-Trevor Starr-

I pinch the bridge of my nose to try and ease off the incoming headache. This newly promoted General of Armies is taking her position to a serious degree. And why the fuck did Amy have to go and die in the middle of that Roman camp? Now, without his voice of reason, the House of Life is on the verge of declaring war on this Camp Jupiter.

Here I thought we got past the potential nightmare that haunted me for weeks. Friedrich seemed the looming presence threatening to rip everything from under our feet. Fearing the Chief Lector's death meaning godlings running for their lives once more. It had only been a year since, and now I'm scared it's not over.

Of course, I stepped up to be a more active voice/listener within the Per Ankh. Because I felt I needed to support what the leaders of the House stand for. With Melissa in Amos' place now, I'm annoyed beyond belief. Carter had better options than this. Why did he go with an aggressive combat magician that seems to think war is the answer?

"I'm sorry Starr, do you need a break?" Mel's voice snaps.

I remove my hand and see her hands on her hips now. "Sadly, I don't think that would help," I answer back, earning several Nome Leader's eyes. "I just think it's ironic that the General before you was advocating for peace."

Mel tsks, "Perhaps you should tell that to the demigods when we face them? They are the ones that killed him."

"Shouldn't we, I don't know, try to respect the dead a bit?" I suggest.

She gives an amazed laugh at that. "And what? Let them get away with murder?"

"I only started joining these stupid meetings to support Kane. While most of you have been a bunch of backstabbing asshats. More than half of you would have been the ones to put the knife in him if given the chance. You can all drop the act and just say you are prejudiced."

This started an uproar amongst the sea of Nome Leaders. Because why just admit that I'm right? "I'm sorry, Trevor, but I happen to recall that you were a bully of Amos when we were all training in Cairo. Am I misremembering?" Mel's green eyes are staring me down.

I roll my eyes and stand up now. "That's not the play you think it is, Sis. I supported everything Amos was for as Chief Lector and General of Armies. For once, I felt like we were walking in the right direction. The fact that Pharaoh put you in his position is a slap in his face. It's a slap in everyone's face."

I look around at the eyes glaring me down, but I'm too done with this to stand down. "I believed in what he was building for our future. Finally, someone was tired of all the fighting we've been doing. This was a step in the right direction especially with a new Pharaoh when we haven't even had one in our ranks during any of our lifetimes."

"I think you forgot the part where Kane was killed in cold blood by a Roman demigod. Try using this passion you have towards righting that wrong," Mel rolls her eyes and looks as if she wants to move on with the meeting.

"Jabari Kane would have loved you," her gaze is quickly back on me, a snarl on the edge of her lips. "That man was all for killing, ensure he was the most powerful magician he could be in the ranks. His pose of combat fucks believed in it too." I make sure everyone is paying attention to their annoyance. "Amos is the one who put him in his place. Remember that while you're out there slaughtering children."

I turn to the German Nome Leader to my right, whose foot is in my path out. "Excuse me, I'm done," I announce to the rest of the row of Nome Leaders so they understand to adjust.

"Go ahead and run, Starr," Melissa taunts while I get out of the row, back still turned from her. "We all know that the important issues are not your expertise anyways. We'll see you in our meetings after the war."

Sebastian Kurtz is of course ahead of me, acting like he wants to say something, but I'm quicker to leave the meeting. Closing the door behind me, I exhale and rotate my arms to release the tension. Maybe I will just be known as the Nome Leader that keeps walking out, but I know enough to understand when we shouldn't participate rather than shamelessly agree in unison just because someone in a higher position says so.

Portalling home, I immediately make my way toward the kitchen. Max Hunter is surprisingly alert and follows after me. The guy has been typically out doing whatever his Animal Charming heart desires. "Did you really leave the meeting calling Whittaker out?"

I dismiss this whole question until I grab a beer. Max waits until I take a sip of it and face him. "Did you?"

"Someone had to give the bitch a reality check," is my answer chased with more beer.

