House of Scarabs Read online

  Gerhard stopped in front of a large stone altar, as so many high priests had before. On it sat a simple wooden casket with two doors at the front that were secured with hemp cords and a large mud seal. He bowed low in reverence, broke the seal, and untied the cords from around the doorknobs. He eased the left door open, and the right swung out and revealed a bronze statue of the goddess Bastet in her feline form. Gold rings adorned its ears and nose and a silver collar hung around its neck. Gerhard dropped to his knees in front of it and kissed the ground before raising his arms and chanted in a guttural language Ben didn't understand.

  The cat leaped up onto the altar and merged into the statue, whose eyes opened with a blue glow. Ben watched in awe as Gerhard dipped his finger into a rose-coloured alabaster bowl at the foot of the altar and then anointed the now animate statue with heavily scented oil. The cat stretched into a regal stance and dropped its head down into a nod of acknowledgement. Gerhard dropped onto one knee, picking up a length of blue fabric.

  "Irtyu," he chanted, raising the fabric in both hands above his head before laying it around the statue's neck. "Wahdj," he said, placing a vibrant green swathe onto the statue. "Hedj," he continued as he placed a pure white cloth. He finished the ritual by placing a pitch-black cloth around the cat's neck. "Kem."

  The cat, swathed in the vibrant fabrics, purred. Gerhard bowed formally from the waist and picked up a platter with three tiny pots filled with oil and green and black powders. He placed them in front of the cat.

  Ben was conscious of the ritual's importance. I have to remember each of the elements. I might be the first person in thousands of years to have witnessed this, he thought. It fascinated the archaeologist in him. He'd read about many Egyptian rituals, but experiencing one in person was priceless. He was so busy surveying the scene, he almost missed Gerhard withdrawing from the altar, walking backwards, cleaning his steps as he went with a palm frond.

  Ben's screen shadowed Gerhard as he withdrew from the Holy of Holies into the incense-scented outer sanctum. Gerhard halted and extended his hand. From the gloom, the blue cat emerged, sauntering towards Ben. It stopped just in front of him and jumped up into the air, hovering in front of Ben's face. It looked into his eyes and then gave a sharp nod before turning in midair. It landed on Gerhard's outstretched hand, into which it seemed to merge and disappear. Gerhard smiled at Ben and walked away into the swirling white fog.

  Reunion

  Ben found himself back in a dark, barren field. Shaking his head to clear his mind, he grabbed his mobile and started to diarize as many of the events and details as he could remember. Lost in his academic endeavours, a screaming in his head startled him.

  ELLIE.

  He felt his heart constrict. Flinging everything into his rucksack, he ran back towards the cycle path. The darkness hindered him as he stumbled over half-frozen clods of ploughed soil. Picking himself up, he ran on, jumping over ditches and hurdling low hedges in his desperation to reach her. The darkness suffocated him, and he jumped as a hunting owl let out a piercing screech. Something had happened, and he needed to get back to Ellie. Gasping for breath, he reached the relatively easy terrain of the cycle path and sprinted towards Bath.

  He heard her before he saw her – a haunting keening, quiet but savagely emotional. God, I'm too late. He searched the darkness and found her hidden in the verge, hugging her knees to her chest and rocking. She didn't have her overcoat on and resembled a pale marble statue peppered with sparkling frost. He tugged his coat off, struggling to get the arms over his gloves, and swept the jacket around her shoulders. She screamed and leapt backwards into the hedge.

  "Stay away from me. Don't touch me. I mean it. DO NOT touch me." She scrambled farther into the prickly hedge to move away from him.

  Ben crouched down onto his heels and whispered to her, "Ellie, honey, it's me, Ben. What happened? Tell me." He reached out to smooth her hair out of her face, but she jerked away.

  "Please don't touch me. I can't bear it. Leave me alone... I'm begging you."

  "It's been playing with us again, Ells. It knows our fears and uses them against us." He pushed his fingers roughly through his hair. "Listen, honey, it terrified – no, petrified me. But suddenly, I remembered the storm illusion, and I used that knowledge to cancel its power. That's all it was, I swear to you. A delusion based on your biggest fear. Whatever it showed you or did to you happened nowhere except in your mind. You're safe now. Trust me."

