Secret of the Ankhs: A Maggie Edwards Adventure (Maggie Edwards Adventures Book 2)

by Nellie H. Steele

  Emma rolled her eyes, stalking to the opposite side of the chamber to begin her search as far from Maggie as possible.

  The morning hours wore into afternoon. The group broke for a late lunch. Minimal conversation took place over their meager meal. Maggie ruminated over their lack of progress. With each inch of wall that revealed nothing, they came one step closer to arriving at a dead end.

  Maggie stared at her sandwich with a pout on her face.

  “You okay, princess?” Henry questioned.

  Maggie paused for a moment before she sighed. “Yeah. Just lost in thought.” She took another bite of her sandwich, forcing herself back to reality.

  “Don’t get too dejected, princess. There’s still another whole room to investigate!” Henry encouraged her.

  Maggie offered a slight smile and a nod.

  “I thought you were feeling lucky?” Emma taunted.

  Maggie glared at her. “Like Henry said, there’s still another room to go.” She finished her sandwich and climbed to her feet. After a quick drink from her water bottle, she turned to Henry. “Ready?”

  Henry shoved his final bite of food into his mouth and stood. “Yep,” he answered.

  “Let’s go find that ankh!”

  Already finished with his lunch, Ollie joined Maggie and Henry, allowing the others to finish their meal before joining them. Ollie led them into the next chamber. The second chamber served as Cleopatra’s final resting place. While her mummy had been removed, Maggie was certain the place still held some reverence.

  They crossed the threshold into the second space. Maggie’s jaw dropped. “Wow!” she whispered. She scanned the opulent space.

  “Amazing, isn’t it?” Ollie inquired.

  “I’m not sure ‘amazing’ quite captures it,” Maggie replied as she continued to take in the space. Despite most of its treasures already being removed, murals and hieroglyphics decorated gilded walls. Ornate lanterns hung in the space. Two towering golden statues of Anubis stood on either side of a golden slab positioned in the center of the room.

  “Such opulence,” Maggie stated as she ambled around the room.

  “Befitting of a great pharaoh,” Ollie said.

  Maggie halted in the center of the room near the slab. “Is this where she was?”

  Ollie nodded, approaching the slab. “In a beautifully painted golden sarcophagus. The sight stopped my heart for a moment. I’ll never forget that occasion.”

  “I’ll bet!” Maggie raised her eyebrows and smiled at Ollie. For an archaeologist, the experience must have been staggering.

  The rest of the group joined them in the chamber. “Well, I guess that’s enough gawking around,” Maggie said at the sight of them. “We better get to work.”

  “WOW!” Piper exclaimed as she entered.

  “It’s really something, huh?” Maggie said.

  “Dude, this is incredible! I’m so glad Charlie talked me into exploring the tomb.”

  “Any time, fair maiden,” Charlie answered.

  “I guess we’ll all start in our separate corners?” Maggie suggested, phrasing it like a question.

  “Let’s get this finished,” Emma answered.

  Maggie rolled her eyes as she stalked to the corner furthest from Emma and Tarik. Henry followed after her. They began their investigation of the space. Maggie ran her hands over the golden walls.

  She attempted to focus on the task at hand rather than the splendor of her surroundings. After twenty minutes, though, her gaze flitted around the room. She continued to rub her hands against the wall as she peered over her shoulder.

  Henry glanced at her, doing a double take. “Something wrong?”

  Maggie pursed her lips, continuing to stare behind her at the golden pedestal in the middle of the room.

  “Maggie?” Henry questioned again.

  “Huh?” she asked, whipping around the face him.

  “Something wrong?”

  “No,” Maggie answered. “I guess I’m just losing focus.”

  Henry smiled at her. “Almost done, princess. Then we can have a nice rest.”

  “Yeah, almost done, and nothing to show for it.” Maggie searched the area in front of her for any signs of a hidden passageway or trigger for one.

  Her eyes slid sideways again and within moments, she found her attention focused on the sarcophagus’ base. Maggie gave up on her investigation of the wall. She spun around and leaned against the wall behind her.

  “Giving up, princess?”

