As Carlo plowed through the soggy ground, he found black cakes of serpentine in his grandfather's pockets, as well as flint. Explosives, then. If only Paolo had thought to put a cannon in his pockets, Carlo might have been able to do something. Well, at least there were raw materials. The Borgias liked to live on the mad edge of the precipice indeed. Carlo imagined even Octavia and Khun, for all their magic, would prefer to avoid gunpowder.
As expected, Carlo found Paolo's signet ring. The power of the Borgias in one stab. Generally, Paolo coated it with a powerful narcotic, not the poison everyone expected. Carlo placed it on his finger, point inward.
In the distance, Carlo could see a red dome where they had decided the circle for the ritual would be. The magic from the dome didn't feel demonic, and as Carlo neared, he could see Lucy underneath it. Carlo didn't see his grandfather, but he did see Khun pacing the muddy ground. Why didn't he sink?
Carlo knelt. Time to get to work before he was noticed. He plucked out long, wet grass from the ground, weaving it into nests, and struck a spark on the flint. As he touched it to the serpentine, harsh smoke fizzed up from the cake. While the grass would burn, the wet swamp would keep the fire from spreading. He scrambled away to place and light more. The result would be dark gray smoke, obscuring the ceremony.
Now he had to attract Khun to him. He winced and ran toward the demon, yelling.
The goat man leaped and landed by Carlo, who raced back from where he came, into the smoke. Khun pounced on him, sharp nails raking his face. "Since we are brothers now," Khun said, "I will not kill you." He bared his teeth. "Here is an alternative, then, that lets you live." He hit Carlo in the stomach.
Carlo crumpled, smoke seeping into him. He covered his mouth with his hands. Khun, ignoring the smoke, held him down.
"Where's your mistress?" Carlo coughed.
"Seeing to familial business."
"You can't find Lucy," said Carlo. "With this smoke, you can't see or smell her now."
"It doesn't matter," said Khun. "I know where Lucy is. She is trapped and she can't do anything."
"You're right," said Carlo. "You do know all those things. But if you are asleep, your knowledge will do you no good." Carlo scratched across Khun's neck with a sharp point on the ring's gem. Khun staggered back.
"You cut me."
"Nothing so vulgar," said Carlo. "Welcome to my kind of magic."
Khun staggered and fell forward into the muck. Carlo looked up in time to see Drusus plummet from the sky. With a glance back at the red dome, he made himself slog toward Drusus. Paolo could look after Lucy. He hoped he wasn't making a mistake.
***
Lucy broke her spell as Paolo Borgia appeared outside the dome. "It is the last moment," he said. "Carlo has removed Khun. We must take our chance."
"What's in the bag?" Lucy asked.
Paolo pulled out the flat package. "Our contingency," he said. "We have set the circle."
"About that. I don't think we are protected."
"Yes, we are. We are not in your England. Venice's chief element is water. You will see."
Above them, the sky cracked open. Fire licked toward them, and Ra, a tiny speck in the sky, grew as he dropped. Lucy first touched the pinafore pocket with the bundle of love letters in it and then touched the pocket with the Isis Scroll. She unfurled it and read out the words in Demotic, using the pronunciation of Binder-speak she had learned as a child. She hoped the intent would be enough.
"Ra's coming," she said to Paolo. "We must begin. You should leave the circle. Once Ra is free, he may try to take you."
"No. Keep reading," said Paolo. He unwrapped the package. Inside was a spearhead attached to a broken haft. "It will work and I will make sure you are safe."
"You must go!"
Paolo showed no sign of leaving.
Lucy was sliced with fear. If she stopped the ceremony now, she didn't know what would happen. But if Paolo stayed, Ra could bind himself to the old man, or worse, Paolo could try to bind Ra. Where were Carlo and Drusus?
Ra dived into the circle. He changed his form several times: an old man holding a cane. A boy sitting in the middle of a lotus flower. A giant falcon. The small boy again. Lucy and the boy were connected by a sinuous thread, each end knotted into their chests. She stared, hypnotized by its metallic sheen.
Set us both free. The boy was solemn. Lucy reached to touch his face.
No. In the end, she couldn't let him go. It felt like cutting away herself. Ra and she were one piece, two facets of a glittering gem.
"Break the tie," said Paolo. "Say the words!"
The Binding tie was a delicate rope woven from metal, promises, and lies.
The small boy transformed again, into the falcon Ra, as large as Lucy herself. "I have to say the words," Lucy said. "And I can't. I'm sorry, Ra, but we must have the Trial. This isn't right."
You are mine. It is as I said. I am already free. You are the slave.
"I will not have this," said Paolo. "You have cast the circle, but you will not say the words. Enough of this folly! I will have Ra!" Using the spear, he sawed at the Binding rope.
Lucy fumbled for the spear, but she could not touch it.
"Oh no," said Paolo. "You are connected to a demon. The Spear of Longinus is not for you. Isis's Scroll could never free Ra! But this can!"
Lucy grasped the broken haft and the shock of rapture threw her to the outer edge, where the circle would be marked if it hadn't sunk into the water. Where had Paolo Borgia found the spear that was used to kill Christ? It really existed? Another powerful item that could be used against demons—no—gods? Paolo hacked at the white thread, its edges fraying. Then, the world became a maelstrom and the Binding tie snapped with a delicate chink.
