Zia Rashid

The Serpent's Shadow

Zia Rashid is a Arab Magician and a scribe of the House of Life. She was the favoured of Ra and also hosted Nephthys when the gods were released by Julius Kane. She is the significant other of Carter Kane.

## Early Life

Zia Rashid lived in and grew up in an Egyptian village called Al Hamrah-Makan, meaning the place of Red Sands, where she lived with her father and mother. Zia's father was an Arab farmer who would search for artifacts in exchange for payment from archaeologists. When she was eight years old, her father brought home a small red statue, unaware that a monster was sealed inside. He unwittingly unleashed it and it destroyed the entire village. The House of Life found her hidden in a fire pit and under some reeds, where her mother had placed her; she was the only survivor. Chief Lector Iskandar took her in, but found that Zia had no memory of her life. He provided her with the details of what happened to her, as well as photographs of her village and family, something that Zia later included in a shrine to her family.

Zia then began to train as a magician in the First Nome; when she turned thirteen, she was the only one in her age group to remain in Egypt.

## The Kane Chronicles

### The Red Pyramid

When the House of Life begins to suspect that Julius Kane may try to summon a god, Zia and Michel Desjardins begin to tail him. They follow Julius and his two children, Carter and Sadie Kane, to the British Museum, where Julius releases five gods. Unknown to both her and Desjardins, Zia becomes the host for Nephthys. After the explosion, the two find the unconscious bodies of Carter and Sadie. Zia suggests that they be killed, but Desjardins refuses because it is not within their instructions. They return to the First Nome and Iskandar comes to realize that Zia is, in fact, a godling. Fearing for her life, he hides her away and replaces her with a *shabti*. Not long later, the shabti Zia tracks down the Kane siblings in Brooklyn, where she briefly fights Serqet after Bast, the cat goddess failed in her fight against Serqet. Sadie opens a portal to the First Nome after Zia binds Serqet with the Seven Ribbons. There, Zia brings the siblings to Iskandar, who decides to 'test' them in the morning to see their real godly powers; Zia then shows the siblings to their quarters.

That night, Zia goes to her shrine, but is spotted by Carter, who follows her. While she is praying, he sees a glowing orb lift from her and float away, but when he mentions it, he is met with confusion. Upon studying her shrine, Carter asks about Zia's family and she explains her past to him. Feeling for her, Carter suggests that they go to the mall sometime and have fun, something that Zia assumes is a date. The next morning, Zia teaches Sadie and Carter the basics of magic and has them duel one another. She becomes shocked when she discovers Carter hosts Horus but the training is cut short, however, when Zia hears the news of Iskandar's death and that Desjardins has become the new Chief Lector. Zia advises the siblings to run away, warning them that the next time they met, it would be as enemies.

After their escape, Desjardins, Zia, Mel, and another magician began to search for the Kane siblings, saving a plummeting airplane in the process. Zia was eventually able to contact Carter in his sleep and asked him to meet her in Las Cruces so they could work together to defeat Set. Upon meeting there, however, they were betrayed by Mel and a fight broke out. Due to the efforts of Amos Kane, who had recently joined with the Kane siblings, Zia, Sadie, and Carter were able to escape, but Desjardins summoned Sekhmet to hunt them down; they were eventually able to convert her into Hathor by tricking her into eating salsa. Sekhmet thought that it was blood, and drank so much that it put her to sleep as she turned into the gentler cow-headed Hathor. Zia then helped the siblings animate a coat to drive a car for them and they began to head toward Phoenix until they encounter Amos once again. Zia, knowing that Sadie intends to defeat Set by speaking his Secret Name, seems to sense that Set is possessing Amos. She offered to tell Sadie Set's secret name and asked that she use it against Amos. Sadie, however, refuses, and the group continued on to Phoenix where they confronted Set. In the battle, however, Set attacked Zia, believing that she was Nephthys and unaware that she was, in reality, a *shabti*. Zia was gravely wounded, but had managed to tell Sadie Set's secret name. Sadie was able to use Set's name to defeat him, but moments later Zia's *shabti* disintegrates, much to Carter's grief. Desperate to ensure her safety, Carter vowed to find the real Zia.

