A/N: This is the last chapter! -starts sobbing- Thank you so much for the reviews and support.

Warning: This chapter is a little sad. Oh and sorry for all the POV and scene changes. That could get a little frustrating. I don't know.

I own the Kane Chronicles. Ha-ha. Okay, maybe not.

Sadie

Truth be told here, I sort of lost yesterday on purpose. And yes I know that even if Carter loses today, we will still be tied for the week. But have you ever seen one of Zia's death glares? No, you haven't. Conversation finished.

s/s/s/s/s

"Are you ready?" I asked him. We circled each other like people would do in a gun match.

"The better question would be are you ready?" he said.

We stopped circling each other and stared each other down.

"You first," we both said at the same time.

"Fine, I'll go," Carter offered. "I bet you couldn't bring Anubis and Walt together."

Was that it?

"And tell them that you've chosen Anubis as your lover."

"WHAT?" I screamed. "YOU'RE INSANE!"

He sighed and looked at me. "You can tell them all about the bet at twelve o' clock midnight and say it was all a joke."

I growled and crossed my arms. I wouldn't do it. I just wouldn't.

"I bet you couldn't tell Zia you hate her," I said.

Tension rose and the air went up a few degrees.

"Never," he choked. A vase broke on a nearby table.

"Keep your anger issues down!" I yelled.

"Shut up!" A picture frame fell off the wall.

I bit my lip and took in several deep breaths. Counting to ten, I removed my teeth from my lip. I tasted a slightness of blood.

"You are just too chicken," I whispered.

His nostrils flared. "I am not! I will do your stupid bet if you do mine!"

A slight smile spread across my face, but I assure you, I'm not that evil. We gripped each other's hands and shook. Our deadly two bets were on.

I climbed up the stairs and stopped at Room 207 and knocked. It was Saturday which meant we were off from "school". He was either in his room or out hanging with his friends. I hoped he was in his room so I wouldn't have to explain in front of everyone.

The door opened. "Sadie?" Walt asked.

"Hey." I glanced down at my feet. "I have something really important to tell you." I grabbed his hand and he stumbled as we walked to my room. I let him sit on my bed as I closed my eyes.

Anubis? I tried to reach my hand out deep in the Duat. Anubis? I need you. Hurry.

I opened my eyes and Walt eyed me suspiciously. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, just wait a moment." I tried to connect with him again.

Anubis? Are you there? Helloooooooo?

There was a long silence and then a tap on my shoulder. I whirled around to find him standing there, perfectly gathered in his black robes.

"Are you in trouble, Sadie Kane?" His eyebrows furrowed and his eyes narrowed. "Has Mister Walt done something to you?"

"What are you talking about?" Walt asked, standing up.

I sighed. Boys sometimes.

"Guys, it's nothing that you did." I bit my swollen lip. This was going to be so embarrassing. "I've chosen."

"Chosen what, Sadie?" Anubis grabbed my hand. "Do you feel okay?"

Walt's eyes shot up and he felt my forehead. "She is a little warm, and her face is turning red."

"I picked Anubis as the person I liked the most!" I grumbled. When I said it, I instantly regretted it. I covered my mouth and looked at their reactions.

Anubis looked stunned, but Walt looked like he was about to pass out.

"I…" I tried to say.

"Say no more." Walt turned to leave. "I understand." He left without another word.

"Sadie, I'm so flattered," Anubis said softly. "But I can't love a human. You must know that."

I covered my face.

"I'm so sorry." He kissed my forehead and when I peeked through my hands, he was gone. I hated myself for it, but I started to cry. Tough, rock-hard Sadie just basically got rejected by the guys of her dreams.

s/s/s/s/s

Carter

I sat down with Zia for some lunch on the veranda. I planned to get it over with as soon as possible.

"I'm sorry for the accident with the cake the other day," I apologized. "Sadie tripped me on purpose."

