Set
"Won't they notice us in a flying boat?" Sadie asks as we descend into the city. "I mean, I know magic is hard to see, but-"
"This is New Mexico," Amos says. "They see UFOs here all the time."
The boat lands on the roof of a small church. The Plaza hasn't changed much since the last time I was here, almost 40 years ago. The town square is lined with stucco buildings. The streets are brightly lit and crowded. There are stall vendors selling strings of red peppers, Indian blankets and curios. In the plaza's bandstand, a group of five men plays mariachi music.
"This is the historic area," Amos says. "I believe they call it Mesilla."
"Have a lot of Egyptian stuff here, do they?" Sadie asks dubiously.
I kinda wish to simply observe and restrict for a little longer. But am I really going to pass on the chance to talk about cultures? Nile no. Amos doesn't even mention me using his mouth, straining to keep his control over the rest of the body.
"Oh, the ancient cultures of Mexico have a lot in common with Egypt," I say as Amos retrieves his coat from the tiller. Calendar systems, symbolism, religious practices – there is so much to talk about! "But that's a talk for another day." Unfortunately.
"Thank god," Sadie mutters. She sniffs the air. "I am starving."
We walk around the plaza, looking for food. It doesn't take us long to find handmade tortillas. It's been a while since the last time I ate Mexican food, and gods is it amazing. We sit on a nearby bench to eat. Amos keeps on walking back to the booth, buying Sadie at least a couple dozen tortillas. She devours them quicker then the sha had devoured some of my enemies. It's both horrifying and impressive. What did Bast feed those kids the last couple of days? Friskies? Eh, who cares.
"I do."
Poor Amos. Maybe you shouldn't have left them alone with the cat goddess then, huh? Or perhaps you shouldn't have followed Julius in London in the first place? This situation right now, you and me, could have been avoided if you were just a little more selfish. Maybe it's time for a change of heart? Surrender fully, side with me. Be a little selfish, Amos, you deserve to rule the world.
Amos bites into his tortilla, trying his best to look calm. Carter is enjoying the food, too, until he tries the red-chili tamales at another booth.
"Hot!" he announces. "Drink!"
"Eat more tortilla," Amos advices, holding back a laugh. I'm not sure who is more amused – me or Amos. It's a weird feeling, agreeing with a host, even if it's on something as small as laughter. "Bread cuts the heat better than water."
Sadie pats her brother's shoulder, smiling. "I think dinner's over."
We begin wandering the streets, looking for Zia Rashid. The sun is slowly going down, the sunset glowing on the city with a golden light. The sunset and the sunrise used to be my favourite part of the day. Late evenings filled with anxiety and excitement as the boat descends into the Duat. And then early in the morning, the silence of the sleepy world being broken by the solar crew cheering on, celebrating the new day. It was a different time back then, a time when I was respected not only because of fear. A time when my power, the strength of the needed chaos, was something to be proud of. I've never felt more like I have a place than on the solar boat, I've never felt more included than amongst the warriors of the night.
Amos and the two youngilngs are laughing and talking, roaming the streets of New Mexico. There is both excitement and anxiety surrounding them as the sun is setting, the night and my sunrise already on the horizon. No wonder he doesn't want to let them down. His family is where he feels in place. That's his group of warriors. If we are as alike as I think, if he is as loyal as me… well, he'll never willing side with me. There is no escaping that fact anymore. It's time to step up my game, even if it means leaving one of my players out of it.
Amos's scream is faint, almost a yelp in my head. He's struggling, of course he is.
You poor unfortunate soul, I tell him. It's sad, but true. I guess you could say it was inevitable.
"You can't push me out."
Why would I, Amos? You're the third most powerful magician in the world. We can't let your energy go to waste, now can we? And if your soul evaporates in the process, well. It won't be that big of a loss, anyway.
"Give me back the control or I'll tell them."
Oh, you will? Do it. Go ahead. Tell them.
His mouth doesn't open. In fact, no part of my body responds to him anymore. My body. That has a nice ring to it.
Everything alright? Did Bast bite off your tongue?
"I'll find a way to warn them about you."
With the little control you have left? Dropping hints is the most you'll be able to do.
"Then I will. They're smart."
Amos, Amos, Amos. You are putting way too much faith in the hands of two kids, boy. Your brother did the same and look where this led us – to my victory.