Max immediately gives me an annoyed expression at that. "What reality check? The one where the Romans attacked our General? She was there!"

"So she says," I roll my eyes at that.

Max tsks at that, and I take in his frustration. "You think we should go to war with them?" I ask, curious. After all, this is one of Kane's childhood friends.

"I'm not going to pretend like I understand every important detail between us and them. But yes, I feel we shouldn't take their aggression lightly." Max shakes his head. "You have a guest from Paris, said it was in concern with what you just did. I probably wouldn't have known if he hadn't told me."

What the hell, I really can't just come home and not deal with someone wanting my attention? I chug the rest of the beer down, Max watching as I throw the bottle into the trash. "They're in the dining room."

"Thank you," I leave the kitchen so I can get this all over with.

I wasn't sure who I was expecting to be here, but I was still a tad dumbfounded when face to face with Francis Sabat sitting at the table. He was smiling though, not at all aggressive in any way. But I'm still standing at the entryway giving him an apprehensive look.

"Please sit, Starr," he offers to try and settle the tension I'm giving off.

I shake my head and pull a chair out to sit in it. "Sorry, I'm just surprised you are here," I clarify.

"Understandable, you did just leave a meeting standing against the General of Armies. For all you know, I could be here to act on that," Sabat reasons.

"Hunter told me you are here for exactly that," I point out quickly.

"I am," he intertwines his fingers on the table. "You're a lot like your father."

I cross my arms over my chest, taking in the relaxed nature of my guest still. "The Per Ankh needs to be told to fuck off every now and again."

"I hold faith in the Per Ankh and its members, but you are right. Some people really test that idealism, don't they?" Francis quickly notes that he needs to hurry up and tell me why he is here. "My mother is still Nome Leader, so I do not hold the same standing as you do. I'm looking for others that would be willing to oppose the Per Ankh if they do decide to go to war with the Romans."

I blink as I process what he just said. "Like you want to start a fight amongst ourselves? Again? We just got done doing that, didn't we?"

He nods to that. "Yes, but that was also an important struggle as far as I understand it. My mother was one that was against Kane's leadership of course."

My eyes narrow at that, and he quickly shuts up. "My wife died in that fight trying to protect the First Nome."

Francis swallows before sitting up straighter in his chair. "I'm sorry for your loss. I wish I understood more then on what was happening, I would have perhaps been more active."

"But you understand why I'm against the idea of another civil war?" I snap.

"Absolutely, you don't want to risk losing someone else close to you." Oh good, he does have ears. "However, I know that we both agree that going to war with Rome is even worse."

My eyes narrow at that. "What do you think will help you reach your goal?"

"I," he gives a nervous laugh "I haven't thought that far into it. I just need allies. I'm searching for enough people that are against the idea of war."

I eye-roll at this. "You haven't even thought about if you were to fight?"

"I'm hoping not," Sabat explains.

"You realize you are hoping the Per Ankh will just listen because you have people on your side?"

"Yes!"

I click my tongue in annoyance. "That's an easy way to get yourself hurt."

"Fighting Rome will cause even more irreparable damage."

"I agree," I sigh as I take the Frenchman in. "If you are just looking for supporters, then yes count me in. Just know that it won't be peaceful, you are facing the same Per Ankh that was against Kane being Chief Lector."

"I'm striving to make sure we don't fight amongst ourselves."

"But what if we find that we have to?" I ask.

Francis doesn't like that I'm pushing this hard fact down his throat. "Then I suppose we will have to fight to defend ourselves."

"You better find enough supporters so it doesn't come to that."

There's silence at the table for a minute. But I'm being reminded of the lecture I received from a very dead Amos a year ago. Calling me lazy for not stepping in and watching things unfold. It takes more than a few people to secure their future, Starr. Do not take this warning lightly.

If it's happening, right now, not last year when I heavily believed, I'd be an idiot to not listen to said advice. I am just dreading the idea of having to fight the Per Ankh if it comes to it. "Count me as one of them, Sabat," I grind my teeth a bit after saying as much. "But only out of respect for Kane. I know we're going to have to fight them." I warn as I stand up and leave promptly.