She sighed and smiled a little. "That's okay, Carter. I don't blame you."

One problem solved.

We had ham and cheese sandwiches with Coke. We laughed and talked about life for awhile, and soon I forgot about the bet. It was so much fun; I wanted to spend my time with her forever.

"It's just like that date we've always wanted, except not at the mall," she pointed out.

I sat there confused.

"Zia, I never told you that," I said. "I told your shabti that, but never the real you." I knew the shabti thing was never something Zia liked to talk about, but this was very strange.

"I remember," she insisted. "You told me after you awoke me."

"No, Zia, I didn't," I said firmly.

She felt her forehead unsurely. "I remember it, Carter, I know I do."

I laughed. "That's great, Zia! That means you're remembering more."

She tried to smile, but ended up frowning and pressing her hand against her forehead again.

"Are you okay?" I asked.

She nodded. "I'm-I'm fine."

She didn't sound so good, but I let it go. No need to pressure her into anything she didn't want to talk about. I got up and helped her out of her seat.

"I better go," I sighed. "I have a lot of spells to look through today. Are you sure I can't get you anything? Aspirin? A drink of water?"

"Carter, I'm really fine," she confirmed.

I nodded and turned to leave. But before I could fully turn, I remembered the wretched bet. Looking back, I would have never done it, but I guess I was just in a confident mood.

"Oh and I hate you, Zia."

Not wanting to see her reaction, I ran from the veranda.

s/s/s/s/s

Sadie

"Can I come in?" a voice asked outside my door.

I pulled out my earplugs and said, "Whatever."

Walt came in and sat down next to me. I was sitting at the corner of my bed, sulking in silence.

"Are you okay?" he asked. "I'm sorry I ran out like that. It wasn't right of me." He shook his head. "Will you forgive me?"

I looked away and put in my earplugs again. I hit the fast forward button on my IPod.

"Sadie, I'm so sorry," he said.

I ignored him.

He pulled out my earplugs and paused the song I was on. He looked straight in my face and said, "I respect whatever choice you make, Sadie."

I glared at him and tried to grab back my IPod.

"Are you mad at me?" He lightly chuckled as he put the IPod barely out of my reach.

"No!" I yelled and made a mad leap for my IPod. "Give it back, Walt!"

I was so unready for it. My eyes were streaked with tears, and my breathing was hard from struggling to get back my music holder. My eyes slowly closed as the kiss deepened.

He pulled away first and looked into my eyes. "Do you forgive me now?"

"Meet me behind the statue of Thoth at midnight," I said. "I don't mean just midnight, I mean exactly midnight, you hear? If you're late, I will not forgive you." I pushed him out of the door before he could ask any questions.

My back slid against the door until I was sitting with my back leaning to it. What was going on with my life? I rubbed my eyes furiously.

"Sadie!" The sound of heavy breathing filled my room.

I looked up to see Anubis heaving with air. His hair was matted down with sweat and his black robes were all wrinkled and ruined.

"What happened?" I asked.

"I had to run to get past the guards," he answered. "They did not like me leaving my post twice in one day."

"Oh."

"Sadie…"

I knew that tone of voice.

"I'm very sorry."

I didn't say anything, so he pulled me into an embrace.

"You didn't deserve me to leave like that, especially when you admitted your love."

I grumbled.

"So… Will you forgive me?"

Two hot guys asking me for forgiveness in one day. That was too much.

"Meet me at midnight, no later," I repeated to him the same as I did to Walt. "Or I will not forgive you."

He tilted his head to the right.

"Go!" I ushered with my hands.

He looked a little bit hurt, but he left without a sound.

s/s/s/s/s

Carter

I took a brave step out of my room and started to look for Zia. I was going to apologize to her; that incident had been incredibly rude of me. Guilt burnt inside my body, and I needed to get it out.

I found her with a ton of suitcases in the living room. She was about to go out the door.

