Here's the 4th chapter! To all my reviewers: Thanks for all the great
reviews! I'm glad you like the story. The myth is something I made up, so
don't fault me for it! The name of the ring is supposed to be Ancient
Egyptian, but in reality, it's Arabic. I simply could not find the Egyptian
translations online, so I'm using these instead. Don't call me on that,
either, please.
Annie began to clear the dinner dishes as the foursome stood up from the table.
"That was delicious" said Cleopatra.
Evy yawned. "These babies are so active, they're wearing *me* out! Are you staying here, Mum?"
"If you don't mind."
"Of course we don't!" said Jonathan.
The group decided to retire to the living room for coffee and dessert before bed.
"Mum" Evy said suddenly, pointing to the chain around Cleopatra's neck, "that's a beautiful ring. Where did you get it?"
Cleopatra smiled sadly. "It's the ring your father gave me before..." her voice trailed off.
"I'm sorry, Mum."
"It's OK, Evy. You didn't know." Cleopatra suddenly stood up. "How about we- " she was cut off as a bullet whizzed by her head and buried itself into the living room wall. Through the window, Rick spotted a man, dressed all in black and looking suspiciously Egyptian.
Rick sighed. "I don't need this. EVERYONE GET DOWN!"
The doors burst open and five guys in black came in, guns at the ready.
"Where is the ring?" one of them demanded. Just then, he caught sight of the ring, hanging around Cleopatra's neck. He grabbed it and yanked it off the chain.
"No!" cried Cleopatra. The men left O'Connell Manor, slamming the door behind him.
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
"That ring was my last gift from Alex" sobbed Cleopatra.
The group was in the library of the huge house, and Rick was pacing the floor.
"I don't get it. Why would those guys follow you all the way from Egypt just for some ring?"
Evy, meanwhile, was frantically looking through her books. "The ring must have some significance- ah ha!"
"What is it, Old Mum?"
Evy showed Cleopatra a picture. "Is this the ring?"
Cleopatra studied it. "It does look very similar."
"What's it say?" Jonathan asked anxiously. Evy cleared her throat and began to read.
"The *Khaatim Sheetan*, or Devil's Ring, is a very old Egyptian Artifact that is believed to have been lost in the sands of Hamunaptra. It was the engagement ring of the Lady Isis to Ahkmet Bey, leader of the Med Jai, who was later found to be a traitor. Isis was the sister of Ihemotep, Seti I's High Priest, who was later condemned for treason.
According to Benbridge Scholars, the Khaatim Sheetan, along with the Book of the Dead, could be used to unlock Isis from her grave, which is located at the base of the Statue of Apep."
Rick sighed. "Let me guess. If she's unlocked, she could raise her brother and take over the world.
Evy looked surprised. "How did you know?"
"I didn't. But, that's always the story."
Jonathan sighed. "Does this mean we have to go back to Egypt?"
Just then, the group heard the doorbell ring.
Rick rose. "I'll get it."
A moment later Rick returned to the library, a tall, dark-haired man in tow.
"Ardeth? What are you doing here?" asked Evy in surprise.
The man looked at Evelyn, grim-faced. "I am sorry to disturb you like this" he said.
"Let me guess" Rick broke in. "This has to do with those five guys with guns that just broke into my house, am I right?"
Ardeth looked troubled. "They were already here?"
"Yeah! And they shot up my living room!"
"Then I am too late" Ardeth said, more to himself than to the curious Carnahans and O'Connells.
"Too late for what?"
"These men- were they after a ring, by any chance?"
"Yes. And they got it, too" said Evy.
"Damn" Ardeth muttered to himself. He turned to the group.
"We must get to Egypt."
Annie began to clear the dinner dishes as the foursome stood up from the table.
"That was delicious" said Cleopatra.
Evy yawned. "These babies are so active, they're wearing *me* out! Are you staying here, Mum?"
"If you don't mind."
"Of course we don't!" said Jonathan.
The group decided to retire to the living room for coffee and dessert before bed.
"Mum" Evy said suddenly, pointing to the chain around Cleopatra's neck, "that's a beautiful ring. Where did you get it?"
Cleopatra smiled sadly. "It's the ring your father gave me before..." her voice trailed off.
"I'm sorry, Mum."
"It's OK, Evy. You didn't know." Cleopatra suddenly stood up. "How about we- " she was cut off as a bullet whizzed by her head and buried itself into the living room wall. Through the window, Rick spotted a man, dressed all in black and looking suspiciously Egyptian.
Rick sighed. "I don't need this. EVERYONE GET DOWN!"
The doors burst open and five guys in black came in, guns at the ready.
"Where is the ring?" one of them demanded. Just then, he caught sight of the ring, hanging around Cleopatra's neck. He grabbed it and yanked it off the chain.
"No!" cried Cleopatra. The men left O'Connell Manor, slamming the door behind him.
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
"That ring was my last gift from Alex" sobbed Cleopatra.
The group was in the library of the huge house, and Rick was pacing the floor.
"I don't get it. Why would those guys follow you all the way from Egypt just for some ring?"
Evy, meanwhile, was frantically looking through her books. "The ring must have some significance- ah ha!"
"What is it, Old Mum?"
Evy showed Cleopatra a picture. "Is this the ring?"
Cleopatra studied it. "It does look very similar."
"What's it say?" Jonathan asked anxiously. Evy cleared her throat and began to read.
"The *Khaatim Sheetan*, or Devil's Ring, is a very old Egyptian Artifact that is believed to have been lost in the sands of Hamunaptra. It was the engagement ring of the Lady Isis to Ahkmet Bey, leader of the Med Jai, who was later found to be a traitor. Isis was the sister of Ihemotep, Seti I's High Priest, who was later condemned for treason.
According to Benbridge Scholars, the Khaatim Sheetan, along with the Book of the Dead, could be used to unlock Isis from her grave, which is located at the base of the Statue of Apep."
Rick sighed. "Let me guess. If she's unlocked, she could raise her brother and take over the world.
Evy looked surprised. "How did you know?"
"I didn't. But, that's always the story."
Jonathan sighed. "Does this mean we have to go back to Egypt?"
Just then, the group heard the doorbell ring.
Rick rose. "I'll get it."
A moment later Rick returned to the library, a tall, dark-haired man in tow.
"Ardeth? What are you doing here?" asked Evy in surprise.
The man looked at Evelyn, grim-faced. "I am sorry to disturb you like this" he said.
"Let me guess" Rick broke in. "This has to do with those five guys with guns that just broke into my house, am I right?"
Ardeth looked troubled. "They were already here?"
"Yeah! And they shot up my living room!"
"Then I am too late" Ardeth said, more to himself than to the curious Carnahans and O'Connells.
"Too late for what?"
"These men- were they after a ring, by any chance?"
"Yes. And they got it, too" said Evy.
"Damn" Ardeth muttered to himself. He turned to the group.
"We must get to Egypt."