The Throne of Fire

The story returns to Carter’s narration. While Bes drives the group to a park where they can open a portal to Russia, Sadie, Carter, and Walt swap stories. They wonder about the knife Anubis gave Sadie, and Walt gets quiet. Bes stops at a staircase with sphinxes on either side that was once the grand entrance to the Crystal Palace, which magicians burned down in the 1930s. There’s still enough connection to Egypt for Bes to open a portal, but Walt can’t go with them. Walt doesn’t explain why; Carter can tell Sadie thinks it’s because he doesn’t want to leave the still-unconscious Jaz, though Carter is doubtful. Walt gives Sadie her birthday present—a gold necklace with the symbol of eternity. As he walks away, Sadie puts on the necklace, saying, “[T]wo farewell gifts, [...] from two gorgeous guys. I hate my life” (149).

At the top of the stairs, the limo drives through a portal into Russia. Using magic, Bes outfits them all in warm winter clothes and then leads Sadie and Carter to the Hermitage—the former tsar’s palace and location of the magician headquarters. Along the way, he stops to talk about different landmarks and locations, like a tour guide.