  Maggie crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes. “No,” she said, her eyes never leaving the pedestal. “Just… thinking.”

  “About?”

  “That platform.”

  “What about it?”

  Maggie shrugged. “I don’t know. I just…” She paused. “It’s REALLY something.”

  “She was a queen,” Henry responded.

  Maggie raised an eyebrow at him. “What a life,” Maggie answered. “To be buried in this much opulence. If they surrounded her in this much lavishness in death, can you imagine how luxurious her life was?”

  “I’m sure she had only the best,” Henry replied as he concentrated on his task.

  “Yeah,” Maggie answered. After a moment, she stalked to the plinth.

  Maggie stared down at it. The gold gleamed back, reflecting the bright lights placed around the chamber. Maggie rubbed her hand across the slab’s top. Her palm glided over its smooth, cool surface.

  She traced her fingers along the edge and down the sides. The top overhung the pedestal beneath it. Carved hieroglyphs decorated the pedestal on every side. They surrounded murals. Maggie knelt down, studying the writing. She traced the carvings with her fingers. The sight mesmerized her.

  “What do these say?” she called to Ollie.

  Ollie twisted to face her. “Stunning, aren’t they? They describe her life. From birth to death.”

  Maggie cocked her head as she stared at the painted scene and its surrounding hieroglyphics. She shimmied around to study the front. Maggie continued her circle of the sarcophagus’ base.

  As she approached the final side, she stared at the final depiction. Her brow wrinkled as she stared at the picture. In the picture, a woman knelt in front of a pedestal. She reached toward the underside of its slab.

  Maggie paused as she considered the mural. She expected to see the death of Cleopatra depicted in the final artwork. Instead, the painting depicted a live woman reaching for an empty pedestal.

  “Why is this last one not depicting her death?” Maggie questioned.

  “It is,” Emma snapped.

  “It’s not,” Maggie answered, still confused. “The woman in the picture is alive. And there’s no body on the slab.”

  “No, there wouldn’t be. They put the body in a sarcophagus,” Emma lectured.

  “There’s no sarcophagus either.”

  Ollie interjected, “It’s likely indicative of someone paying homage to the fallen queen.”

  Maggie frowned. “Then why isn’t her body on the slab?”

  “There wouldn’t be a BODY,” Emma repeated.

  Maggie rolled her eyes. “Fine, fine. Why isn’t her SARCOPHAGUS on the slab?”

  Ollie shook his head. “That’s the only puzzling feature of that illustration. Though I believe its symbolic of honoring her in death.”

  Maggie continued to stare at the depiction on the podium base. The explanation regarding its meaning did little to satisfy her. Something struck her about the picture. Her instincts compelled her to investigate further. Maggie reached out and traced the picture with her finger.

  In the illustration, the woman’s hand reached toward the platform. Though she did not reach to the top of the slab. Her hand fell short. It appeared to reach under the slab. Was it a poor drawing? Perhaps the artist lacked the talent to appropriately represent the woman.

  Maggie shook her head at her ponderings. They would not have employed a substandard artist to decorate Cleopatra’s final resting pl
ace. So why the disproportionate representation, Maggie ruminated?

  She sat back on her haunches, considering the artwork. Maggie pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes. After a moment, she reached toward the pedestal. Maggie placed her arm in the same position as the picture, reaching to the bottom of the slab.

  She turned her palm to face upward, matching the woman’s posture in the picture. Maggie stretched her arm until her fingers touched the underside of the slab. Cool metal caressed her fingertips. She slid her hand toward the middle of the slab.

  Her hand touched a new texture. The new sensation startled Maggie. She snapped her arm back. Her heart skipped a beat and her pulse quickened. With hard, beveled edges, it offered an acute change to the pedestal’s cool gold. She crinkled her brow, concerned about what she had touched.

  Maggie swallowed hard as her imagination ran wild with the number of living desert creatures her fingers may have brushed. She steeled her nerves, determined to find the source. Maggie leaned forward and cocked her head to find the texture’s source.

  A glint of red caught her eye. Maggie squinted as she tipped further forward to identify the object. Hidden in the shadow of the pedestal’s underside, a red stone was inlaid. She toggled her cell phone’s flashlight on and pointed it at the stone.

