[Well, Jake, 'it was hell' basically sums up about half of our life and the other half we spend listening to your stupid puns. NO! No, no! Oh, what's that, Jake? I can't hear you over my silencing and shielding charm. Oh, ho ho!]
I was silent the entire time as Sadie opened a portal and Carter debriefed us on what Thoth had told them. He'd given them a rather vague message: Look for the trail of the midnight ride. Walt, Zia, and Carter talked about this but I barely heard them. Jake handed me his sweatshirt, which he zipped up for me. I pulled the hood over my head and stepped into the swirling sand portal.
When it spit is out on the terrace of the 21st Nome, I kept walking. I heard Carter try to call me back but Sadie stopped him. I walked inside, ignored the other initiates greetings, and ran up the stairs. I found my room, went inside, and slammed the door behind me. My room was fairly big; it had a TV, a desk, and a nice comfy bed to sit on and cry on. I pressed my face into the pillow and curled up into a ball under the blankets.
'Oh Gods,' I thought, 'Oh my gods why did I come here? Why am I a magician? Why am I so fricking weak?!'
"You are not weak," A feminine voice said from behind me, "You are quite strong."
I whirled around then ran out of breath. In front of me was a girl with flowing red hair and beautiful green eyes. She had a white dress on and a beautiful pair of wings. Real, live, angel wings. They were white as snow and plush looking as they floated behind her. I must've stared to long because she smiled.
"Oh, please, I know a guy with red wings and black edges. He's my friend, actually, but all angels are friendly to one another," She said, tucking her wings down behind her back.
"Amy," I breathed, "You're Amy Hoff."
"Correct," Amy said and raised a hand at me. I realized she was waiting for a high-five so I obliged which made her grin, "That's it. Yes, I am Amy, Jake's old, uh, 'GF' I think one girl called me. Which could, of course, mean anything but I think it stands for girlfriend. Now, I've come to talk to you."
"To me?" I asked and let her sit down beside me on the bed. Sitting with a dead girl who was basically an angel? It's all good, "Wouldn't you want to talk to Jake?"
She sighed sadly, "Unfortunately, I can't. The Lord has not allowed me to be in direct contact with my beloved-"
"Beloved?" I said but she kept going,
"-however, I've found an opportunity to help him as much as I can. And my plan is theoretical, but it's been done before."
"I'm listening," I said curiously, eager for all the help we could get, "What's the plan?"
Amy thought a moment for her phrasing then said, "You could, theoretically, host me."
"Like Jake hosts Bast and Carter hosts Horus?" I asked, now completely on edge.
She nodded, "Yes, very much like that. I was hoping you'd be rather enthusiastic about-"
"I'm in," I said eagerly, then let it all spill out, "Everybody I know has some huge amount of power that makes me look like a child. I'm done being weak. I must, for my friends and family's sake, be as good as they are."
She smiled and put her hand on my shoulder, "You aren't weak, you are unique. You're unlike anybody out there. Believe me, I know, I've watched over you. Now, with the hosting process..."
"Yeah?" I asked wearily.
"You might have to...kiss me," Amy said and by the way she seemed to wipe her hands nervously on the bed I could tell she didn't feel comfortable with this, "But just really lightly and it'll work and then we'll be good to go."
"Okay..." I said quite awkwardly and before I knew it she'd quickly leaned over and planted a small kiss on my lips. I blushed and she was gone.
"Amy?" I said loudly but got quieter when I realized I was in a house full of people, "Where are you?"
'In here!' Her voice called from my mind and I jumped a bit.
'It worked!' I thought back, 'By the gods, it worked!'
Amy chuckled, 'I promise we won't be weak. And,' She said sympathetically, 'lets get rid of the razor.'
I stood up and grabbed the knife out of my drawer...and then threw it out the window.
'I'm ready,' I thought, 'We're ready.'
