Theodosia

c h a p t e r t w e n t y-o n e

Y O U R  H O U R  H A S  B E G U N

Napoleon's guards marched Theodosia, Ahkmenrah and Larry towards the exhibit hall. Waiting for them was Kahmunrah and his prized sarcophagus with a tablet shaped hole in the front, much like the place it hung on the wall in New York. The room was piled with random stolen items from around the museum. In the middle of the mess was a chair Theodosia assumed Kahmunrah was using as his throne. Kahmunrah and his own guards came forward to meet Napoleon and the trio.

"Hello Brother. Mr. Daley." As he came forward to meet them, he stared down at Theodosia with a smug, patronizing look on his face. "I'm sorry, I can't seem to recall your name."

Theodosia glared up at him, feeling Ahkmenrah's warm hand slip into hers, urging her to stay silent. She felt it in the way he gripped her hand, the desperation in his hold. She remembered her promise, even without his reminders.

She wouldn't antagonize Kahmunrah.

Gritting her teeth, she told him, "Theodosia."

"Ah, yes, Theodosia. That's right. Well, nice to see you all again," he drawled mockingly. "If you don't mind, I shall take that from you."

Theodosia gripped Ahkmenrah's hand as tightly as he gripped hers as they were forced to watch Kahmunrah rip the tablet from Larry's hands. She could feel all of Ahkmenrah's frustration as he stared at the golden tablet in his murderous brother's hands. Theodosia wished she knew how to ease his pain, but she didn't. She couldn't stop Kahmunrah from taking even more from his brother.

"Thank you," he said, holding the tablet in his hands. "Finally. Finally! After 3000 years—" Kahmunrah moved away from Larry to place the tablet in the designated spot on the sarcophagus, moving the tablet pieces into place "—my evil army of the damned, my beautiful, beautiful army, shall be unleashed!"

Kahmunrah shouted into the silent cathedral. Everyone held their breath in anticipation, but nothing changed. Ahkmenrah felt his heart skip, realizing what had happened. The combination was wrong. Kahmunrah turned back to the tablet and sighed.

"Oh, I'm afraid that, uh, Mother and Father may have slightly changed the combination on me," Kahmunrah admitted. He walked towards Ahkmenrah and Theodosia, glaring at them. "Brother, you must know the combination. You were their favourite, after all."

Theodosia had begun to realize that the scariest thing about Kahmunrah was his mood swings. One moment he's telling jokes, and the next he's taking another royal fit. The breath was nearly knocked out of her as he grabbed her arm and yanked her away from Ahkmenrah and Larry. He held her close, daring Ahkmenrah to lie to him as held Theodosia's arm tighter and tighter. She winced, trying not to show that it hurt. She didn't want Ahkmenrah to worry, but mostly she didn't want to give Kahmunrah the satisfaction.

"I don't know it, Kahmunrah," he said, moving forward as far as the guards would allow. "Please, let her go."

Kahmunrah snarled and tightened his grip. "Do not lie to me!"

"I'm not! They must have changed it once I was...gone," Ahkmenrah said, the implication in his words settling over the room.

Kahmunrah slowly released his grip on Theodosia's throbbing arm, smiling, amused, at his younger brother's challenging gaze. Finally, he pushed Theodosia back towards Ahkmenrah, who reached out to catch her. Larry watched the pair, worried, but once they were safely back together, he turned his attention back to Kahmunrah.

"Wow, I guess this whole, uh, 'unleashing the underworld' thing isn't really working out for you, huh?" Kahmunrah looked at Larry. "Just-it must be really frustrating because you've waited thousands of years to come back from the dead and everything, and now you can't get it open."