𝑫𝑹𝑨𝑷𝑬𝑻𝑶𝑴𝑨𝑵𝑰𝑨 - Ardeth Bay

four

"Come, come! Step over the threshold." The enthusiastic warden waved the two Carnahan siblings and Tiye into the prison. He began to lead them inside, waving his arms around dramatically. "Welcome to Ciaro Prison, my humble home."

"You told me that you got it on a dig down in Thebes." Evelyn glared at her brother, shocked that he would lie to her.

"Yeah, well I was mistaken." Jonathan glanced around at the very busy prison.

"You lied to me."

"He lies to everyone, Evy." Tiye shook her head as she glanced over to her friend.

"Yeah, what makes you so special?" Jonathan agreed with Tiyes insult.

"I am your sister." Evelyn snapped.

"Well, that just makes you more gullible." Jonathan laughed causing Tiye to join in.

"Jonathan, you stole it from a drunk at the local casbah." Evelyn raised her voice.

"Picked his pocket, actually." Jonathan stated proudly before trying to turn around to go back out the exit. "So, I don't think it's a very good-"

"Jonathan, will you stop being so ridiculous." Evelyn cut him off, dragging him back towards the cell where the warden had gone to. "Now what exactly is this man in prison for?"

"Well, this I did not know, but when I heard you were coming, I asked him that myself." The warden answered.

"And what did he say?" Tiye scoffed at his lack of information.

"He said he was just looking for a good time." The warden shrugged. The cell door opened and the guards struggled to drag the man into the cage. The long haired man smashed against the bars before being shoved to his knees.

"This is- this is the man that you stole from?" Evelyn asked, staring at the fugitive wide eyed.

"Yes, exactly. So why dont we just gosniff out a spot of tiffin." Jonathan tried to walk away again but Tiye grabbed him and pulled him back to his place beside his sister.

"Who are you?" The man's husky voice asked Jonathan. "And who's the broads?"

""Broads"?" Evelyn said appalled by his manners as Tiye scoffed and crossed her arms, sending him a small glare.

"Well, I-I'm just a local sort of missionary chap, spreading the good word and all that." Jonathan introduced. "But this is my sister Evy and our dear friend Ti."

"How do you do?" Evelyn and Tiye smiled at the ride man.

"Yeah, well, I guess their not a total loss." The man said.

"I beg your pardon." Evelyn gasped, staring at the man in disgust. Tiye, on the other hand, laughed at the man's forwardness. The warden began shouting at some other guards in Arabic and ran off to go deal with the issue.

"Ask him about the box." Tiye nudged Evelyn's side suggestively.

"Um, we have found... hello, excuse me?" Evelyn began but noticed the man was not paying attention to her. "We found your - your puzzle box, and we've come to ask you about it."

"No." The man shook his head dismissively.

"No?" Tiye questioned, glancing at the other two to see if they heard the same thing.

"No. You came to ask me about Hamunaptra." The man said loudly. Jonathan placed a finger to his lips, hoping to his the man.

"How do you know that the box pertains to Hamunaptra?" Evelyn asked with wonder, lowering her voice so other would not hear them.

"Because that's where I was when I found it." The man stated obviously. "I was there."

"But how do we know that's not a load of pig's wallow?" Jonathan moved away from the women and crouched in front of the man.

"You know, do I know you?" The man asked, changing the conversation.

"No, no, no, no. I've just got one of those faces." Jonathan tried to not remind the man that he robbed him.

"Casbah!" The man punched Jonathan in the nose through the bars after remembering where he had seen Jonathan before. He received a whip to the back from the action.

"You were actually at Hamunaptra?" Evelyn questioned as she and Tiye stepped over Jonathan's body which lay sprawled over the sandy floor.

"Yeah, I was there." The man grinned at Evelyn.

"You swear?"

"Every damn day."

"No, I didn't mean that-" Evelyn stumbled over her words.

"I know what you meant. I was there." The man cut her off. "Seti's place. City of the Dead."

"Could you tell me how to get there?" Evelyn stammered. Tiye stared hopefully at the rugged man, crossing her fingers slightly.

"I mean, the exact location." The brunette leaned in closer.

"You want to know?" The man replied.

"Well- well, yes." She continued to lean in.

"Do you really want to know?"

"Yes." The man gestured with his finger for Evelyn to move closer to him. He grabbed her cheeks and shoved his lips on hers.

"Then get me the hell out of here!" The guards dragged him away, whipping him and beating him up. "Do it, lady!"

"You are never living that down." Tiye grinned at Evelyn, trying to bite back her laughter at her friends blushing face.

"Where are they taking him?" Evelyn asked the warden, ignoring the white haired Egyptian.

"To be hanged." The warden answered like it was no big deal. "Apparently he had a very good time."

The two women followed the warden to a large arena like area, the hanging stage set in the middle. They stared at each other with worry, knowing this was their only chance of ever finding the City of the Dead.