“We don’t have enough time,” I summed up. “It’s either the Book of Ra, or Zia.”
Why did I press Carter, when I knew what he was going to say?
“I can’t leave her.” He looked at the sun, now dipping toward in the horizon. “She’s got a part to play, Sadie. I don’t know what it is, but she’s important. We can’t lose her.”
I waited. It was obvious what had to happen, but Carter wasn’t going to say it.
I took a deep brea
th. “We’ll have to separate. You and Bes go after Zia. I’ll track down the scroll.”
Bes coughed. “Speaking of bad ideas…”
Carter couldn’t look me in the eyes. I knew he cared about me. He didn’t want to be rid of me, but I could sense his relief. He wanted to be released from his responsibilities so he could hunt down Zia. “You saved my life,” he said. “I can’t let you go alone into the desert.”
I unclasped my shen necklace. “I won’t go alone. Walt offered to help.”
“He can’t,” Bes said.
“But you won’t tell me why,” I said.
“I—” Bes faltered. “Look, I promised Bast I’d watch you, keep you safe.”
“And I expect you to watch Carter very well. He’ll need you to find this village. As for me, Walt and I can manage.”
“But—”
“Whatever Walt’s bloody secret is, whatever you’re trying to protect him from, it’s making him miserable. He wants to help. And I’m going to let him.”
The dwarf glared at me, possibly wondering if he could yell BOO! and win the argument. I suppose he realized I was too stubborn.
He sighed in resignation. “Two young people traveling alone through Egypt…a boy and a girl. It’ll look strange.”
“I’ll just say Walt’s my brother.”
Carter winced. I hadn’t meant to be harsh, but I suppose the comment was a bit hurtful. Looking back, I’m sorry for that, but at the time I was terrified and angry. Carter was putting me in an impossible position.
“Go,” I said firmly. “Save Zia.”
Carter tried to read my expression, but I avoided looking at him. This was not the time for us to have one of our silent conversations. He didn’t really want to know what I was thinking.
“How will we find each other?” he asked.
“Let’s meet back here,” I suggested. “We’ll leave at dawn. Allow ourselves twenty-four hours, no longer, for me to find the scroll, you to find Zia’s village, and both of us get back to Alexandria.”
Bes grunted. “Not enough time. Even if everything goes perfectly, that’ll leave you about twelve hours to put together the Book of Ra and use it before the eve of the equinox.”
He was right. It was impossible.
Yet Carter nodded. “It’s our only chance. We have to try.”
He looked at me hopefully, but I think I knew even then that we wouldn’t meet in Alexandria. We were the Kanes, which meant everything would go wrong.
“Fine,” I muttered. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I should go pack.”
I walked inside before I could start crying.
C A R T E R