"Egyptian."
"English"
Chapter Four
Rick was holding Evy, sitting on the steps to the bus when Ardeth came over to them. "Please, do not fear for your son my friends. They cannot hurt him for he wears the bracelet." Ardeth reassured.
"Alex is wearing the bracelet?" Evy looked at Rick.
Rick nodded distractedly. "When he put it on he said he saw the pyramids at Giza then the temple at Karnak." Rick explained.
"Yes and when they reach Karnak the bracelet will show him the next step of the journey." Ardeth added.
Evy looked worried. "If we don't get to Karnak before them, we won't have any idea where to look for them next." She said biting her lip.
"Aren't we forgetting someone?" Jonathan said. "What about Grace? I mean it's good Alex has someone familiar with him but why did they take her too?" He asked.
Ardeth looked thoughtful for a moment. "Perhaps the creature wishes to earn her forgiveness still." He said.
Lock-nah carried Alex through the train whilst, behind them, two men pulled Grace along. They entered a room on the train to find Meela and the curator looking at the book of the dead. They looked over at the door way when they entered. Lock-nah put Alex down as he said, "hey that's the book of the dead!" and Meela walked up to him, putting her hand on his head.
"What a bright little child. Your mother must be missing you terribly. If you wish to see her again, you'd better behave." She said removing her hand.
Alex snorted. "Lady, I don't behave for my parents. What makes you think I'm going to do it for you?" He asked.
Grace winced, he needed to stop being mouthy. She knew the only reason he was alive was because he still wore the bracelet. Meela took him by the chin, "because your parents wouldn't slip poisonous snakes in your bed, when you are sleeping." She said in an almost sing-song voice.
Alex gasped and stepped back. "It's okay, Alex. I'm here." Grace reassured, unable to hug him due to her restrainers.
Meela looked at Grace with a smirk but before she could say anything the curator spoke. "Lord Imhotep wishes to meet with them." He said.
"Now we will see how brave you are." Lock-nah said with a chuckle as he pushed Alex forward. Lock-nah led them through the coach and to another room.
He opened the door and pushed Alex in with Grace being pushed in by her restrainers after him. Lock-nah sent Grace's captors out of the room and shut the door behind them. Grace stood next to Alex and felt him hold her hand as Imhotep, who was wearing a black cloak and mask, turned around to face them. "I know you can understand me little one." He said to Alex. "So you must listen carefully because it is you who are the chosen one, you who will take me to Ahm Shere."
Lock-nah looked a little scared when Alex said, "and if I don't, what if I get a little... lost?"
Imhotep chuckled darkly. "You have strength little one. You are your fathers' son but I know something you don't. This bracelet is a gift and a curse." Imhotep used his powers to lift Alex's arm with the bracelet on up, he studied it for a moment before letting it fall back down. Imhotep then picked up an hour glass and turned it over before placing it back down. "The sands of time have already begun to fall against you."
"Yeah, yeah, I already know that the minute I put the bracelet on, seven days do I have before the scorpion king wakes up." Alex said with a roll of his eyes.
Grace squeezed his hand in warning. "Did you also know that if you do not enter the pyramid before the sun rises on that very morning, that the bracelet will suck the life out of you?" Imhotep said darkly.
"That bit I missed." Alex said with a bit of fear. "Hey wait a minute! That means I've only got five days!"
"Then I believe it would be best for you if you didn't get lost, don't you?"
"My dad is going to kick your arse." Alex said firmly.
"I wouldn't be so sure about that, Alex." Grace said knowing they got lucky last time. At her words Imhotep lifted his mask to reveal his rotted, corpse like face.
Alex gasped and clung to Grace's side. Imhotep looked at Grace now and realised she was glaring at him with hatred. "Your mother told me that you remembered what happened." Imhotep stated flinching slightly at the hate in her eyes.
"I did. You chose your life over your daughters." Grace spat.
She still couldn't believe he did that! "You still look so much like you did then." He stated sadly, reaching a hand for her but then dropping it. "Akila... forgive me. I made the wrong choice; I regretted it from the moment you died. I wish I had told Seti the truth, I cannot tell you how truly sorry I am. In my heart I know I've failed you." Imhotep said softly.
Grace could hear the love in his voice and it stirred up the memories in her mind. Part of her wanted to forgive him knowing that he truly was sorry, but she knew what he did was unforgivable. Tears clouded her eyes as she smiled at him in a cross between sadness and disbelief. "You honestly expect me to forgive you? After what you did?" She laughed. "I told you three thousand years ago I would not forgive you and I meant it. You don't deserve my forgiveness. At least the Gods have punished you for your lies." She spat, not really noticing she was speaking Egyptian.
Imhotep was speechless for a moment and Grace almost felt bad for making him look so sad. "I only hope, in time, you will forgive me and we can be a family once more." He finally said.
Grace stepped up to him, letting go of Alex's hand temporarily, her anger at him stopping her from being afraid. "Never." She swore and then grabbed Alex's hand, storming from the room. Lock-nah followed after them.