Who Is She? | Jaz Anderson

• six •

Ayden learned that his name was Leonid, and then they agreed not to kill each other.

They sat on the steps of the gazebo and talked while the students and teachers struggled to wake up around them.

Leonid's English was not good. Sadie's Russian was nonexistent, and Ayden's Russian was choppy and barely understandable. Unfortunately, they understood enough of his story to be alarmed.

He'd escaped the Russian nome and somehow convinced Shu to whisk him here to find Sadie. Leonid remembered Sadie from their invasion of the Hermitage and Ayden his time as a First anime initiate. Apparently they'd both made a strong impression on the young man.

Using words, hand gestures, and sound effects, Leonid tried to explain what had happened in St. Petersburg since the death of Vlad Menshikov. They couldn't follow it completely, but this much they understood: Kwai, Jacobi, Apophis, First Nome, many deaths, soon, very soon.

Teachers began corralling students and calling parents. Apparently they feared the mass blackout might have been caused by bad punch or hazardous gas and they'd decided to evacuate the area. Ayden suspected they'd have police and paramedics on the scene shortly. She wanted to be gone before then.

The girls dragged Leonid over to meet Carter, who was stumbling around, rubbing his eyes.

"What happened?" Carter asked. He scowled at Leonid. "Who — ?"

They gave him the one-minute version: Anubis's visit, Shu's intervention, the Russian's appearance. "Leonid has information about an impending attack on the First Nome," Ayden said. "We were also childhood best friends and the rebels will be after him."

Carter scratched his head. "You want to hide him at Brooklyn House?"

"No," Sadie said. "I've got to take him to Amos straightaway."

Leonid choked. "Amos? He turn into Set — eat face?"

"Amos will not eat your face," Sadie assured him. "Jacobi's been telling you stories."

Leonid still looked uneasy. "Amos not become Set?"

How to explain without making it sound worse?

Ayden sighed and said to him choppily, "Амос больше не одержим Сетом. Теперь лучше."

Leonid scratched his head but seemed to get the gist of it.

Carter studied the Russian. He looked at the girls with concern.

"Ayden, Sadie, what if this is a trap? You trust this guy?"

"Oh, I can handle Leonid. He doesn't want me to morph him into a banana slug, do you, Leonid?"

"Nyet," Leonid said solemnly. "No banana slug."

"There, you see?"

"Don't threaten my friend," Ayden complained.

"What about visiting Thoth?" Carter asked. "That can't wait."

Ayden saw the worry in his eyes. She imagined he was thinking the same thing she was: their mum was in trouble. The spirits of the dead were disappearing, and it had something to do with the shadow of Apophis. They had to find the connection.

"You visit Thoth," Sadie said. "Take Walt. And, uh, keep an eye on him, all right? Anubis wanted to tell me something about him, but there wasn't time. And in Dallas, when I looked at Walt in the Duat..."

She couldn't make herself finish.

Fortunately, Carter seemed to get the general idea. "I'll keep him safe," he promised. "How will you get to Egypt?"

Sadie pondered that. Leonid had apparently flown here via Shu Airways, but Ayden doubted that particular god would be willing to help Sadie, and Ayden didn't want to ask.

"We'll risk a portal," she said. "I know they've been a bit wonky, but it's just one quick jump. What could go wrong?"

"You could materialize inside a wall," Carter said. "Or wind up scattered through the Duat in a million pieces."

"Why, Carter, you care! But really, we'll be fine. And we haven't got much choice."

She and Ayden gave him a quick hug. Then, before Ayden could change her mind, she took Leonid's hand and raced across campus, led by Sadie.

Sadie was so lost in thought, she barely noticed when they reached the fine arts building. Leonid and Ayden stopped her.

"This for portal?" He pointed to a block of carved limestone in the courtyard.

"Yes," Sadie said.

It wasn't a powerful or important piece of art, but all relics of Ancient Egypt have some amount of power, like magical batteries. With the right training, a magician can use them to jump-start spells that would otherwise be impossible, such as opening portals.

"Thanks." Ayden pushed Sadie aside and lifted her staff. She waited for a couple moment, her mental clock ticking. It chimed and she started to chant.

Leonid and Sadie watched her back as she chanted.

Most magicians wait for "auspicious moments" to open gates. They spend years memorizing a timetable of important anniversaries like the time of day each god was born, the alignment of the stars, and whatnot. Ayden had everything on a mental timer. It had taken some time, but with the help of the Romans in California, she had gotten a mental grandfather clock that chimed at every auspicious moment. It was truly a lifesaver.

The air rippled in front of them. A circular doorway appeared — a swirling vortex of golden sand — and Leonid, Ayden, and Sadie jumped through.

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Hey hey hey! This story was thriving before it got out but oh well.