I don't want to have to fight Whittaker, or Pharaoh if it comes to it. But if I learned anything yet from the dirt I've stumbled upon in the past year, it's more effective if you act on your beliefs than not. Kane is the only one to do as much, and with some extent of success. I just better hope some of his good luck brushes off on us to some degree.

-Vika Menshikov-

The trip into the houses was wild. Sadie had proven to be helpful; I hadn't questioned that part of all of this. I'm just nervous about the bad news that I know is lingering to strike.

Upon boarding at the seventh house, I make it obvious to Sadie that my goal here is to search for the late Chief Lector as said earlier. She, in turn, tells me she'll ask her father if he knows anything about Iskandar having an apprentice if I'm unable to find him. I roll my eyes, "I doubt he will know. But do keep him distracted before he finds out I'm here."

I watch her approach the house before us before I head in the direction of Aaru. Perhaps I should have braced myself for the beauty of the place. Fields of tall green grass, the smell of lotus lingering in the air. The river Nile alongside looks far more gorgeous than she has anywhere else I've seen.

Several bas are here, but most of them are faces I have never seen. At this point, I'm just looking for anyone vaguely familiar. Of course, I'm being stared at by most of them as I walk through them all. I doubt they've encountered very many living people here; this is probably an oddity to them.

"Printsessa," I freeze to the familiar voice that sounded from behind me. "Da quanto tempo!"

I take a breath and turn on my heels to be met with a face I hadn't figured I'd see again. Short black hair, and green eyes that I know must have made my brother trip over himself. Grinning from ear to ear upon meeting again, he gestures to me to follow him. "Come, I know Yev will want to see you too!"

It takes a few steps and him turning to gesture me to follow again to make me realize I had frozen in place. Emotions are hitting me all at once. Tears are threatening to unleash as I realize what is happening.

I spent years looking for Rua after my brother's death. A long list of deaths was committed at my hands in the desperate search to only find he had been killed only a few days after Yevgeni had. All I found was hurt, hate, the bitter taste of revenge in my mouth, and one stupid combat magician that thinks that we are friends when he was lucky I hadn't killed him for the damage he has done as well.

The first one was a fool that knew who I was despite my effort to hide and seduce for information. Laughed in my face as he told me how he had stabbed my brother, glee in his eyes as he described Rua's pleas in response. And now I'll ravage his sister. Earned him a flint dagger in the neck. I left his body there to rot on the hotel bed and swore to not tell Vlad of Yev and Mariano's relationship. Vlad only knew that I made my first kill, and it was one of Jabari's lackeys.

Two more were killed on my search, and one evening I found myself face to face with one Floyd Starr. Another foolish Jabari lackey, but this one saw the devastation I was now committed to. He admitted that Jabari had sent him to find out what was happening to the rest of their allies. But finding a furious Menshikov with their blood on her hands wasn't what he had pictured at the end of the road.

I wonder time again if I should have just killed Starr as well after he had willingly told me what had come of Mariano. Tearfully admitting guilt of sacrificing Rua to a god that they hope will keep supporting them. All because they sensed his hosting of Set. Letting me into the knowledge that Jabari himself was a host of Horus as if a warning to stop where I was. He said he would take him out once he lost himself, only to do it years too late.

Despite how much rage I still hold against him, Floyd seems to keep showing how much I would have deeply regretted killing him as well. Would Amos have survived his father's kill orders if Starr hadn't harbored him? Would Jabari end up being Chief Lector after Iskandar had fallen ill? Would the world have even survived the Lord of Chaos emerging into the world under Jabari's leadership? I scoff at the thought of death due to his incompetence. I would have foolishly followed my brother into making deals with the giant snake in an attempt to upheave his hold on the Per Ankh.

I shiver and realize a chilled hand had gone to wipe a tear off my face. "We missed you too, Vika. Now come, don't make a bigger scene."

