The group stops at the Rio Grande in El Paso, Texas, to communicate with Nephthys. The goddess’s voice is distant. She’s taking shelter in a sleeping host, and neither Bast nor Sadie knows what that means. Downriver, Carter sees a family disappear into the water and goes after them, only to be attacked by a crocodile. He defeats it and returns to the group, where Bast defeats another crocodile, and Sadie is lying “in a crumpled heap on the riverbank” (385).

Sadie is alive but hurt badly. While Khufu carries her to safety, the god of crocodiles emerges from the river. Bast and Carter fight the god, but they are vastly out-powered. Bast takes a final stand while Carter gets Sadie to safety. She tells Carter to “tell your father I kept my promise” (390) before tackling the crocodile god into the river.

Bast reemerges as Muffin, her divine essence gone. Carter picks up the half-drowned cat and turns to find that Amos and Philip of Macedonia have arrived. While Philip takes on more approaching crocodiles, Amos helps get the kids to safety.