Two is Company (House of Anubis)

Chapter 62: Tjesi m hotep

Eddie blinked rapidly, then stuck his head out from his hiding spot. "Jesus Christ, Kira," he muttered, wriggling his way out of the tight corner. KT popped out after him, trying desperately to fix her hair where it had been crushed between Eddie's shoulder and the wall. "What earned me the dickhead title this time?"

Kira snorted, but it was Patricia who piped up. "Well, considering the fact you left the tank out in the middle of the room in plain sight, half of you are hiding behind it, and the fact you didn't answer your phone, I'd say it's pretty dickheaded."

"Honestly, fair point," Alfie grunted, scrambling to his feet.

"Anyway, haven't you guys got a ceremony to be figuring out?" Kira asked, crossing her arms in a way that kinda made Eddie want to smack her. Then, she said something that made his stomach drop. "Look, Denby knows Frobisher is missing, and she's pissed. They're probably already on the case, and it's not gonna take a genius to figure out who has him, either.

Well, that was bad news and a half. He checked his watch and swore. It wasn't even close to nightfall. "Can we not just try the ceremony now?" he complained.

Fabian breathed out sharply through his nose. "No, Eddie, obviously not. It won't work!" he snapped. "If we get one part wrong— one part— we fail. That's how ceremonies work. It has to be under the cover of night."

"Well, tonight's too late," Patricia retorted, and Eddie could hear the panic under the heavy tone of frustration. "In a matter of minutes, the adults are gonna realise we're missing and that we're responsible."

"Well, then what do you suggest we do?" Fabian barked.

"Leave the tank here, come to the school, act normal, then come back here when the coast is clear," listed Kira, clapping her hands together. "Plain and simple."

"And what if they detain us?" KT asked, laying a hand on the tarp-covered tank. "We'll lose our chance. No. No way, some of us need to stay here and watch over him until it's time. The others can go back to school and cover."

Eddie didn't even get a chance to open his mouth before Patricia and Alfie grinned at each other pointedly and called, "School!"

He cocked his head at them, amused. "My heroes," he drawled. He watched his sister's gaze dart nervously from KT to the group staying at the school, finally settling on KT before looking down at her hands.

"The adults already saw me at school," she murmured, picking at her nail beds in a way that made Eddie know she was chickening out of something. "It'd be more suspicious if I disappeared. I'll go back with you guys."

Patricia rolled her eyes and grabbed Kira's wrist, while KT shifted awkwardly beside Eddie. "Alright," his fellow American said neutrally, "you three need to make the adults think we're somewhere else— anywhere else but here."

"But... that means you'll be locked in," Patricia pointed out.

Alfie nodded. "In a crypt," he reminded them.

"For hours," she continued.

"With a spooky sleepy guy," Alfie added dubiously.

"Way to boost their confidence, guys," Kira deadpanned, rubbing at her temples.

"No, but it's good to point out!" defended Patricia, eyes sweeping Fabian, KT, and lingering on Eddie. "You're all okay with this?"

They were silent in the face of that question, and frankly, if Eddie hadn't already talked a big game about being a team player, he'd probably bail too. Still, he was the Osirian, and if Sibuna trusted him enough to be a leader he had to act like it.