❝you know, you're pretty cute, considering you're 4,000 years old.❞
❝thank you?❞
luna clair loves museums. she loves history, mythology, all that old shit. so when her best friend's dad gets a new job as the night guard of the new york national hist...
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CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
❝Moonlight drowns out all but the brightest stars.❞
J.R.R. Tolkien
✦✧✦
Ahkmenrah grips Luna's hand tightly. She's warm, soft, real. It's grounding him. The joy of seeing his parents again and the fear of what will happen if they can't get the tablet back before dawn are coinciding to make his adrenaline levels insanely out of whack. His hands are shaky and he feels like vomiting.
Dexter brought Jed and Octavius back just a few moments ago, and Octavius peers at something in the distance, then waves. "Larry!"
Larry and Teddy jog back to join the group--now consisting of Luna, Ahkmenrah, Sacagawea, Attila, Nicky, Merenkahre, Shepseheret, the monkey, and the miniatures--out of breath and very much without the tablet. "Hey," Larry says, panting. "You guys, how you doing?"
"Still in one piece, Gigantor!" Jed calls.
Larry bends down and hands Octavius his tiny cloak. "Octavius, this belongs to you."
"Thank you!" Octavius nods gratefully.
"I don't understand," says Teddy, and Ahkmenrah notices both his arms now are stiff and waxen. His heart jumps uncomfortably. "Why is Lancelot staying strong while we get weaker?"
"It's his first night," replies Merenkahre, before Larry can. "Newborns are stronger, but it matters not. Unless we succeed, he too will be dead come the dawn."
"We can't let him leave the building," Larry says. Luna squeezes Ahkmenrah's hand back.
"Sir--" Larry looks at Merenkahre-- "can you go back to Egypt in case he comes through there?"
Merenkahre glances at Ahkmenrah, then nods. "Of course."
Shepseheret gives Ahkmenrah's wrist a gentle squeeze, before following his father back down the hall. Ahkmenrah wonders briefly if this truly is the last time he'll ever see them again.
"Nicky, take Attila. Check the loading dock." Larry points to Teddy. "Teddy, you and Ahk go to the south wing. Check the side doors. Sac, take these guys--" He gestures to Jed and Octavius-- "down to medieval England. He might go back through there. Luna and I've got the main entrance."
