by Rick Riordan
Lift the blade higher, he coached. More of an arc, Carter. The blade is designed to hook an enemy’s weapon.
Shut up, I grumbled. Where were you when I needed help on the basketball court? But I tried holding the sword his way and found he was right.
The highway wound through long stretches of empty scrubland. Once in a while we’d pass a rancher’s truck or a family SUV, and the driver would get wide-eyed when he saw me: a black kid swinging a sword on the back of an RV. I’d just smile and wave, and Khufu’s driving soon left them in the dust.
After an hour of practice, my shirt was stuck to my chest with cold sweat. My breathing was heavy. I decided to sit and take a break.
“It approaches,” Horus told me. His voice sounded more substantial, no longer in my head. I looked next to me and saw him shimmering in a golden aura, sitting back in the other deck chair in his leather armor with his sandaled feet up on the railing. His sword, a ghostly copy of my sword, was propped next to him.
“What’s approaching?” I asked. “The fight with Set?”
“That, of course,” Horus said. “But there is another challenge before that, Carter. Be prepared.”
“Great. As if I didn’t have enough challenges already.”
Horus’s silver and gold eyes glittered. “When I was growing up, Set tried to kill me many times. My mother and I fled from place to place, hiding from him until I was old enough to face him. The Red Lord will send the same forces against you. The next will come—”
“At a river,” I guessed, remembering my last soul trip. “Something bad is going is happen at a river. But what’s the challenge?”
“You must beware—” Horus’s image began to fade, and the god frowned. “What’s this? Someone is trying to—a different force—”
He was replaced by the glowing image of Zia Rashid.
“Zia!” I stood up, suddenly conscious of the fact that I was sweaty and gross and looked like I’d just been dragged through the Land of the Dead.
“Carter?” Her image flickered. She was clutching her staff, and wore a gray coat wrapped over her robes as if she were standing somewhere cold. Her short black hair danced around her face. “Thank Thoth I found you.”
“How did you get here?”
“No time! Listen: we’re coming after you. Desjardins, me, and two others. We don’t know exactly where you are. Desjardins’ tracking spells are having trouble finding you, but he knows we’re getting close. And he knows where you’re going—Phoenix.”
My mind started racing. “So he finally believes Set is free? You’re coming to help us?”
Zia shook her head. “He’s coming to stop you.”
“Stop us? Zia, Set’s about to blow up the continent! My dad—” My voice cracked. I hated how scared and powerless I sounded. “My dad’s in trouble.”
Zia reached out a shimmering hand, but it was just an image. Our fingers couldn’t touch. “Carter, I’m sorry. You have to see Desjardins’ point of view. The House of Life has been trying to keep the gods locked up for centuries to prevent something like this from happening. Now that you’ve unleashed them—”
“It wasn’t my idea!”
“I know, but you’re trying to fight Set with divine magic. Gods can’t be controlled. You could end up doing even more damage. If you let the House of Life handle this—”
“Set is too strong,” I said. “And I can control Horus. I can do this.”
Zia shook her head. “It will get harder as you get closer to Set. You have no idea.”
“And you do?”
Zia glanced nervously to her left. Her image turned fuzzy, like a bad television signal. “We don’t have much time. Mel will be out of the restroom soon.”
“You’ve got a magician named Mel?”
“Just listen. Desjardins is splitting us into two teams. The plan is for us to cut you off on either side and intercept you. If my team reaches you first, I think I can keep Mel from attacking long enough for us all to talk. Then maybe we can figure out how to approach Desjardins, to convince him we have to cooperate.”
“Don’t take this the wrong way, but why should I trust you?”
She pursed her lips, looking genuinely hurt. Part of me felt guilty, while part of me worried this was some kind of trick.
“Carter...I have something to tell you. Something that might help, but it has to be said in person.”
“Tell me now.”
“Thoth’s beak! You are impossibly stubborn.”
“Yeah, it’s a gift.”
We locked eyes. Her image was fading, but I didn’t want her to go. I wanted to talk longer.
