“Amos sipped his coffee. The faraway look on his face reminded me of my dad. “I don’t want to scare you.”“Too late.”

“Amos sipped his coffee. "Sorry if that distubed 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.”

“What are you?” She demanded. “My dad? Osiris? Are you even alive?”Dad looked at Anubis. “What did I tell you about her? Fiercer than Ammit, I said.”“You didn’t need to tell me that.” Anubis’s face was grave. “I’ve learned to fear that sharp tongue.”Sadie looked outraged. “Excuse me?”

“Remind me again-why do you hate me so much?"I don't hate you."Could've fooled me."She folded her cap of invisibility. "Look...we're just not supposed to get along, okay? Our parents are rivals."Why?"She sighed. "How many reasons do you want? One time my mom caught Poseidon with his girlfriend in Athena's temple, which is hugely disrespectful. Another time, Athena and Poseidon competed to be the patron god for the city of Athens. Your dad created some stupid saltwater spring for his gift. My mom created the olive tree. The people saw that her gift was better, so they named the city after her."They must really like olives."Oh, forget it."Now, if she'd invented pizza-that I could understand.”

“Anything your father said. People he might have mentioned.”“Amos,” I blurted out, just to see his reaction. “He met a man named Amos.”Inspector Williams sighed. “Sadie, he couldn’t have done. Surely you know that. We spoke with Amos not one hour ago, on the phone from his home in New York.”“He isn’t in New York!” I insisted. “He’s right—”I glanced out the window and Amos was gone. Bloody typical.”

“Hang on," Sadie said. She stomped right up to the throne. Ammit growled at her, but Sadie growled back, which confused the monster into silence. "What are you?" she demanded. "My dad? Osiris? Are you even alive?" Dad looked at Anubis. "What did I tell you about her? Fiercer than Ammit, I said." "You didn't need to tell me." Anubis's face was grave."I've learned to fear that sharp tongue." Sadie looked outraged. "excuse me?”

“There’s my baby!” I cried, quite carried away. “There’s my Poochiekins!”Ammit ran at me and leaped into my arms, nuzzling me with his rough snout.“My lord Osiris!” Disturber lost the bottom of his scroll again, which unraveled around his legs. “This is an outrage!”“Sadie,” Dad said firmly, “please do not refer to the Devourer of Souls as Poochiekins.”