### The Throne of Fire

Carter and Bes find Zia at Makan al Hamrah in a sarcophagus. They rescue her and carry her to the Nile, where Nephthys leaves her. Zia struggles to breathe and Carter tries giving her mouth to mouth, but she punches him and yells at him, but then asks what happened to Iskandar. Carter tells her that he died, and told her about her Shabti they met in New York, and Desjardins becoming Chief Lector. Zia tells Carter that he is a Kane and will be put to death, and tells him it is illegal to summon Bes. Zia tries to incinerate him but Carter defends himself with Ra’s weapons, outraging Zia.

Their conversation is cut short when Menshikov and Desjardins arrive. They try to manipulate Zia against Carter but he pleads with her that Menshikov is evil. Zia sides with them but can sense something evil about Menshikov. Zia watches in shock as Carter attacks Menshikov and her terrified face convinces Carter not to kill him. Carter is turned into a snake and Zia pleads with Menshikov to stop. Bes scares them back home and Zia is shocked, telling Bes that he killed him. She meets Sadie and Walt when they arrive and tells her to go away, but she passes out.

Zia wakes up in a Hotel room in Egypt at 10 AM the next day, and is confused, and tries to attack Sadie, blowing up two hotel rooms. Sadie eventually calms her down and convinces her to side with them, and become friends. They took her shopping and she bought new clothes, ate falafel, bread, and spiced beef and played Senet with Walt, Sadie, and Bes. Zia greets Carter when he wakes up and tells him of the past events that happened, and says that she and Sadie are friends. Carter remarks in horror, but Zia calls Sadie persuasive, a good diplomat, and admirable, pleasing Sadie.

They discuss finding Ra and Zia says that Menshikov disturbed her too much, and that she never trusted him, that Iskandar hid her for a reason, and that Ra must be awakened and Menshikov stopped. Zia agrees to go to Brooklyn with Walt because she wants to talk to Amos herself, and that she could convince the Magicians to side with her. Zia and friends escort Carter and Sadie to the Great Pyramid, and Zia pulls Carter aside to talk. Zia tells Carter that she knew his heart was involved the right place rescuing her but she needs time to become close to him, and that he is endearingly clumsy. Zia tells him to be careful and follow his heart, not the will of the gods.

Zia later defends Brooklyn House against Kwai and Sarah Jacobi, and tells Carter and Sadie that she couldn’t reason with them, but is confused as to why Ra is an old man offering her a bug. Zia and Walt put Ra on the sun boat and jump off when Ra rises to the Heavens. Zia decides to accompany Amos to Cairo so he can be recognized as Chief Lector, and opens a portal there. Zia says her goodbyes to the siblings and touches Carter’s arm, thanking him, and promising that they will talk when things are settled, and walks through the portal. Sadie notes that she thinks that Zia can tell that she and Ra have a connection.

### The Serpent's Shadow

Zia hasn’t visited Brooklyn's House or seen Carter and Sadie for six months, but Carter and Zia spend time scrying. Carter scrys with Zia and Zia threatens to strangle him, with Carter thinking she is cute when she threatens to kill him. Zia tells Carter that everyone has heard about Dallas and was concerned that he was dead. Carter explains everything that happened and Zia curses in Arabic, relieved that Carter is alive but mourning Anne Grissom. Zia gives him the message Sarah Jacobi sent him and talked about her attacks.

Their conversation is interrupted when Ra enters the room, and Zia has to tell him to not drink the enchanted oil and gives him a cookie. Zia tells Carter that Ra gets upset when she doesn't visit him and that none of the other gods want to care for him, and is afraid what would happen if they did. Zia tells Carter not to blame himself and that she would call him that night, but hangs up to talk to Sobek, to her annoyance.

