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Magicalto clean up I had to duck to avoid getting dusted For some reason, the dusters think my hair is a maintenance issue

[No comments froathered on the veranda, which served as our dining area and albino crocodile habitat Philip of Macedonia splashed around happily in his pool, ju for bacon strips whenever a trainee tossed hi was cold and rainy, but the fire in the terrace’s rabbed a pain au chocolat and a cup of tea from the buffet table and sat down Then I realized the others weren’t eating They were staring at me

At the head of the table, Arim Across from me, Carter hadn’t touched his plate of waffles, which was very unlike hiht, Jaz’s chair was empty (Ae) To ood as usual, but I did nore him

The other trainees seemed to be in various states of shock They were a es from all over the world A handful were older than Carter and h for university, in fact--which was nice for chaperoning the younger ones, but always made me feel a bit uncomfortable when I tried to act as their teacher The others were mostly between ten and fifteen Felix was just nine There was Julian from Boston, Alyssa from Carolina, Sean from Dublin, and Cleo from Rio de Janeiro (yes, I know, Cleo fro we all had in common: the blood of the pharaohs All of us were descended froave us a natural capacity for ods

The only one who didn’t seerim mood was Khufu For reasons we never quite understood, our baboon eats only foods that end in -o Recently he had discovered Jell-O, which he regarded as ataste better Noould eat als, small ani redrude noises as he excavated for grapes

Everyone else watched ," I uin in the fireplace, if anyone’s interested"

"Sadie," Aently, "tell everyone what you told me"

I sipped some tea to settle my nerves Then I tried not to sound terrified as I described es

When I was done, the only sounds were the fires crackling in the braziers and Philip of Macedonia splashing in his pool

Finally nine-year-old Felix asked as on everyone’sto die, then?"

"No" Amos sat forward "Absolutely not Children, I know I’ve just arrived I’ve hardlywe can to keep you safe This house is layered with estured to Bast, as opening a can of Fancy Feast Tuna Supreernails--"and the Kane family to protect you Carter and Sadie are ht realize, and I’ve battled Michel Desjardins before, if it comes to that"

Given all the trouble we’d had last Christmas, Amos’s speech seemed a tad optimistic, but the trainees looked relieved

"If it comes to that?" Alyssa asked "It sounds pretty certain they’ll attack us"

Amos knitted his brow "Perhaps, but it troubles ree to such a foolish move Apophis is the real enemy, and Desjardins knows it He should realize he needs all the help he can get Unless…" He didn’t finish the sentence Whatever he was thinking, it apparently troubled hireatly "At any rate, if Desjardins decides to come after us, he will plan carefully He knows this mansion will not fall easily He can’t afford to be eain He’ll study the probleather his forces It would take several days for hi to stop Apophis"

Walt raised an index finger I don’t knohat it is about hiroup’s attention when he’s about to speak Even Khufu looked up from his Jell-O

"If Desjardins does attack us," Walt said, "he’ll be well prepared, with et through our defenses?"

A the last tiood

"We must make sure it doesn’t co, and that we only have five days--well, four days, now According to Sadie’s vision, Desjardins is aware of our plan and will try to prevent it out of so for the forces of Chaos But if we succeed, we’ll have bargaining power to make Desjardins back off "

Cleo raised her hand "Um…We don’t know the plan Four days to do what?"

A him to explain That was fine with me Honestly, I found the plan a bit crazy

My brother sat up I ress at rese and traveling with Dad, Carter had been hopelessly out of touch He’d dressed like a junior executive, in crisp white shirts and slacks Now at least he’d learned to wear jeans and T-shirts and the occasional hoodie He’d let his hair grow out in a curly , the boy et a date some day

[What? Don’t poketo wake the god Ra," Carter said, as if it was as easy as getting a snack frolanced at one another Carter wasn’t known for his sense of hu

"You ods"

Carter nodded "You all know the story Thousands of years ago, Ra got senile and retreated into the heavens, leaving Osiris in charge Then Osiris got overthrown by Set Then Horus defeated Set and becahed "Short version, please"