the_kane_chronicles__book_one__the_red_pyramid

“Um, yeah,” I said. “We’ll play later, okay?”
I could see Sadie and Amos out on the terrace, eating breakfast by the pool. It should’ve
been freezing out there, but the fire pit was blazing, and neither Amos nor Sadie looked
cold. I headed their way, then hesitated in front of the statue of Thoth. In the daylight, the
bird-headed god didn’t look quite so scary. Still, I could swear those beady eyes were
watching me expectantly.
What had the fiery guy said last night? Something about catching us before we learned our
powers. It sounded ridiculous, but for a moment I felt a surge of strength—like the night
before when I’d opened the front door just by raising my hand. I felt like I could lift
anything, even this thirty-foot-tall statue if I wanted to. In a kind of trance, I stepped
forward.
Muffin meowed impatiently and butted my foot. The feeling dissolved.
“You’re right,” I told the cat. “Stupid idea.”
Besides, I could smell breakfast now—French toast, bacon, hot chocolate—and I couldn’t
blame Muffin for being in a hurry. I followed her out to the terrace.
“Ah, Carter,” Amos said. “Merry Chrstmas, my boy. Join us.”
“About time,” Sadie grumbled. “I’ve been up for ages.”
But she held my eyes for a moment, like she was thinking the same thing I was:
Christmas. We hadn’t spent a Christmas morning together since Mom died. I wondered if
Sadie remembered how we used to make god’s-eye decorations out of yarn and Popsicle
sticks.
Amos poured himself a cup of coffee. His clothes were similar to those he’d worn the day
before, and I had to admit the guy had style. His tailored suit was made of blue wool, he
wore a matching fedora, and his hair was freshly braided with dark blue lapis lazuli, one
of the stones the Egyptians often used for jewelry. Even his glasses matched. The round
lenses were tinted blue. A tenor sax rested on a stand near the fire pit, and I could totally
picture him playing out here, serenading the East River.
As for Sadie, she was dressed in a white linen pajama outfit like me, but somehow she’d
managed to keep her combat boots. She’d probably slept with them on. She looked pretty
comical with the red-streaked hair and the outfit, but since I wasn’t dressed any better, I
could hardly make fun of her.
“Um…Amos?” I asked. “You didn’t have any pet birds, did you? Khufu’s eating
something with pink feathers.”
“Mmm.” Amos sipped his coffee. “Sorry if that disturbed you. Khufu’s very picky. He
only eats foods that end in -o. Doritos, burritos, flamingos.”
I blinked. “Did you say—”
“Carter,” Sadie warned. She looked a little queasy, like she’d already had this
conversation. “Don’t ask.”
“Okay,” I said. “Not asking.”