Theodosia and the Serpents of Chaos

by R. L. LaFevers

  There was only one escape route open to me now. I would be out in plain sight, but at least I would have room to maneuver on either side and wouldn't be caught like a rat in a trap.

  I shoved to my feet and made a mad dash to the back wall.

  ***

  The tomb fell deathly silent as all three of them turned to watch me.

  I stood with the tomb wall firm against my back, the execration figure hidden along the side of my skirts, glaring at my pursuers. I recognized von Braggenschnott immediately. And Tetley. And--I gasped. "You!"

  "Yes, me," Nigel Bollingsworth said. "Who did you think, Theo?"

  Finally, I found my voice. "I-I was sure Clive Fagenbush was the traitor!" A deep wave of relief swept over me. At least it wasn't Mother.

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  Nigel laughed. "Fagenbush. I knew he'd come in handy. No, I'm afraid he's not the traitor, merely a convenient diversion. Which is why I encouraged your father to hire him. He is so perfectly suspicious-looking that I knew all eyes would be turned to him if anything ever went wrong."

  "But why are you working for the Germans?" I asked. "You're British!"

  A slow, twisted smile drew across his face. "Haven't you worked it out yet in that clever head of yours, Theo? I'm not working for the Germans. I'm working for the Serpents of Chaos."

  "The forces of chaos have risen once more," I whispered.

  "Ach," von Braggenschnott interrupted. "So you know of our little group."

  "I've heard of it. Once. From the man you tried to murder in the churchyard."

  "Clumsy business, that. Normally we make no such mistakes."

  "It seems to me you've made several over the last few weeks," I replied.

  Von Braggenschnott shook his finger at me. "You are in no position to throw insults at us, fräulein. In fact, a little groveling might do you some good."

  I stretched myself to my full height, lifted my chin in the air, and pulled off my best Grandmother Throckmorton look. "I will never grovel."

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  Von Braggenschnott narrowed his eyes and took a step forward. "You will regret your insolence."

  Playing madly for more time, I asked, "Why are the Serpents of Chaos working for Germany? Surely Britain could pay you just as much."

  Von Braggenschnott laughed, a wicked, grating sound that made me flinch. "But don't you see? We aren't working for Germany. We are letting Germany work for us. Right now it suits us to go along with Kaiser Wilhelm. His enormous ego and grand ideas for his country are perfect for our purposes."

  I was afraid to ask the next question, but even more afraid to not ask it. "And what exactly are your purposes?"

  That smile again. "Why, I thought you understood. Total chaos, fräulein. We want Germany at Great Britain's throat. We want Britain on the defensive, making stupid, hasty decisions she wouldn't normally make. Then Austria will step in to back up Germany. Then Serbia will feel threatened, and rightfully so. France, of course, will have to stand by its good friend, Britain, and then of course Russia will need to toss its hat onto the pile as well. Finally, Italy will have no choice but to join in. All of Europe will be barking and snapping at each other's necks like rabid jackals.

  "While that is happening, we shall slip in, unobserved, and seize the tattered reins of world power."

  "You're insane," I said, rather less firmly than I meant to.

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  "You're talking about an entire world at war with each other. Of bringing total--"

  "Chaos. Exactly. And what better place to find the powers we need than in ancient Egypt, where chaos is merely a curse or two away? The plagues of Thutmose III and Amenemhab have already fallen upon Britain. She has begun to weaken. In days she will be forced to sign a treaty that will play perfectly into Germany's ambitions. And ours. Such a brilliant plan, don't you think? All that was required of us was that we let your mother do what she was going to do in the first place."

  "Well, not exactly. You stole the Heart of Egypt from her so she couldn't return it."

  He cocked his head to the side. "Ah, but would she have returned it, do you think?"

  "Of course she would have! If she knew the whole story!"

  He ignored me. "Egypt has been the seat of magical power since the beginning of time, but few people have had the courage to bend its powers to their will. Until us."