“If you won’t trust me, I’ll have to trust you,” Zia said. “I will arrange to be in Las Cruces, New Mexico, tonight. If you choose to meet me, perhaps we can convince Mel. Then together, we’ll convince Desjardins. Will you come?”
I wanted to promise, just to see her, but I imagined myself trying to convince Sadie or Bast that this was a good idea. “I don’t know, Zia.”
“Just think about it,” she pleaded. “And Carter, don’t trust Amos. If you see him—” Her eyes widened. “Mel’s here!” she whispered.
Zia slashed her staff in front of her, and her image vanished.
C A R T E R
30. Bast Keeps a Promise
HOURS LATER, I WOKE UP ON THE RV’S couch with Bast shaking my arm.
“We’re here,” she announced.
I had no idea how long I’d been asleep. At some point, the flat landscape and complete boredom had zonked me out, and I’d started having bad dreams about tiny magicians flying around in my hair, trying to shave me bald. Somewhere in there, I’d had a nightmare about Amos too, but it was fuzzy. I still didn’t understand why Zia would mention him.
I blinked the sleep out of my eyes and realized my head was in Khufu’s lap. The baboon was foraging my scalp for munchies.
“Dude.” I sat up groggily. “Not cool.”
“But he gave you a lovely hairdo,” Sadie said.
“Agh-agh!” Khufu agreed.
Bast opened the door of the trailer. “Come on,” she said. “We’ll have to walk from here.”
When I got to the door I almost had a heart attack. We were parked on a mountain road so narrow, the RV would’ve toppled over if I’d sneezed wrong.
For a second, I was afraid we were already in Phoenix, because the landscape looked similar. The sun was just setting on the horizon. Rugged mountain ranges stretched out on either side, and the desert floor between them seemed to go on forever. In a valley to our left lay a colorless city—hardly any trees or grass, just sand, gravel, and buildings. The city was much smaller than Phoenix, though, and a large river traced its southern edge, glinting red in the fading light. The river curved around the base of the mountains below us before snaking off to the north.
“We’re on the moon,” Sadie murmured.
“El Paso, Texas,” Bast corrected. “And that’s the Rio Grande.” She took a big breath of the cool dry air. “A river civilization in the desert. Very much like Egypt, actually! Er, except for the fact that Mexico is next door. I think this is the best spot to summon Nephthys.”
“You really think she’ll tell us Set’s secret name?” Sadie asked.
Bast considered. “Nephthys is unpredictable, but she has sided against her husband before. We can hope.”
That didn’t sound very promising. I stared at the river far below. “Why did you park us on the mountain? Why not closer?”
Bast shrugged, as if this hadn’t occurred to her. “Cats like to get as high up as possible. In case we have to pounce on something.”
“Great,” I said. “So if we have to pounce, we’re all set.”
“It’s not so bad,” Bast said. “We just climb our way down to the river through a few miles of sand, cacti, and rattlesnakes, looking out for the Border Patrol, human traffickers, magicians, and demons—and summon Nephthys.”
Sadie whistled. “Well, I’m excited!”
“He smells trouble,” Bast translated. “Something bad is about to happen.”
“Even I could smell that,” I grumbled, and we followed Bast down the mountain.
Yes, Horus said. I remember this place.
It’s El Paso, I told him. Unless you went out for Mexican food, you’ve never been here.
I remember it well, he insisted. The marsh, the desert.
I stopped and looked around. Suddenly I remembered this place, too. About fifty yards in front of us, the river spread out into a swampy area—a web of slow-moving tributaries cutting a shallow depression through the desert. Marsh grass grew tall along the banks. There must’ve been some kind of surveillance, its being an international border and all, but I couldn’t spot any.
I’d been here in ba form. I could picture a hut right there in the marsh, Isis and young Horus hiding from Set. And just downriver—that’s where I’d sensed something dark moving under the water, waiting for me.
I caught Bast’s arm when she was a few steps from the bank. “Stay away from the water.”
