She didn’t look up when she answered. “Nae, cap’n, yon electric torch is fine.” Burr glanced over her shoulder before returning to her vigil, watching the far end of the passage and the temple entrance by turns. “What’re you looking … Continue reading
Most of the spectators watched as Joe pulled the phone from its hook, looking for some excitement fresher than the familiar thrill of the card tables. “Copeland, hangar,” said Joe. “Blake, bridge,” the caller replied. “Sir, one of our scouts … Continue reading
Masaracchia brushed his hands off and examined his work. The open door revealed a yawning blackness. “Wha’ kind of monk are you?” Iseabail said, eyebrows raised. Masaracchia coughed. “The body is to be a temple.” “Nae one o’ those old, … Continue reading
“For meself,” Iseabail said, “I dinnae like the implications of t’ gods of th’ dead bein’ pu’ above the rest.” “You and me both.” Cannon looked up into Osiris’ eyes, then shook his head and pointed his flashlight at the … Continue reading
“Set,” Cannon said, as the others looked on. “He killed Osiris, his brother.” He turned his flashlight on the next statue in line, a crocodile-headed man who also knelt facing the far end of the gallery. “Sobek. God of the … Continue reading
di Giacomo approached, carrying something and pointing toward one of the ruined outbuildings. “Capitano, I found this over there.” He presented the object to Cannon. It was still recognizable as a scimitar. “That’s not Egyptian, is it?” said Cannon. Masaracchia … Continue reading
Behind him, Masaracchia said, “Do you read hieroglyphics?” “By heart, only a few,” said Cannon, kicking himself. His library aboard Inconstant held a copy of Alan Gardiner’s Egyptian Grammar, but without it he was working from memory alone. He ran … Continue reading
Masaracchia drove a stake deep into the sand and tied the camels to it. Cannon eyed the descent. The face of the hill against which the temple stood bore tool marks. It had been chipped nearly smooth, uncommonly shoddy work … Continue reading
She laughed. “Only tha’ it was safer than the gallows, but we’re aye explorin’ new sorts of danger, aren’t we?” Cannon couldn’t disagree. A few miles’ ride went by in relative silence, broken by the occasional snippet of conversation between … Continue reading
In a few minutes more, the Albatross and its escort reached the edge of the floodplain, leaving a trail of puzzled farmers and herdsmen in their wake. They followed the river to a small collection of tan brick houses, toward … Continue reading