  "No, you're wrong. They assaulted me. It DID happen. It had nothing to do with the sphere. I have the bruises... here," she said, pushing out her bare arm. Ben glanced down at her pale arm, clear of any lesion.

  "Honey, there's nothing there. Your arm’s normal."

  "No... see here and here. It's covered in fingerprints. There's a bite here," she said, pointing to her forearm.

  "Ellie, believe me, there's not. You need to find that belief inside and keep saying to yourself over and over, 'It's not real, not real at all'. Then you will see the true state of your arm. Please trust me on this. I promise you everything you experienced was a projection from the source of the sphere."

  She raised her eyes up to meet his but looked away again quickly. "You can't see anything on my arm?"

  "Nope. Your arm's clear."

  Ellie studied her arm dubiously. She shuddered and dipped her head back onto her knees, swallowing a sob. With a deep breath, she repeated Ben's words, hesitantly at first and then with more conviction. As she inspected her arm, she saw the bruises flicker and start to fade until her arm was completely healed. She stared up at Ben in amazement.

  "It didn't happen, did it?"

  "No, sweet thing. It truly didn't, but that doesn't make the experience any less horrifying. We still lived through it as if it did." He stroked the hair away from her forehead gently and patted her cheek. "I think you should talk to someone about what happened. Maybe Charlie. It will help to vent some of that emotional charge."

  He eased himself up and put out his hand to her. She ignored it and stood up, stumbling slightly before stabilising herself.

  "If we've both had these experiences, Gerhard must've as well. We should go get him. I hate to push you, but we need to go together. We can't risk provoking the sphere further. Do you feel up to it?"

  Ellie nodded and retrieved her clothing and possessions.

  They set off rushing in the direction that Gerhard had headed. Ben had a gnawing need to get to Gerhard as quickly as possible, apprehensive about what they would find once they reached him. He would have sprinted if Ellie wasn't with him. Instead, he contented himself with setting a punishing pace.

  They marched in silence most of the way until Ellie asked, "What did you see? I mean, you don't have to answer, but I'm curious. It's probably not my business."

  "It showed me the thing I fear more than anything in the world: spiders. And then it ramped it up to maximum horror voltage. Millions of them coming at me in waves that formed into one serious mother. A huge tarantula. Everything I fear. To be honest, it paralysed me there for a minute."

  "What broke the illusion?"

  Ben stopped for a moment as the truth behind the answer hit him. They did. Ellie and Gerhard. They mattered, and their welfare was enough to make him fight against the hold of the illusion.

  "I'm not sure. Nothing, really. I realised the whole thing wasn't real, and that broke the paralysis."

  They found Gerhard lying on his back, completely motionless except for his eyes, which were haunted. Running to his side, they sank down onto their haunches. Ellie stroked his hand.

  "You're okay, Gerhard. We're here. Now do exactly as I tell you, and you'll be fine. Whatever you've gone through is just an elaborate illusion generated by this thing. I know it's hard to believe. I didn't when Ben first told me, but it's true. You need to believe it isn't happening, and you'll be released from its grasp. Okay?" Gerhard gazed deep into Ellie's eyes, as if searching for something, then he closed his eyes.

  Nothing ha
ppened for a moment until his hand turned and clasped Ellie's. As his eyes opened, he said, "Thank you, mein liebling. I was quite, quite incapacitated." She smiled and placed a tender kiss on his cheek.

  From the darkest shadows of the path emerged the blue glow of three figures drifting towards them. The scarab floated up and caressed Ellie's cheek before sinking into her hand. The cat pranced towards Gerhard, leaping gracefully into his chest. The crocodile snapped menacingly at Ellie and Gerhard before sliding into Ben. They were again alone, three figures on a cold, dark, and lonely cycle path.

  They made their way back to the car in silence, each trying to absorb and process what had just happened to them. Ellie’s hands shook as she opened the Volvo’s heavy door.

  As Gerhard drove them back to Scarab’s Rest, Ben turned to study Ellie. Noticing her pallor, he decided to distract her with details of the vision he’d seen.

