SAVVY

Chapter 6

I sat in the back of the truck, opposite Sadie and Carter. Although they looked nothing alike, I suspected they were siblings. I was right. I may not be good at reading, but I am great at reading people.

We talked, though I was super awkward. I asked them tentatively about themselves, but they were hesitant and didn't give out much information. All I could gather was this dude, Mr. Doughboy, was driving them into somewhere into Buffalo to meet up with their Uncle Vinnie (I know, right? First Mr. Doughboy, then Uncle Vinnie?). I was shocked that Isis had teleported me all the way here. Buffalo? I don't know the first thing about Buffalo, except… well, Buffalo chicken wings are good.

Anyway, judging from Carter's guilty expression, I was doubtful if they were telling the truth. Sadie was very convincing, though.

I tried acting cool and calm, but inside, I was screaming at the goddess. I mean, seriously. Buffalo, New York? How was I supposed to go back to my home? Not that it was home, of course, but it was the best temporary place so far in 14 years.

Carter and Sadie, in turn, just had to pepper me with millions of questions!

"So what were you doing outside the city?" Sadie demanded to know.

"Where are your parents?" Carter asked curiously. Mr. Doughboy was unusually silent up front. I couldn't see him at all, actually, as a wall separated the front from the back.

I plastered a fake smile on my face and tucked my hair behind my ear, which is what I always do when I lie. "I'm going to visit my grandmother. She's inside the city, and I'm a little late, so I'm grateful that you're driving me there." The lies popped out easily. I have been lying all my life.

Carter looked convinced, but not Sadie. "And your parents?" She asked, raising one eyebrow in disbelief. "Where are they? Why were you walking by yourself?"

I almost shot her a murderous look, but composed myself in time. The questions had caught me off guard. "They know, of course. My dad was driving me here, but… well… his car broke down, so I'm walking there. He's going to try to fix his car, but… there's no more battery on his phone, so he can't reach anyone, including Grandma." I thought some more. "Grandma's a little weird, so she might freak out if I don't show up. Which is why I want to get there as fast as possible," I said, smiling angelically while cursing Sadie inwardly.

Carter was nodding, but Sadie snorted.

"What is it now, Sadie?" Carter sighed, irritated.

Sadie swept back her hair. "It's obvious, dear brother. She's not telling the truth, of course!"

"How do you know?" I asked, infuriated by her very presence. I was beginning to ditch the attempt to make friends.

"Well duh! I know a liar when I see one!"

"Because you yourself are a liar." I sat back, arms folded tightly. "Your stories aren't exactly truthful either."

We glared at each other. I was really starting to dislike that girl.

Carter broke the silence nervously. "Look, let's admit that we can't tell each other some stuff. Can we just leave it at that?"

Sadie turned her glare on her brother. "Well it's not like we can just tell her everything! We don't even know if she is one at all!"

Carter shook his head. "Can't you feel it, Sadie? She is, but she doesn't know yet!"

Sadie shook her head, but suddenly the truck engine started making a bunch of popping noises, and the vehicle hissed to the stop.

We all jumped out. My head was still spinning from Carter and Sadie's words. We had stopped next to a field of tall corn stalks that stretched on for forever. There was a sign saying Buffalo - 80 miles.

"What's wrong?"

Sadie shrugged. "I don't even know how to fix engines! Wish Bast was here."

"Doesn't the driver know?"

"Well… no. You see…"

The tall wheat rustled, cutting Carter off. I stepped back nervously, hoping desperately that this was not another monster attack.

"Guys," I started slowly. "What's… going on?"

The back of my neck prickled. I thought I could pick out faint whispers in the wind. I glanced at the siblings. Both of them were staring at the wheat field.

"What is it, Sadie?" Carter whispered urgently.

"I detect something… different," said Sadie slowly.

"Could it be Setne?" asked Carter.

Sadie frowned. "I doubt it. Carter, this would probably be the right time to take it out."

Carter nodded. If I said I was confused before, I was wrong. He concentrated, crinkling his forehead, and reached his hand into empty space. My eyes widened as his hand disappeared. Then he reached back his hand, holding a brown workbag. It was like he just reached into an invisible locker and pulled out the bag!

"Where…" Words failed me.

Carter glanced at me, like he just remembered that I was a human being. "I would use the crook and flail, but I prefer the khopesh. Sadie, stay with her. Don't come with me."

"Why do I have to be the babysitter?" grumbled Sadie.

"Because you're younger," Carter replied. He rummaged around the bottom of the workbag and took out four mini statues, four centimeters each with animals for heads. He handed them to Sadie along with a compass, who set them down along a perfect square after consulting the compass. North, south, east, west, the four cardinal points.

"Wait." My voice had found its way back to my throat. "I don't get it. What the hell is going on here?"

Sadie rolled her eyes. "Here." She thrust a piece of chalk at me. "Draw a circle, connecting the Sons of Horus." She looked at my puzzled expression. "Those are the four statues," she explained.

What else could I do? I drew a circle on the ground. When I straightened back up, I folded my arms. I was determined for answers.

"I need to know right away." I said firmly. "Tell me what is happening. Now."

Sadie opened her mouth, probably to answer with a withering retort, but just then we all froze as the wind picked up and the dark clouds gathered over the rustling wheat.

