Theodosia and the Serpents of Chaos-Theo 1 by R. L. Lafevers, Yoko Tanaka

narrowly missing his nose. "But it's time to take Mother and Father their tea," I said firmly.
    Henry shrugged and followed along, saying he hoped I'd make him some as well.
    And they say he has no imagination!
    ***
    As I started the midmorning tea, I wondered if all the unsettledness in the museum could be Isis. Setting out the mugs, I shook my head. That's not what it felt like. It felt more sinister than that. Although, Isis was quite sinister enough, come to think of it.
    After I buttered up my parents by taking them their tea, I started in on Mum, insisting she inventory all the things she'd brought back. Maybe something in one of the unopened crates was causing this sensation. Finally, in complete exasperation, she caved. "But only because it must be done anyway, Theodosia. Not because of this melodrama you're inventing."
    Doesn't she realize I have enough work to do around here without making things up?

    We'd been down in short-term storage for almost an hour when Henry came thumping loudly down the stairs.
    "What was that again, Mum? I couldn't hear you because
somebody
was making too much racket."
    "This crate has six steles, each with war scenes on it," she repeated.
    I made a note in the ledger in front of me. "Next?"
    "Mum," Henry interrupted. "Dad says you're to come at once. That blasted old fool Snowthorpe's here."
    "Henry!"
    Henry shrugged. "Sorry. Those were his exact words."
    With a sigh of exasperation, Mother got to her feet and brushed off her skirts. "What does he want, I wonder?"
    Lord Snowthorpe is some muckety-muck high up at the British Museum whom Father used to work for. None of us like him much, especially Father. He's a greasy fellow, and whenever he pays us a visit, Father falls into one of his moods for at least two days.
    I thought briefly of staying and continuing on with the inventory without Mother, but sometimes interesting things happen when Snowthorpe's about. I decided to follow her. I turned to Henry. "You coming?"
    "Nah. I think I'll stay down here."
    I saw the keen way he stared at the exposed weapons we'd just inventoried. "Come on," I urged. "You can't be down here alone."

    "Says who?"
    "Me. Now come along. We'll spy on Snowthorpe, if it makes you feel any better."
    His face brightened at this and he followed me up the stairs, sounding like a herd of hippopotami the whole way. How does he think to spy if he can't keep quiet?
    When we reached the top of the stairs, I put my hand back to shush him. Lord Snowthorpe was leaning against one of the marble columns in the foyer, tapping his cane impatiently against the floor. Mother and Father were nowhere to be seen. Must be bracing themselves.
    Snowthorpe's a tall man with a hooked nose and a very red face, as if he'd stayed out in the sun too long. He's got a tremendously round belly that he can barely manage to stuff into his coat and a superior air about him that would choke a pharaoh.
    Just as I wondered if Mother and Father were making him wait on purpose, I heard a faint hiss from above. I looked up to find Isis poised in a crouch at the top of the balcony under which Snowthorpe stood.
    Before I could do anything, she screeched, sounding more like a panther at the zoo than a cat, and flew at Lord Snowthorpe.
    As her sharp claws dug into his shoulders, he gave a mighty bellow and tried to reach around and snatch her off his back.

    While I ran forward to rescue Isis, Henry sniggered.
    At Snowthorpe's shout, Mother and Father came running, and soon it was true pandemonium as we all tried to pry Isis from Snowthorpe's back without ripping his morning coat or hurting Isis. Although the way Father was going on, I suspect I was the only one worried about Isis.
    Finally, Father got the cat untangled from the coat and shoved her at me. "Take this accursed cat, Theodosia, and get her out of here. Now!"
    Isis struggled in my arms, whirling like a dervish, trying to escape. With one excellently placed swipe of her claws, she leaped from my