Ra winged his way into the sky. Free! His voice shook the heavens.
Lucy crawled toward Paolo, his arms open wide as though to accept Ra's embrace. "You can't!" she said.
"The demon is mine!" Paolo roared.
I am no one's, save whom I choose.
"You must belong to one of us, if you wish to carry out your plans," said Paolo. "You may choose me."
Paolo could hear Ra? "What plans?" Lucy looked from Paolo to Ra.
"Ra wants to control the Egyptian gods. He wants to be the wielder of the Solomon Scroll, and to wield it, he needs a human puppet. You were that puppet, but now he has no tie to you and he will return to the Abyss unless he chooses another host." Paolo shouted upward, "You can walk the Earth now, Ra, but you can make no difference here unless you possess a soul. I offer you my assistance."
Lucy climbed to her feet. "You... want to be Ra's puppet?"
"Oh no," said Paolo. "You would be a puppet. Ra and I will be partners."
"No," said Lucy. Her soul was empty. She wanted to huddle into a ball of nothingness and drown in the swamp. Concentrate. "Ra, you must return to the Abyss."
I cannot do what I wish from the Abyss.
"This is unnatural," Lucy said. "Can't you feel it?"
A figure walked through the noxious smoke, smelling of gunpowder. Octavia was wild, her shadow dress shifting, covering her and then not. She was striped with mud and her hair was stiff with smoke and wind. Ra screeched high in the air.
"As promised, Lucy," said Octavia, "I have come for you."
Lucy's throat closed. She could see the taut string leaving the circle, which Bound Octavia to Khun. It was not white like Lucy's had been, but red and pulsing. Something was wrong. When a demon was Bound, the thread was silver. If the demon won, it went black. What did red mean?
Ra dived toward Octavia. His wings were razor sharp, claws extended, and he darted into the circle. The thread between Octavia and Khun snapped like a harpsichord wire as Ra bit it with his beak. Magic fountained like blood, and the string pulsated like a dying snake. Ra grew even larger and reached out a talon the size of Octavia's arm. He dissected Octavia's chest and pulled out her heart with his beak, swallowing it in two bites.
Your sister is delicious, Lucia. Khun cannot save her from me!
Ra pushed into Octavia, folding himself into her. Octavia screamed as, inch by inch, Ra burrowed inside her.
"You can't," Lucy squeaked.
I could have given you the world. I give it to Octavia instead.
Octavia raised her head, her blue eyes turning gold. "H-help me," she stuttered. "Please."
Let me have you now, Octavia.
Lucy could still hear him. He was still connected to her. Maybe she could use the connection to help Octavia. "Let her go!"
Your sister Lucia betrayed me, said Ra, his voice echoing through Octavia's as she spoke. She did not want me.
"Lucy." Octavia reached for her.
I know you. You want so much, Octavia. Let me give it to you.
"You can't do this," said Lucy. "She's won her Trial. You can't take her."
"No," said Octavia. "I didn't win. Khun and I didn't fight. We never told anyone."
The red thread. "You never claimed Khun? What did you do?"
Paolo laughed.
Lucy's blood boiled. If she were strong enough, she would snap his neck.
"You sinned," Borgia said. "You sinned and tried to keep it secret."
"Neither of us won," said Octavia. "Khun and I, we are—"
You are mine! I am your master!
Octavia shrieked as Ra's light permeated her, turning her skin from alabaster to metallic gold. She writhed in the swampy muck.
Lucy raced forward. Paolo watched as if a cast statue.
"This is what I've always wanted." Tears burned off Octavia's face.
"Ra?" Lucy's voice trembled. "You've always wanted Ra?"
"He wanted me," said Octavia. "He told me I was the most important. He made me try to kill you."
Vain, stupid Octavia. I have never spoken to you. You have been haunted by your madness!
"Help me!" Octavia reached a glowing arm toward her sister. "This isn't Ra! I know what Ra sounds like."
Now you know what Ra sounds like. I am giving you your sweetest dream. Enjoy my gift.
"Leave her alone!" Lucy stepped toward Octavia.
"No. Stop!" Octavia crawled to her hands and knees. "I knew you were the most powerful. Father wanted it to be me. You are so powerful, you found your way into Mother's magic. I hate Father for what he's done. To you. To me. I will avenge you."
"Avenge me?" Lucy's insides turned to ice. "What do you mean?"
Octavia smiled, tight and smug. Grasses knitted around her into a golden sheath. "You are like Khun. No longer necessary. Superfluous. Powerless. Weak. Disgusting. An embarrassment to us. All I need is Ra."
Light grouped around Octavia again. It pooled on the ground and turned into a giant bird. Ra took to the air.
Lucy was transfixed as Ra apexed, then like an arrow from an archer's bow, he fell.
Her mouth dried and her legs quivered. She was his prey.
She ran, but the swamp sucked her down and Ra was upon her before she could get far. He sank his claws into her back like hot knives. His beak gouged into one eye and flung it into the air, and she screamed, her heart pounding. She could barely breathe. One talon fixed into her shoulder and ripped off her arm. Lucy's consciousness wavered. Both talons ripped into the hole in her back. Knives sliced her, needles pierced her, and her skin echoed behind the drumming in her ears as she was ripped in half.
Nothing. Not even darkness was left when he was finished.