Sadie and Leonid later go to visit Amos and sees him and Zia plan battles in the war room. Sadie is shocked at how grown up Zia looks and that if Carter saw her, his jaw would drop. Zia is shocked as to why a Russian is there but Sadie tells her that he is a friend. Amos casts a spell so they can all communicate without the language barrier, and Zia is upsetted from Leonid's news, and says that she should’ve killed the rebels when she had the chance. Zia is horrified when Amos mentions that he must defeat the rebels through other means, but Sadie doesn't know what he means yet. Zia agrees to go to the Netherworld with Sadie and is reassured that Amos will care for Ra. Zia and Sadie have lunch, discuss more strategy, and Sadie tells her about she and Carter’s plan about Setne, shocking her, but she agrees to the plan. After Sadie talks to Isis, they go to Sunny Acres Assisted-Living Community to see Tawaret and Bes. Zia has a meltdown and tries to burn down the nursing home, but Sadie stops her. Zia tells Sadie about her blackouts and how they get worse with the more power she uses, and how Ra is trapped in his body. Zia tells Sadie about how Amos is planning to use the power of Set, to Sadie's horror. Zia and Sadie go to the beach near the Lake of fire and meets Tawaret. Zia goes to stop a fire fight between Fire-Embracer and Hot Foot, and comes out unscathed, with only a few blisters.

Carter and Walt give Sadie and Zia a ride to Osiris's house on the Egyptian Queen, and Zia is suspicious of Bloodstained Blade, the demon captain. Carter and Zia are uncomfortable around each other, with Zia sitting far away from him, worrying about her blackouts, and Carter trying not to stare. The four talk, and Zia tells Carter to follow his heart, putting her hand on his arm. Zia watches Julius Kane hold the trial for Setne, and is disgusted by him, asking why they need him to help them.

Zia and Carter go with Setne to the ship, and they leaned against the rail, with their forearms touching. Zia worries about Ra, wondering how he is, but she stops to restrain Setne with the Seven Ribbons of Hathor. Zia threatens to burn Setne's smile off his face and interrogates him. Setne tells Zia that Ra is getting to her head, and tells them that they are in Memphis, Egypt. Zia uses the ribbons as a leash for Setne, and takes him to the Wheelhouse. A giant hippo attacks the ship and Zia is catapulted into the water while attacking him. Zia and Carter go to shore after Hapi is summoned, and they are given Hapi pills. The two wake up in an entry tunnel of a tomb and Zia feels sick from the pills. They enter the tomb with Setne and tells Carter about the Apis Bull. Zia summons fire and burns a bunch of cobwebs, and tells Carter to watch Setne. Carter realizes that Zia is using the magic of Khepri, but Zia says that she will tell him later. Setne takes the book, causing the Apis Bull to attack, and Zia and Carter run through the catacombs to escape. Zia protects Carter and says that she isn’t leaving him, and attacks the bull while chanting a spell. The bull shoots laser beams at her and Zia is possessed by Khepri, killing the bull but burning up in a trance. Zia collapses and Carter carries her back to the ship, kissing her on the forehead and watching her in her feverish state.

Zia wakes up when Bloodstained Blade is attacking Carter and defeats him. Zia cures his injuries with Nefertem's Balm and they decide to have a picnic in the Land of Demons. Carter tells her what happened and Zia tells him how she is going to host Ra, how she almost lost her mind in the sarcophagus, and how she almost killed Carter. Carter reassures her, telling her that she saved him, how shes the key to bringing back Ra, and gives her a protein bar. Carter tells Zia that he owes her a date at the mall food court, and Zia says she wished she would be there, and kisses him. Zia tells Carter how she is afraid to get close to other people after losing Iskandar and her parents, and how she might hurt him, but Carter reassures her. The two fish Setne out of the water and discuss capturing the sheut of Apophis. Setne guides them to the shadow, and Zia promises to incinerate him if he says anything she doesn't like. Setne uses magic to make them look like demons and leads them to the Sea of Chaos, and they hold hands. Carter almost fell into the sea but Zia stops him. Zia performs the spell to capture the shadow but is tied up with Carter by Setne, and the Book of Thoth is taken from her, but are saved by Sadie. Zia tells Sadie what happened and how she didn’t want to be chosen by Ra. Zia almost pushes Setne into the sea but reluctantly drags him along.

