Victor warned Nina and Max to only visit Sarah on the weekends from now on.
During school Jerome angrily declared he was going to help Amber instead of Mara during the campaign for some reason, and Nina was feeling very paranoid that Victor knew Emily Grant was Sarah.
~~~
When they got back to the house, Max was on her phone in the living room when Jerome collapsed next to her.
"...Did you need something?" She questioned, raising an eyebrow.
Jerome huffed. "Sorry, just, why would a girl continue seeing a guy who was keeping secrets from her?"
Max chuckled a little. "Does this perhaps have something to do with Mick and Mara?"
"Come on, Max. I'm desperate here." He insisted.
Max sighed and set her phone down. "I don't know, was the secret really important?"
Jerome bit his lip in thought. "...I guess...over all, not particularly."
"Did it effect Mara personally?"
"...No." He admitted begrudgingly.
Max smirked a little. "I dare say Jerome, you sound a wee bit jealous."
Jerome all but fumed. "I AM NOT JEALOUS! Mick is a meathead."
"Hey, that's my roommate." Max chuckled. Mick had gone back to staying in their room again.
"I just don't get what she sees in him. They have nothing in common." Jerome grumbled, crossing his arms.
Max raised an eyebrow. "And you think you and Mara have things in common?"
"Well- no but-" Jerome started.
"Jerome you're just being petty and jealous." Max sighed. "And you'll never feel better until you admit that."
This made the boy pause, and then click his tongue. "Fine maybe I am. By the way if you say anything about this I'll hunt you down and kill you, Midget."
"Yeah yeah, I don't have any plans to tell people you're a regular human being." She admitted.
Jerome let out an amused scoff, before frowning a little. "So come on, who hurt you?"
"...What?" Max's eyes widened.
"Wrestling with Fabian? First of all Rutter has the muscle of a noodle, and second he'd never hit a girl. None of the guys at Anubis house would stoop that low." Jerome told her. "Those bruises you had, they looked pretty serious."
Max swallowed hard. "...It doesn't matter, they're not around anymore so..."
Jerome frowned. "I might be slime, but...Anubis house is still...all I've got. If someone's giving you trouble, tell me and I'll crush them."
This made her smile a little. "Thanks Jerome." He smiled back.
But then Victor stormed in as Nina and Fabian entered the room. "GET YOUR FEET OFF THE TABLE YOU TWO!" He hissed viciously, making Jerome and Max jump in alarm and rush to get their feet off the table. "I WANT EVERYONE IN BED BY NINE OR THERE WILL BE CONSEQUENCES." He stormed off.
Max noticed Nina pick up a familiar scarf, and her eyes widened.
The scarf belonged to Sarah. She came to Anubis house.
~~~
Max slowly opened her eyes to see Sarah back in her room. She slowly sat up, confused. "Sarah?"
"My dear, I'm afraid...it's time for me to go." She smiled kindly. "It's up to you now, you must protect the Chosen One, no matter what."
"...The Chosen One?" Max tilted her head, eyes wide with wonder.
Sarah took her hand gently, looking at the ruby ring. "You cannot lose hope. If you do, the quest is over. Protect them. Cherish them." She pressed a kiss to the ring. "Keep them safe."
~~~
Max jolted away and sat up instantly, eyes widening in horror as tears slid down her cheeks before she even realized they were there.
She covered her mouth to contain her sobs. "No..." She all but whimpered, doing her best to not wake Fabian or Mick.
~~~
"Max, it's time for breakfast." Fabian insisted. But Max wouldn't budge.
"I'm going on ahead, it's election day and I need to be by Mara's side." Mick told him, heading out.
The moment he was gone, Fabian sat down on Max's bed. "Max, what's wrong? You can tell me anything, you know that."
Max let out a small whimper. Her ring had darkened slightly, which worried Fabian even more.
"Please just go away, Fabian..." She pleaded softly.
Fabian was hurt, but hesitantly nodded. "...Okay...I'll bring you some toast or something." He insisted before heading out of the room.
It wasn't long before Trudy came to the room and asked Max to come out so she could speak with her and Nina.
Max didn't have to ask. She...already knew. And by the look on Nina's face, she knew to.
Trudy told them Emily Grant died. And that apparently, she left them each a box of things for them to go get.
Apparently, Sarah had a nephew who had planned a funeral, which Max and Nina were welcomed to attend.
~~~
When they got back to the house, Max went to her own room to be alone to look through what she got.
Inside the box was a very old book, some photos, a handkerchief and a note.
Hesitantly, Max picked up the note and her eyes widened.
Protect the Chosen One.
Sniffling, Max set the not down and looked at the handkerchief. It was old, and a dark grey color. There was nothing particularly special about it, but Max would treasure it always.
The book had a Was-Sceptre on it, the symbol of Seth. Swallowing hard, Max reluctantly began to read it.