Dropping hints he will, huh? It's getting more and more fun.
"Carter." Sadie grabs her brother's arm and nods to a girl across the plaza. "Someone is here to see you."
The girl looks ready for battle in her loose black linen clothes, staff and wand in hand. The wind has blown her dark choppy hair to one side. Her amber eyes stare us down. I sort through Amos's memories. The girl is a fire magician. Then why is her aura drenched in the smell of the Nile?
Behind her is a vendor's table full of tourist souvenirs, and a poster that reads: new mexico: land of enchantment. I doubt the vendor knows just how much enchantment is standing right in front of his merchandise.
"You came." The girl says. She keeps glancing at me with apprehension.
"Yeah," Carter says nervously. "You, uh, remember Sadie. And this is—"
I lock eyes with the girl. I know this look. I reach deeper into Amos's memories, seeking out all we know about this host. Foolish wife, why a fire elemental? I thought she's smarter than that.
"Amos," Zia says uneasily.
I bow, putting on my best Amos Kane impression. "Zia Rashid, it's been several years." Four, to be exact. Turns out Zia here has babysat Amos's daughter while him and Desjardins had been off to Ra knows where. "I see Iskandar sent his best."
Zia looks devastated.
"Um, Amos," Sadie says carefully. "Iskandar is dead."
If I was actively seeking out a way to break Amos's spirit even more, I wouldn't have done better than Sadie in this moment. I let myself feel his grief, let the body shed a tear or two.
"What happened?"
"He died peacefully in his sleep." Zia says. Her voice sounds distant.
"I see," I say."Then the new Chief Lector is-"
"Desjardins." Sadie finishes.
"Ah. Bad news."
Zia frowns. She turns to Sadie, almost as if ignoring me. Very mature, Neph, very mature.
"Do not dismiss Desjardins. He's very powerful. You'll need his help—our help—to challenge Set."
"Has it ever occurred to you," Sadie says, "that Desjardins might be helping Set?"
They are really buying into this fib?
Zia glares at her. "Never. Others might. But not Desjardins."
Clearly she means Amos. It's not fair to judge the guy like that just because of his family. She is right, of course. But that's beside the point. You should get to know people before you judge them, Zia.
"You're blind," There is so much anger in Sadie's voice. I have to hold back a giggle. "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 bursts into flames.
Carter quickly moves between the two girls. "Whoa, both of you just calm down. We're here to talk."
"I am talking," Zia says. "You need the House of Life on your side. You have to convince Desjardins you're not a threat."
"By surrendering?" Sadie asks. "No, thank you. I'd rather not be turned into a bug and squashed."
I clear my throat. "I'm afraid Sadie is right. Unless Desjardins has changed since I last saw him, he is not a man who will listen to reason."
Zia fumes. "Carter, could we speak in private?"
He shifts from foot to foot. "Look, Zia, I—I agree we need to work together. But if you're going to try to convince me to surrender to the House—"
"There's something I must tell you," she insists. "Something you need to know."
My sha hearing detects footsteps coming closer. Three men. One of them walks heavily, as if the weight of the world is on his shoulders. As if he's wearing an especially heavy cape.
I tap into Amos's energy, much like thousands of years ago my followers did with me, and pull his staff out of thin air. "It's a trap."
Zia looks stunned. "What? No!"
Then we all see what I've heard. Marching towards us from the east end of the plaza is Desjardins himself. He wears cream-colored robes with the Chief Lector's leopard-skin cape tied across his shoulders. His staff glows purple. Tourists and pedestrians veer out of his way, confused and nervous, as if they aren't sure what is going on but they know enough to clear off.
"Other way," Sadie urges.
She turns and her enthusiasm dies. Like I thought, two more magicians are marching in from the west.
Sadie pulls her wand and points it at Zia. "You set us up!"
"No! I swear—" Zia's face falls. "Mel. Mel must've told him."
"Right," Sadie grumbles. "Blame Mel."
Who even is Mel? Whatever, hate that guy.
"No time for explanations," I say and blast Zia with a bolt of lightning. She crashes into the souvenir table.
"Hey!" Carter protests.
"She's the enemy," I say. "And we have enough enemies."
One of which is me.
What do you think is more amusing, I ask Amos. The kids trusting and defending a traitor, or watching the House of Life be its own demise?
