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That just made me feel worse I should never have allowed Jaz to put herself in danger Six years ago, ic She’d burned up closing the gate to Apophis’s prison I’d known that, and yet I’d allowed Jaz, who had much less experience, to risk her life to save ours

As I said…I’m a horrid teacher

Finally I couldn’t stand it anyet better soon, and left the infirmary I cli portals--a stone sphinx from the ruins of Heliopolis

I tensed when I noticed Carter at the other end of the roof, feeding a pile of roasted turkeys to the griffin Since last night, he’d constructed quite a nice stable for thewith us At least that would keep the pigeons off the roof

I alnore urease off his hands, and walked over

I braced ruift, but I’ll wait until…you come back"

He didn’t add the word alive, but I thought I heard it in his tone

"Look, Carter--"

"Just go," he said "It’s not going to help us to argue"

I wasn’t sure whether to feel guilty or angry, but I supposed he had a point We didn’t have a very good history with birthdays One ofwith Carter on ical energy we stirred up Perhaps, considering that, I should’ve left well enough alone But I couldn’t quite do it

"I’ up the scroll last night, and for Jaz’s getting hurt, but I feel as if I’ apart--"

"You’re not the only one," he said

A lump for mad at me, I hadn’t paid attention to his tone He sounded absolutely miserable

"What is it?" I asked "What happened?"

He wiped his greasy hands on his trousers "Yesterday at the museum…one of those spirits--one of them talked to me"

He toldbau, how time had seemed to slon and the bau had warned Carter our quest would fail

"He said…" Carter’s voice broke "He said Zia was asleep at the Place of Red Sands, whatever that is He said if I didn’t give up the quest and rescue her, she would die"

"Carter," I said carefully, "did this spirit mention Zia by name?"

"Well, no…"

"Could he haveelse?"

"No, I’ue Honestly, I did But the subject of Zia Rashid had become an unhealthy obsession for my brother

"Carter, not to be unkind," I said, "but the last few es about Zia everywhere Teeks ago, you thought she was sending you a distress call in your ht in the potatoes!"

I held up ht?"

His shoulders tensed "What do you mean?"

"Oh, come on At breakfast, you said Apophis would escape from his prison on the equinox You sounded completely certain, as if you’d seen proof You’d already talked to Bast and convinced her to check Apophis’s prison Whatever you saw…it must’ve been bad"

"I…I don’t know I’m not sure"

"I see" My irritation rose So Carter didn’t want to tellsecrets from each other? Fine

"We’ll continue this later, then," I said "See you tonight"

"You don’t believe me," he said "About Zia"

"And you don’t trust lared at each other Then Carter turned and storiffin