House of Anubis: House of Mistakes

Part XXXI

Robert was heavier than he looked, and Fabian had to hike him up further on his shoulders as they shuffled together out of the Gatehouse's elevator and into the parlor. After carrying most of his weight, he was beyond exhausted. He unceremoniously dumped Robert into one of the chairs and flopped back into one himself, the two men taking a moment to catch their breath. When Fabian could breathe evenly again, he asked, "What happened to you?"

Robert leaned forward with what appeared to be a considerable effort. "The consequences of reversing a terrible curse, my boy," he replied.

"Reverse? You mean Ammut's curse?"

"Indeed."

Then there was hope that Eddie and any others that had been taken could be saved. The relief he felt was palpable; he hadn't failed anyone, he could help fix things— he could be the one to fix things.

"Before I was put to sleep," Robert continued in his sickly rasp, "I returned to Egypt where I studied the ancient worship of Maat, goddess of justice. Only Maat could undo Ammut's evil work." He chuckled weakly. "I devised a ritual in her name; it saved my soul."

If he were being honest, Fabian was in awe of the man before him. The past years solving all of Robert's riddles, disarming his traps, and playing his games had all seemed to culminate into this very moment. There was no doubt that for all his flaws, Robert was a genius, and he was proud to know he'd be able to help him now. "Th-That's amazing, sir," Fabian stuttered out. KT would be so pleased that her great-grandfather was no longer suffering under Ammut's power, and Alfie wouldn't have to be so frightened of 'zombies' eating his brains. They were almost out of the woods.

"Yes," Robert agreed, "but without Ammut's curse, my years are catching up with me. My body is failing, yet there is so much still left to be done to ensure that Ammut remains locked in the underworld. I have been searching for someone I can trust. Someone to continue my work." Robert fixed him with a desperate, pleading stare. "Do you think you could be that person?"

Fabian's heart was thundering in his chest, astounded and honestly quite flattered that a man as incredible as Robert saw something in him worth taking such a big gamble on. "I-I-I-" Fabian began, cursing his stutter as he floundered for the right words to say. "I have always greatly admired your work, Mr. Frobisher-Smythe." He laughed nervously, and Robert chuckled modestly through a groan of pain. It was hard to believe any of Sibuna had been frightened of him; he just looked so weak and harmless sitting there.

"I am an old, old man, Fabian," he said regretfully. "So far the tank has kept me alive, but it, too, is old. I need someone to whom I can pass on my secrets, to prepare for when I am gone." Fabian tried to keep his jaw from hitting the floor as Robert offered him a smile. "We could achieve great things together, you and I."

He nodded at him with a gleam of determination in his eye he could see reflected in Robert's own gaze. "That would be amazing, sir," he said, reveling in the admittedly large boost to his ego. He searched for words that could properly convey what he was feeling, finally settling on, "I- I would be proud to."

Robert's smile stretched wider, and he laughed in what sounded like relief. "Excellent," he breathed. "Oh, excellent."

—

KT had disappeared, which wouldn't be a problem if Patricia and Fabian hadn't also gone AWOL. Eddie left the boy's bathroom, furiously jabbing out a message on his phone to Denby when the she-devil herself yanked him off into a classroom.

He glared at her, and she chuckled in a manner that was somehow both nervous and condescending at the same time. "Eddie," she said, his name rolling off her tongue like it tasted bad, "we've been thinking you need to earn your keep in our happy little team, now that your little... divine advantage has gone to the enemy." He curled his lip, daring her to mention that again. She withered, but, to her credit, kept her tone even. "We have a job for you."