R. L. Lafevers_Theodosia 02 by Theodosia & the Staff of Osiris

Author:Theodosia & the Staff of Osiris
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Europe, Social Issues, Animals, Family, Juvenile Fiction, Exploration & Discovery, Mysteries & Detective Stories, Manners & Etiquette, Unicorns & Mythical, Cats, Visionary & Metaphysical, Fantasy & Magic, Historical, General, Girls & Women, People & Places, Dragons, Multigenerational, Ancient Civilizations
ISBN: 9780547248196
Publisher: Sandpiper
Published: 2008-01-01T06:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Old Friends, New Enemies

THE LAST TIME I'D SEEN our ex–First Assistant Curator was right after I'd beaned him on the head and he'd collapsed in an annex of Thutmose III's tomb. To say I wasn't expecting to see him in London was an extreme understatement.

"What? Cat got your tongue?" Bollingsworth asked. "Hard to imagine you at a loss for words." He tilted his face into the carriage light. "What do you think of your handiwork, Theo? Would you call it an improvement?"

Refusing to cower, I lifted my chin. "Is that why you've paid me a visit?" My voice sounded far too high and wobbly. "To show me your scars?"

He reached up and ran his fingers over his ruined face. "No, Theo. I'm here because once again you've been far too clever for your own good."

"What do you mean?"

His hulking form swallowed up all the space in the carriage. "Where is the Orb of Ra?"

"I-I don't know what you're talking about. What's an Orb of Ra?"

"You little fool! You are in no position to play games with me." Long gone was the friendly First Assistant Curator who used to be kind to me. "We knew you had it, along with the staff—otherwise all the mummies in London wouldn't have shown up on your doorstep."

"Wh-what makes you say that?"

"We have known of the staff for some time now. It is one of the many artifacts of power we've been searching for. All we were lacking was it's exact location, which you so helpfully discovered for us. Now, give me that orb."

"It was you who stole it!" Of course! It all made sense now. Who better to know his way around our museum than the ex–First Assistant Curator?

"We want the Orb of Ra, Theo. The staff is useless without it."

"Was it you who mummified Tetley?"

A shadow of something—regret?—crossed his face. "No, it wasn't me. And you're stalling. I am more than happy to force you to reveal the orb's whereabouts." He caressed his scarred cheek again. "They say that revenge is a dish best served cold. Would you agree?"

I gulped, trying to think of a way to gain more time. "It's back at the museum. If you take me there, I'll show you where it is."

"You're lying," he said.

How on earth had he known I was lying? I'm actually a rather good liar, when I need to be.

Bollingsworth leaned forward, his nose inches from mine. "Now, where is that orb?"

His voice rose on the word orb, and it was clear he was running out of patience. Just then, the carriage took a turn much too fast and pitched us both up against the wall. There was a thunk as my pocket made contact with the door.

Bollingsworth gave a chilling smile. Faster than a snake, his arm darted forward and grabbed a handful of my frock. He pulled me away from the door toward him. I struggled, but there was nowhere to go and he was much stronger than I.

He thrust his hand into my pocket and pulled out the orb, letting go of me as soon as he had it.

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