“And I wish we had more time,” Iskandar said. “You have a strong spirit, Sadie Kane. Someday, you will make an excellent guardian ba.”
“Thanks,” I muttered. “Can’t wait to be poultry forever.”
“I can only tell you this: your choice approaches. Don’t let your feelings blind you to what is best, as I did.”
“What choice? Best for whom?”
“That’s the key, isn’t it? Your father—your family—the gods—the world. Ma’at and Isfet, order and chaos, are about to collide more violently than they have in eons. You and your brother will be instrumental in balancing those forces, or destroying everything. That, also, your mother foresaw.”
“Hang on. What do you—”
“Until we meet again, Sadie. Perhaps some day, we will have a chance to talk further. But for now, pass through! My job is to assess your courage—and you have that in abundance.”
I wanted to argue that no, in fact, I didn’t. I wanted Iskandar to stay and tell me exactly what my mother had foreseen in my future. But his spirit faded, leaving the deck quiet and still. Only then did I realize that no one else on board had said a thing.
I turned to face Carter. “Leave everything to me, eh?”
He was staring into space, not even blinking. Khufu still clung to my legs, absolutely petrified. Bast’s face was frozen in mid-hiss.
“Um, guys?” I snapped my fingers, and they all unfroze.
“Ba!” Bast hissed. Then she looked around and scowled. “Wait, I thought I saw...what just happened?”
I wondered how powerful a magician had to be to stop time, to freeze even a goddess. Some day, Iskandar was going to teach me that trick, dead or no.
“Yeah,” I said. “I reckon there was a ba. Gone now.”
The baboon statues began to rumble and grind as their arms lowered. The bronze sun disk in the middle of the river sank below the surface, clearing the way into the lake. The boat shot forward, straight into the flames and the boiling red waves. Through the shimmering heat, I could just make out an island in the middle of the lake. On it rose a glittering black temple that looked not at all friendly.
“The Hall of Judgment,” I guessed.
Bast nodded. “Times like this, I’m glad I don’t have a mortal soul.”
As we docked at the island, Bloodstained Blade came down to say good-bye.
“I hope to see you again, Lord and Lady Kane,” he hummed. “Your rooms will be waiting aboard the Egyptian Queen. Unless, of course, you see fit to release me from service.”
Behind his back, Bast shook her head adamantly.
“Um, we’ll keep you around,” I told the captain. “Thanks for everything.”
“As you wish,” the captain said. If axes could frown, I’m sure he would have.
“Stay sharp,” Carter told him, and with Bast and Khufu, we walked down the gangplank. Instead of pulling away, the ship simply sank into the boiling lava and disappeared.
I scowled at Carter. “‘Stay sharp?’”
“I thought it was funny.”
“You’re hopeless.”
We walked up the steps of the black temple. A forest of stone pillars held up the ceiling. Every surface was carved with hieroglyphs and images, but there was no color—just black on black. Haze from the lake drifted through the temple, and despite reed torches that burned on each pillar, it was impossible to see very far through the gloom.
“Stay alert,” Bast warned, sniffing the air. “He’s close.”
“Who?” I asked.
“The Dog,” Bast said with disdain.