"Izvini," I wipe the rest of the tears off of my face as I laugh at how foolish I am being. "I'm looking for Chief Lector Iskandar. You were not a face I expected to find."

Mariano nods in understanding, and I follow his lead now. "Is this about him having an apprentice?"

I'm stunned he knows as much, but he turns to take in my expression before I ask. "Set's latest host. Kane that pretends he is not. If an alliance between your families was to happen, I suppose it would require someone like that."

"You still had a link?" I question this. If that is the case, how much has he seen of events over the past years?

"To Set, yes." There's silence for a moment walking wherever he is leading me. "Yev and I are impressed. You treat him as if a younger brother."

The last part was meant to be a joke from the laugh he had after saying as much. But it landed like a realization for me, and I'm slightly annoyed with myself for not seeing that before now. "He's been a crucial ally, though a bit stupid."

"Everyone has their stupid moments, Vika," he points out swiftly. "You know that. You just look down on him for his age."

I nod, processing that I do somewhat. "He showed me it was okay to disagree with family," I admit.

Rua faced me to that, gloom in his eyes. "Vladimir didn't make it to Aaru."

I'm not entirely surprised by that, but it still hurts knowing I won't ever see him again. He had lost himself a long time ago when Kazimir was killed protecting Otets. His peaceful Animal Charming ways turned violent. His first kill was birds, and I had helped him bury them. I never told anyone about it, and I should have.

He knew poisons. His favorite animals were those that were effective at killing. A snake charmer to suddenly be charmed by the biggest snake of them all. I was reminded of the birds in the courtyard when I was forced to overthrow his leadership of our Nome. He betrayed us all but claimed he was protecting us all from Kane. Ironic that Amos was the one that didn't immediately see me as a threat after Vladimir's death.

"I have a guest," Rua suddenly spoke, and I realize he had walked a bit further ahead.

"I swear if it's another pet demon Mariano-" My eyes widen to hearing my brother Yevgeni's voice again. Sounding annoyed with his boyfriend too, I laugh as I approach.

"Shush," Rua huffs. "Don't make a fool of yourself!"

"I'm not the one that finds fire-breathing demons and names them Mia. Then wonders why it causes turmoil with the other bas!"

I face my brother. He looks just like when he was Nome Leader at the age of twenty-five. He takes a moment to process who he is looking at, and peers at Rua as if he is to explain himself.

"Maybe not fire-breathing, but I recall my pet name was from you?" I tease a bit.

Yev's arms cross over his chest, but there's a worried look on his face. "Vika, did you-?"

"She's not dead," Rua answers casually. "She's here looking for Iskandar."

Yev's eyes narrow at that. "The thing with the Hebrew?"

Rua rolls his eyes at that. "Kane, though his name is Hebrew…"

"Did his niece tell you her vision?" Yev keeps the questions on me.

I nod, "Recently, I suspect you both knew the same time Amos had?"

"Well, I saw it. I don't know how long ago," Rua explained.

"Iskandar has been busy since his death," Yevgeni starts. "Death wasn't something he felt was a deserved relaxation. Cleopatra thinks he shouldn't have entered Aaru at all."

I raise an eyebrow at that. I never really dug into Iskandar's past; I don't think very many have. Would be rude to ask, considering he survived Rome's conquest. Perhaps it should be asked now that Egypt is about to face another war with Rome.

Like old times, my brother immediately read it on my face. "I know where he is. You can ask your series of questions directly."

I turn to Rua. "You said you have a link to Set still. Is Kane alive?"

Mariano doesn't like the question, but he caves to answer. "I know that Set is still in the world."

A sign that Amos could still be alive? I'll take it at this point. I curtsied towards Rua, to which he responds with a bow in respect. Then I follow my brother, who waited patiently for my goodbye.

"I saw your fountain," he starts, copper gaze on me. "You know that should be you rather than me?"

I forgot about the fountain project already. Dupoint has now had five times the amount of time I was more than happy to allot to the project. However, he had not reached out to me yet about it being completed. Odd, especially if Yev already knows of it.

