instances,” she went on, “such a heart has no place here and it, along with its owner, is sent to the netherworld, a place of torment and suffering, and eventually they succumb to their second and final death. Their life essence, then, if it doesn’t feed the Devourer, will return to the Waters of Chaos.”
Ma’at brandished the feather, raising it to the sky before placing it gently upon the scale. The feather looked much different from the feathers of Isis. It almost appeared as if it were made of glass.
“It’s diamond,” Osiris said, like he was reading my mind.
The glistening feather did look crystalline, almost as if it had beads of water clinging to it. Now I knew that each branch was a thin diamond with a tiny diamond drop on each tipped barb. When she picked up the heart scarab, I panicked for a second and mentally crossed my fingers, hoping that whatever happened next wouldn’t hurt Amon and that I was doing the right thing.
“Let us begin,” Ma’at said. Looking directly at me, she again asked, “What is your condition?”
I bit my lip, pondering the right answer, and was about to say human or sphinx, when Osiris said, “Their hearts are guiltless. They are free of every sin.”
“Have you committed violence?”
This time Osiris stepped back and nodded that I should answer.
“Only when attacked.”
“And to eat,” Tia added.
“I have struck down innocent beasts who murdered my teacher,” Osiris said. “I have punished those who hurt my subjects, but I have never enjoyed violence.”
I glanced over at Osiris, my brow knit in puzzlement. He appeared to be in a sort of trance. Thinking back over his words, I realized he wasn’t speaking for himself. Osiris was channeling Amon.
Ma’at nodded, satisfied with our answers, and I noticed a tiny dip in the heart. “Have you ever taken that which did not belong to you?”
“I have not,” Tia answered confidently.
Osiris spoke next. “I took Ahmose’s toy boat when we were young. I was jealous that his was better made and faster than mine. I sank it in the Nile and never told him, though he cried.”
I glanced over at Ahmose, and his expression was one of surprise and then forgiveness.
“And you, Lily?” Ma’at asked.
I shrugged. “I never had the need to take anything that didn’t belong to me. My parents gave me whatever I asked for, and I never spent enough time with other children to make friends, let alone take what they had.”
The goddess turned to glance at the scale. A slight frown furrowed her brow, but it was soon gone and she asked the next question.
“Have you ever committed perjury, hidden the truth, or deceived another?”
Again Tia stated boldly, “I have always been truthful.”
I grimaced, wishing I were more like Tia. “I’ve lied—frequently, if I’m being honest. I hid the scarab from Anubis. My parents don’t even know I’m here. They have no idea I’m a sphinx. They think I’m at my nana’s house right now. They don’t know about Amon or what happened this past spring. I told them I was happy with the plans they’d made for me, when in truth I dread every second of my future. I’ve told so many white lies to their friends and colleagues I can’t even remember all of them. I even lied about coloring my hair!”
Nephthys put her hand over her mouth and giggled but ceased immediately after a sharp look from Ma’at. “And why did you tell all these untruths, Lily?” she asked.
“Mostly so they wouldn’t worry.”
“Were you trying to escape punishment?”
“Not really. My life at home is a punishment. There wasn’t anything they could do to make me more miserable than what they’d already planned for me. I just wanted to keep Amon’s secret and I didn’t think they’d understand.”
The scarab dipped as Ma’at cast judgment, and this time it was clearly visible.
“Don’t you think you’re being a little bit hard on her for that one?” Anubis said, and I noted that he stood much closer to me now than he had been before.
“It is not your call to make,” Ma’at answered stiffly. “And, Amon?” She gestured to Osiris.
“I lied to Lily. I made her think I didn’t care about her when I was falling in love with her. I told my brothers we could successfully complete the ceremony to align the sun, moon, and stars without her, when I knew we would fail. I put her welfare ahead of my duty,” Osiris murmured in his trance state. “When