Chapter 1

The docks had a strange smell, that of the salt of the sea mingled with the musty scent of animals that Evelyn O'Connell was not accustomed to. She peered past men made mysterious by their turbans and scarves, around her husband and brother, around horses and camels, around cars and finally caught sight of the object of interest.

"Ahlan wa Sahlan, Ardeth!" She ran up to him, grasping his hands in gratitude. Her husband, brother and son trudged behind her, uncertain looks on their faces, for the presence of Ardeth more often than not had a tendency to drag them into skirmishes left better unimagined.

"Thank you for coming to see them off." Evy smiled.

Ardeth smiled briefly and returned her greeting in low tones, brow furrowed in confusion.

"Ummdarling, I believe our favourite Medjai doesn't know the full story." Rick O' Connell raised his eyebrows, looking pointedly at his wife.

"Yes, yes of course, Ardeth, you must see, wewell, we have decided to stay, I mean, Rick and I have decided to stay" Her eyes widened at Ardeth's incredulously panicked expression as all thoughts of noble farewells flew out of the window.

"Jonathan is taking Alex back home for boarding school; whether he wishes to return to Egypt is entirely his own choice." She finished hurriedly in a breath, glancing at Ardeth with hopeful eyes.

"So you have. I thought so just by noticing the drastic reduction of the trunks." He nodded grimly. "Might I ask why?"

"Well," she laughed nervously, "I hope you haven't had enough of us, although it might be a little early to speak given the events in the past few days, we know you're busy and we would like"

"Honey, get to the point." Rick interrupted.

"Right, right, honey. On my way. What I am saying, Ardeth, is that I've been appointed a fellow at the Cairo Museum the day we returned from Ahm Shere; Rick and I have decided to stay here to ermto oversee to oversee," she gestured helplessly and frowned before finishing, "to overseethings."

There. It was out, and Evy felt like she was confessing to a crime that she did not commit. Ridiculous, it was.

But what was there to really object to when his friends chose Egypt instead of England? The crumbling edifice of past ages mattered little when the palette of colours of friendship in his life was added.

But his moody train of thought was interrupted by the tearful sniffles and farewells of the Carnahans and the O'Connells as they prepared to part ways once again.

"...school making a real man out of you, Alex." Rick was saying bravely, patting his son on the back, who nodded sagely.

"Alex, remember what I told you, clean yourself twice a day, despite what your uncle Jonathan might say, remember to cable us for money anytime you need extra, the winter clothes are in the compartment" Evy supplied.

"Mum, Dad, -"

" - and the housekeeper will be in every -"

"...showing the bad boys Dad's special kick and fist -"

"...day except for weekends. I fully expect Jonathan to -"

Ardeth smiled - and the stinging memory of Ahm Shere was temporarily subdued by the easy bantering of his friends. His terrifying but piecemeal vision of blood dimmed in the languid air, where the corporeal feel of daylight, the headiness of the sea air dragged him out of his nightmarish exile.

"...who is boss in the region of..."

"...write us as often as you can and -"

"MUM!"

Evy stopped. "Yes dear?"

"DAD!"

"Alright, alright, son."

Rearing his parents was never an easy task, Alex thought resignedly. The stern parents turned then to Jonathan and repeated their instructions.

With many hugs, exchange of meagre tears and multiple goodbye kisses, Rick, Evy and Ardeth found themselves waving their goodbyes to a disappearing speck in the horizon, their silhouettes framed by the fiery mirage of the setting sun, bathing them in an unparalleled, unearthly light.

"Isn't there more you wish to tell Ardeth, honey?" Rick questioned her with a raised brow.

"Yes, I believe I do." Evy's expression turned serious as she turned to Ardeth. "The Cairo Museum has informed me today that we are expecting a Bembridge scholar in Egypt in the new few days. I asked them what was really so important that one of their 'greats' would sail down here. And Ardeth, you're not going to like this, I think this certain scholar is ahieroglyphic specialist for the want of any better word, and is authorised tosearch out sacred sites."

Ardeth paled visibly, blinking twice. He seemed to contemplate an answer but was interrupted hurriedly.

"I don't know more, Ardeth; the museum hasn't told me anything beyond this scholar called Dr. Alex Khalan." she apologised, "but I promise to tell you all I know in the next few days to come."

"Great." Rick muttered. "We trade a young Alex today for another Alex. And more trouble in its wake, I guarantee."

Evy glared at him.

"That, my dear sir, is your son. The latter, hopefully, will prove no trouble at all and we will live in the proverbial but simplistic peace for the rest of our lives."

Ardeth shook his head.

"We'll see honey, we'll see." Rick gave her a beatific smile that conveyed otherwise.

Evy turned to Ardeth.

"I'll see you again Ardeth? In a few days? Cairo Museum? Knowing your resourcefulness, Ardeth, you'll find me before I find you."

He nodded, not trusting himself to speak. With a swivel of his feet, his black robes mimicking the motion, he bade them goodbye, for now. Hazily, he heard O'Connell muttering "unusually quiet today", imagining a confused face and a scratch of the head with a finger.

Just what was that shiver than rippled from the head downwards when Evy guessed that the new scholar was going to raid more tombs? The thought of protecting more tombs was far from intoxicating; he wondered briefly about being comfortably settled into the smooth existence of a city businessman, growing fat on golden plates of food, and the sybaritic respite that a heavily embroidered divan might offer. Ardeth's hand gripped his scimitar closely. The warrior mounted his horse, and pushed away the nagging idea that he was in much more than what he thought he was in for, the moment the O'Connells announced their decision to stay.