You’re cute when you blush.”
Gah!
“I wasn’t trying to be a creeper.” He leaned forward and with his free hand, he grasped my chin. “I’m here for you, brown eyes. I’m on Team Molly.”
“Thanks.” I swallowed the knot in my throat, and licked my lips. Rath was so close. I could smell h is cologne—something crisp and outdoorsy.
“ Maybe I was dreaming about failing Dr. Mayfair’s quiz on Keep Thy Soul .”
“Uh-huh. Are you that scared of an F? ”
“Definitely. It’s probably what I’m going to get because … blurgh . That book is awful.”
“C’mon, Mol. Tell me about the dream.”
I didn’t want to tell him. I felt as though if I verbalized those visions, it would somehow ensure they came true. Fear crawled through me like tiny electric spiders.
I took a deep breath. “You and I are in the Underworld. We’ve found Set’s prison and we’re trying to prevent his escape.” I shuddered and squeezed his hand tightly. I told him the details, even the part where he kissed me. Maybe if he knew everything, he could help figure out what it meant. (And also, maybe take the hint to kiss me? I know, I know. I’m such a girl.)
“It definitely sounds like a portent dream ,” said Rath. “It’s just you and I?”
I nodded.
He didn’t say anything for a moment. Then his gaze snared mine. “Where are the rest of the Chosen?”
“Yeah. And what portal did Clarissa not close?” I asked.
“Good question,” said Rath.
“We don’t know that there isn’t other stuff going on,” I said. “You know, like the other Chosen fending off Set’s minions somewhere else.”
“Maybe they’re in the human world preparing for the apocalypse.”
“ Or there’s that.”
“What happened in the temple?” he asked.
“A big meeting was called at lunch. So, I go to the temple, and when I get to the bottom of the staircase, I start feeling really sick. This woman appears … like she’s a sheut or something. I fall down, and I’m starting to pass out. That’s when I see Mr. Jacobs in the shadows looking like he wants to kill me.” I frowned. “Only I think the woman was trying to hurt me, too. I passed out. I woke up in the main temple, I was on display in front of the whole society. Everyone was staring at me, including Mr. Jacobs.”
“You think he was the one making you sick?”
Rath seemed to take my accusation seriously, which was a nice change from other people blowing off my worries. At least Rath knew about Clarissa and her diabolical pursuit of becoming the champion of Anubis.
“Yeah, but he totally denied it. Even Miss Chiles said he was trying to help me.” I looked at Rath, feeling helpless. “I didn’t think necros had that kind of ability. I mean, using magic to kill someone doesn’t really fall under any of the heka powers.”
“ Sometimes necros find ways to bend magic. It’s stupid, because doing that kind of shit never ends well. If he did use his power to make you ill, then he’ll pay a big price for it. Don’t worry, Molly, I’ll look into it.”
“You believe me?”
“Yes.” He squeezed my hand, and then lifted it to kiss my knuckles. “I’m glad you’re okay, Molly.”
“Thanks.” Being around Rath made me feel like my blood had morphed into raw electricity. It pulsed and writhed, sending little shocks to my stomach. I knew there was something between us—at least, I knew how I felt. Rath wasn’t as easy to read. I never knew what he was going to do or say, much less how he felt about anything (especially me). Still, in the dreams, the visions, he kissed me … and it was like we were together -together.
“ You said the woman in temple might be a sheut ,” said Rath. “Have you seen one before?”
I bit my lower lip. I hadn’t revealed my aunt’s predicament to anyone, but I needed some guidance about what to do for her. “My Aunt Lelia … she’s, uh, a sheut .”
Rath’s expression turned incredulous. “She made contact with
Gah!
“I wasn’t trying to be a creeper.” He leaned forward and with his free hand, he grasped my chin. “I’m here for you, brown eyes. I’m on Team Molly.”
“Thanks.” I swallowed the knot in my throat, and licked my lips. Rath was so close. I could smell h is cologne—something crisp and outdoorsy.
“ Maybe I was dreaming about failing Dr. Mayfair’s quiz on Keep Thy Soul .”
“Uh-huh. Are you that scared of an F? ”
“Definitely. It’s probably what I’m going to get because … blurgh . That book is awful.”
“C’mon, Mol. Tell me about the dream.”
I didn’t want to tell him. I felt as though if I verbalized those visions, it would somehow ensure they came true. Fear crawled through me like tiny electric spiders.
I took a deep breath. “You and I are in the Underworld. We’ve found Set’s prison and we’re trying to prevent his escape.” I shuddered and squeezed his hand tightly. I told him the details, even the part where he kissed me. Maybe if he knew everything, he could help figure out what it meant. (And also, maybe take the hint to kiss me? I know, I know. I’m such a girl.)
“It definitely sounds like a portent dream ,” said Rath. “It’s just you and I?”
I nodded.
He didn’t say anything for a moment. Then his gaze snared mine. “Where are the rest of the Chosen?”
“Yeah. And what portal did Clarissa not close?” I asked.
“Good question,” said Rath.
“We don’t know that there isn’t other stuff going on,” I said. “You know, like the other Chosen fending off Set’s minions somewhere else.”
“Maybe they’re in the human world preparing for the apocalypse.”
“ Or there’s that.”
“What happened in the temple?” he asked.
“A big meeting was called at lunch. So, I go to the temple, and when I get to the bottom of the staircase, I start feeling really sick. This woman appears … like she’s a sheut or something. I fall down, and I’m starting to pass out. That’s when I see Mr. Jacobs in the shadows looking like he wants to kill me.” I frowned. “Only I think the woman was trying to hurt me, too. I passed out. I woke up in the main temple, I was on display in front of the whole society. Everyone was staring at me, including Mr. Jacobs.”
“You think he was the one making you sick?”
Rath seemed to take my accusation seriously, which was a nice change from other people blowing off my worries. At least Rath knew about Clarissa and her diabolical pursuit of becoming the champion of Anubis.
“Yeah, but he totally denied it. Even Miss Chiles said he was trying to help me.” I looked at Rath, feeling helpless. “I didn’t think necros had that kind of ability. I mean, using magic to kill someone doesn’t really fall under any of the heka powers.”
“ Sometimes necros find ways to bend magic. It’s stupid, because doing that kind of shit never ends well. If he did use his power to make you ill, then he’ll pay a big price for it. Don’t worry, Molly, I’ll look into it.”
“You believe me?”
“Yes.” He squeezed my hand, and then lifted it to kiss my knuckles. “I’m glad you’re okay, Molly.”
“Thanks.” Being around Rath made me feel like my blood had morphed into raw electricity. It pulsed and writhed, sending little shocks to my stomach. I knew there was something between us—at least, I knew how I felt. Rath wasn’t as easy to read. I never knew what he was going to do or say, much less how he felt about anything (especially me). Still, in the dreams, the visions, he kissed me … and it was like we were together -together.
“ You said the woman in temple might be a sheut ,” said Rath. “Have you seen one before?”
I bit my lower lip. I hadn’t revealed my aunt’s predicament to anyone, but I needed some guidance about what to do for her. “My Aunt Lelia … she’s, uh, a sheut .”
Rath’s expression turned incredulous. “She made contact with
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