Plainly, he wasn't going to give up, so Jade read further. She pointed to the middle. "Here's a bit about making an offering to Anubis, G.o.d of Embalming and mummy-wrapping. And here's something about an offering to Osiris, judge of the dead and G.o.d of the underworld. It's a wish for Mehu to be pa.s.sed onto the beautiful roads to the West to join Osiris." She read silently for awhile, ignoring Brynn's anxious movements beside her. "There's a whole lot about the food offerings thousands of ducks and geese, beer, clothing and other stuff. Man, if they'd really included all that in here we'd be knee deep in animal bones and there wouldn't be room for treasure."

"What, no mention of treasure at all?" he wailed.

She shook her head. "Sorry. The only thing that puzzles me is this," she pointed to the upper left-hand corner of one column of hieroglyphs. "It seems to say that he's the Overseer of the Two Treasuries, but it also kind of says that he's the owner of the two Treasuries. It's almost like a play on words a pun." She indicated another pictograph on the opposite side of the door. "And this one over here that says he's the Overseer of the Palace could also be saying he's under the palace. I wonder..."

Almost casually, not really expecting any result, Jade reached up and touched the first carving, pushing on the one she'd indicated. It gave a little beneath her fingers, but nothing happened.

"Phoenix, can you reach the other one and push it at the same time?" She nodded as he moved forward. Together they pressed the stone. There was a faint, gritty, grinding noise. Jade gasped and jerked her hand away. Phoenix did the same. The noise stopped. Brynn clutched at her arm, thin fingers digging into her skin.

"Do it again! Do it again!" He bounced on his toes in antic.i.p.ation.

She sent a worried look at Phoenix, who shrugged and raised his eyebrows. There was no turning back now. They pushed at the stonework. Again there came a faint grating noise, as ancient mechanisms struggled to work. They pushed harder. A thin, vertical crack appeared down the right edge of the door. It widened. Brynn squeaked in excitement and worked his fingers into the gap. He pulled and the crack opened another inch....and another.

He stepped back, coughing. "Smells awful." He waved a hand in front of his face, then took a fresh grip on the door and planted his foot against the frame. "C'mon. Help me!"

Marcus added his strength. Jade and Phoenix kept their fingers on the door mechanism. Bit by bit, the heavy slab door slid back until they were faced with yet another gaping, black hole.

"Wait!" Jade grabbed Brynn's arm as the boy rushed forward. "Let me try a cleansing spell on the air." She sent the enchantment in and felt the drain on her strength as it worked on the ancient, fetid atmosphere. When it was done, she hesitated. Brynn jigged from foot to foot. She bit her lip.

"I have a bad feeling about this, Brynn."

"Like the feeling you had about the troll in Svealand?" Phoenix asked, holding Brynn back.

She shook her head. "Nothing so strong. It might be just my own fears, to be honest. Maybe I'm just being paranoid."

"Still," Phoenix looked at her and at the entrance. "We need to be careful. This was well hidden. Maybe there are traps." He drew Blodbal. Marcus unhooked the hammer of Thor. Brynn pulled out his own sword, narrowly missing slicing Phoenix' arm as he did so. Phoenix frowned at him and the boy grinned and muttered something about needing more training.

Jade hefted her quarterstaff and gripped it. Whatever was in there, they had to face it now. The choice had been made. Taking a slow, audible breath, Phoenix squared his shoulders and glanced over at her. Jade nodded back, hoping the consequences of their choice would be good this time. She wasn't going to hold her breath, though.

She sent five of her witch-lights zipping into the dark doorway. This new tunnel wasn't flat like the others. It descended steeply into the earth, the stone floor sloping into more darkness. The ceiling was lower, too. Only Brynn would be able to walk upright.

"Wait," Jade said again, as Brynn raised his foot to step over the threshold. "Hang on a minute." Without another word, she handed her quarterstaff to Marcus and dashed out of the room, leaving the other three to exchange baffled looks, probably wondering if she'd bolted in fear of mummies.

