Fractured

Chapter 21

"I should probably give you two some space," Gemini said after a few minutes of silence. Carter's coat was driving them to their potential death, and all Gemini could feel was exhaustion. But they were happy. For the first time in their life, they could express theirself, and sure, it took a goddess possessing them and a museum blowing up. They then remembered that their uncle didn't know, and vowed to theirself that if they survived they would tell him.

"No," Carter said hesitantly. "Stay. Please." He added. "You'll be able to hear us in the back anyway." 

Gemini nodded. The car they had borrowed had a bed in the back, which Sadie had taken, and two long couches facing each other behind the driver's seat, and a third facing the rear. The more Gemini thought about it, the more they realized how expensive the car really was. Zia and Carter were sitting opposite each other, and after a moment of thought, Gemini decided to sit on the couch facing the back.

"I'm sorry about this, Carter," Zia said. She was staring out the window, and Gemini could see the reflection of the dark clouds in her hazel eyes. 

"You tried your best. We're all trying our best. What will happen to you, though?"

"I will be exiled, assuming they do not kill me. They will erase my existence, every trace of who I am destroyed. I'm glad I gave you my staff, Gemini." 

Gemini felt their eyes prickle. "You could come with us." They quickly looked at Carter, and they suddenly weren't sure what the future even held for them. Would they go back to Seraphina, if she was even alive? Would they just cut ties with Carter and Sadie?

Carter nodded in affirmation. "We can go back to Brooklyn and prepare. The three of us, or wait, we can't forget Sadie." 

Sadie mumbled an insult from the back. 

"The House would hunt you." Zia smiled bitterly. "The gods will never leave you alone." 

"Fuck the gods." Gemini said. They were a little surprised at the frustration that had just erupted abruptly, but the thought of them not even being able to have a chance at a home made them incredibly upset. "We will adapt." 

Carter looked miserable. 

 "You're kind, Carter. But you don't know me. Not really. I suppose Iskandar saw this coming."

"What do you mean?"

Zia had a look of concentration on her face. "When Desjardins and I came back from the British Museum, Iskandar spoke to me privately. He said I was in danger. He said he would take me somewhere safe and..." Her eyebrows knit together. "That's odd. I don't remember."

"Wait, did he take you somewhere safe?" Gemini asked.

"I...I think so." She shook her head. "No, he couldn't have, obviously. I'm still here. Perhaps he didn't have time. He sent me to find you in New York almost immediately."

Outside, a light rain began to fall. The coat turned on our windshield wipers. Zia stared into the rain as if she saw bad things out there in the night.

"We're running out of time," she said. "He's coming back."

"Who's coming back?" Carter looked very troubled. It was clear that he had things to say about what Zia had said, but she didn't give him an opportunity to mention exactly what bothered him.

She looked at Gemini and Carter urgently. "The thing I needed to tell you—the thing you need. It's Set's secret name."

The storm surged. Thunder crackled and the car shuddered in the wind.

"H-hold on," Carter stammered. "How could you know Set's name? How did you even know we needed it?"

"You stole Desjardins' book. Desjardins told us about it. He said it didn't matter. He said you could not use the spell without Set's secret name, which is impossible to get."

"So how do you know it? Thoth said it could only come from Set himself, or from the person..." Carter's voice trailed off, his face molding into a look of horror. "Or from the person closest to him."

Zia shut her eyes as if in pain. "I—I can't explain it, Carter. I just have this voice telling me the name—"

"The fifth goddess," I said, "Nephthys. You were there too at the British Museum."

Zia looked completely stunned. "No. That's impossible."

"Iskandar said you were in danger. He wanted to take you somewhere safe. That's what he meant. You're a godling."

She shook her head stubbornly. "But he didn't take me away. I'm right here. If I were hosting a god, the other magicians of the House would've figured it out days ago. They know me too well. They would've noticed the changes in my magic. Desjardins would've destroyed me."

Gemini had to admit it made a lot of sense. Except they couldn't really sense it from Zia. From their very limited experience, godlings had a unique aura.

"Unless Set is controlling him," Carter said.

"That doesn't make sense, Carter." Gemini had to explain. "Desjardins is the Chief Lector, he cannot be swayed by Chaos so easily."

Carter shook his head stubbornly. "Then you think it's Amos. It doesn't matter anyway, Set is using the pyramid as a conduit. He doesn't need a vessel." 

"Which you know because..." 

"Amos told us," Carter said, doubt creeping into his voice. 

"This doesn't matter. I have to tell you his secret name." 

"Why don't you use it?" Gemini asked. It was the most obvious question.

"I just know. It has to be you, or Sadie-" Zia was cut off by the car suddenly stopping. Gemini got up and looked through the windshield, and they were surprised to find Amos standing in front of the car. He looked relatively fine, his clothes ruined. 

Carter climbed out and hugged his uncle. Gemini and Zia decided to stay in. They watched in silence as Carter's coat also got out the car and walked to him, somehow managing to gesture angrily. It led Carter back to the wheel, and he inspected something before rejoining his uncle. Gemini leaned towards to the wheel to see what was wrong. 

"We're nearly out of gas." They told Zia. 

Carter and his uncle got back into the car. "One detour before we save the world."