Fractured

Chapter 19

Gemini couldn't bring theirself to trust Amos. Something was off. They had immediately asked where their aunt was but he simply responded with a vague and dismissive answer. Then Amos sent Khufu away, his reasoning being he wanted to protect the cat as well. Gemini unfortunately didn't have the energy to delve deeper and try to turn the Kane siblings against their uncle, especially after the loss of Bast. Instead, they opted to keep their staff out at all times until they were certain of safety.

"We need to go to Las Cruces!" Sadie suddenly said. She looked like she suddenly figure something out. "I had a dream and Geb was telling me to go to the place of crosses. That's the translation of Las Cruces, isn't it?" 

Carter readily agreed, explaining that he too had a dream where he received advice to go to Las Cruces. 

Amos reluctantly agreed, and accepted their requests. He used magic to animate his coat and turn it into a helmsman. The boat in question was quite shabby, and Gemini was a little confused as to how they were going to take a boat to Las Cruces when they were surrounded by sand on all sides for miles.

Sadie said as much. 

"Who said we need water, when we have magic?" Amos said with a mischievous grin. The boat shuddered and rose into the sky, then quickly picked up speed. 

Gemini was admittedly impressed by the view. The endless sand beneath them looked like an ocean of silver in the moonlight. The desert was a harsh beauty that demanded respect and sometimes fear. 

They slowly began to descend after a bit of flying, which Gemini had used to nap and regain some of their energy. Amos assured them all that no one would bat an eye at a flying boat, then led them to the town square once they had landed a safe distance away. It wasn't hard to find food after that, what with the stalls littering the streets. The food was sorely needed, and Gemini was extremely glad that Amos even had money with him.

Soon they all started aimlessly wandering the plaza. Gemini realized that it could be their last night unless Set was defeated, but they were surprised to find that they weren't scared.

"Carter!" Sadie said. She went to her brother and grabbed his hand, directing everyone's attention to where she was looking. "Someone's here to see you." 

It was Zia. She looked as stunning as she usually did, in her loose fitting black linen, and her new staff and wand out. She looked ready for battle, and perhaps she was. 

She started to walk to their group. "You came," Zia said, which seemed a bit on the obvious side. 

"Yeah," Carter said nervously. "You, uh, remember Sadie. And this is—"

"Amos," Zia said uneasily.

Amos bowed. "Zia Rashid, it's been several years. I see Iskandar sent his best."

Zia looked as if he'd smacked her in the face, and Gemini realized Amos hadn't heard the news.

"Um, Amos," Sadie said. "Iskandar is dead."

He stared at her in disbelief as she told him the story.

"I see," he said at last. "Then the new Chief Lector is—"

"Desjardins," Gemini said.

"Ah. Bad news."

Zia frowned. Instead of addressing Amos, she turned to Sadie. "Do not dismiss Desjardins. He's very powerful. You'll need his help—our help—to challenge Set."

"Has it ever occurred to you," Sadie said, "that Desjardins might be helping Set?"

Zia glared at her. "Never. Others might. But not Desjardins."

Gemini knew that she meant Amos. That increased their suspicious of the man.

"You're blind," Sadie told Zia heatedly. "Desjardins' first order as Chief Lector was to have us killed. He's trying to stop us, even though he knows Set is about to destroy the continent. And Desjardins was there that night at the British Museum. If Set needed a body—"

The top of Zia's staff burst into flame.

Gemini quickly moved between them. "Whoa, both of you just calm down. We're here to talk."

"I am talking," Zia said. "You need the House of Life on your side. You have to convince Desjardins you're not a threat."

"By surrendering?" Sadie asked. "No, thank you. I'd rather not be turned into a bug and squashed."

Amos cleared his throat. "I'm afraid Sadie is right. Unless Desjardins has changed since I last saw him, he is not a man who will listen to reason."