"I appreciate it, but I had nothing to do with any of it. That was all you Printsessa."

"Certainly," I watch his gaze turn ahead of where he is leading us, "except it was in honor of great leaders."

"A controversial piece to put in the middle of a remodeled First Nome?"

I roll my eyes at that. "Why not? It's controversial that I'm even Chief Architect. We both know I'm not good with buildings."

Yevgeni clicks his tongue in response to that. "You're honoring someone that's disgraced his family."

My eyes narrow at the implication of that. "Why do you say that?"

He stops and faces me, a slightly agitated expression on his face. "You know why, it's the reason you've turned assassin, isn't it?"

Net, Aaru was meant to be a peaceful afterlife. Why is my brother facing judgment here after getting in? Had Otets turned away from him because of Mariano? What an unfair judgment to be cast.

"Kazimir still talks with us, but it's to Otets' distaste."

"You realize our father's divorce could be judged just as harshly?" I growl, annoyed that any of this is even happening.

"Yes, but he felt at the time that he was freeing her," Yev reminds.

"You are not a disgrace to the Menshikov family, Yev. People turning on you for your heart belonging to Mariano are not worth your time wasted. You've done more for your Nome than Otets can say. He's the one beneath you, brat."

Yev's face sinks in response. "We are still Russian nobles, Vika-"

"Abo is. We haven't been since the revolution, Yevgeni."

"Don't disgrace Otets like that," Yev is quick to point out that I called our father by his given name.

I cross my arms, and my brother sighs in response to my stance on this. "Vladimir disgraced the Menshikov family."

"He was doing what he knew, Vika. How long did we spend fighting Kanes?"

"You mean wanting to dismantle the one that defeated our true enemy? Jabari Kane himself?" I snort at the stupidity of it. Vlad believed that the whole lot of them are evil and that we needed to protect ourselves from them, despite being there to watch Jabari's secondborn exile his father. "We were both in agreement that Vlad was lost way before then, Yev. Don't fake faith in his actions."

"Vika, Yev," Chief Lector Iskandar's voice makes me jump in surprise.

I take a moment to calm myself. My brother smirks at me as Iskandar appears to be slightly surprised to see us as well. "My sister was hoping to ask you a few questions if you are not too busy?" Yevgeni asks.

"For the Menshikovs, I'm always available." Iskandar settles his eyes on me. "You've hardly ever asked for an audience with me in the past. You have my full attention, Lady Menshikov."

Yevgeni dismisses himself. I want to protest that, but Iskandar sighs as he watches him leave as well. "I'm certain he was glad to see you again. He's had a rough go in Aaru once Julius opened the doors."

It's the fact that Iskandar himself knew that makes me want to cry again. "How is it right to dismiss your son because of who he loves? When he's honored your name even in death?" I face the late Chief Lector.

"Humans have always been cruel. Even the ones you should trust have the chance to turn on you." Iskandar settles his eyes on me now. "It's the ones that extend a hand to their enemy that make up for it."

Iskandar has a knowing look in his gaze. I choose to ignore that he has been watching the ongoings of the Per Ankh. "I am here to ask you about a supposed apprentice of yours?"

"That is not as pressing," Iskandar waves his hand as if to physically dismiss the question. "You want to ask me about Per Ankh's new threat?"

Uh… I'm surprised by his reaction to my initial question. But, if he has information on whoever it is we are facing, it would be wise to hear him. "I would be foolish to not hear you on this, I reckon."

Iskandar nods, "You face a demi-magician. One that was heavily trained in the Per Ankh."

I take a moment to process this. What is a demi-magician? How is one trained on our way to end up in a Roman camp? I give Iskandar a confused look, about to ask, but he raises his hand to halt me from doing so.

"A demi-magician is rare, for good reason. This one in particular, I was unaware he survived this long. He's the reason we had such conflict with Rome in the first place. Mixing pantheons has proven to be a mistake, it's why I had made deals with them to keep separated as much as possible. We had excelled on this plan, up until Julius Kane ended up in the middle of Greek territory."