It told the tale of Seth, the version Sarah believed in. Seth was a good man who loved his brother dearly and who was prepared to let him and Isis be happy together, but during a party there was a tragic accident and Osiris suffocated, much to Seth's devastation. He pleaded for Osiris to come back, but was denied his wish. But for his brother's sacrifice, he was given the power to prevent death only once, a power sealed into a ring that would eventually be hidden somewhere. Ever since Osiris died, it would seem Seth was cursed, only causing harm and bad luck amongst the land, until finally he was banished.
Max's eyes widened as she fell onto a particular page.
It showed Seth holding the cup of Ankh, and it was glowing.
Before she could question what it meant, the door opened. Max slammed the book shut and hid it, only to see it was Fabian.
"...I just came from Nina's room..." Fabian told her gently.
Max leaned against the bedframe as more tears fell down her cheeks. She shut her eyes tightly and whimpered.
Fabian hesitantly sat down and pulled her into a hug. "...Max...we found something."
She looked up at him tearfully.
~~~
Rufus' parents had adopted Sarah two years after she died, which made Sarah Max's great aunt.
That did not help to cheer Max up.
But she didn't cry when they told her. She was done crying.
Instead, she shared her findings, about the story of Seth, about having to protect the Chosen One, about the cup of Ankh, everything she knew. And she also looked at the photos Sarah left her. They were of Rufus and Sarah as children, playing together.
She's not sure what happened, but they were close once.
Sadly, it was time to get back to school, they couldn't mope around forever.
Max tied the handkerchief around her neck into a bandanna and they all headed off to school. She couldn't be sad anymore.
She had a mission. And she would see it through to the end.
She must protect the Chosen One.
~~~
Mara won the election, much to Amber's dismay.
~~~
Nina and Max were dressed for the funeral, with Max wearing a suit and tie of course. She also still had the bandanna around her neck, which she would continue to wear until the mission was over, it was her vow to Sarah.
Just then, Alfie and Patricia stormed in. "Guys, tell Alfie that Joy isn't one of them." She snapped.
"What?" Max frowned.
"I didn't say that. I'm saying her dad is. Trixie was showing me some photos on her phone and one of them had Joy's dad in it, and I know him from the cellar, he was down there." Alfie explained.
Nina smiled. "I knew it."
"But there's no way Joy's involved!" Patricia snapped.
Fabian bit his lip. "But she did back up his story."
"FABIAN! THIS IS JOY WE'RE TALKING ABOUT! Joy, remember? You two were really close." She sneered.
"We weren't that close..." Fabian trailed off weakly.
"You people are unbelievable!" She exclaimed, storming out.
~~~
During the funeral, Nina set down flowers Amber had insisted they buy with her money. Victor had also attended and left a rose.
Soon after, everyone headed inside to have tea and talk, but Nina and Max noticed Victor disappeared and went to find him.
They were shocked and horrified to find him, and Rufus, in Sarah's room looking through her things.
Max covered her mouth to keep from screaming as she looked at Rufus in terror.
The two were talking, apparently Victor thought Rufus was the one to steal from his safe during the play. They also mentioned how they betrayed Sarah, or at least Rufus did.
"Where is the Chosen One?"
"Where are the Ankh Pieces?"
"Give me the Guardian."
"When I'm dead."
"WE ARE GOING AROUND IN CIRCLES!" Rufus groaned.
Nina and Max were paralyzed as they listened to the conversation. They knew about the guardian, and it sounds like they knew it was Max.
Max still didn't know why Rufus needed her in the first place, but she wasn't eager to find out.
"You realize Joy and Remi by themselves are totally useless!?" Rufus hissed. Nina and Max's jaws dropped. Not only did Rufus just say Joy was the Chosen One, but now Victor knew Max's real name!
"If you mean I need the seven acolytes then yes its all been arranged." Victor snapped.
"Oh yes, tipping the scales of life. But only I know what that really means. Now you better tell me where Joy is and hand Remi over, or I will make you, because only I know the truth and only I know what will really happen when the Chosen One, Guardian and the Cup of Ankh come together."
Max trembled with terror, grinding her teeth together with wide eyes.
She couldn't be captured again. She didn't want to go back to the warehouse.
She didn't want to be chained up.
"Max, it's okay, I've got you." Nina whispered, gripping her arm tightly.
Just then, the caretaker lady went by and opened the door, questioning why Rufus wasn't at the funeral. Rufus stormed by and grabbed Max's arm tightly, nearly making her scream.
But then Victor grabbed her and yanked her towards him, exchanging a menacing glare with Rufus before he took off.
Max looked up at Victor with disbelief.
He let go of her and sneered down at the two as the caretaker left angrily to find Rufus.
"...You knew?" She breathed out in a whisper.
"You are Max Wilson. That is all." He hissed before walking out.
Nina and Max exchanged a look of confusion.
Things were just getting more and more complicated...