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The doors of the balcony swung open A hts of New York blurred and faded, and I found es, in the House of Life’s main headquarters under Cairo

The roo, it could’ve hosted a littered like a river Between the coluraphic ied color to reflect different eras, froe of the Gods all the way to the criher than the ballroo orbs of energy and floating hieroglyphic symbols It looked as if soravity, all the colorful sugary bits drifting and colliding in slow motion

I floated to the end of the room, just above the dais with the pharaoh’s throne It was an honorary seat, eypt, but on the step below it sat the Chief Lector, master of the First Noician: Michel Desjardins

I hadn’t seen Monsieur Delightful since our attack on the Red Pyraed He’d only becoo, but his slick black hair and forked beard were now streaked with gray He leaned wearily on his staff, as if the Chief Lector’s leopard-skin cape across his shoulders was as heavy as lead

I can’t say I felt sorry for him We hadn’t parted as friends We’d cood Set, but he still considered us dangerous roguethe path of the gods (which we had) he would destroy us the next tiiven us much incentive to invite hiaunt, but his eyes still glittered evilly He studied the bloodred i for so

"Est-il allé?" he asked, which raone?" or possibly "Have you repaired the island?"

Fine…it was probably the first one

For ato me Then from behind the throne, a raspy voice answered, "Yes, my lord"

A man stepped out of the shadows He was dressed colasses My first thought was: My god, he’s an evil ice cream vendor

He had a pleasant sht’ve mistaken hilasses

His eyes were ruined

I’ll adery? I’ll run out of the rooe

But the man in white looked as if his eyes had been splashed with acid, then repeatedly clawed by cats His eyelids were masses of scar tissue that didn’t close properly His eyebroere burned away and raked with deep grooves The skin above his cheekbones was a mask of red welts, and the eyes themselves were such a horrible combination of blood red and milky white that I couldn’t believe he was able to see

He inhaled, wheezing so badly, the sound ainst his shirt was a silver pendant with a snake-shaped ao, one"

That voice was as horrible as his eyes If he had been splashed with acid, sos Yet thecalm and happy in his crisp white suit as if he couldn’t wait to sell ice creaood little children

He approached Desjardins, as still staring at the curtains of light The ice creaaze I did the sa at At the last pillar, just next to the throne, the light was changing The reddish tint of theto a deep purple, the color of bruises On es, I’d been told that the rooer as the years passed, and now I could actually see it happening The floor and walls rippled like a ht widened

"Ah," said the ice creae," Desjardins ed for a thousand years, Vladimir"

An evil ice creaht, then

"It is the Kanes, of course," said Vladimir "You should’ve killed the elder one while he was in our power"

My ba feathers ruffled I realized he was talking about Uncle Amos

"No," Desjardins said "He was under our protection All who seek healing iven sanctuary--even Kane"

Vladied vacuum cleaner "But surely now that he has left, we must act You heard the news from Brooklyn, my lord The children have found the first scroll If they find the other two--"

"I know, Vladimir"

"They humiliated the House of Life in Arizona They made peace with Set rather than destroy him And now they seek the Book of Ra If you would allow me to deal with them--"

The top of Desjardins’ staff erupted in purple fire "Who is Chief Lector?" he demanded

Vladimir’s pleasant expression faltered "You are, my lord"

"And I will deal with the Kanes in due tireatest threat Wedown the Serpent If there is any chance the Kanes can help us restore order--"

"But, Chief Lector," Vladiical force to it "The Kanes are part of the probleods They are teaching forbidden ic Now they would restore Ra, who has not ruled since the beginning of Egypt! They will throw the world into disarray This will only help Chaos"

Desjardins blinked, as if confused "Perhaps you’re right