They hadn't moved by the time she returned moments later, cradling a large lump of broken rock to her stomach. With a grunt, she dropped it and shoved it across the floor so it rested against the door frame.

"Huh?" Phoenix raised an eyebrow at her, and then understanding dawned. She'd placed the stone so it would stop the door from sliding completely closed again.

"Uh-huh," she grinned at him. "Benefits of watching too many adventure movies. The secret door always closes behind the heroes, leaving them trapped in the airtight chamber."

"O....K...." Phoenix obviously wasn't sure whether to be worried or impressed. "Er... shall we go now?"

"Lead on," she waved him ahead.

The four companions stepped over the threshold and stopped, watching the door expectantly. Nothing happened. The three boys looked at Jade. She raised her chin.

"Well, it might have closed behind us and left us trapped."

Phoenix patted her on the arm. "True."

She sent him a narrow, irritated look, which he pretended not to see.

Brynn now took the lead, slipping on the smooth, sand-strewn stone. The walls here were plain, unornamented limestone. They had been hewn into the bedrock and left with toolmarks still visible.

"Whatever's down here, Mehu really didn't expect it to be seen by anyone," Jade whispered. Phoenix nodded, clutching his sword.

They slipped and slid to the end of the steep tunnel. At the bottom, it split into two; one tunnel angled to the left and one turned sharply right and seemed to continue straight for a fair distance. However the left pa.s.sageway went only a few metres before it was blocked by a rockfall. Ma.s.sive chunks of limestone rubble filled the s.p.a.ce from floor to ceiling. If it had ever led to untold treasure and wealth, there was no way of getting to it now.

They took the right fork. This lead north for two hundred metres before ending abruptly in another door. Instead of dozens of carved and painted hieroglyphs, this one had just a few, rough ones etched into the frame.

"It says 'welcome to the pyramid of Netjerikhet', second of the Two Treasuries of Mehu," Jade translated. She opened her eyes wide in surprise. "So that's what he meant he's dug into someone else's tomb and pretended that their treasure is his. How sneaky!"

Phoenix frowned. "Got it!" He snapped his fingers. "Sneaky is right. I'll bet old Mehu dug underneath that step-pyramid we saw. That's where we are."

Jade looked up, half-expecting to see the pyramid towering over their heads, but there was only stone.

Brynn ran his hands over the closed door slab, hunting for a trigger. Phoenix, Marcus and Jade stepped up to help, inspecting the plain door and frame. Phoenix found the first pressure pad; then Jade found a second and Marcus found yet another. This time, all three of them pressed together and were rewarded with a grinding noise that resounded in the small s.p.a.ce. Brynn let out a muted cheer as the door began to slide back.

As a precaution, Jade sent another cleansing spell ahead into the darkness. She staggered as her energy levels plummeted. Marcus caught her elbow.

"Are you ok?" Phoenix asked, sounding worried.

She nodded. "Just a little tired. Too many spells and not enough forest around me." Sending him a determined smile, she straightened and sent several little lights zipping through the gap. "Let's see what Mehu was hiding."

CHAPTER SIX.

At first sight, the treasure chamber beneath the step pyramid was a big disappointment. The four adventurers stepped through the door and came abruptly up against a blank wall that extended into darkness left and right. Brynn let out a cry of frustration, but Phoenix shushed him with an impatient movement.

"I feel something....that way," he pointed left.

"What?" Brynn turned to peer into the darkness.

"It feels like a breeze," Phoenix touched his cheek and sniffed the air. "Smells musty. Let's check it out."

Jade sent more lights ahead and, sure enough, within a few metres the narrow corridor opened out into a ma.s.sive, low-roofed chamber. Even Brynn stopped short in shock at the sight of what lay in that room.