  "So you learned Egyptian magic?" I scoffed. "That's not such a very grand thing. Lots of people know about that."

  "Like you," von Braggenschnott said softly. He tilted his head and studied me. "Yes, your powers are very interesting. Which is the only reason you are still alive, fräulein. We are anxious to explore all that you know. And we will."

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  I fought down a shudder at the thought of von Braggenschnott and his men trying to extract my magical knowledge from me. "There are others, you know. It's not just me."

  "Bah!" Von Braggenschnott dismissed that threat. "That inept Brotherhood doesn't concern me. They are nothing! Weak and stupid men who are afraid to grasp the power right under their noses. Now, enough of this!" von Braggenschnott called out. "Tetley. It is time to atone for your mistakes."

  Tetley came out from behind the funerary chariot and headed straight for me, a very unpleasant smile on his face. He was clearly unhappy that I'd got him into so much trouble.

  Out of options, I grasped the small wax figure in my hands. I could only hope I hadn't fudged the magic too badly.

  I waited until Tetley had taken two more steps, then wrapped my hand around the wax figure's left leg. Chanting the ancient words of power, I broke the leg clean off the statue with a soft snap.

  Tetley screamed and clutched his left leg as it folded beneath him. Not stopping to think, I snapped again, this time the right leg. Tetley howled once, then crumpled to the floor.

  Bollingsworth started toward me, but von Braggenschnott waved him back. "So you are not afraid to use the

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  ancient magic for your own ends, eh, fräulein? And you have bested Tetley once again." His voice cold and hard, he turned to the man lying unconscious on the floor. "That is twice he's failed me. There will not be a third time."

  Von Braggenschnott turned his attention back to me and I fought the urge to cower. "Are you sure you're not one of us, fräulein?" he said in a soft, seductive voice. "In fact, I will make you a rare offer. Come work for us. Someone with your skills could go far."

  "And abandon my parents? I think not," I said, indignant.

  "If your parents really loved you, would they allow you to face the Serpents of Chaos alone? Would they allow someone of your immense natural talent to clatter around an old wreck of a museum, alone? Come with us. We will treat you as you deserve to be treated. We have great appreciation for talents such as yours. Your skills, your cleverness, see how you are not afraid to bend the magic to your will? At heart, you are one of us. We will teach you how to increase this power until no one can stand in your path."

  One of them. I would belong to perhaps the most powerful group in the world. "I wouldn't have your organization on a platter," I spat.

  "Ach, fräulein. Do not pass up this opportunity out of a misguided sense of loyalty. Those parents of yours don't truly appreciate you. If they did, would they ignore you so much? Pay you so little attention? Allow you to battle

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  ancient Egyptian magic on your own? They scarcely see you, let alone care for you."

  "That's not true!" I shouted. "They're just busy! They have important things on their minds. Museums to run. Great discoveries to be made."

  Von Braggenschnott continued. "You threaten them. They cannot admit your power, because then you'll be greater than they."

  "That's not how my parents think!" I yelled, my hands clenched into fists at my side. My parents loved me. Surely they did. And yet; .. all of what von Braggenschnott said made sense in a horrible, twisted way.

  I heard a noise off to my right. As I glanced in that direction, I reached into my
right pocket and closed my hand around the dust just before Bollingsworth plowed into me, knocking us both into the wall, narrowly missing the burning torch. He grabbed me from behind, neatly pinning my arms under his.

  Holding me so tight that it was difficult to breathe, he leaned down and whispered in my ear. "Your parents don't appreciate you like we would, Theo. Think of all we could accomplish together. Think of the power we can have!" He lowered his voice even further, so only I could hear. "We'll answer to no one." He glanced over at von Braggenschnott. "No one."

  I fought against his hold. "You're as mad as he is."

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  "Don't play hard to get now." His voice was teasing. "I have it on good authority that you'd planned on marrying me when you grew up." He laughed softly.

