Anubis
Anubis copyright c. 2015 T.A. Chase
Part Thirty-One-
“Well the world hasn’t gone up in flames yet, so you have to be doing something right,” Jamil pointed out.
Anubis grimaced. “Thanks for the encouraging words.”
Shrugging, Jamil said, “It’s the best I could come up with.”
After brushing a quick kiss over Jamil’s lips, Anubis stepped away. “I’m sure the more you think, the more questions you’ll come up with, but right now, we need to focus on what I found. I can’t let my past distract me from what’s happening now.”
“Right.” Jamil clapped his hands together as he turned to glance around the room. “I assume you’re going to want your brothers here to look at it with you.”
“Yes, but you should be here as well. As much as I’d love to keep you away from this, I’m afraid you’ve been in the middle of the situation from the beginning, even though you didn’t know about it.” Anubis ran his hand through his hair then sighed. “I’ll call them back.”
::Can you join us now?:: he asked Bastet and Thoth.
“Yes.”
Jamil jumped about a foot in the air. If Anubis hadn’t been worried about what was going on, he’d have laughed at the disgruntled glare Jamil shot at Thoth.
Thoth grinned. “Sorry. I forget you’re not used to our powers yet. Have you told him the craziest part yet?”
Anubis punched Thoth in the arm. “You know I didn’t, and I don’t appreciate you bringing that up right now. We don’t have time for it.”
“What are you talking about? How can anything be crazier than thinking you’re immortal and put on this earth to fight bad guys?” Jamil flopped onto the couch with an exasperated exhale.
“Oh trust me, some of their powers are stuff of legends,” Kellan commented as he joined Jamil. “Anubis is right though. We don’t have time. Whoever is after the book is willing to kill for it. We need to know what’s in it then get it out of their reach.”
Bastet motioned to Anubis. “Retrieve it,” he ordered.
He bit back the sarcastic quip he wanted to make to do as Bastet said. At the moment, it wasn’t important to take Bastet down a peg. Really though? Who did he think he was? The only ones who gave orders were Isis and Sekhmet. The rest of them were equals.
Taking a deep breath, Anubis closed his eyes and imagined the chamber where he’d taken the book. With his second breath, his nose filled the musty odor of age and decay. He glanced around to see the sarcophagus and other burial treasures.
Anubis bowed. “Thank you for allowing me to store the book here, your majesty. I’ll continue to pray for you as you travel through the underworld.”
He picked the book wrapped in leather then thought of the hotel suite. A soft gasp told him he’d returned there. Bastet stood close to him, holding out a glass of whiskey. After drinking it, Anubis nodded his thanks.
“Where did you hide it? Why not just send it to the library in Scotland?” Kellan studied him.
“I put it in an as-yet undiscovered tomb of an unknown pharaoh,” Anubis informed him. “I knew no one would ever find it there, so it was the safest place. Especially if something happened and we couldn’t retrieve it.”
Jamil’s eyes gleamed with excitement. “Undiscovered tomb?”
Anubis nodded. “Yes, but don’t ask me where it is. I’ve only been inside. I have no idea where it is in the grand scheme of the desert.”
“How did you find it then?”
“I’d been led there on an earlier mission.” Anubis wasn’t going to tell Jamil any more than that. He told the truth. He didn’t know exactly where it was and wouldn’t be able to point to a spot on the map. But even if he could, he probably wouldn’t.
There was a disturbing heaviness in the shadows hugging the corners in that tomb. Anubis didn’t want Jamil to open it and end up dealing with more than grave robbers. Vindictive spirits could cause serious harm to innocent people. Anubis wouldn’t run the risk it would injure Jamil.
Bastet and Thoth stared at him and he gave a slight shake of his head. Thoth snorted softly while Bastet merely shrugged.
“Let’s take a look at what you found,” Bastet suggested. “I have a feeling we’re running out of time. Our enemies are closing in on us. We need to be ready for them.”
Anubis walked over to the table while the others followed. He set the book down then unwrapped it. Stunned silence filled the room as he revealed it.
“A Book of the Dead,” Kellan breathed, reaching out to touch it but stopping inches short when Bastet grabbed his hand.
“Don’t touch it,” Bastet told him.
“Wait. I have gloves in my backpack.” Jamil dashed over to where he’d dropped it then dug through it.
Anubis cleared his throat. “It’s not just that it’s an artifact that Bastet doesn’t want Kellan to touch it, Jamil. There could be poison or curses on the book to keep it safe.”
“How can you find out?” Jamil trembled and Anubis knew it was because he wanted to look at the book, but was restraining himself.
“I wish Amun was here,” Thoth muttered.
“I know. He’s the most knowledgeable about curses and poisons. Unfortunately, he’s on another mission and I doubt Isis will take him off.” Bastet rubbed his chin. “Do any of us have the courage to ask Sekhmet to come and look at it?”
Anubis shared a glance with Thoth then met Bastet’s amused gaze. “No.”
Bastet laughed. “I didn’t think so. I guess we’ll have to do it the old fashion way.”
Thoth groaned. “I hate this, but I’ll do it. I don’t have anyone I need to keep safe, so if there’s poison, I can be sick.”
“What if there’s a curse?” Jamil inquired before Thoth touched the cover.
“Then I’m stuck with it until I can find Amun and have him break it.”
One Response “Anubis”
loved this!