Revealed

Chapter 16 (Sadie Kane)

Before I start this chapter, let me ask a question. Do you like it better when the chapters are more frequently updated but are shorter or longer updates with longer and better chapters?

Cecil approached the doors and used something- I don't know what that is, is that what they call a slim-jim? Or some sort of lockpick? Well, whatever it was, it was bloody useless. The thing turned to dust as he slid it in.

"That was my last set!" Cecil groaned. I pushed him aside.

"You Americans, always so useless," I muttered under my breath, but Cecil probably heard me and made a face. I drew a hieroglyph on the padlock using my wand and said a divine word.

"W'peh" Open. I could feel energy leave me as the hieroglyph started to glow blue. The chains melted and fell to the floor, smoking. The lock was still there, though. I thought of blasting it open when a voice behind us said,

"You don't want to do that,"

It wasn't exactly said out loud, barely a whisper, but the words reverberated in my mind. It echoed inside the cavern and shook the stalactites. I realized that it wasn't exactly said aloud, but in our heads.

"I wouldn't do that" He repeated. I did a 180 and looked at the speaker. He a blue- what do you call those things? Togas?- on and his eyes were droopy, but that wasn't what horrified me. His mouth was sewn shut with a stitch I don't think even Jaz could accomplish.

Will was the first to snap out of shock. "Who are you?!" He asked. I got to admire his bravery. I was almost bolting away, but I readied my wand and had a hand on my bag in case I had to use a spell.

The dude lifted a finger to his lips. "I am Harpocrates. I am the god of silence an secrecy. You do not want to open that," He repeated after introducing himself.

"We need to g-" Carter started, but his voice disappeared halfway through his sentence. I went to him and started to speak, but I found that my voice was also gone. I took out a piece of my spelled twine and threw it at the god. It turned into the seven ribbons of Hathor midair and started wrapping around him. He was surprised at first but snapped his fingers and the ribbons disappeared.

"I am an ancient god. Your weak magic is no match for me." Harpocrates said- spoke in our minds?- again.

I knew what to do. I looked at Carter. His eyes also revealed that he knew what to do. I tried to signal the others towards the door. Harpocrates was advancing on us and the door was unlocked. I'm not stupid to know that we can fight him using the combined magic of the Greeks and Egypt, but the magic is too powerful and might bring the cave down on us. 

I opened the door and ran in, holding it open for the others as they went inside. Harpocrates saw what we were doing and rushed us, a staff appearing in his hand. The top end of his staff glowed blue and I'm pretty sure I don't want to know what was there, so I shut the door and we ran. 

We didn't care where we ran, it was just a straight road anyway. We kept on slipping on limestone and tripping on rocks but we continued running, and I'm sure I could still feel him chasing us as we ran. Carter drew into his bag and brought out an amulet that Walt made for him. 

He threw it behind him as we ran and yelled "Sims!" I was surprised that the magic removing our voices were gone, but I was more surprised at his code word. The amulet sprang to life behind us as we ran, and I could only make out a vaguely human form before it got hidden behind a column.

Finally, after what seemed like forever of running through endless stalactites and stalagmites, slipping and scrambling, we reached what must be the end. Or saw it, at least. There was light, like actual light, something that looked like sunlight, not Lou Ellen's spell light at the end of the cavern we were running on. It was so bright and blinding I had to slow down and look away as I approached it. I could see at my side that the others were, too.