R. LaFevers - Theodosia and the Serpents of Chaos

Von Braggenschnott shook his finger at me. “You are in no position to throw insults at us, fräulein. In fact, a little groveling might do you some good.”

I stretched myself to my full height, lifted my chin in the air, and pulled off my best Grandmother Throckmorton look. “I will never grovel.”

Von Braggenschnott narrowed his eyes and took a step forward. “You will regret your insolence.”

Playing madly for more time, I asked, “Why are the Serpents of Chaos working for Germany? Surely Britain could pay you just as much.”

Von Braggenschnott laughed, a wicked, grating sound that made me flinch. “But don’t you see? We aren’t working for Germany. We are letting Germany work for us . Right now it suits us to go along with Kaiser Wilhelm. His enormous ego and grand ideas for his country are perfect for our purposes.”

I was afraid to ask the next question, but even more afraid to not ask it. “And what exactly are your purposes?”

That smile again. “Why, I thought you understood. Total chaos, fräulein. We want Germany at Great Britain’s throat. We want Britain on the defensive, making stupid, hasty decisions she wouldn’t normally make. Then Austria will step in to back up Germany. Then Serbia will feel threatened, and rightfully so. France, of course, will have to stand by its good friend, Britain, and then of course Russia will need to toss its hat onto the pile as well. Finally, Italy will have no choice but to join in. All of Europe will be barking and snapping at each other’s necks like rabid jackals.

“While that is happening, we shall slip in, unobserved, and seize the tattered reins of world power.”

“You’re insane,” I said, rather less firmly than I meant to. “You’re talking about an entire world at war with each other. Of bringing total—”

“Chaos. Exactly. And what better place to find the powers we need than in ancient Egypt, where chaos is merely a curse or two away? The plagues of Thutmose III and Amenemhab have already fallen upon Britain. She has begun to weaken. In days she will be forced to sign a treaty that will play perfectly into Germany’s ambitions. And ours. Such a brilliant plan, don’t you think? All that was required of us was that we let your mother do what she was going to do in the first place.”

“Well, not exactly. You stole the Heart of Egypt from her so she couldn’t return it.”

He cocked his head to the side. “Ah, but would she have returned it, do you think?”

“Of course she would have! If she knew the whole story!”

He ignored me. “Egypt has been the seat of magical power since the beginning of time, but few people have had the courage to bend its powers to their will. Until us.”

“So you learned Egyptian magic?” I scoffed. “That’s not such a very grand thing. Lots of people know about that.”

“Like you,” von Braggenschnott said softly. He tilted his head and studied me. “Yes, your powers are very interesting. Which is the only reason you are still alive, fräulein. We are anxious to explore all that you know. And we will.”

I fought down a shudder at the thought of von Braggenschnott and his men trying to extract my magical knowledge from me. “There are others, you know. It’s not just me.”

“Bah!” Von Braggenschnott dismissed that threat. “That inept Brotherhood doesn’t concern me. They are nothing! Weak and stupid men who are afraid to grasp the power right under their noses. Now, enough of this!” von Braggenschnott called out. “Tetley. It is time to atone for your mistakes.”

Tetley came out from behind the funerary chariot and headed straight for me, a very unpleasant smile on his face. He was clearly unhappy that I’d got him into so much trouble.

Out of options, I grasped the small wax figure in my hands. I could only hope I hadn’t fudged the magic too badly.

I waited until Tetley had taken two more steps, then wrapped my hand around the wax figure’s left leg. Chanting the ancient words of power, I broke the leg clean off the statue with a soft snap.

Tetley screamed and clutched his left leg as it folded beneath him. Not stopping to think, I snapped again, this time the right leg. Tetley howled once, then crumpled to the floor.

Bollingsworth started toward me, but von Braggenschnott waved him back. “So you are not afraid to use the ancient magic for your own ends, eh, fräulein? And you have bested Tetley once again.” His voice cold and hard, he turned to the man lying unconscious on the floor. “That is twice he’s failed me. There will not be a third time.”

Von Braggenschnott turned his attention back to me and I fought the urge to cower. “Are you sure you’re not one of us, fräulein?” he said in a soft, seductive voice. “In fact, I will make you a rare offer. Come work for us. Someone with your skills could go far.”

“And abandon my parents? I think not,” I said, indignant.

“If your parents really loved you, would they allow you to face the Serpents of Chaos alone? Would they allow someone of your immense natural talent to clatter around an old wreck of a museum, alone? Come with us. We will treat you as you deserve to be treated. We have great appreciation for talents such as yours. Your skills, your cleverness, see how you are not afraid to bend the magic to your will? At heart, you are one of us. We will teach you how to increase this power until no one can stand in your path.”

One of them. I would belong to perhaps the most powerful group in the world. “I wouldn’t have your organization on a platter,” I spat.

“Ach, fräulein. Do not pass up this opportunity out of a misguided sense of loyalty. Those parents of yours don’t truly appreciate you. If they did, would they ignore you so much? Pay you so little attention? Allow you to battle ancient Egyptian magic on your own? They scarcely see you, let alone care for you.”

“That’s not true!” I shouted. “They’re just busy! They have important things on their minds. Museums to run. Great discoveries to be made.”

Von Braggenschnott continued. “You threaten them. They cannot admit your power, because then you’ll be greater than they.”

“That’s not how my parents think!” I yelled, my hands clenched into fists at my side. My parents loved me. Surely they did. And yet… all of what von Braggenschnott said made sense in a horrible, twisted way.

I heard a noise off to my right. As I glanced in that direction, I reached into my right pocket and closed my hand around the dust just before Bollingsworth plowed into me, knocking us both into the wall, narrowly missing the burning torch. He grabbed me from behind, neatly pinning my arms under his.

Holding me so tight that it was difficult to breathe, he leaned down and whispered in my ear. “Your parents don’t appreciate you like we would, Theo. Think of all we could accomplish together. Think of the power we can have!” He lowered his voice even further, so only I could hear. “We’ll answer to no one.” He glanced over at von Braggenschnott. “No one.”

I fought against his hold. “You’re as mad as he is.”

“Don’t play hard to get now.” His voice was teasing. “I have it on good authority that you’d planned on marrying me when you grew up.” He laughed softly.

A deep wave of mortification swept over me and a sense of betrayal sliced through me, so deep I thought I should die from it. Oh, how I writhed, my face boiling hot with shame and humiliation. To have one’s innermost secrets discussed and thrown about as if they were a joke! To have Father have so little regard for my confidences, to shatter my trust. Perhaps von Braggenschnott and Bollingsworth were right. Perhaps…

No. Father may have betrayed me, but he would never betray his country. Nor would I. My desire to sink to the floor and weep with humiliation quickly turned into something else entirely.