The Chief Lector has the power to summon her once during his lifetime, Horus explained. It’s an old, old gift—goes back to the days when Ra first blessed man with magic.
Once during his lifetime, I thought. And Desjardins chooses now?
He never was very good at being patient.
I thought that the magicians don’t like gods!
They don’t, Horus agreed. Just shows you what a hypocrite he is. But I suppose killing you was more important than standing on principle. I can appreciate that.
I looked back again. The figure was definitely getting closer—a giant golden woman in glowing red armor, with a bow in one hand and a quiver of arrows slung across her back—and she was hurtling toward us like a rocket.
How do we beat her? I asked.
You pretty much don’t, Horus said. She is the incarnation of the sun’s wrath. Back in the days when Ra was active, she would’ve been much more impressive, but still....She’s unstoppable. A born killer. A slaying machine—
“Okay, I get it!” I yelled.
“What?” Sadie demanded, so loud that Zia stirred.
“Wha—what?” Her eyes fluttered open.
“Nothing,” I shouted. “We’re being followed by a slaying machine. Go back to sleep.”
Zia s
at up woozily. “A slaying machine? You don’t mean—”
“Carter, veer right!” Sadie yelled.
I did, and a flaming arrow the size of a predator drone grazed our port side. It exploded above us, setting the roof of our boathouse on fire.
I steered the boat into a dive, and Sekhmet shot past but then pirouetted in the air with irritating agility and dove after us.
“We’re burning,” Sadie pointed out helpfully.
“Noticed!” I yelled back.
I scanned the landscape below us, but there was nowhere safe to land—just subdivisions and office parks.
“Die, enemies of Ra!” Sekhmet yelled. “Perish in agony!”
She’s almost as annoying as you, I told Horus.
Impossible, Horus said. No one bests Horus.
I took another evasive turn, and Zia yelled, “There!”
She pointed toward a well-lit factory complex with trucks, warehouses, and silos. A giant chili pepper was painted on the side of the biggest warehouse, and a floodlit sign read: magic salsa, inc.
“Oh, please,” Sadie said. “It’s not really magic! That’s just a name.”
“No,” Zia insisted. “I’ve got an idea.”
“Those Seven Ribbons?” I guessed. “The ones you used on Serqet?”
Zia shook her head. “They can only be summoned once a year. But my plan—”
Another arrow blazed past us, only inches from our starboard side.