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)
He doesn’t look back but grabs a torch and keeps walking. “Trust me, the interns lose their minds when they see this place. I had it designed to look like The Temple of Ra or at least one of them. There’s only one way in, one way out. The windows face the Nile and the ocean respectively but once inside, it’s easy to get lost in the dark. Whenever you are, search for the sun coming in from the windows and follow it to the entrance.” We go down another hall, then another. Torches are lined down the entryway. Everything is set in old stone down to the cement statues we pass on each side, until we go into the first room.
He holds the torch high and puts it on the wall closest to him. “The first chamber, the second is used for rest if needed, and the third is the bathroom.”
I perk up. “Really?”
“No.” He laughs. “It’s for worship. When I say I built it for Ra, I built it to the exact specifications of what ancient Egyptians would. But, the bathroom is only back the way we came in the main house. It’s not like we lock people in here.”
“Oh,” I laugh. “I wasn’t thinking that.”
He gives me a warm smile. “Your brother and the other interns aren’t locked in any dungeons. Shall I show you the third chamber then?”
I nod, not entirely sure I really want to see it since it keeps getting darker, and then the sun from the windows seeps in lighting up our walk down one more hall until we enter into a small room with a massive stone altar in the very middle.
I take a step back.
Cyrus grabs one of the torches lit up on the wall and tosses it into what I thought was water lining the walls. Instead it lights up the entire room, surrounding us and the large black altar. So, apparently that wasn’t water.
There’s a mote on the altar that looks like something out of the Mummy series. I’m not exactly getting happy feelings. It’s killing me not to ask if it’s ever been used, because of course in ancient times it was probably used, let’s just pray it was for a cow and not a person.
“So.” Cyrus clasps his hands together. “Go ahead and take a look around. Your brother mostly worked in the second chamber going over different stories about The Book of Life and the different family lines that were traced back to Egypt. He jokingly said he was looking for yours and found your name in one of the entries. He’s been obsessed ever since.” He pauses. “I trust you’ll be fine. I’m back at the house in my office if you have any questions, stay as long as you want. I hope it helps.”
I take a much needed breath. “It’s kind of dark in here, is it always like this?”
Cyrus smiles. “The world is dark without a sun is it not?”
“Right.” I laugh. “And we’re in a building, makes sense.”
He inclines his head as sunlight seeps through the window landing across the wall and lighting it up.
A spear is hanging on the wall. Its spearhead is covered in what looks like real gold and is around two feet long before it molds into the shape of a sun then goes down into the rest of the spear. How would one even hold something so sharp? As the flickers of fire dance off the walls, the weapon almost glistens. “What the hell is that?”
“A god killer.” His gaze softens, and he reaches out to touch it like he’s fond of it. “Or so they say. It’s the Spear of Ra, what else could it possibly be?”
“But that was fake.”
“Of course.” He smiles and crosses his arms. “It’s the only replica of what they thought it would look like in the modern world.”
I smile as he tilts his head at it. “Do you, um, also read bedtime stories to it at night and cuddle with it or—?”
“Of course not.” His lips quirk. “Sharp objects and all.”
When I get closer it seems to have its own sparkle of sunlight. I stumble back as I realize that there are several Egyptian hieroglyphics lining the walls. And the walls themselves have claw marks like someone was trying to break free but trapped here instead. “And these, do I want to know what these are?”
I know it’s not an ancient prison, but it sure feels like it used to be part of one. Maybe they took part of that wall as an artifact and kept it here? Yeah, that has to be it. Totally makes sense.
I did not sign up for dungeons for Spring Break. I’m more of a Panama Beach sort of girl at least until I have to buckle down, like Jake clearly already has.