The three are attacked by demons, and Zia cannot fight since she used all of Khepri's power, but are saved by Bes and the gods at Sunny Acres. Bes is happy to see her and offers a hug, but Zia rejects it. Zia wonders if she should help the gods, but Bes tells her that they will be fine. They go back to the mortal world and Zia sees Ra, saying her name for the first time. Zia takes Ra in, being his host, and Ra is reborn, with Zia becoming the Eye of Ra. Zia/Ra greet Bes and Sobek, with their personalities mixing and being happy to be reborn, appearing as Zia in the mortal world and Ra in the Duat. Zia tells Sadie to care for Carter, and goes with the gods to fight Apophis as Ra. Carter is freaked out that Zia is now an old sun god, but Sadie reassures him that it is only temporary. Zia/Ra tells Carter and Sadie to protect Amos, and they give them Ra’s crook and flail. Zia/Ra attack Apophis, throwing flames at him, and Carter Zia's ba becoming weaker. Zia/Ra talks to Carter, but gets distracted and is swallowed by Apophis. Zia/Ra leave Apophis when he is killed, and Ra leaves Zia. Ra says that Zia will heal, but it will take awhile. Carter helps heal Zia in the rooms of the First Nome.

Two weeks later, Carter and Zia go to the Mall of America as their first date, and order Chinese Food, Mexican food, Pizza, and ice cream. Guys at the mall stare at Zia, wondering how a guy like Carter could end up with a girl like her. Zia tells Carter that she knows it was weird when she hosted Ra, but Carter tells her that it wasn't, but Zia says it was. Zia tells Carter that Amos wanted her to live a normal life and that she was going to live at Brooklyn House and teach initiates, and go to school, unless it made him uncomfortable. Carter says she'd love if she lived with him and rambles, but Zia tells him to shut up and kisses him.

## Personality

Zia is highly intelligent, and is often harsh, determined, and single-minded, making her an excellent fighter and strategist. She is also, however, passionate, holds her dear ones close to her heart, and possess a warm, soft and more vulnerable side that she rarely allows to show. Carter is likely one of the few to ever have seen it, though indirectly being as it was still only her shabti. Zia may at times become scared, intimidated and frightened. During *The Serpent's Shadow,* she fears that she is unworthy, not ready, and not strong enough to accept her responsibility as Ra's host. After kissing Carter, she tells him she fears getting close to people as everyone she cared about deeply (Iskandar, her parents) has died, though Carter apparently helps her get past this.

## Appearance

Zia is described as being very beautiful with 'vaguely Arabic' features and straight, jet black hair cut at her jawline, Egyptian-style. By *The Serpent's Shadow*, Zia grows her hair out down to her shoulders. Her skin is caramel-colored and her eyes are startling amber and lined with *kohl*. When she is furious, Zia's eyes look like they "might ignite." She wears loose linen clothing and Egyptian perfume. In *The Serpent's Shadow*, she is often seen wearing white linen and camouflage outfits. She has been described as 'both beautiful and dangerous'. According to Carter, she looks like Queen Nefertiti, with her high cheek bones and bright red lips. After being given the last Khepri beetle by Ra, Zia wears it as a necklace which allows her to channel Ra's power. Even after Ra merges with Khepri and is reborn, Zia is still seen wearing this scarab necklace.

## Abilities

Zia is an extremely skilled magician of the House of Life and specializes in the element of fire. She is skilled in general combat as well and seems to be adept in terms of strategy. Her position in the House of Life is the scribe, meaning she is just beneath the Chief Lector's ranks. Ra, the sun god, recognized her potential and she later became the Eye of Ra, fighting Apophis quite well along with the other gods.

* **Fire Magic**: This is Zia's specialty. The fact that she can cast the Pillar of Fire, the strongest technique a fire mage could create, to trail Desjardins proves that she is a master of fire. However, Zia collapsed after the incantation, and was powerless the next hours. She can also absorb fire into her staff with a command word. When she fought Serqet, Carter describes that she left a trail of flames wherever she moved. Zia is also strong enough to destroy two hotels shortly after coming out of a three-month coma. Zia can also put greater energy into her fire magic to make her fireballs white-hot and thus, cause greater damage to her opponents.
	+ **Heat Resistance**: Not only is she a fire mage, Zia is also resistant to heat and this is shown in *The Serpent's Shadow*, when she was unaffected by the lava thrown on her. This makes her hard to defeat by other fire magicians as well as fire gods. However, Zia can still spontaneously combust during instances when she first channeled Ra's power without experience and Carter was forced to douse her with water.

