Escape from Ancient Egypt (Neiko Adventure Saga Book #2)

Chapter 31

The next day the Indians were up and ready for their flight home. As soon as Ramesses went out the door, Neiko ran into his room. Nefertari and the rest went outside in the garden in hopes to cover their operation and to protect Nefertari from any ill fate. Neiko slipped into his room, partly closed the door, and then went to the shelf. She lifted up and looked underneath his crowns and pilfered through his headdresses, kilts, robes, and other royal regalia. She put on one of his crowns for show. She picked up a jeweled, polished bronze mirror from his cedar vanity and laughed at herself. She tried on many of his other clothes and jewels. She got onto herself for messing around and put the clothes back in their proper place, threw the heavy mirror on the bed, and looked through his jewels—nothing.

"She said it was right here. Let's see if he hid it somewhere else," Neiko mused as she stood there with a blank expression and her hands on her hips as her eyes scanned the lavish bedchamber. She twisted her mouth and clicked her tongue as her mind reeled of possible places the elusive crystal could be.

Neiko searched the bed and the room—nothing. "I coulda swore she said..." she thought as she tossed her hands in aggravation.

"Looking for this?" asked a voice.

Neiko spun around in surprise. There stood Ramesses with the crystal in his hand and a devious smile on his face. He tossed it as he leaned against one of the richly decorated gold tables that were by the door. He was enticing her and daring her to come get it.

Neiko's heart began pounding because she knew she was caught red-handed. She reached for the crystal, but he pulled it out of reach. "How..." she started to ask, but her throat closed up and cut off any words that may have tried to come out.

"Simple. I know how much you want this and how much you desire to be back home. I knew you would assume I would have it in my room, so I made up something to get you or your friends alone. Now, there is no escape," Ramesses said, approaching her.

"Wrong," Neiko said defiantly, running toward the door.

He was directly in her path, and he grabbed her, stopping her. She struggled, but it wasn't working. She finally kicked him in the shin, and he loosened his grip on her. That was what she needed. She pulled free, kicked him in between the legs, and socked him in the chin. He crumpled to the stone floor, groaning in pain, and looked at her in agony.

"Sorry, Ramesses, but the Indian foiled the Egyptian, and the admiral eluded the pharaoh," Neiko said triumphantly and ran to the door. It was closed. "I don't remember

closing this," she said, and she tried to open it, but it was locked. "Oh crap! Sito, Mactalon, anybody, help! Nefertari, help!" she yelled, banging on the door and pulling it frantically. She looked back, and he was staggering to his feet and walking to her. It was obvious to her that he was a step ahead of her and well into the game.

"It seems the pharaoh outwitted the admiral, and the Egyptian just trapped the Indian. You cannot open it without this," Ramesses said with a smile holding up the key.

Neiko ran and tackled him, and she wrestled him for the key. She managed to get it and ran for the door, but he got up and seized her before she could put it in the lock, took it away, and threw it. She ran for it, but he tripped her by tackling her legs and retained his hold on her ankles. She lunged for it, but he kicked it out of reach while seated on the floor and still retaining his hold on her.

The key slid underneath the bed just beyond her reach. She tried to wriggle her feet free from his grip and commando-crawl to the key, but his grasp was like steel, and he was surprisingly strong. This eliminated her theory that he was a pampered, cowardly pantywaist who used protocol to get his way—Sito wasn't just overreacting. He pulled her to him and tried to pin her.