  A deep wave of mortification swept over me and a sense of betrayal sliced through me, so deep I thought I should die from it. Oh, how I writhed, my face boiling hot with shame and humiliation. To have one's innermost secrets discussed and thrown about as if they were a joke! To have Father have so little regard for my confidences, to shatter my trust. Perhaps von Braggenschnott and Bollingsworth were right. Perhaps ...

  No. Father may have betrayed me, but he would never betray his country. Nor would I. My desire to sink to the floor and weep with humiliation quickly turned into something else entirely.

  Rage.

  How dare they?

  I twisted my neck around so I could see his face. How could I ever have thought him handsome? Was there ever a time when he had truly been kind? Now he was only a vile worm to be ground beneath my boot heel.

  Quickly, without giving myself time to lose my nerve, I jerked my arms up hard against his and flung the sandstone dust at him.

  The effect was immediate and heart-stopping.

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  He screamed in agony, releasing me immediately as he stumbled forward and grabbed for his face.

  Still clinging to the wall, I took a few steps away from him in case he tried to grab me again.

  But he was in too much pain. Much more so than mere sand in his eyes would cause.

  Still screaming, he pulled his hands away from his face.

  I gasped. The sandstone had eaten into his skin like burning acid. Small pits and lines were etched into his flesh. His eyes were screwed shut, and I could see the flecks of sandstone burning into the skin around his left eye.

  He roared, then lunged blindly in my direction. I threw myself backward and slammed into the wall with such force, it gave way. Suddenly there was nothing behind me and I was falling through a black nothingness.

  I tumbled end over teakettle down a long, narrow shaft. I let all my muscles go loose, like Uncle Andrew had shown me after my first nasty spill off his horse. When I finally hit bottom (on something quite hard, I might add) I landed like a rag doll. Only I'm sure no rag doll has ever felt as dizzy and disoriented as I did.

  I heard surprised shouts from up above, which meant that, for a few minutes, I had the advantage. Hopefully, with Tetley crippled and Bollingsworth half blind, I would have only von Braggenschnott to deal with.

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  I leaped to my feet and grabbed the torch that had landed just a few feet away from me. I appeared to be in a narrow corridor that went on for about ten feet, then opened up into an old junky closet. But that wasn't right. Egyptian tombs didn't have closets. Certainly not junk ones. Which meant... which meant... I clutched my hand to my throat as I realized what it meant.

  I had just discovered a previously unknown annex to Amenemhab's tomb! I'd just landed my first discovery!

  Now, if only I could live to tell about it.

  ***

  "Quickly," I heard von Braggenschnott call out. "Get Tetley out of sight in case someone comes. I'll follow the girl." I glanced around the dusty artifacts in the room. Nothing big enough to hide in. I checked to see if there was another doorway like the one I'd just fallen through. Nothing but pictures of people dying in hunger, and more dying of disease, while even more lay beheaded at Thutmose's feet.

  I stopped when I reached Thutmose's picture. The image was even more terrifying than in the previous paintings. Thutmose's face was gaunt and his expression terrible. He looked like retribution personified. Heartless retribution, and there was a gaping hole in his chest, where his heart should have been, to prove it.

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  The noises coming from the corridor grew louder. It wouldn't take them long to get down here. I needed to come up with a plan.

  Desperate now, I turned and hammered on the wall, hoping it too might crumble and offer me an escape route. But it was solid, and I tore a gash in my hand on the sharp edge of the hole in the wall carving. I stared at the sharply cut indentation as awareness shot through me.

  It was the exact shape of the Heart of Egypt. Suddenly, I knew.

  Before I had time to act on that knowledge, I heard a sound close behind me. I whirled around to find von Braggenschnott standing just ten feet away, a slightly insane frenzy in his pale blue eyes. I glanced to the left, then the right, but it was hopeless. There was no place to go.

  Von Braggenschnott's cold blue eyes traveled down to my neck.

  The Heart of Egypt had come out from under my collar sometime during my struggles. Von Braggenschnott stepped closer, then ever so slowly reached out to hook his finger under the chain.

