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Ahead of us, the tunnel was getting brighter The cavern walls dissolved, and the river widened Two pillars rose froleaht was e out into New York Harbor

"Each nen is a neorld," I re "Maybe we’ll be healed"

"Ra, too?" Sadie asked

I didn’t have an answer, but I was starting to feel better, stronger, like I’d had a good night’s sleep As we passed between the golden scarab statues, I looked to our right Across the water, sht and streaks of fire as winged creatures engaged in aerial combat

"They’re still alive," Sadie said "They need help!"

We turned the sun boat toward hoht into battle

23 We Throw a Wild House Party

[FATAL MISTAKE, CARTER Giving et it back now The end of the story is ood I’d be excellent at world doht’ve seen news reports about the strange double sunrise over Brooklyn on theof March twenty-first There were many theories: haze in the air from pollution, a temperature drop in the lower at as in Brooklyn!

I can confirm, however, that there briefly were two suns in the sky I know this because I was in one of them The normal sun rose as usual But there was also the boat of Ra, blazing as it rose from the Duat, out of New York Harbor and into the sky of the mortal world

To observers below, the second sun appeared to ht of the first What actually happened? The sun boat dimmed as it descended toward Brooklyn House, where theenveloped it, andwas already working overtiress Freak the Griffin was diving through the air, engaging the winged fla snakes, the uraei, in aerial combat

[I know that’s a horrible word to pronounce, uraei, but Carter insists it’s the plural for uraeus, and there’s no arguing with hiot it]

Freak yelled, "Freaaaak!" and gobbled up a uraeus, but he was sorely outnusin circles like a broken helicopter

His rooftop nest was on fire Our portal sphinx was broken, and the chimney was stained with aor soicians and de unit and were pinned in co the stairwell Both sides threw fire, shabti, and glowing hieroglyphic bombs across the no-man’s land of the roof

As we descended over the enemy, old Ra (yes, he was still just as senile and withered as ever) leaned over the side and waved at everyone with his crook "Hel-lo-o-o-o! Zebras!"

Both sides looked up in amazement "Ra!" one demon screamed Then everyone took up the cry: "Ra?" "Ra!" "Ra!"

They sounded like the world’s most terrified pep squad

The uraei stopped spitting fire, much to Freak’s surprise, and i us like an honor guard, and I re creatures of Ra Apparently they recognized their old master (emphasis on old)

Most of the enemies below us scattered as the boat came down, but the slowest of the demons said, "Ra?" and looked up just as our sun boat landed on top of hi crunch

Carter and I juh, I felt wonderful The Chaos sickness had disappeared as soon as we’d risen froh If I’d just had a shower, some fresh clothes, and a proper cup of tea, I would’ve been in paradise (Strike that; now that I’d seen Paradise, I didn’t much like it I’d settle for er and unleashed hi golden kind, thank goodness; the three-meter-tall birdh the terrified ene into the East River Zia and Walt calers Then they ran to us with big grins on their faces They looked battered and bruised but still very riffin He swooped down and landed next to Carter, head-butting his con of affection

"Hey, buddy" Carter rubbed his head, careful to avoid the uys?"

"Talking didn’t work," Zia said drily

"The eneht," Walt said "Alanced at the sun boat, and his voice faltered "Is that--that isn’t--"

"Zebra!" Ra called, tottering toward us with a big toothless grin

He walked straight up to Zia and pulled soold scarab, now quite wet but undigested He offered it to her "I like zebras"

Zia backed up "This is--this is Ra, the Lord of the Sun? Why is he offering ?"