"Oh...my...." Phoenix breathed. His soft words echoed around the room. For a long moment, the four simply stared, unable to believe the incredible wealth lying in front of them. Ma.s.sive, square columns marched off into the darkness in neat rows, supporting a low stone roof. Piled up around the base of each column, and strewn carelessly across the floor, were stacks of gleaming, glistening golden artefacts.

Along every wall leaned rows of golden sarcophagi, propped up against the stone. Ornately decorated in gold and gems, each depicted a different face on the lid some women, some men. It was as though someone had taken the coffins and treasure of dozens of different royal burials and moved them all into this one, secret place. More offerings were piled haphazardly around their feet. Plates, goblets, large and small animal figures, model boats, strange animal-headed people figurines all made in softly shining, dusty gold. Even large pieces of furniture seemed to be made of the stuff, although Phoenix suspected it may just be plated. Surely n.o.body would make an entire table, chairs and even a life-sized boat out of solid gold.

Brynn broke the silence with an exultant whoop of delight. He sprinted to the first pile of treasure and ran his hands over a small, wooden chest before opening it. Inside were gems, trinkets, bracelets, rings and hair ornaments all in gold, silver and jewels.

"Bring the Hyllion Bagia, Jade," the boy demanded, already stuffing smaller items in the pockets of his patched clothing.

"Do you really think we should be doing this?" Jade slowly pa.s.sed the magic bag to him. "I mean, how will we explain all this stuff if we get caught with it? Won't people think we're grave-robbers?" She cast an uneasy look at the nearest golden coffins.

Brynn stared at her and blinked. "So? We just take the small, easy-to-hide stuff. Ohh, I wonder what this is?" he held up a small crystal bottle full of blue liquid. Shrugging, he tossed it into the Bag along with a ring in the shape of a scarab beetle and a tiara shimmering with diamonds.

Phoenix, who had initially felt the same urge as Brynn to stuff his pockets, was now thinking twice about the situation. Like any other kid, he'd always imagined how cool it would be to find a treasure trove and become instantly rich, but his imaginary treasures had always belonged to long-dead pirates. Somehow it didn't feel right to take the grave-offerings of an ancient Egyptian n.o.bleman. It wasn't like he could take it back to the real world with him, anyway. He put down the golden cup he'd picked up and dusted his hands off.

Next to him, Jade shifted, looking uncomfortable. "I really don't like this. There are just too many sarcophagi and mummies here." She whispered to him. "I have a baaad feeling things are going to go wrong."

Phoenix glanced around, but nothing moved in the dusty gloom. Nevertheless, a p.r.i.c.kle of unease stirred the hairs on the back of his neck. She was probably right - best not to tempt the powers that be. This place reeked of potential for disaster. Any minute now the ceiling would begin to squash them, or the mummies would come to life.

He looked down at Brynn, busily shovelling small, golden items into the Hyllion Bagia as fast as he could. The boy's uncomplicated att.i.tude toward theft bothered him somewhat, too. It was another indication of how different his upbringing had been to his own; how different his whole life was. At ten years old, Brynn was an orphan in this violent, ancient world his parents and siblings killed by Feng Zhudai. Although Phoenix's dad was gone, at least he still had his mother and Jacob wasn't the absolute worst stepfather in the world. Brynn had to look after himself.

"I can't stay and watch him," Jade muttered. She moved away. Phoenix was glad to see Marcus join her when her wandering steps carried her close to the first of the sarcophagi. Together, they moved along the row of sarcophagi, back toward the exit.

Phoenix was about to call a halt to Brynn's thieving spree when Jade paused next to one of the coffins. It was close to the entrance, slightly apart from the rest. It was also much less elaborate made of wood and with little gold on the plainly painted face. It didn't seem to fit in with the opulence of all the others. She moved closer to inspect the hieroglyphs on the lid. Troubled, Phoenix opened his mouth to call out to her.

Too late.

The wooden lid sprang open and something fell out of the casket. It's hideously shrunken, linen-wrapped body turned as it fell; thin hands reached for her throat; the musty stench of long-rotted flesh swept across the room; sunken, sightless eyes and broken teeth screamed soundlessly in the shadows.....