  Quickly, I yanked the chain from my neck, whirled round, and shoved the Heart of Egypt toward the wall.

  Von Braggenschnott launched himself at my knees, knocking me to the ground. I struggled and kicked, trying

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  to get back up. My foot made sharp contact with something. I heard a crunching sound and prayed it was his nose. Von Braggenschnott yelled and loosened his grip. I scrambled to my feet, threw myself at the wall, and thrust the Heart of Egypt into the indentation.

  "Nooooo!" von Braggenschnott screamed. He grabbed my arm and viciously wrenched me away from the wall. Ferocious pain ripped through my shoulder and my vision blurred. I tried to move my arm but nearly fainted at the fresh wave of pain.

  I stumbled back, clutching my useless left arm. The pain was so great I could barely think. I watched von Braggenschnott, blood streaming down from his nose, scrabble at the Heart of Egypt, trying to pull it from the wall.

  I held my breath and hoped that I had found the one place that would prevent anyone from ever taking it again.

  As he struggled, I noticed a swirling in the air, a thickening of the magic around us. It joined together in little eddies, and the smell of frankincense rose up in the chamber. The Heart of Egypt began to glow, as if lit by a warm, inner light. It lasted only a second, then the wall turned back to the way it had been. Except now the Heart of Egypt sat where only a gaping hole had been. And von Braggenschnott's hand was stuck to it.

  "What have you done, you stupid girl?" he yelled at me.

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  Saved Britain, I thought to myself. And Henry.

  Then von Braggenschnott began to scream in earnest. "My hand! It's stuck! It's joined to the Heart. Help me get it free!"

  I stared in horrified fascination at von Braggenschnott's hand, which did seem to be stuck smack in the middle of the wall.

  Realizing that this was my chance for escape, I turned toward the corridor, screaming when I saw Bollingsworth leaning against the doorway, one side of his face nearly eaten away.

  I groped around behind me, looking for something to defend myself with. My right hand closed around a long, thick truncheon. I picked it up, shocked at how heavy it was. Perfect. The heavier the wood, the more solid the hit when I bashed him.

  "Don't let her get away!" von Braggenschnott called out, still stuck to the wall. Ignoring him, I held the stick loosely in my right hand and focused on Bollingsworth, gritting my teeth at the pain coming from my left shoulder.

  Bollingsworth sneered. "You think you can stop me with that? I think not." A sharp, nasty-looking dagger appeared in his left hand. Then he held it out in front of h
im, ready to strike.

  I hefted the stick and, with as much force as I could

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  muster, swung clumsily upward. It crashed into the knife, knocking it from Bollingsworth's hand. Not stopping to think lest I lose my nerve, on the return swing I brought the stick down on Bollingsworth's skull. There was a loud crack, like the sound of a breaking melon. My stomach heaved, and I was afraid I was going to be sick.

  As Bollingsworth dropped like a ninepin, my vision went black and stars danced in my head as another wave of pain rolled through my shoulder. "You killed him, you wretched girl!" von Braggenschnott called out.

  I struggled to the nearest wall, my knees no longer able to support me. "I did not!" Please let him not be dead. Please.

  I leaned my head back against the cool stone, closed my eyes, and waited for my heart to quit galloping. Realizing I still held the stick in my hand, I flung it from me, as if it had attacked Bollingsworth, not I.

  As it hit the ground, the wood shattered, falling off in large chunks and bits. I looked down and saw the glitter of gold shining through.

  Using the toe of my boot, I kicked the rest of the wood casing off. Within minutes I had uncovered a long staff made of gold. The Was scepter.

  The sheer good fortune of it nearly overwhelmed me. I looked from Bollingsworth's still body to the back wall where von Braggenschnott still struggled to free his hand.

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  Maybe that old fortuneteller had been right. Perhaps the Ancients were smiling down on me. Really. There was no other explanation for it.

  There was a soft click. I turned and found von Braggenschnott pointing a gun straight at me. Fear rose up in the back of my throat.