Who Is She? | Jaz Anderson

• thirteen •

Ayden sighed as they approached the dock, and Carter and Walt waved at them from the bow of the Egyptian Queen. Next to them stood the captain, Bloodstained Blade, who looked nice in his riverboat pilot's uniform, except for the fact that his head was a blood-speckled double-sided ax.

"That's a demon." Zia said nervously.

"Yes," Sadie agreed.

"Is it safe?"

Ayden raised an eyebrow at her.

"Of course not," she muttered. "I'm traveling with the Kanes."

The crew of glowing orbs zipped around the boat, pulling lines and lowering the gangplank.

Carter looked tired. He wore jeans and a rumpled shirt with specks of barbecue sauce on it. His hair was wet and flat on one side as if he'd fallen asleep in the shower.

Walt was hunched over, obviously in pain. He wore his usual sleeveless shirt and workout pants and even managed a smile for Sadie.

Ayden managed to force a smile to him as she took off her blazer and stuck it in Duat with her outfit from the day before.

The girls climbed the gangplank. Bloodstained Blade bowed, which was quite unnerving, as his head could've sliced a watermelon in half.

"Welcome aboard, Ladies Kane." His voice was a metallic hum from the edge of his frontal blade. "I am at your service."

"Thanks ever so," Sadie said.

"Carter, can I speak with you?" Ayden grabbed the back of his neck and pulled him toward the deckhouse.

"Hey!" he complained as she dragged him along. She supposed doing that in front of Zia wasn't nice, but she really didn't care.

Walt and Zia followed them into the main dining room. As usual, the mahogany table was laden with platters of fresh food. The chandelier illuminated colorful wall murals of Egyptian gods, the gilded columns, and the ornately molded ceiling.

Ayden let go of Carter's neck and snarled, "Have you lost your mind?"

"Hey!" he yelled again. "What is your problem?"

"My problem," Ayden said, lowering her voice, "Is that you summoned this boat again and its demon captain, who Bast warned would slit our throats if he ever got the opportunity!"

"He's under a magic binding," Carter argued. "He was fine last time."

"Last time we had a goddess with us," Ayden hissed at him. "And if you think I trust a demon named Bloodstained Blade farther than 1can —"

"Guys," Walt interrupted.

Bloodstained Blade entered the dining room, dipping his ax head under the doorframe. "Lord and Ladies Kane, the journey is short from here. We will arrive at the Hall of Judgment in approximately twenty minutes."

"Thanks, BSB, Carter said as he rubbed the back of his neck where Ayden's nails had dug into him. "We'll join you on deck soon."

"Very good," said the demon. "What are your orders when we arrive?"

Ayden tensed, hoping Carter had thought ahead. Bast had warned them that demons needed very clear instructions to stay under control.

"You'll wait for us while we visit the Hall of Judgment,"
Carter announced. "When we return, you'll take us where we wish to go."

"As you say." Bloodstained Blade's tone had a hint of disappointment — or was that her imagination?

After he left, Zia frowned. "Carter, in this case I agree with Ayden. How can you trust that creature? Where did you get this ship?"