Set

The flames from the campfire are beautiful. If I look through them from the right angle, it's almost as if they're burning everything I stop my eyes on.

"I don't know," Carter says, tendrils of fire surrounding his image. "Maybe we're missing a part of Set's plan, but that's what we've gathered from all the visions."

I nod. "And what is the plan? How are we going to act from now on?"

The boy pokes the sand with his sword, avoiding his uncle's eyes. "I'm sorry, really, it's just…"

The direct approach won't work apparentlly. Guess I'll have to fully earn their trust before getting information. With only 10 hours left till my birthday this will be quite the fit.

I sigh. "You don't want me to know."

Carter opens his mouth to say something, but I stop him. "It's okay, I get it. I wouldn't trust me either if I were you."

Amos stands up and opens his palm towards the fire. Flames rise and pour into his hand, burning through his resources.

"We better get going," Amos says. "The clock is ticking."

Carter nods and stands up too. "Where's that supply locker you were talking about?"

"On the deck. The coats are on the bottom right shelf."

"Thanks."

Behind us, Muffin mews in protest. Amos turns to see Sadie rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

"Good, you're up," Amos says. "We were about to wake you."

Khufu leaps over to Sadie and makes a purring sound. The cat jumps in his arms.

"I've asked Khufu to take the cat back to Brooklyn," Amos explains. "This is no place for her."

I'm so glad Bast is out of the game. We've fought side by side so many nights, that she would easily recognize me.

Khufu grunts, clearly unhappy with his assignment.

Amos lock his eyes on the baboon. "I know, my old friend," There is a hard edge to his voice that I haven't heard him use until now. He's asserting dominance. "It is for the best."

"Agh," Khufu says, not meeting Amos's eyes.

"Can he travel safely?" Sadie asks. "Out here all by himself?"

"Oh, yes," Amos promises. "Khufu—and all baboons—have their own brand of magic. He'll be fine. And just in case..."

He brings out the wax crocodile figurine. "This will help if the need arises."

Sadie coughs. "A crocodile? After what we just—"

"It's Philip of Macedonia," Amos explains.

"Philip is wax?"

"Of course. Real crocodiles are much too difficult to keep. And I did tell you he's magic."

Amos tosses the figurine to Khufu, who sniffs it, then stuffs it into a pouch with his cooking supplies. Khufu throws a nervous look at Sadie, then glances fearfully at Amos and ambles over the dune with his bag in one arm and Muffin in the other.

That little shit is onto us. I note.

"Don't call him-"

What? Little shit? And what are you going to do? Fight me?

My laugh echoes in his brain, for a second silencing every other sound around us.

Now be a good puppet and ask her about their plans. Please.

"Now, then," Amos says. "From what Carter has told me, Set means to unleash his destruction tomorrow at sunrise. That gives us very little time. What Carter would not explain is how you plan to destroy Set."

Sadie glances at Carter who is walking towards us with a brand new linen coat on.

"It's best we keep that to ourselves," she says flatly. "You said so yourself. What if Set attached a magic listening device to you or something?"

"Honestly-"

His soul yelps, red ropes closing around it's throat. Amos's jaw tightens.

"You're right," he says grudgingly. "I can't trust myself. It's just...so frustrating."

"We should head to Phoenix," Sadie says. There is so much guilt in her eyes. That's something I would never expect from Isis in a milliard years. "Perhaps along the way..."

Carter speaks up. "We should stop in Las Cruces."

Las Cruses? Why? Is that a part of their plan? Amos looks at Sadie, but she seems as surprised as us.

"That's near here," Amos says slowly. "But..." He picks up a handful of sand and murmurs a spell. There is an uncomfortably warm feeling inside his hand, like a burn. He throws the sand into the air. The grains float, powered by Amos's own energy, and form a wavering arrow, pointing southwest toward a line of rugged mountains.

"As I thought," Amos says, and the sand falls to the earth. "Las Cruces is out of our way by forty miles—over those mountains. Phoenix is northwest."

"Forty miles isn't so bad," Sadie says. "Las Cruces... Carter, why there?"

"I just..." He looks so uncomfortable it's both funny and pitiful. "I had a vision."

"A vision of loveliness?" Sadie teases him.

What is that about? Man, have we missed a lot.

Carter swallows hard. "I just think we should go there. We might find something important."

"Too risky," Amos says. "I can't allow it with the House of Life on your trail. We should stay in the wilderness, away from cities."

Where it'd be easier for us to beat them up and capture then if things go wrong.

Amos doesn't seem to like the idea. Oh, well.

"No, Carter's right," Sadie says. "We have to go there."

It's her brother's turn to look surprised. "I am? We do?"

"Yes."

Sadie goes on to tell us about a talk she had with da… father. Funny how both Nut and Geb have talked with the younglings already. Won't be surprised if they don't even think about me anymore.

Amos brushes some sand off his jacket. That burning feeling won't disappear from his hand and it's starting o annoy me, too. "That's interesting, Sadie. But I don't see how Las Cruces comes into play."

"Because it's Spanish, isn't it?" Sadie says. "Las Cruces. The crosses. Just as Geb told me."

She's right.

"Yeah…"

Amos nods reluctantly. "Get in the boat."

"A bit short on water for a boat ride, aren't we?" Sadie asks.

Still, she follows him on the boat. Amos takes off his coat and whispers a divine word. It tastes like smoke. Instantly, the coat comes to life, drifts to the stem and grasps the tiller.

Amos turns to Sadie and smiles. His soul begins to glow faintly. "Who needs water?"

The boat shudders and lifts into the sky.