  “Once I broke free of the spider illusion, I was able to reach the very edge of the boundary. It’s completely impenetrable. So, breaking ourselves out isn’t going to happen in a hurry. However, I think I was given a clue…”

  Guardians of the Ankh

  "Eurydice, was I not clear previously? You must dispose of the trio forthwith. Their bands are tightening; their union strengthens. I referred to the seers today, and their prophesy is most disturbing. However, all is not lost. It appears the trio are unaware of their burgeoning powers, and that provides us with a narrow window of opportunity. Once their powers mature, they will become almost invincible. That will not happen – do I make myself clear?"

  "Crystal-clear, Tjati. Whilst it sorrows my heart to take such severe action, the team and I have taken steps to complete the assignment in the coming days. Our crystals registered a tremendous and prolonged power surge this evening, which can only indicate another contact with the source. Our mission is imperative, we are committed to it, and we'll not let you or the other Guardians down. Fear not, Tjati. I will undertake my task as is my destiny."

  "You'd better, Eurydice. We don't have the luxury of second chances, which, I need not remind you, is because of you. Goodnight, and may God's blessings rain on your work."

  "Peace be upon you, my lord."

  With a deep sigh, she turned to her unit. "The mission is go."

  Identifying the Boundary

  Gerhard put down the book he'd been studying, took off his glasses, and turned to face Ben and Ellie, who were curled on the plump sofas in the centre of his office. They looked up from their laptops, eyes wide.

  "I may have stumbled on something. Have either of you heard of familiars?" he asked, twirling his glasses absentmindedly.

  Ellie and Ben gazed at him, waiting for him to continue.

  "In Wiccan mythology, a familiar is a supernatural being that supports the witch. Traditionally, the familiar is an animal and often has powers of their own. Think of a witch's black cat. That's the most normal depiction today, although they can take the form of any animal. Now I am pretty sure we are not dealing with witchcraft here, but each of us seems to have gained a 'spirit creature', for want of a better description. They seem to only come out to stop us separating. At least that's all we can say categorically so far. Based on last night's events, this sphere understands us on a personal level, so it's not much of a stretch to say these creatures can tap into our thoughts and feelings."

  A knock at the door stopped him.

  Stefan came in, laden down with a tray of mouthwatering goodies. "I know you said not to disturb you, but you missed lunch, and no one's effective on an empty stomach. I've made you some goat cheese, endive, and onion chutney sandwiches and a range of finger cakes. So, no excuse not to eat and work. Coffee and tea," he said, pointing to two elegant silver thermos jugs. "Now dig in. Charlie's doing a grand job downstairs, and she's a hoot to work with, so don't worry about the shop and café. We've got it under control."

  "Thanks, Stefan," Ben said through a mouthful of sandwich. "You're a godsend."

  Gerhard waited for the door to close behind Stefan. "As I was saying... each of us has our own creature. We know these creatures have powers they can deploy to keep us together and possibly also to aid us. Is it possible they are our familiars? Ben, you researched the significance of the three animals in ancient Egypt. Did anything jump out to support the theory?"

  "I would have said ‘no’, but seeing your cat jump into Bastet's statue and animating it has changed my mind. If we assume that our animals are representations of the gods – Bastet, Khepri, and Sobek – then we could surmise they may have the powers attributed to those gods. Bastet, the cat, represented protection. They linked Sobek, the crocodile, to powers of the army with the ability to cure ills and defend against evils. That leaves Khepri, the scarab, revered as a solar deity and linked to the power of renewal. I can't find any obvious link among the three gods. They were worshipped in different areas and were in their zenith at different times, but that doesn't refute the theory."

  Gerhard nodded. "Well, it's possible. Certainly something we should explore. Did you get any further identifying the temple you saw, Ben?"

  "I have. It's at the Saqqara Pyramid a few miles outside Cairo. I went further and found the statue of Bastet, the exact one I saw in the sphere. Here," he said, spinning his laptop around to show them.

  Ellie leaned in for a closer look. "It's beautiful. Where did you find it?" she asked.

