“What if I find him and he doesn’t want to come back?”
Anubis came around the bed and placed his hands on my shoulders. “You will explain it to him.”
“But—”
“Lilliana, Amon left the afterlife for you. And for you, he will return.”
Would he? How could I do this? I was no Egyptian heroine. I could barely wield a knife against an apple, let alone a sword, against a monster, assuming I was even given a sword. Considering the folded-arms-wait-and-see approach Horus and Amun-Ra were taking, I wasn’t guaranteed to make it into the afterlife in the first place, let alone the netherworld. Even if I did, how would I figure out where Amon was holed up?
“How am I supposed to find him?”
“Your heart will lead you to him,” Anubis answered quietly.
There were so many questions. Too many. Even if I knew where the netherworld was, wouldn’t I have to die to get there? I guess my decision boiled down to my level of trust in Anubis. Did I believe what he was telling me?
My gut told me yes. I tried to reason it out logically, but logic in this situation failed me. When dealing with a world of gods and goddesses, figurative hearts and spells, supernatural powers and monstrous creatures, you didn’t follow your brain; you followed your heart. And my heart whispered that Amon needed me. If I was honest with myself, I’d admit that I’d known that fact for a while.
If everything Anubis said was true, then the consequences of my failing were more than I could comprehend. I’d lose everything and Chaos would destroy the world. No matter what, I couldn’t stand back and let this tragedy unfold. If, for some reason, Anubis was misleading me and he was using me only to keep Amon in line, then I’d deal with that later.
Moonlight filtered in through the window and slanted across the god of the afterlife’s face. The night was quiet. I couldn’t hear the crickets chirping outside or even my nana’s snoring and I wondered briefly if Anubis had wrapped us in one of his time bubbles where the outside world ceased to exist.
Energy and anticipation thrummed through my limbs, and my mind was soon able to focus on only one thing. I wasn’t thinking about the danger, the uncertainty, the million questions I had, Seth, the gods, or even the Devourer. The only idea that I could reflect on was the possibility that I’d be able to see Amon again. A steely determination filled me.
Anubis seemed to sense this and searched my face hopefully. “Will you go, Lilliana?” he asked.
Hesitating for a single heartbeat, I answered quietly. “Yes.”
Anubis gifted me with a rare, heartfelt smile. “You are truly a brave girl. I can understand why Amon has such affection for you. But, Lilliana, there is one thing you must do first. If you cannot accomplish this task, then you will not be permitted entry to Amun-Ra’s realm at all, let alone ride his celestial barque or enter the afterlife.”
I frowned, uncertainty flooding over me. “What is it?” I asked.
“You must transform yourself.”
Choking back my fear, I posed, “Do you mean I have to die first?”
Anubis shook his head. “Not die. No. For the tether to work, you will need to be alive. But your mortality will be altered somewhat. It’s an inevitable thing with this type of transformation. And you must understand that once this is done, you will never be just Lilliana Young again. You will be something altogether different.”
“What do I have to do?” I asked, terrified of his answer.
“You’ll have to become…a sphinx.”
“A…a what?” I asked, unsure I’d heard him correctly.
“A sphinx.”
“Like the one near the pyramids?”
“No.” He gave a frustrated sigh. “There is so much you do not know.”
“No kidding.”
“I will send you to the vizier. He will assist you.”
“The vizier? You mean Dr. Hassan?”
“Yes. Hassan. Come now, Lilliana. We have wasted too much time already.”
“You want me to go right now? Let me at least get dressed and come up with something to say to my nana.”
“There is no need to bother her. If you are successful, you’ll be returned to this exact time as if nothing had happened at all.”
I was almost scared to ask. “And if I fail?”
“If you fail,” he murmured softly, “your nana and the rest of mankind will have much more to worry about than your disappearance.”
“Right,” I replied with a queasy knot in my stomach.
“Now. Regarding your attire…” Anubis tapped his fingertip to his chin