Carter rushes to Zia's side. All around us pedestrians are running and panicking, scattering for the edges of the square. Chaos reigns. The energy is electrifying.
"Sadie and Carter have to get out of here. You need them alive, right? Get them out of here. Please, please, get them out of here."
I have to resist the urge to roll my eyes, but he's right. Plus, the kids will expect their uncle to protect them probably. I don't know, I've never been a good uncle. My job in this family is to kill and to make great presents. Both of which, by the way, rely on my incredible attention to detail. Just saying.
"Sadie, Carter," I say, "if things go bad, get to the boat and flee."
"Amos, we're not leaving you," Sadie says.
"You're more important," I insist. I can't believe those words just came out of my mouth. "I can hold off Desjardins for.-"
The two magicians behind us are muttering something with their staffs pointed at Sadie. Amos's family instincts are so strong, he catches me off guard.
"Look out!" Amos shouts. He spins his staff towards the magicians in black. A gust of wind swipes them off their feet and sends them swirling out of control at the center of a dust devil. They churn along the street, picking up trash, leaves, and tamales, until the miniature tornado tosses the screaming magicians over the top of a building and out of sight.
That's one of my tricks. I mention.
"I said I'll be… dropping hints."
And chaos magic is how you want to do it? Good.
I take back the control just as Desjardins roars in anger: "Kane!"
The Chief Lector slams his staff into the ground. A crack opens in the pavement and begins snaking towards us. As the crevice grows wider, the buildings tremble. Beautiful. Even stucco flakes off the walls. Before I decide what to do, Sadie speaks up.
"Quiet. Hah-ri."
Hieroglyphs blaze in front of us and the fissure stops just short of our feet.
This girl has been doing magic for not even a week at this point. Even with Isis's help, she shouldn't be this powerful.
I suck in a breath. "Sadie, how did you-"
If she is directly communicating with Isis my cover might be blown in any second.
"Divine Words, Kane!" Desjardins steps forward, his face livid. "The child dares speak the Divine Words. She is corrupted by Isis, and you are guilty of assisting the gods."
"Step off, Michel," I warn.
Amos holds out his wand, ready to defend the 'oh-so-precious' kids. "We must stop Set. If you're wise—"
"I would what?" Desjardins says. "Join you? Collaborate? The gods bring nothing but destruction."
"No!" Zia's voice. With Carter's help, she's somehow managed to struggle to her feet. "Master, we can't fight each other. That's not what Iskandar wanted."
"Iskandar is dead!" Desjardins bellows. "Now, step away from them, Zia, or be destroyed with them."
Zia looks at Carter. Then she sets… hah, sets. I love the English language. She sets her jaw and faces Desjardins. "No. We must work together."
Always the mediator.
Sadie raises an eyebrow. "You really didn't lead him here?"
"I do not lie." Zia says.
Desjardins raises his staff and huge cracks appear in the buildings all around him. Chunks of cement and brick fly at us. I summon wind and deflect them.
"Children, get out of here!" I yell. "The other magicians won't stay gone forever."
"For once, he's right," Zia warns. "But we can't make a portal—"
"We've got a flying boat," Carter offers.
Zia nods appreciatively. "Where?"
Carter points towards the church. And at Desjardins, who is between it and them.
Desjardins hurls another volley of stones. I deflect them easily with wind and lightning.
"Storm magic!" Desjardins sneers. "Since when is Amos Kane an expert in the powers of chaos? Do you see this, children? How can he be your protector?"
"Shut up," I growl. Who is this mortal to threaten my plans! This time I'll use my own power, our new Chief Lector deserves it. I raise the staff and find with surprise that Amos's anger is fueling the spell, too. Desjardins' words pocked at a bleeding wound. With a swipe of the staff, we raise a sandstorm so huge that it blankets the entire square. That's… interesting. It's been a while since someone has… you know… whatever.
"Now," Zia says. The kids make a wide arc around Desjardins, then run towards the church. As far as I can tell, they make it safely to the roof. I use Amos's energy to encase us in a shield of force. Desjardins falls suit. We are staggering, however, the effort clearly taking too much out of Amos.
Desjardins bares his teeth. I can smell the 'How dare you' and 'Have you lost your mind' that are about to come out of his mouth. Instead, he looks up and his eyes widen. I turn to see what's happening. A pillar of fire is floating towards the Chief Lector.