* **Scrying**: Zia learned how to scry as an initiate, and communicated with Carter during the six-month gap between *The Throne of Fire* and *The Serpent's Shadow*. She can also show something like a video to the person she is talking with, like when showing Carter Jacobi's speech.

* **Hieroglyphic Spells**: Like the magicians of the House of Life, Zia can use hieroglyphic spells. When the shabti Zia taught Carter and Sadie, she displayed a good knowledge of the principles of magic and hieroglyphs. Zia is also the former scribe of the First Nome so it is presumed that she can write hieroglyphic spells and use them to a proficient extent. She also carries blank scrolls in her magician kit.

* **Divine Words**: Since she is the former scribe of the First Nome, thus directly beneath the Chief Lector's ranks, Zia can speak a good number of Divine Words. Throughout the books, she has been shown to speak six Divine Words: *A'max, W'peh, Sahad, Heqat, Tas,* and *l'mun.* However, it is presumed that Zia can speak more words of power than shown although does not use it, preferring to use fire magic instead.

* **Magical Persuasion**: By lacing her words with magic, Zia can force her opponents to talk to her. She displays this in the Red Pyramid when she commands Sadie to tell her where Amos was. Sadie described it as an uncomfortable pressure that was building up inside her, similar to a burp trying to get free. Zia displayed it later when she convinced the mortals in Luxor, Egypt, to leave since Carter and Sadie would fight, claiming that mortal minds were very easy to manipulate. This was never seen again in the book.

* **Seven Ribbons of Hathor**: A very famous spell used by Zia is the Seven Ribbons of Hathor, which she uses to cleanse a human host of gods. She displays this during the Red Pyramid when she forced the scorpion goddess Serqet out of her host. However, she can only do this once an year. Zia is also skilled in manipulating already-created Ribbons of Hathor, such as when she turned them into a leash when she dragged the ghost Setne away.

* **Portal Summoning**: In *The Red Pyramid*, Zia shows that she can summon portals and is moderately good at them. She speaks *W'peh,* the Divine Word for 'Open', so the portals open at their auspicious moment. Zia mentions that there is a calendar with the activation times and that she memorized it after several years, something Sadie found very difficult to believe. Later, Zia created a portal to Luxor for the duel between Sadie and Carter.

* **Summoning Spell**: After crossing the Sea of Chaos, Zia cast a summoning spell to summon Apophis' *sheut*. Carter explained that it was similar to summoning a *shabti* or a minor creature from the Duat. However, since it was Apophis' *sheut*, Zia's summoning spell only made the shadow reveal itself.

* **Healing Magic**: Although never shown, Zia remarked that Anne Grissom had taught her this magic. It is unknown as to what extent she is proficient but Zia keeps healing items like the Nefertum's Balm with her for healing, although only has one jar as the balm is rare.

### Path of Khepri-Ra

**Comet of Khepri**: By channeling the power of Khepri-Ra, Zia can summon a miniature comet of fire at her opponents by thrusting out her hand. It was strong enough to get past an Apis Bull's fire-resistant shell and reduce the creature to ashes. However, because Zia didn't have practice with the Path of Khepri-Ra, she almost exploded the first time she used this spell and Carter had to douse her with water.

* **Khepri's Shield**: In the battle with the Apis Bull, Zia channels the power of Khepri to produce a shield that resembles a scarab shell, absorbing the Bull's sunfire weapon. The second time she used this was to protect against the Sea of Chaos' magic and it worked despite the others being unable to use divine magic. However, Zia mentions that she exhausted herself by using Khepri's Shield for so long and could not assist in battle.

### Eye of Ra Abilities

During the final battle against Apophis, Zia became the Eye of Ra to fight the enormous serpent. Although she retained her powers from the Path of Ra, she also had another attack which she lost after Ra and the other gods left to the Duat:

* **Illusions**: Zia can influence an enemy, even Apophis, to mistake her location. This was shown when the Serpent attacked her, only for her to disappear and re-appear a few feet back. She can also increase the amount of illusions by influencing the target with heat.