  "Closer than you might imagine," he replied with a smile. "It's in London, at the British Museum. It's known as the Gayer-Anderson cat after some dude who donated it to the museum, but get this. They discovered it in Saqqara."

  "Gayer-Anderson, wow," Ellie exclaimed. "He was your archetypal expatriated Brit, an eccentric, ex-military chap. Collected anything and everything and lived in a sixteenth-century house next to one of the oldest and most impressive mosques in Cairo. It's a museum now. I loved it there. The roof terrace has the most amazing vistas over the minarets and the skyline of old Cairo. The ancient fretwork screens frame every view. I used to study up there. I miss its tranquility." Ellie smiled shyly at them. "Sorry - bit off track there. Sometimes, I get maudlin about my life in Egypt. The Gayer-Anderson house, well, it was one of my favourite haunts. Anyway - great work, Ben. We should take a trip to London."

  "Are you kidding me? Risk all hell breaking out around us in a public museum in London? Animals jumping out of us whilst hosts of schoolkids watch? I don't think so. Far too risky."

  "Not if we can have a private viewing," Ellie said with a smile and a wink. "My godfather is the curator of the Egyptian collection at the museum, and he'd let us visit the cat if I asked. He's a sweet old thing, immersed in Egyptology but utterly lost in the modern world. There's nothing he loves more than sharing his love with others."

  "I'm not sure it's a great idea. We don't want to be fighting any bitching tarantula around priceless relics."

  "I don't suppose we'll be exposed to any horrors as long as we stay together, and even if we are, no one except us will notice anything. As our photos from last night prove. They showed nothing, just dark, empty fields. And if you remember, Stefan saw nothing. I think you can be assured of that, Ben," said Gerhard, bypassing the sandwiches to take an elegant cupcake.

  "Okie-dokie. I'll give Uncle Bertram a call and see what I can organise." Ben nodded and Gerhard smiled.

  Gerhard stood and pressed a button. He stepped back to allow his desk to rotate around the circular tower, into the weak autumnal sun that streamed through a window on the opposite side of the office. Ellie and Ben watched in fascination.

  "How did you do that?" Ben asked.

  "I missed the sunshine when I first came to the UK. God knows we have precious little. The sun moves around this room throughout the day, so I designed my desk to follow it. Now I always get to work in sunlight." Gerhard pointed down at the floor. "See, it runs on this rail. A simple solution for an old man's comfort, no?"

  Ben shook his head in wonder. The man's ingenuity never ceased to amaze him.
Since they'd been working at Black Cat Books, they'd seen so many examples. A rotating bookshelf that hid Gerhard's sleeping quarters was stocked with dream analysis books. A hidden lift within a fireplace carried you from the witchcraft section up to the fireplace of the religious studies room. He'd planned everything with a wink towards humour and a dusting of genius. It created such a unique and quirky environment. Ben wasn't surprised Black Cat Books had become the hub of the village, and Stefan's café only added to the magic.

  "I'm not having any success with identifying our restriction boundary. I've calculated it so many times in so many different measures that numbers are floating before my eyes, but still, it's an arbitrary number. It's 2.6 kilometres, 1.616 miles, 12.92 furlongs, 8,530 feet, 517 rods." Ellie rubbed the back of her neck and sighed. "I hate to admit it, but I've come to a grinding halt."

  Gerhard turned from his desk and peered at her over the top of his glasses. "Well, those are all modern, western measures. Try biblical measurements, my dear, or even check if the ancient Egyptians used their own." Gerhard smiled at her and turned back to his notebook.

  Ellie cursed. She should have thought of that. It was so obvious. She turned back to her computer with determination, and fifteen minutes later, she'd solved the puzzle.

  "Yes! I've found it. They used a measurement called a khet, and our boundary equates to exactly fifty of them," she said with satisfaction, curling back into the deep, feather cushions.

  Gerhard removed his glasses and rubbed his eyes. "We're making progress, my friends. Real progress. Yes, I believe we may break the back of this little problem."

  The Destruction

  "Hey, gorgeous, has anyone ever told you that you have lovely buns?"