She frowned. “Carter, I’m a cat. I’m not going for a swim. But if you want to summon a river goddess, you really need to do it at the riverbank.”
She made it sound so logical that I felt stupid, but I couldn’t help it. Something bad was about to happen.
What is it? I asked Horus. What’s the challenge?
But my ride-along god was unnervingly silent, as if waiting.
Sadie tossed a rock into the murky brown water. It sank with a loud ker-plunk!
“Seems quite safe to me,” she said, and trudged down to the banks.
Khufu followed hesitantly. When he reached the water, he sniffed at it and snarled.
“See?” I said. “Even Khufu doesn’t like it.”
“It’s probably ancestral memory,” Bast said. “The river was a dangerous place in Egypt. Snakes, hippos, all kinds of problems.”
“Hippos?”
“Don’t take it lightly,” Bast warned. “Hippos can be deadly.”
“Was that what attacked Horus?” I asked. “I mean in the old days, when Set was looking for him?”
“Haven’t heard that story,” Bast said. “Usually you hear that Set used scorpions first. Then later, crocodiles.”
“Crocodiles,” I said, and a chill went down my back.
Is that it? I asked Horus. But again he didn’t answer. “Bast, does the Rio Grande have crocodiles?”
“I very much doubt it.” She knelt by the water. “Now, Sadie, if you’d do the honors?”
“How?”
“Just ask for Nephthys to appear. She was Isis’s sister. If she’s anywhere on this side of the Duat, she should hear your voice.”
Sadie looked doubtful, but she knelt next to Bast and touched the water. Her fingertips caused ripples that seemed much too large, rings of force emanating all the way across the river.
“Hullo, Nephthys?” she said. “Anyone home?”
I heard a splash downriver, and turned to see a family of immigrants crossing midstream. I’d heard stories about how thousands of people cross the border from Mexico illegally each year, looking for work and a better life, but it was startling to actually see them in front of me—a man and a woman hurrying along, carrying a little girl between them. They were dressed in ragged clothes and looked poorer than the poorest Egyptian peasants I’d ever seen. I stared at them for a few seconds, but they didn’t appear to be any kind of supernatural threat. The man gave me a wary look and we seemed to come to a silent understanding: we both had enough problems without bothering each other.
Meanwhile Bast and Sadie stayed focused on the water, watching the ripples spread out from Sadie’s fingers.
Bast tilted her head, listening intently. “What’s she saying?”
“I can’t make it out,” Sadie whispered. “Very faint.”
“You can actually hear something?” I asked.
“Shhh,” they both said at once.
“‘Caged’...” Sadie said. “No, what is that word in English?”
“Sheltered,” Bast suggested. “She is sheltered far away. A sleeping host. What is that supposed to mean?”
I didn’t know what they were talking about. I couldn’t hear a thing.
Khufu tugged at my hand and pointed downriver. “Agh.”
The immigrant family had disappeared. It seemed impossible they could cross the river so quickly. I scanned both banks—no sign of them—but the water was more turbulent where they’d been standing, as if someone had stirred it with a giant spoon. My throat tightened.
“Um, Bast—”
“Carter, we can barely hear Nephthys,” she said. “Please.”
I gritted my teeth. “Fine. Khufu and I are going to check something—”
“Shh!” Sadie said again.
I nodded to Khufu, and we started down the riverbank. Khufu hid behind my legs and growled at the river.
I looked back, but Bast and Sadie seemed fine. They were still staring at the water as if it were some amazing Internet video.
Finally we got to the place where I’d seen the family, but the water had calmed. Khufu slapped the ground and did a handstand, which meant he was either break dancing or really nervous.
“What is it?” I asked, my heart pounding.
“Agh, agh, agh!” he complained. That was probably an entire lecture in Baboon, but I had no idea what he was saying.
“Well, I don’t see any other way,” I said. “If that family got pulled into the water or something...I have to find them. I’m going in.”
“Agh!” He backed away from the water.
