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The world had changed The sun god had returned Apophis was free froh he’d been banished to so his way back very quickly War was co here, listening to the sa helplessly conflicted about souessed it Boys

There was a knock at the door

"Come in," I said without much enthusiasm I assumed it was Carter We often chatted at the end of the day, just to debrief Instead, it was Walt, and suddenly I was very aware that I earing a ratty old T-shirt and pajama bottoms My hair no doubt looked as horrible as Nekhbet’s Carter’s seeing me this ouldn’t be a proble here?" I yelped, a bit too loudly

He blinked, obviously surprised by o"

"No! I ht You just surprised irls’ rooms without, um, supervision"

I realize that sounded terribly stodgy of me, almost Carteresque But I was nervous

Walt folded his ar his basketball jersey and running shorts, his usual collection of amulets around his neck He looked so healthy, so athletic, it was difficult to believe he was dying of an ancient curse

"Well, you’re the instructor," he said "Can you supervise ht I suppose if you leave the door ajar…Er, what brings you here?"

He leaned against the closet door With soon," Walt said "You’ve got enough to worry about I don’t want you worrying about me as well"

"Too late," I admitted

He nodded, as if he shared my frustration "That day in the desert, at Bahariya…would you think I’m crazy if I tell you that was the best day of my life?"

My heart fluttered, but I tried to stay calyptian public transportation, roadside bandits, smelly camels, psychotic Roman mummies, and possessed date farmers… Gosh, it was quite a day"

"And you," he said

"Yes, well…I suppose I belong in that list of catastrophes"

"That’s not what Ilike quite a bad supervisor--nervous and confused, and having very un-supervisory thoughts My eyes strayed to the closet door Walt noticed

"Oh" He pointed to Anubis "You want me to close this?"

"Yes," I said "No Possibly I mean, it doesn’t matter Well, not that it doesn’t hed as if my discomfort didn’t bother him at all "Sadie, look I just wanted to say, whatever happens, I’ on a cure for , but either way…it’s okay"

"It’s not okay!" I think er surprisedof a bloody curse And--and I had Menshikov right there, ready to tell me the cure, and…I failed you Like I failed Bes I didn’t even bring back Ra properly"

I was furious with , but I couldn’t help it Walt came over and sat next to me He didn’t try to put his arm around h

"You didn’t fail ht, and that takes sacrifice"

"Not you," I said "I don’t want you to die"

His smile made me feel as if the world had been reduced to just two people

"Ra’s return ave , Sadie One way or another, we’re going toyou"

That sounded so good, so excellent, and so impossible "How can you promise that?"