  Maggie reached out to touch the stone. She traced the outline of what appeared to be a large heart-shaped ruby.

  “What’s caught your attention, princess?” Henry called over.

  “There’s something under here,” Maggie answered.

  “What?” Ollie inquired. He spun to face Maggie.

  “There’s a stone under here,” Maggie repeated.

  “Stone? Like a rock?” Piper queried.

  “No, like a giant ruby!” Maggie responded. “It’s huge! It’s the biggest gem I’ve ever seen! And it’s shaped like a heart!” Maggie’s fingertips caressed the red gem.

  “Don’t…” Emma began as Maggie reached out toward the stone.

  Maggie pushed against it. A loud clank reverberated throughout the room. The chamber shuddered. Maggie fell back onto her rear. A deafening bang resounded as a whirring noise reached Maggie’s ears. Dust fell from the ceiling as the room trembled again. Those standing in the group lost their footing as the shock wave rocked the room.

  The pedestal slid away from Maggie. The grinding sound of stone scraping against stone filled the air. A cloud of dust billowed as the slab continued on its path toward the wall.

  The sarcophagus base ceased moving after a full minute.

  “… touch that,” Emma finished as silence fell over the room.

  Dust still obscured the atmosphere. Maggie choked on the particles floating in the air. She waved the cloud away from her face as she coughed. The dust began to settle as everyone recovered from their fall.

  “Dude! What the hell just happened?” Piper questioned. She pushed herself up to sitting.

  “Maggie!” Henry called. “Are you all right?”

  “Yes,” Maggie answered as Henry rushed to her. “I’m fine.”

  “My God!” Ollie exclaimed.

  “What is it, Ollie? Are you hurt?” Henry inquired.

  “No, no, I’m not hurt,” Ollie answered. “But look!” Everyone focused their attention on Ollie. He extended his arm, stretching it toward the center of the room. Maggie followed the trajectory of his pointed finger. Her eyes grew wide when she spotted the object of his attention. She blinked, wondering if she may be imagining the sight.

  Maggie glanced to Henry, then back to the room’s center. A gaping hole stared back at her from where the sarcophagus base sat only moments ago. She crawled toward it.

  “Careful, Maggie!” Ollie cautioned as he approached the cavity.

  Maggie stared into the void. Stone steps led into blackness.

  “What’s down there, chicky?” Charlie called as he pulled Piper to standing.

  “I’m not sure. It’s pitch black. I can only see the first few steps. It seems to be a passageway.”

  “Quick, bring a flashlight!” Ollie requested.

  Henry dashed to the outer chamber, returning with two large flashlights. He toggled one on and aimed it into the passage. Maggie grabbed the other and trained it into the darkness.

  The group gathered around them. Everyone peered into the hole. The two flashlights did little to beat back the darkness. The lights revealed a few more steps, however, the bottom remained hidden, still shrouded by blackness.

  Maggie clicked her tongue, sinking back on her haunches. “I can’t see a thing!”

  “No, those steps must lead quite a long way down,” Henry assessed.

  “One way to find out,” Maggie answered. She climbed to her feet and started toward the opening.

  “No!” Ollie exclaimed. “We must check it for traps first!”

  Emma circled around the hole and pushed in front of Maggie. “Let me,” she stated. “YOU’VE done enough already.” She shot a glance at Maggie.

  Ollie and Emma bent over the orifice. They each scanned the edge and underside of the opening. Ollie moved the flashlight as they searched for any hidden triggers or mechanisms. With none visible, they moved on to check the first step.

  “I’m not seeing anything,” Emma said after a quick sweep of the top step.

  “Henry, Tarik, grab a few of the floor jacks from the outer chamber. Let’s see if there are any pressure triggers,” Ollie requested.

  After Tarik and Henry retrieved the jacks, Ollie instructed them to place them on the first stair. They positioned the jacks on the step and applied pressure. Nothing happened.

  “Okay, let’s proceed step by step. We’ll start by checking for any triggers, then try the floor jacks to test the pressure,” Ollie advised. “Everyone else sit tight until we’re sure the chamber is safe.”

