18.03.2015

Ayanna Kane

I'd never really been grounded. Not for more than a couple of hours, anyways, thanks to two factors:

1) I know how to be the cutest little daughter in the world if need be and

2) usual methods of grounding just don't work on me. I'm just that great.

Taking something away? Now we're playing treasure hunting. I'd learned how to break any password and notice any hidden door in the mansion.

Making me stay inside? I know every secret passage, the placement of every single one of dad's defense traps. I'd learned the house so well, sometimes it felt like a living being whose energy I'd tapped into.

Dad knew all that. So after an almost hour long lecture on 'how dangerous it is to be reckless right now of all times', he decided I was staying in his direct line of sight.

Fair enough, I felt a little guilty about giving him a scare anyway. Me and Walt were supposed to be back home before anyone noticed, how was I to know Jaz's health would drastically decline so quickly!

Stable but unresponsive. She was supposed to be stable but unresponsive. What could have pushed her to the edge of death?

Dad couldn't tell. Khufu placed some Orios in a circle around her head. With Bast still on her little mission and Jaz... well, yeah... that was kind of the extent of our healing capabilities.

So here I was, in the library, waiting. Waiting for Menshikov to attack. Waiting to get news of Jaz's condition. Waiting for Walt to wake up. Waiting for some- any - kind of message from Carter and Sadie that they were alright. Watching my father continue his silent, seemingly innocent, research.

If I peered over his shoulder, would red ink burn through my mind?

A good person would have confronted him. Maybe stopped him. Most likely would build up his drive to continue, nothing was more stubborn than a Kane who was told what to do.

A good cousin would have told Carter and Sadie. They were the once to deal with Set, after all. They'd get worried and angry, maybe even decide that this was all initiated by the Lord of Chaos somehow.

What if they see it as betrayal, after all the pain our family went through?

I still couldn't believe uncle was dead. After six years of silence, didn't even get to say goodbye.

A good niece would agree with them.

I silently apologized to the world, to my cousins, to my uncle. Because above all, I was a good daughter.

No, I'm lying. I had no idea what a good daughter would do. I was a selfish one.

I'd spent two sleepless months, terrified we'd get one last peaceful scrying from First Nome. I could see Desjardins' eyes in the scrying oil. "Amos Kane... left us".

Amos Kane was home. He looked better. And I saw him smile today! And joke around!

My life had been turned upside down, everything and everyone I cared about was in constant danger. By Ma'at, I was going to keep my father close! Even if it meant overlooking chaos.

I didn't realize I'd zoned out until a sudden movement to my left made me jump.

Senbi was 40 sm, out of which 30 sm were just legs. This shabti had the longest legs I've ever seen on a shabti till this day. Like the majority of Dad's shabtu, he was pure white. The only additions of color were the painted and inlaid eyes and some golden hieroglyphs along the edges of his long kilt. The body had been crafted out of one part, the arms and the front parts of the feet attached separately. Well, the front part of one of his feet. The right foot was missing the toes, just enough of the base left for Senbi to be able to stand and walk properly. I don't know if it was because of the bald head or something in the face, or maybe the combination of the two – Senbi had always reminded me of Uncle Fester. Uncle Senbi.

The shabti jumped on the table and bowed.

"Ḥaty-ā, I bring news from the Hall of Ages!"

Dad pushed his research aside and nodded. "Tell me."

Senbi eyed me.

"Tell me." Dad affirmed.

I expected Senbi to start talking, but instead he turned into a classroom projector. Light shot out of his eyes, forming an image of the infamous Hall of Ages.

I looked over at dad, who smiled at my confusion.

"Senbi is not technically an information shabti" he explained. "He is more like a video surveillance system. There is a little ladybug in First Nome that sends Senbi all it sees and then Senbi alerts me of anything I need to know."

Like the connection between Zia Rashid and her shabti, but between two statuettes instead.

"So, you are spying on the Chief Lector?" I asked.

"I'm not the first to do so, nor would I be the last, Aya." Dad chucked. "It's not like I'm looking in his bedroom. Zoom in."

The last part was addressed to Senbi. The image neared the steps, focusing in on Michael Desjardins. There was someone else there, too.

I couldn't help but compare him to Sadie's description. White clothes tattered, dried up blood on the back of his head. Vladimir Menshikov looked like he'd been chewed by a dog. Clearly, he had been attacked viciously, clearly, he had been helpless.

Clearly, he had some superpower which had kept his sunglasses from breaking and his shoes spotless.

His staff looked unused, new.

Menshikov coughed. "As you can see, my Lord, the Kanes are too far gone. Power has corrupted them and they are no longer phased by human suffering. The flame must be snuffed out before it becomes a fire."

Desjardins seemed to nod along. There was no way he was actually buying this, was there?

"Was anything taken?" The Chief Lector asked.

"They stole it!" Menshikov wailed, as if he'd reached the part of the performance he'd looked forward to the most. "They stole the second scroll! I did everything in my power, my Lord, but they burst in, beat me up, left me for dead. Those godlings!"

He spat the last word out like it was a curse.

To him, it probably was.

"I already told you, Vladimir. Do what you consider right."

"I want your permission to attack, my Lord. On the Spring Equinox, we shall destroy the Twenty First Nome and rebuild it anew from the ashes."

From our blood.

I held my breath. In the following silence dad whispered "Michael, don't".

For a moment I hoped words of power can work over a great distance. But it sounded more like a plea than an order.

Desjardins sighed. Even though he was sitting down on the steps, he leaned on his staff for more support.

"You have it."

A couple of moments went by. Time seemed to have stopped. The images were long gone, the shabti staring lifelessly at Dad.

"It's final then." I finally broke the silence.

Dad didn't say anything, just stood there, still as a statue.

Panic began rising in my chest. After all the stress from today, had this been the final drop that floods the river?

"Dad…"

"I hoped Michael would come to his senses." His voice was barely above a whisper, meant for no one but himself.

He shook his head slightly.

"Ayanna?"

I looked up, just to find no pain in his eyes. I'd be lying if I said that what I saw there instead made me feel any better.

He would have never said it out loud, of course.

With my cousins away and my dad already at the edge, I had to prepare the Nome for a war. A war which was already knocking at our door.