"Zia!" I stopped her. "Where are you going?"

"Carter, I'm leaving," she said, averting her eyes from me.

"But why?" I asked in horror. "I thought you weren't going to leave until tomorrow morning."

"I can't stand it here anymore." She touched her hand to her forehead and opened the door. She slammed it and left.

I stood there staring at the door. I had done it now.

"Zia," I whispered. How could I have been such a fool? "Zia!" I opened the door and ran out. I saw her trying to get into a taxi car. I quickly ran over to her and grabbed her suitcase.

"Please, Zia, let me explain!" I said.

"No, let go, Carter!" she yelled. "Now!"

"Please, Zia!" I pleaded.

She fell out of the car and onto the lawn, clutching her forehead.

"Ma'am?" asked the taxi driver. He looked at me anxiously. "Does she need to go to the hospital?"

"No, I'll take care of her," I told him. I shut the taxi door and the car drove away.

"Zia, wake up!" I gently shook her arm. "Zia!"

I couldn't help it. I was supposed to be the brave one and the bigger sibling. Now I was just weeping on the side of the Twenty-first Nome lawn with a passed out girl that I adored. Could it get any worse?

"Zia, I'm so sorry," I whispered. Tears streaked down my cheeks. "It's my entire fault. Sadie and I were caught up in those bets too much. It was all a bet Zia, just a joke. Please, Zia, wake up. I'm so sorry."

Her eyes fluttered slowly and then quickly. Her warm amber eyes glanced up at me.

"It's okay, Carter," she croaked. "It's okay." She slowly raised her right hand and put down her middle and ring finger. "I do too."

s/s/s/s/s

Sadie

Carter had lost the bet for today. He told her about the bet before the week was up. Zia was in the infirmary resting with Carter by her side. According to Jaz, she had some kind of memory seizure which caused shooting pains to her brain.

Carter came out of the room after awhile and sighed.

"How is she?" I asked nervously.

"She's doing fine," he replied.

We stood there in silence for a second.

"I guess we tied for the bets," he admitted.

"Come on then." I let him follow me to the living room. I grabbed the white envelope on the table and stared at it. It had caused all the misfortune in our nome for the past week. We should have burned it up and forgotten about it.

"Let's both open it," Carter said.

"Huh?"

"We tied, so let's both open it."

I nodded and we both tore the envelope open. Inside was a creamy colored piece of paper. It said:

Dear Whoever,

I will be visiting on June 5th. I will be interested to find out how you guys decided who was the strongest and wisest.

Love,

Amos

My eyes twitched with anger. "That's it?"

"We did all of that for nothing?" Carter roared.

I started laughing. It was pretty funny.

s/s/s/s/s

I sneaked down the stairs at one minute until midnight. It was dark and only a nightlight shone in the darkness of the living room. I waited behind the statue of Thoth as my clock beeped twelve.

"Hey, Sadie." I heard two voices at the same time. I looked around to see Anubis and Walt standing there.

"Oh, I forgive you guys," I presented. "But I also have something to tell you."

The two looked at each other questioningly.

"It was all a bet!" I laughed. "It was a joke! Carter bet me that I couldn't tell Anubis that I liked him better!" I snorted a couple times. "You should have seen your faces."

I could see the relief oozing from them.

"So who do you really like better then?" Walt asked. "For real."

I smiled evilly at them and said, "I guess we'll just have to wait and see."

s/s/s/s/s

So you see what fun we have here at the Brooklyn House? Like I said, this is just a subplot before our final battle. We still need more trainees and magicians though. Come to the Twenty-first Nome, and we could just defeat Apophis with your help. I'll (and the trainees like Alyssa, Walt, Julian, Felix, Jaz, Cleo, Sean, and Carter) will be waiting for you. Sadie [Okay fine, Carter too. Happy?] here, signing off.

The End

It will be if you don't come to the Brooklyn House.

Okay, okay, I'm going!