“I am sure it is him,” Set said breathlessly. Simon could hear an excited tremor in the god's voice now and it unsettled him even further. “The rumours are all true –“

  “Do not waste my time, Set. I don't care about rumours,” said the other voice harshly, and it sounded now like the hissing of a serpent. “If you have nothing more of importance to say –“

  “He has the curse,” Set intercepted quickly, sounding somewhat defensive. What curse? thought Simon, holding his breath. “On his left arm, he showed me.“ There was the odd noise of words being swallowed after an impatient hiss from the other end. “Your course …” Whose curse? “… my lord …” Apep's curse.

  Simon leaned back against the wall, letting go of the breath he had been holding. There was his answer, both to the nature of the second speaker and the rash on his arm, and, while he thought that the voice was rather disappointing for a giant serpent god, knowing brought no satisfaction; instead, a jolt of panic shot through him at the news. He frantically tore away the collar of his button-up shirt to peer down at the rock-hard scales on his arm and shoulder, which were already stretching down toward his chest. This is a curse? How could it be, though? He hadn't even been anywhere near Apep … On the other hand, he didn't really know how spells worked. Perhaps you didn't need to be close to somebody to jinx them...

  If only he hadn't stopped to listen … What were the odds they weren't talking about him after all and that there was another boy those two maniacs were interested in? Less than zero...

  “Is that all the proof you can offer?” Apep sneered, and Simon listened closely again, hoping, for the first time in his life, that he was wrong...

  “No, of course not, my lord,” said Set, his voice betraying the impatience and the scorn he undoubtedly felt for the other god. “There is more. He has the key, Lord Apep, the Infinity Key. He did not want me to see it, but it is the one – the exact same as before, it bears the Crest of Atlas … I am certain it is the same key, the Traveller's key …”

  A few seconds of silence followed those excited words, in which Simon had to bite his lip hard to stifle a gasp. Not only was it difficult to wrap his brain around what he had just heard, conclusive proof that Set knew what his hourglass pendant was, that it had once belonged to the Traveller, it was impossible. The feeling of panic and terror intensified. Nothing fit together... How could the Infinity Key be possibly the same one worn by the Traveller? It was impossible... Although his mind was still racing, he forced himself to listen closely when the silence was broken.

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  “Excellent,” said Apep, his voice wheezing with excitement. “Truly excellent. You have done well, Set, and you will be rewarded most splendidly.” There was another pause, and then Apep spoke once again, “You know your next steps, you have your instructions for the boy, Set, and I will want updates regularly.”

  “My lord, if – wouldn't it be wiser to keep the boy?” Set said.

  Simon's heart was throbbing loudly now. What did Set mean, keep him? He was still the god's apprentice, he was – No, surely they weren't saying what he thought they were saying … Again, he took a deep breath to steady himself and listened again.

  “It is essential we get rid of the boy as long as it is still possible, before he recognizes the full extent of his power … such a discovery could be lethal to us – to me.”

  “My lord, I have seen his magic. It is very weak, and he is but an untrained seer...” There was a hint of desperation in Set's voice now, which was even more unnerving than anything else Simon had heard so far. “Surely he couldn't hurt a – a powerful being such as yourself? But he could be valuable for us... we could use him as – as bait, bait for the descendant of Ra.”

  “The descendant?” hissed Apep softly. “Are you sure this is whom you wish to lure?”

  “If it brings my nephew to us, even better, but I was merely suggesting –“

  “You are an awful liar, Set,” said Apep. “The only thing you have ever cared about is Horus, the only thing you crave badly enough to lie to me …” Apep paused, relishing in the uncomfortable shuffling of his quarry. “I do not care about Horus or the descendant of Ra, not now that we have the boy. All that matters to me now is the successful completion of the plan.”

  What plan? Simon thought, straining his ears to listen.

  “I've done everything you wanted, Lord Apep, I –“ Set flared angrily, mutinously, but was cut short by the serpent god at once.

  “My decision is final,” Apep snapped. “You've already defied me once to test the boy, do not do it again! Do as I tell you, and you will be rewarded with powers more powerful than anything your young nephew could match. Do as I tell you, and you will get your opportunity for revenge.”

  “Yes, my lord,” agreed Set after another short silence, and Simon jumped upward as though burnt.