I snort at that last part. "Sorry, it would be a Kane fucking things up."

Iskandar lets out a heavy sigh. "I doubt he will be very pleased with himself knowing what it's lead up to. Though I will applaud his knowledge in looping a Setian into the matter. Smart play, still foolish."

"So, this demi-magician is as old as you?" I bring us back to the topic quickly.

"I have fifty years on him, but yes. I was Chief Lector when Rome swept over us. Ptolemy was a teenager at the time. We both see Rome's conquest very differently."

Ptolemy, that's royalty. My eyes widen as I face Iskandar again. "I was informed that our enemy goes by Theo now?"

"I can't say I blame him for changing his name. He is harboring in enemy territory. Which makes this all an old issue between us. I trust it's because I traded him for what remained of the Per Ankh. Now, he's looking to strike back at me, and my apprentice ended up in the middle of it. If I had known this would happen, I wouldn't have gotten him involved too."

"Ptolemy is the offspring of Cleopatra and Julius. Cleopatra trusted he would take his place as ruler of Rome and Egypt, even after Caesar was assassinated. Caesar's relatives would not tolerate this. Egypt suffered from Cleopatra's arrogance, and she killed herself before she faced the consequences of her actions. Having sent her son elsewhere, I was left as our leadership."

"I was left to a decision that Octavian found humorous. Either watch what little remained of us die, or bring Caesarion back. As Chief Lector, I was to protect the throne. But what if the throne is already lost?"

A tough situation to be put in, I nod in understanding to the rest of this story that I can puzzle out for myself. Iskandar had made the call to step down from his royal duties. Traded this child of Cleopatra to be released and protect our ways in the devastation that was Egypt's annexation to Rome. "You did what you felt was right then."

"Ptolemy sees it otherwise," Iskandar sighs in annoyance. "I trust he plans to use the Romans to destroy the Per Ankh. I betrayed him; therefore, the Per Ankh betrayed him. He must have had an ear close to the ground, even for finding out that I ever had an apprentice."

"What does he want from them?" I ask though I fear it's for revenge purposes.

"He has something that Caesarion thinks is his property. Perhaps a bit of revenge back on me." Iskandar pauses taking me in. "You know him, I'm surprised you haven't found out yet."

I raise an eyebrow at this. "To be honest, Chief Lector, you never seemed like you would have had the time to have an apprentice?"

"Please, it's just Iskandar now," he smiles at me. "I was always busy, wasn't I? However, I did find the time to train one further in Statuary. The child has good listening skills; I trust I had some impact on his leadership."

He's in a leadership role, that's a start somewhere. Iskandar exhales deeply as if disappointed I hadn't puzzled it out yet. "You watched me listen to his words over his father's, was quite the scandal."

I'm struck dumb. Of course, I remember. I'm such an idiot for not seeing it before. And my gods does the thought of it hurt much worse.

My nerves are shot now. I had turned away from the late Chief Lector, heading back the way I came for my boat. I board and sit down before I realize others are onboard as well, watching me in stunned silence.

I blink and realize Sadie Kane had found her way back, but this time with Mariano and Yevgeni accompanying her. "Are you alright?" Sadie inquires first.

I shake my head, but take in the two bas with us. "Why are these two onboard?"

"I know where you are heading next. Set was inspecting the rift between the afterlives during the short time that he was without a host." Rua is quick to supply.

"I didn't know that Uncle Amos wasn't hosting after Mount Olympus. Did you?" Sadie asks, seeming rather shocked by the news.

"I knew to a point. He should have died there if you remember." I sigh before asking further into this. "Why would we head that way?"

"Mum said that Caroline went that way," Sadie explains. "She's pretty sure she knows where my uncle is."

That's not necessarily good news. Why can't I just grasp something positive without any negativity? I face Rua, trying my best to appear neutral at this point. "Lead the way then."