. Only in this way could Ra withdraw in peace of mind, knowing chaos would not overcome Ma'at. I would have done my duty, too. I had no choice. Until your parents—"

"Gave you an escape route," Carter says. "And you took it."

I look up at him. At them. At my little kittens. I hope I don't fail them the way I failed him.

"I am the queen of cats. I have many strengths. But to be honest, Carter...cats are not very brave."

"And Ap—your enemy?"

"He stayed trapped in the abyss. Your father and I were sure of it. The Serpent was already greatly weakened from eons of fighting with me, and when your mother used her own life force to close the abyss, well...she worked a powerful feat of magic. There should've been no way for the Serpent to break through that kind of seal. But as the years have gone by...we became less and less sure the prison would hold him. If somehow he managed to escape and regain his strength, I cannot imagine what would happen. And it would be my fault."

"So why did my parents release you?" Carter asks. "Did they say?"

I nod slowly. "I was losing my fight. Your father told me that your mother had foreseen...horrible things if the Serpent overcame me. They had to free me, give me time to heal. They said it was the first step in restoring the gods. I don't pretend to understand their whole plan. I was relieved to take your father's offer. I convinced myself I was doing the right thing for the gods. But it does not change the fact that I was a coward. I failed in my duty."

"It isn't your fault," Carter tells me. "It wasn't fair of Ra to ask of you."

"Carter's right," Sadie says. "That's too much sacrifice for one person—one cat goddess, whatever."

I shake my head. How do I explain this to them? There are things and duties in this life that are bigger even than the gods.

"It was my king's will," I tell them. "The pharaoh can command his subjects for the good of the kingdom—even to lay down their lives— and they must obey. Horus knows this. He was the pharaoh many times."

"Then you had a stupid king," Carter says.

The boat shudders as if we've ground the keel over a sandbar.

"Be careful, Carter," I warn. "Ma'at, the order of creation, hinges on loyalty to the rightful king. If you question it, you'll fall under the influence of chaos."

Carter clenches his fist. I expect him to yell. It's okay. I'd yell too, if a was him. Instead, when he speaks his voice trembles as if he's on the verge of tears.

"Then maybe I'm unworthy."

"Carter?" Sadie asks.

"Nothing," Carter says. "I'm going to bed."

He storms off. The door closes with a loud thud behind him. Sadie stares at the door for a little bit, before looking back at me.

"Bast-" she starts.

"Don't." I stand from my chair and kneel before her, hand over hers. "I've had years to think about this, Sadie."

"But…"

"I know." I assure her. Then I tap her hand and get up. "You should get to bed, too." I tell her. "A long trip awaits us, but the destination will be even more demanding. You'll need all the strength you can get."

She sighs. "Will Carter be okay?"

I smile at her. "Of course, my kitten. Goodnight."