Chapter 18

House of Blood

"It felt so weird, doing classes and acting normal when I know tonight I'll be spilling my blood for the sake of the Universe," Anubis told me as we were walking back to Anubis house. I wasn't really listening to him though. I was running out of time to figure out who this king could be a still nothing came to mind besides Apophis winning and becoming king of chaos.

"Hey, A, do you mind going ahead. I forgot something back at school and need to grab it," I told the boy before realizing I'd just talked right over him.

"Do you want me to come?" It seemed Anubis didn't by my story. He would be right not to, but hopefully he knew me as well as he said and could understand that there were somethings I wanted to do alone.

"Nah. I'm good it will only take a little bit. Meet you back at the house," I turned and ran back towards the school before veering toward the library.

"Sorry we're closed for the day," Nina spoke when I opened the door. "Oh. It's you, Luce. I hear you're dating my son."

"How?" I asked but Nina just waved a hand.

"News travels fast around here. Basically Fabian heard Lily talking loudly about it and texted me. But I'm guessing you're not here to talk about your love life with my son."

"I know you can't tell me who I am... I think I'll know tonight anyways. What I want to know is do I want to know? Set... Set possessed Alice and said somethings that have made me wonder."

"I know," Nina told me softly. "Like I said, Lily talks loudly. Her mother, Amber, always did too. You're wondering if you really didn't exist before." I nodded even though that hadn't been my main question. "Yes. You didn't exist until you showed up at the airport. It's standard these days for us to do a bit of research before excepting someone and when I researched you... well you didn't exist."

"So why did you let me come? I could have been a spy or terrorist or something?"

"You could have been, but you weren't. I've been around crazy long enough to spot it when I see it. I knew whatever you were you belonged here. Then, when we first met, your contacts popped a bit and I saw your eyes. I knew then who you were, but no I won't tell you yet."

"Can you tell me this then?" If Nina couldn't tell me... I'd go forward anyways, but I really needed to know. "I'm not one of the chosen, they're Nick, Anubis, Sarah, Lily, and Alice. The big question is, do I want to know who I really am?"

"Probably not," Nina told me regretfully placing a book on the shelf. "But you need to if this world is to survive. You came for a reason and now we need you to save us."

"Am I evil?" I asked before walking away.

Nina, to my great surprise, hugged me and whispered in my ear, "You're still you. Even when you know the rest you're still Luce and will only be evil if you tell yourself that's what you are."

I walked back to the house in silence and prepared for our journey down into the tunnels.

Anubis tried to talk to me all through dinner, but it was like I had moved to a different planet. Nothing anybody said to me could get through the wall I'd put up. For the others the journey was just beginning, but I knew in my heart that for me it was almost over.

Just as last night we snuck out at midnight. It was now the 21's. "Happy birthday Sarah, Anubis, Lily, Alice, and Nick. I hope your birthday luck saves us," I whispered under my breath. The moon was almost full in the dark sky and seeing its light gave me the strength to carry on walking. Before crossing the bridge with he others Anubis pulled me over to the side.

"I've been giving you space all day, but now you have to tell me what's wrong. I want to help Luce. I really care about you," Anubis pleaded.

"When we do this I'm going to know who I am. I can feel it. Dawn's coming early," I whispered so the others couldn't hear.

"That's good then isn't it?" A confused Anubis asked. "You want to know who you are so you can stop worrying. Right?"

Pulling Anubis in for a deep life-breathing kiss I wait until we broke apart to answer. "That all depends on what I find out."

The others were already surrounding the obelisk in their rightful places and Anubis joined them by the symbol of Horus. Using the knives we'd stolen from the kitchen one by one the chosen pricked their fingers and placed the blood on the sigil. With each new drop of blood a side of the obelisk lit up like a new star. Anubis was the last to go and before he went Anubis spoke, "After I do this there is no going back. The scales are 100% our responsibility and we must protect them. Are we sure this is the right thing to do?"

In their turn each Sibuna member placed their right hand over the right eye in a solemn promise that this was what they wanted. When my turn arrived I hesitated only a second before making the pledge. "Sibuna" I spoke and the others replied in turn.

With a deep breath breath Anubis pricked his finger, placed it on the sigil, and lit up the side.

Nothing happened. No doors opened, no scales appeared, only the Obeslisk stood standing tall.

"Well that was useless," Felix finally said from the side where he stood. "Shouldn't something have happened?"

"You know what the ancient Egyptians said about obelisks?" I asked the others stepping closer to the stone. "They said it was a frozen ray of light. The frozen power of Ra just waiting for the god to claim it."

"Luce, don't!" Anubis cried grabbing for me. Clearly he understood as I now did. "There has to be another way!"

"There never was," I whispered to him. "I can see it all now and I understand. Lucetta Ra never existed, she never was supposed to exist. And now... and now I've found my fob watch."

Before anyone could touch me I slammed my palm against the obelisk taking in its power.