Shadow of the Sphinx

Shadow of the Sphinx is the 16th book of the Charmed novels and is written by Carla Jablonski.

It is set between Season 4 Episode 12 of "Lost and Bound" and Season 4 Episode 15 "Marry-Go-Round" as Phoebe is engaged to Cole for the duration of the novel.

Summary
"Shifting sands, eternal dust, unending time moves as it must. But ancient wisdom works through me, time is mine—where e'er I be."

Paige Matthews is having a minor identity crisis. She is slowly but surely embracing her long lost sisters' witchy ways, but she doesn't want to overstep her boundaries. After all, she wouldn't ever want to replace Prue Halliwell—even if she could. So Paige considers it a stroke of luck when, one day, her experiments with magic turn her into a cat. Who knew she had a knack for shape-shifting?

One problem: She can't shift herself back. Her sisters inadvertently betray her when they deposit her at a local animal shelter. Suddenly she finds herself the familiar of a cult that worships ancient Egyptian deities, and is catapulted into ancient Egypt! Piper and Phoebe discover the identity of the stray cat and rally a rescue mission, only to discover another cat-woman, also entrapped within a fortress-like sphinx. This kitty is one feline femme fatale, and the sisters are going to have to put human heads together to defeat her!

Major

 * Piper Halliwell: The eldest sister with the powers of Molecular Immobilization and Molecular Combustion.
 * Phoebe Halliwell: The middle sister with the powers of Premonition and Levitation.
 * Paige Matthews: The youngest half-sister with the powers of Telekinetic Orbing and Orbing.
 * Leo Wyatt: The Charmed Ones' Whitelighter and Piper's husband. He has the powers of Orbing and Healing.
 * Cole Turner: Phoebe's fiancé. He was known as Belthazor in the Underworld and had the powers of Shimmering and Energy Balls before becoming human.

Support

 * Tyler Carlson: Member of the Disciples of Thoth. A tall African-American with chiseled features and a beard. Traveled back to Ancient Egypt with Paige. Gave his life for the greater good. Also called "Osiris".
 * Skull Headed Demon: A Skeletal Being. Has a blue tongue with teeth transfixed in his skeleton head.
 * Marianna: A blond, short and plump woman in her 30s. Member of the Disciples of Thoth.
 * Tina: A petite, Asian woman and a Member of the Disciples of Thoth.
 * Talus: Also called Re, an Egyptian High priest of the Disciples of Thoth. He fainted at the sight of magic that sent Tyler and Paige back in time.
 * Kuthra: Vizier.
 * Hoptith: Enemy.
 * Mailin: Tipket's acolyte.
 * Tipket: High priestess.
 * Ammut
 * Bastet: Cat goddess who represents happy times. Has the head of a cat.
 * Osiris: Lord of the Underworld. Gave Tyler passage to eternal happiness when he died.
 * Maat: Goddess of truth, divine order, and judgment.
 * Thoth: Ancient Egyptian god.

Minor

 * Kraken Demon: Black-clad, slimy-green rogue demons that scavenge leftover magical energy left from battle between witches and other demons.

Mentioned

 * Prue Halliwell: The eldest Charmed One with the powers of Telekinesis and Astral Projection. She was killed by the demon Shax.
 * The Source of All Evil: Ruler of the Underworld and all evil forces.
 * Mr. and Mrs. Matthews: Paige's adoptive parents who died in a car accident when Paige was a teenager.
 * Johnson: Member of the Disciples of Thoth. Was initially the role of Osiris, but was voted out and replaced by Tyler after months of failure.

Shape-Shifting Ritual

 * Flames for transformation
 * Comfrey and nettles in an infusion, cinnamon sticks to burn.


 * Pour boiling water over a handful of Comfry and Nettles, light candles and look into the flames and concentrate on an animal you picked. Choose an animal you easily identify with for a start: Thinking of the qualities of this animal and sense for these qualities in yourself. Anoint forehead, hands and feet with the infusion. Burn the Cinnamon Stick and recite the spell:


 * Take what I am
 * Turn it into what I will be
 * Animal Power, Animal Me
 * Animal Energy, Animal Shape
 * Animal form my body to take.

Reversal Spell to the Shape-Shifting Ritual

 * Return to who you were
 * Remember who you are
 * No longer animal—
 * Become human once more.

To Drive an Enemy Away

 * Power of the cat, unite with me,
 * Send away this enemy.

To Transport Yourself to a Loved One

 * Separated by time, separated by space.
 * Reunite us three, in our sister's current place.

Transportation Spell

 * Ancient wise ones link to my will,
 * My greatest desire now you fulfill.

Translation Spell

 * Visitor from another land,
 * We need help to understand.
 * Let our words now be clear.
 * When we speak, both far and near.

To Break Out of a Prison Cell

 * Open the doors, open the gate,
 * This is a crisis, we really can't wait.

To Vanquish the Giant Demon

 * Creature of chaos, we vanquish thee,
 * Demon be gone so that good may go free.
 * Power of Three now vanquish thee,
 * We will forever be Power of three!"

To Drive Away Scorpions

 * Power of the cat, unite with me,
 * Banish these scorpions to eternity.

Powers

 * Sensing: Used by Leo.
 * Energy Balls: Used by Phoebe, Paige, Cole, and Kraken Demons.
 * Shimmering: Used by Kraken Demons.
 * Molecular Immobilization: Used by Piper.
 * Orbing: Used by Paige in cat form.
 * Omnilingualism: Used by Tyler and Paige in cat form.

Artifacts

 * Book of Shadows: The Halliwells' tome of knowledge and magic.

Notes and Trivia

 * The Handfasting entry was mentioned to be written by an ancestor during the 18th century.
 * Paige once had a boyfriend who told her she reminded him of a cat.

Continuity Errors

 * Phoebe Halliwell and Paige Matthews possess the power to throw Energy Balls in this novel.
 * Cole Turner is incorrectly referred to as Cole Porter in chapter 1.
 * The Egyptian version of the Underworld is called "Duat".
 * Paige is a social worker instead of an assistant.

International Titles

 * Russian: Tjen' Sfinksa (Shade Sphinx)
 * French: L'ombre du sphinx (The Shadow of the Sphinx)
 * Spanish: La sombra de la esfinge (The Shadow of the Sphinx)
 * Dutch: Schaduw van de sfinx (Shadow of the Sphinx)