“May I look?” I handed him my phone and he scrolled his finger across the world map, watching in fascination as the perspective changed. “We are truly on the other side of the world?” he asked.
“That’s right. And don’t forget, we are assuming that your brothers are still in Egypt. Actually, they could be anywhere—China, France, the U.K.—Egyptian exhibits are very popular.”
Amon ran his hand over his bald head as he said thoughtfully, “This is why my power could not take us to them.” His eyes met mine. “I cannot use my power to cross over great waters. The desert sand becomes too heavy when it meets the water. It would sink us into the bottomless ocean.”
I swallowed. “Well, technically the ocean isn’t bottomless, but I get the picture.”
Playing with the phone, he began pressing various buttons and exploring different apps. I was shocked at how quickly he was picking up modern technology.
“There are too many oceans, you are right,” he declared. “But if we could get to Egypt, I could ask Anubis for aid.”
“Can’t you ask him for aid from here?”
“No. The ritual to call upon him must be performed in a certain place.”
“Right.” The idea that this perplexing, fascinating man from another time was leaving was a relief, but at the same time, I’d be very sorry to see him go. How often does a girl get to go out with an Egyptian prince?
Amon was looking at me expectantly. Biting my lip, I suddenly realized what he wanted. The date isn’t over yet. “Um…look, Amon, I’m not packed for an extended vacation, and I can’t just go gallivanting across the globe. My parents wouldn’t approve, and I have school next week. Spring break is over on Monday, you know.
“Why don’t you just hypnotize some guy at the airport who is going to Egypt and you can borrow his ‘inner workings’ until you get there. Then, presto changeo, you sandblast your way to your brothers, raise them from the dead, finish your ceremony, and dust your hands of it all, so to speak.”
“What is an airport?” he asked.
“An airport is a place that has lots of white chariots that can fly in the sky, even over great waters.”
Amon rose immediately. “Yes. We will take a flying chariot to Egypt.”
“Whoa, wait a minute,” I cautioned as he pulled me to my feet. “What happened to connecting with some other person who’s already going?”
He lifted my bag and secured the strap across his chest before taking both my hands in his. “I can connect to only one person, Lily.” I’m sure he saw the alarm on my face, because he quickly added, “Do not worry. Once the ceremony is complete, our need to be connected will be gone and you may return home to your family and your school. At that time I will have my full power and I will be able to manipulate time and send you back to your home so that you will arrive just a moment after we left. No one will miss you. Your family will never even know you were gone.”
As he started pulling me along the path, I grew more anxious. “But what if your special location to do the Anubis ritual thing isn’t there anymore? I mean, there’s been a lot of archaeological digging in the last one thousand years, you know. Uh, that means they’ve been excavating tombs,” I added in case he misunderstood. “The whole thing is a long shot.” I tried to wriggle my hand out of his grip and continued, “I mean, the remains of your brothers could be anywhere. And speaking of that, why do you have to raise them? Why can’t they raise themselves, like you do? And another thing—”
“Lily.” Amon stopped and turned, placing his hands on my shoulders. Warmth seeped directly into my bones, my muscles relaxing so completely that every question I had melted away. I wondered if he was doing that on purpose again, or if it was just a natural part of being around him. “I promise you that I will answer all of your questions,” he said. “But I must complete the ceremony before the full moon has risen directly above the ancient temples of Giza. Those monuments still stand, do they not?”
“You mean the pyramids? Yes, but—”