Total pages in book: 126
Estimated words: 123065 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 615(@200wpm)___ 492(@250wpm)___ 410(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 123065 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 615(@200wpm)___ 492(@250wpm)___ 410(@300wpm)
Cyrus keeps following my gaze. “I know you’ll have lots of questions about his research. You can always use your phone to look things up—that’s allowed in here, but that’s also why Jake went off to wander. This is one of the only islands in the Puget Sound where archeologists have found Egyptian hieroglyphics. Nobody can explain it, some things just can’t be. Anyway, be careful when you go out. He points. “Use the power of that shiny thing in your pocket.”
“Shiny thing? I didn’t steal anything. I promise.”
“Your phone,” he whispers.
I can do this, and if doing this means I get one step closer to finding Jake, then it’s going to be worth it, sacrificial table or not.
“Try not to think too much into it, it’s not like your grade depends on it like Jake’s did.” He starts to leave.
“Wait!” I call after him. I really don’t want to be alone. “How far will you be?”
He tilts his head in a predatory manner. “How about I go as far as you want me to?”
How far will he take you. A voice whispers.
I stumble back.
He smiles. “Ignore the voices. It’s a hazard of working in here. The dead scream from the Nile and everything in here has been dipped in it. They can’t help it.”
I frown. “You really believe that?”
“You don’t, even after hearing what you just did?”
“How did you know—”
“—Because you looked like you saw a ghost. Should I calm the voices for you, Cleo?”
I lick my dry lips. “How would you do that, Cyrus? I’m genuinely curious now.” And a bit terrified but I don’t say that.
His eyes light up matching the sun. He walks towards me then around me until he’s behind me. He covers my eyes from behind with one hand then leans in to my right ear. “May I have permission?”
What’s happening?
I’m compelled to say “yes” but I can’t find my words so I simply nod with his warm hand still covering my eyes. “It’s an ancient spell after honoring the sun but only certain people may speak it. And no, you don’t want to know why. Never repeat this…” His lips graze my ear. “Sa, Sa, Sa.” I think it means protect. “Al Mawt Asfet. Protection. Death. Chaos. The Sun now silences them all.”
He moves his hands from my eyes down my face to my ears. In my head I hear listen. I can’t hear anything but my ears are burning from his hands. Watch, it says.
I open my eyes and stumble backwards against him. In front of me is Anubis, like actually Anubis. He’s wearing the head of a jackal, has gold rings around his arms and tattoos lining his body. He’s in nothing but a short black leather skirt and sandals. “Really?” His voice is nothing like I would imagine, not that I spent any time thinking about that particulat subject matter. Nope, none of this is part of my normal, that’s for sure.
Wait, did he just say really?
“She was hearing the voices.” Cyrus says from behind me. “I had no choice but to call you in.”
Anubis puts a hand on his hip then stares or I think stares at me unless I’m hallucinating which I probably am right? This is all a dream or I’m going crazy. “Fine. Hi there, Cleo. I’ll silence the voices for now, next time text you jackass.” He slams his staff onto the ground and disappears in a plume of white smoke.
“See?” Cyrus says from behind me. “All better?”
All better? All better? I try to wrap my head around it.
I don’t realize I’m shivering until Cyrus wraps his arms around me from behind. He’s so warm, so comforting. It’s so wrong but I like it. I don’t even know him but I feel like I could trust him with my very life.
“It gets easier.” He turns me in his arms. “Seeing things you think you shouldn’t see. But I assure you, Anubis is real, as is the underworld, you just need to know how to conjure it.”
I gulp and finally find my voice only able to stare at his chin when I talk. “So what? You’re some sort of wizard.”
His laugh startles me. Straight white teeth are in perfect contrast to his tan skin. “I make your wizards look tame.”
The hair on the back of my neck rises. “You can let me go now.”
“Eventually, I guess I’ll have to.” He says cryptically releasing his arms from me. “All better now?”
“I can’t believe you’re actually asking me that after what I just saw!” I take a step back, reality slamming into me and making me question everything.
He smirks. “Makes you wonder why everyone wants to work for me right? It’s quite magical here. Enjoy your time, Cleo.”
He starts to walk away. “Oh hell no. I’m not staying in here by myself! I just saw freaking Anubis or at least I think I did, I’m not sure. Am I hallucinating?”