Carter looked at Sadie and me glumly. "Stay in the circle, ok?"

Sadie opened her mouth to retort, but Carter disappeared into the tall wheat. She craned her neck to try to spot her brother in the wheat, but it grew too close together. She huffed in exasperation. "Stay in the circle, Sadie, you must listen to me, Sadie, you're the younger, and because I'm two years older I have complete dominance, Sadie…he's agony."

"Where's Carter?" I asked. "How is staying inside the circle protecting us?"

"It is magic protection," said Sadie. "As long as you stay inside the circle, these little chaps here—" she nudged the four little statues, the Sons of Horus, with her foot "will protect you from… things." Sadie looked away, not quite meeting my eyes.

"What kind of magic is that?" I said.

"Egyptian." She looked straight at me. "We're magicians, Sadie. We're trained to fight evil."

"You can do magic? You're a magician? An Egyptian magician? Where did you train?" I had bazillions of questions, but just then there was a yell and an earth-shattering BOOM! The dark clouds were swirling around the centre of the fields more rapidly.

It was Carter. It was definitely Carter, having trouble with whatever was out there. I glanced fearfully at Sadie, and saw that her face was pale and wan-looking.

"I have to go after Carter," muttered Sadie, and whipped around to dash straight into the wall of wheat and corn stalks. Over her shoulder, she yelled, "No matter what, stay in the circle!"

Like hell. My choices were to stay safe, or go after a couple of new and possibly insane strangers and risk death against the unknown. The choice was easy for me, as I tentatively took a step outside the circle, hoping something wouldn't magically pull me back. I never, ever, listen to people. Nothing happened when I stepped out of the circle, so I took out Thorn, and ran pell-mell into the corn stalks after Sadie, who had already disappeared.

All was quiet in the maze of wheat, when out on the road there was much noise of storm. The only sound was the rustling of the talks as I tramped straight through them. The stalks blocked out all sound, and they pulled at my hair and clothes, and I had to fight my way through it. It was really, really dark, and I was hopelessly lost.

I heard another loud BOOM. It was much close, and I struggled towards that noise. Now I could hear faint yelling, and… laughter?

I saw a light ahead, and in a few seconds I had stumbled into a clearing. Every wheat stalk had been evidently cleared. In the middle stood Carter in the middle of a battle, but Carter was… different. It was like he was encased in this giant holographic shell, which took the form of a warrior with a falcon head, about 15 to 20 feet tall. He was right in the middle, and was hovering above the ground. Whenever he made a movement, the falcon headed warrior did likewise. He was holding a really large curved sword, and was battling a…

Well, I don't really know. He was a 20 foot tall man wearing a wheat braided toga thing with leather armor over it, and bare feet. He had wheat and barley stalks braided into his hair, and he was holding a really large spear, except the spear seemed to be, well… a wheat stalk. Everything was metal, and the leaves sticking out looked really sharp. He had an aura of godliness, except the aura pulsing off him was dark as night. He was like the evil clone of Horus.

The Wheat Stalk Spear clashed with Carter's curved sword. They were fighting impossibly fast. I watched as the weapons clashed again, and Carter used that chance to yell, "Ha-wi!"

I watched in disbelief as a giant blue fist of energy slammed into the Wheat Dude, lifting him straight off his feet. Carter charged Wheat Dude again, but his actions were becoming slower, duller. I could tell that his avatar was hard to maintain. Wheat Dude was back on his feet in no time, and pointing his spear at Carter, shouted "Tas!"

Wheat stalks erupted from the tip of the spear, snaking across Carter's avatar, binding him tightly. His avatar shimmered out of reality and in five seconds flat, Carter was tightly bounded. He fell to the ground, unable to move and speak.

"Carter!" I was panicking. I barely knew this guy, but I was still scared for him.

The Wheat Dude had spotted me. Straightening, his golden eyes raked over my face, and his thin lips stretched into a painful smile. No, not a smile, a leer. At 20 feet, he blocked out any light, although the dark stormy clouds swirling around directly on top of us already covered the sun.

"So, I suppose you're here for him? Little midget, you are. You really think you can overcome the…" He trailed off. His voice sounded light and carefree, but I could hear the disturbing menace behind the façade.

"The… what?" I tried to sound strong and fearless, but there was a distinct quaver to my voice.

"Nothing. Me. Rephrase: you really think you can overcome me, the handsome Neper, the cleverest of all gods, the master of one of the finest ingredients on earth? And what do you think that is?"

I side-glanced towards the stalks. "Cornflakes?"

"You did not just say that. You did not just… you would never…" The god, Neper, shook his head and bent down on one knee to scrutinize me closely. "It's strange how initiates are so undertrained and uneducated, nowadays. A mortal would know what kind of god I am. Grain, barley, emmer wheat, I am the Egyptian patron of harvest, midget." He shrugged, and evil glint to his eye. "I always love to have a little fun before turning magicians to wheat, you know. I'm sure you— what did you say your name is? — would make great cereal."

"Savvy. I'm Savvy Hughes," None of what he said made sense to me, but for once my voice was steady. "And I refuse to be cornflakes."

Neper's mouth dropped open. "Not… You… Savannah? You… the one…?"

I didn't give him a chance.

Yep, that's right, I charged a god.