Theodosia

c h a p t e r n i n e t e e n

T H E  S M I T H S O N I A N

Theodosia couldn't believe how lively and colourful the Smithsonian was above the archives. It seemed endless. They passed through exhibit after exhibit, each as curious as the next, moving from one new world to the next.

She imagined this is what it must have been like, that first night. If only she had left her exhibit and seen it for herself; an entire museum just waking up from an eternal slumber. It must have been exhilarating.

Her corner of the world in New York was so much smaller than she could have ever imagined. She wished Percy, Alec, and Korinna were here to see it with her, but a part of her was glad they, and the rest of her family, were safe in the shipping crate. Out here, wandering the Smithsonian, they were vulnerable.

The four of them filed into a new exhibit once again, Larry and Amelia leading the group while Theodosia and Ahkmenrah followed behind, together.

"You're quite the popular fellow, Mr. Daley," Amelia remarked as she attempted to keep up with Larry's quick pace. "Why don't you just skedaddle?"

Theodosia scrunched her nose, confused by the strange word. "What does she mean by skedaddle?"

"I think she means to flee," Ahkmenrah answered, leaning down so they could whisper in secret.

"Like a coward?" Theodosia mused, smiling up at him. "Hm, then hasn't Larry already skedaddled?"

"You aren't still angry with him for leaving, are you?" Ahkmenrah asked. "I thought after he came to rescue us, you'd be willing to forgive him?"

Theodosia laughed lightly. "I have forgiven him."

"Then, why are you insulting him?"

Theodosia looked up at him, shocked. "Don't you know me at all? I know I've forgiven him, but he doesn't. He has to suffer before I concede, obviously."

"Ah," Ahkmenrah sighed, smiling to himself. "Why hadn't I considered that?"

The group entered a new room, full of paintings in every medium. Theodosia supposed she hadn't noticed since they didn't have many paintings back at home, but even art came to life at night, a whole other world existing within their frames. If not for the small issue of being chased by a blood-thirsty ego-maniac, Theodosia could have spent the whole night looking into each of those little worlds until she had seen them all.

As they turned the corner into the art gallery, Larry was suddenly hit in the side of the face with a tiny snowball. It was so small, Theodosia almost thought she was seeing things. Everyone stopped and turned towards the painting where the snowball had come from, surprised.

"Wow," Larry remarked as they all stepped closer. "This is new."

The painting they faced was of a small, frozen pond surrounded by a snowy landscape. The only time Theodosia had seen snow had been that night when they first rescued the tablet, but it hadn't looked nearly as beautiful as in the painting. Everyone was playing in the snow, or skating across the frozen pond, dressed in warm, colourful coats and hats and mittens. It looked like a dream.

Everyone was entranced by the miniature scene.

Then, suddenly, the little illustrated people began to pull back, frightened, screaming out in terror as though they'd seen a horrible monster. Everyone looked at each other, confused. The only one who stayed was the little boy who had hit Larry, even as his mother tried desperately to pull him away.

"Hey, it's alright," Larry reassured, "I don't want to hurt you."

"I don't think it's you they're afraid of, Mr. Daley," Amelia said, backing away with Theodosia and Ahkmenrah as Kahmunrah's guards creeped into the gallery, spears at the ready.