"Zia!" he curses. "You dare attack me?"
The column descends, passing through the branches of a tree and burning a hole straight through them. It lands in the street, hovering just a few centimeters above the pavement. The heat is so intense that it scorches the concrete curb and melts the tarmac. The fire comes to a parked car, and instead of going round, it burns its way straight through the metal chassis, sawing the car in two. Ra would approve. But since he's not here:
"Good!" I yell. "Well done, Zia!"
In desperation, Desjardins staggers to his left. The column adjusts course. He blasts it with water, but the liquid evaporates into steam. He summons boulders, but they just pass through the fire and drop into melted, smoking lumps on the opposite side.
I watch with amusement the fear in the eyes of the Chief Lector of The House of Life.
Sadie's shout snaps me out of the wonderful moment. "Amos, come on! We've got to go!"
And the younglings still suspect nothing of me. Aside from that traitor, of course. What else can you expect from Nephthys, honestly? She's always been one step ahead of me. It's so annoying.
Desjardins keeps backing up. I'm about to wave at him and head for the church, when he looks me right in the eyes.
"You will be sorry for this! You wish to play gods? Then you leave me no choice."
He pulls a cluster of arrows from the Duat. Seven of them, in fact, mirroring the Seven Ribbons of Hathor. I can't hide my horror as I look in at the arrows. The job of the Chief Lector is to keep safe the magical AND mortal communities. This will put in danger both.
"You wouldn't!" I tell him. "No Chief Lector would ever—"
"I summon Sekhmet!" Desjardins bellows. He throws the arrows into the air and they begin to twirl, orbiting me.
You know what? I tell Amos. You want to be in control? Go ahead! She's all yours!
I don't wait for Amos's response, hiding in the back of his mind. There is one daughter of Ra I have, unfortunately, always been afraid of. She's unstoppable, bloodthirsty, violent. Truly a charming goddess. Not someone I'll ever go against, though. Don't get me wrong, I've tried. Way too many times. She was actually a part of my training. Or maybe I was a part of hers, her punching bag if you will. Either way, grand grandpa Ra trained us together.
Desjardins allows himself a satisfied smile. He looks up at Sadie and Carter. "You choose to place your faith in the gods?" he calls. "Then die by the hands of a god."
Then he turns around and runs. The pillar of fire picks up speed and follows.
"Children, get out of here!" Amos yells. We're encircled by the arrows. "I'll try to distract her!"
"Who?" Sadie yells back. "Which one is Sekhmet?"
Carter turns to his sister, says something, and then runs for the tiller. A little – no, very shakily, the boat rises into the sky.
Amos eyes the arrows. They're glowing now, emanating with sun-hot power.
"Are you…"
Yes, for Ra's sake! I'm going to help you! If you die then I die, too, idiot! My soul is inside you right now!
"You can… go back, the pyramid…"
I smile. Sorry, boy. You're not getting rid of me so easily. Either I'll take control fully or we'll do this together.
The arrows are circling us faster now.
"Why?"
We want the same thing, Amos. We want to get back to the younglings. For different reasons, yes, but we can't end the game now. Where's the fun in that?
The ground shakes. The arrows rise in the sky, moving so fast they blur into each other. Then they explode, fires flying in the sky like fireworks. In the middle of the explosion is the vague humanoid form of a woman. Great. Amos raises his staff and waves in the air.
"Sekhmet!" he yells.
She looks down, spots us, shoots one of her arrows at us and sets off after the boat.
Amos rolls out of the way and raises a protective shield just as the arrow explodes in flames next to us.
"Maw."
The flames die out. Amos's clothes are damaged, but the body seems fine aside from that. There is a crater in the ground where we were standing moments ago. Both the flying boat and Ra's eye are nowhere to be seen.
Good job, Amos. I think. Quite the fight we put up, huh?
He doesn't respond, just gets up, dusts off his coat, fixes his hat and begins walking away from the Plaza.
Your hat's still smoking.
"Shut up."
Do you even know where you're going?
"Arizona."
Aha. Which is in the opposite direction, by the way. You know, maybe if I had left you with your phone you could've checked Google Maps. Welp.
"Fuck you."
Language, Amos!