“Khufu, those people had a little girl. If they need help, I can’t just walk away. Stay here and watch my back.”
Khufu grunted and slapped his own face in protest as I stepped into the water. It was colder and swifter than I’d imagined. I concentrated, and summoned my sword and wand out of the Duat. Maybe it was my imagination, but that seemed to make the river run even faster.
I was midstream when Khufu barked urgently. He was jumping around on the riverbank, pointing frantically at a nearby clump of reeds.
The family was huddled inside, trembling with fear, their eyes wide. My first thought: Why are they hiding from me?
“I won’t hurt you,” I promised. They stared at me blankly, and I wished I could speak Spanish.
Then the water churned around me, and I realized they weren’t scared of me. My next thought: Man, I’m stupid.
Horus’s voice yelled: Jump!
I sprang out of the water as if shot from a cannon—twenty, thirty feet into the air. No way I should’ve been able to do that, but it was a good thing, because a monster erupted from the river beneath me.
At first all I saw were hundreds of teeth—a pink maw three times as big as me. Somehow I managed to flip and land on my feet in the shallows. I was facing a crocodile as long as our RV—and that was just the half sticking out of the water. Its gray-green skin was ridged with thick plates like a camouflage suit of armor, and its eyes were the color of moldy milk.
The family screamed and started scrambling up the banks. That caught the crocodile’s attention. He instinctively turned toward the louder, more interesting prey. I’d always thought of crocodiles as slow animals, but when it charged the immigrants, I’d never seen anything move so fast.
Use the distraction, Horus urged. Get behind it and strike.
Instead I yelled, “Sadie, Bast, help!” and I threw my wand.
Bad throw. The wand hit the river right in front of the croc, then skipped off the water like a stone, smacked the croc between the eyes, and shot back into my hand.
I doubt I did any damage, but the croc glanced over at me, annoyed.
Or you can smack it with a stick, Horus muttered.
I charged forward, yelling to keep the croc’s attention. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see the family scrambl
ing to safety. Khufu ran along behind them, waving his arms and barking to herd them out of harm’s way. I wasn’t sure if they were running from the croc or the crazy monkey, but as long as they kept running, I didn’t care.
I couldn’t see what was happening with Bast and Sadie. I heard shouting and splashing behind me, but before I could look, the crocodile lunged.
I ducked to the left, slashing with my sword. The blade just bounced off the croc’s hide. The monster thrashed sideways, and its snout would’ve bashed my head in; but I instinctively raised my wand and the croc slammed into a wall of force, bouncing off as if I were protected by a giant invisible energy bubble.
I tried to summon the falcon warrior, but it was too hard to concentrate with a six-ton reptile trying to bite me in half.
Then I heard Bast scream, “NO!” and I knew immediately, without even looking, that something was wrong with Sadie.
Desperation and rage turned my nerves to steel. I thrust out my wand and the wall of energy surged outward, slamming into the crocodile so hard, it went flying through the air, tumbling out of the river and onto the Mexican shore. While it was on its back, flailing and off balance, I leaped, raising my sword, which was now glowing in my hands, and drove the blade into the monster’s belly. I held on while the crocodile thrashed, slowly disintegrating from its snout to the tip of its tail, until I stood in the middle of a giant pile of wet sand.
I turned and saw Bast battling a crocodile just as big as mine. The crocodile lunged, and Bast dropped beneath it, raking her knives across its throat. The croc melted into the river until it was only a smoky cloud of sand, but the damage had been done: Sadie lay in a crumpled heap on the riverbank.
By the time I got there, Khufu and Bast were already at her side. Blood trickled from Sadie’s scalp. Her face was a nasty shade of yellow.
“What happened?” I asked.
“It came out of nowhere,” Bast said miserably. “Its tail hit Sadie and sent her flying. She never had a chance. Is she...?”
Khufu put his hand on Sadie’s forehead and made popping noises with his mouth.
Bast sighed with relief. “Khufu says she’ll live, but we have to get her out of here. Those crocodiles could mean...”