  Maggie slumped to the floor to wait. She drummed her fingers against her forearm.

  After over an hour, Ollie poked his head up through the opening.

  “Well?” Maggie asked.

  “All clear!” Ollie called.

  “Yay!” Maggie climbed to her feet. “Any sign of the ankh?”

  Ollie shook his head. “We haven’t done a thorough search of the items down there.”

  “Well, let’s start our search! This MUST be where it is!” Maggie insisted. She followed Ollie down the stairs. “Aren’t you coming?” she asked Piper and Charlie.

  Piper shook her head. “Nah, I’ll wait up here, thanks. I’m not one hundred percent sure I want to go any deeper into a part of this place that hasn’t been thoroughly vetted.”

  “Suit yourself!” Maggie said as she continued to descend the steps.

  “Don’t get your hopes up, Maggie,” Ollie warned. “There’s no sign that this chamber is the burial chamber of Marc Antony.”

  “No mummy?”

  “No. No sign of his body.”

  Maggie heaved a sigh as they arrived in the chamber below. Cool air caressed Maggie’s skin. Her eyes adjusted to the darker light. Only two flashlight beams lit the space. One sat on the floor, pointing upward to cast light throughout the space. Emma held the second, using it to study a few items scattered on the floor.

  “We need more light here,” Ollie said.

  “We’ll grab some of the temporary lighting from one of the other chambers,” Henry offered. He and Tarik disappeared up the steps.

  Ollie picked up one of the flashlights and used it to scan the room. His brow furrowed.

  “What is it, Uncle Ollie?”

  “Did they take the floor jacks with them?”

  “Yes, they did,” Maggie confirmed.

  Ollie pursed his lips. “We should probably keep them down here, just in case.”

  “I can run back up…” Maggie began.

  Ollie handed her the flashlight. “I’ll go. Take a peek around! I’ve already had a chance.”

  “If you’re sure!” Maggie accepted the flashlight as Ollie disappeared up the stone steps.

  Magg
ie swung the beam around the space. A few scattered items sat on the floor. The walls in this chamber were noticeably devoid of any carvings.

  Maggie wandered around the cavernous space. She sidled to Emma, who bent over a small box on the floor. “Find anything?”

  “I haven’t found the ankh if that’s what you’re asking,” Emma answered.

  “Yet. It could be anywhere down here.”

  “I’ve had a good look around while we checked for booby traps. I haven’t found it.”

  Maggie rolled her eyes and moved past Emma to the back of the chamber. A stone wall stared back at Maggie. Maggie frowned at it.

  “Seems strange that they put this chamber down here for nothing.”

  “Not really,” Emma mumbled.

  Maggie swung her beam around the unadorned wall. She sighed. Why put an illustration showing how to open this chamber if there was nothing to be found here? Surely the chamber hidden by Cleopatra’s own body held some significance. Why was it here if it meant nothing? If it contained nothing?

  Maggie reached out and touched the stone wall. She closed her eyes as thoughts tumbled through her mind. Her hand slid across the cool, smooth stone. As she reached toward the corner, Maggie’s fingers felt something rough.

  She popped her eyes open and trained her flashlight on the ridged area. From this angle, the stone appeared dimpled. Maggie moved toward the abnormality. Her breath caught in her throat as she identified the irregularity. Carved in the stone was a heart.

  The symbol matched the gem on the underside of the pedestal. Maggie reached out and touched the carving.

  “Hey, I found something!” Maggie shouted over her shoulder.

  “Whatever you do…” Emma started.

  Maggie rubbed the heart carving. The stone retracted under the pressure of her hand. A boom sounded from the ceiling. A whirring sound filled the room.

  Maggie swung around to face the center of the space. Light glowed from the chamber above. The rectangle of light narrowed with each passing second.

  “No!” Emma shouted. She raced toward the steps. Shouts sounded from overhead. Emma reached the second step when the last sliver of light disappeared. Emma groaned and slapped her hands against her sides. She spun to face Maggie. “You just HAD to touch it, didn’t you?”