Touch of Fear ▸ House of Anubis [2]

chapter thirteen. house of protection

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            "Amber!"

            Fabian, Nina, and I run toward the wall where the bookcase and the blonde disappeared, yelling Amber's name as she calls for help from inside the tunnels. I smack my hand against the wall, trying to find a way in. I don't see any hinges, or any way at all to get her out!

            "What happened?" Nina asks me.

            "I don't know," I say quickly, "she went over and she pulled on one of the books that had Thoth on the side and then she just vanished!"

            "Okay, we're gonna try and get you out," Fabian assures the girl in the tunnels, voice loud so she can hear. "What can you see back there?"

            "Nothing," Amber answers, sounding panicked. "And I mean nothing! There was a big flash of light and now my eyes don't work!"

            She's been blinded, says Anubis. Ra.

            "Booby trap," Fabian informs the two of us who are still on this wide of the wall.

            "Help!" Amber cries.

            "Two questions," I state. "1) How are we meant to get Amber out? And 2) How are we going to get into the tunnels if there's a big flash of light that's going to blind us?" Fabian bangs on the wall, only for me to notice that it's moving. I glance at the corner of where the bookcase would be. "Wait," I pause and glance back to the button by the door that lets us out of the study, noticing there's one exactly like it on this wall over here. "Fabian, that button."

            Fabian and Nina look at the button, and Nina urges, "Press it."

            Fabian presses the button, and the wall swivels around again. The bookcase is back and that means Amber is back. She's still screaming, hiding her face. All of a sudden, a recorded voice says, "To those who've trespassed where they do not belong, the beacon of light is your warning song. Your eyes shall not see. All shall be dark until Ra completes his blazing arc."

            "Am I crazy," I breathe, glancing at the ceiling, "or is it possible that was Robert Frobisher-Smythe's voice?"

            "Ra?" Nina repeats.

            "The sun god," Fabian answers. "He represents the sun's arc from dawn to dusk."

            "So the blazing arc lasts one day?"

            "Meaning Amber's going to be blind for an entire day," I realize, glancing at the girl. Her eyes aren't moving at all and her hands are out in front of her. We're going to have some trouble managing that tomorrow. We have to go to school. "This is going to be difficult."