Jade's shriek of terror stabbed through the chamber and bounced off the stone walls. Phoenix was already running. Behind, Brynn yelped and leaped to his feet, s.n.a.t.c.hing up the Bag. He caught up with Phoenix in a flash. Skidding to a halt, they found Jade and Marcus standing beside the open coffin, twin looks of horror and disgust on their faces. Jade shook uncontrollably, her face white; Marcus' arm around her waist seemed to be all that kept her on her feet. At their feet lay a twisted, emaciated body, partially wrapped in decaying cloth. Brown, withered fingers poked out of the bandage. Three had snapped completely off. Yellow teeth grinned horribly from a wasted head, still partly covered in blackened, shiny skin.

Gulping, Phoenix managed to ask, "What happened?" His own heart raced as he waited to see if the gruesome, fleshless figure would move. Blodbal sang eagerly in his head, ready to chop off any grasping, skeletal fingers.

Jade shuddered and looked away, burying her face in Marcus' shoulder.

Marcus, also pale, swallowed. "We came to look at the casket and this..." he pointed to the body, "fell out on us."

"You didn't touch it or open it?" Phoenix demanded.

Both of them shook their heads.

"But it didn't actually attack you or anything," he prompted.

Marcus sent him a bewildered look. "How could it? It's dead."

Phoenix waved a dismissive hand at him. "Never mind. Maybe it's time to go."

Jade nodded fervently, but Brynn wailed in dismay.

"C'mon. Just a little longer. Look at all this stuff!"

Phoenix gripped the boy above the elbow, his fingers digging into a pressure point. "I think you've got enough. Time to go." He took the Hyllion Bagia out of Brynn's lax fingers and handed it to Jade. She stuffed it into her shirt, still staring with fascinated horror at the corpse on the floor.

Brynn wrenched free, frowning. "What's that noise?"

Jade's head snapped up. She waved them silent and they all heard the distant, rumbling, grinding noise. They could feel it through their feet, too. Jade sucked a quick breath and stepped around behind the open coffin lid. When she came back out, she was even paler. "This is the sarcophagus of Kahotep, Mehu's son. It says he's the protector of the Second Treasury of Mehu."

"Protector? How?" Brynn scoffed, poking at the half-decayed mummy with a toe. "He's dead."

Marcus bent down to inspect the body, then straightened and nudged it aside with his foot. There, beneath, was a single square of limestone. It was a different size to the other floor-stones and it was now a good inch lower than them, too.

"A tripstone," Jade groaned. "I've set off some sort of b.o.o.bytrap."

The grinding noise was louder now and they all looked apprehensively around. Phoenix stared at the ceiling, expecting it to be getting lower or something equally as nasty, but nothing moved.

Understanding hit them all at once. Phoenix could see it on their faces.

"The door!" Jade's shout galvanised them. "I didn't wedge open this door!"

As one, the four companions raced back toward the entrance. Phoenix s.n.a.t.c.hed up an ornate stool and carried it along. It was lighter than he'd expected. It couldn't be solid gold or he wouldn't have been able to lift it at all.

"Hurry!" Jade and Marcus had their backs to the door and their hands against the frame, trying to stop it from sliding ponderously closed. There was no way both Phoenix and Brynn could make it through in time.

"Move!" Phoenix ordered Jade. She slipped through, leaving a gap beneath Marcus. Phoenix shoved the stool into the gap. At least if it was partly open, they could work out a way to widen the gap. Marcus let go, stumbling to land awkwardly beside Jade outside the chamber. The door slid quickly now. They watched as the stone slab touched the golden stool.

Phoenix hadn't counted on the age of the wood beneath the gleaming gold. The ancient timber crumbled like stale bread beneath the pressure of a tonne of stone. Gold flaked off and the wooden frame exploded into dust and wood slivers.

Desperately, he looked around for something more solid, but the floor and walls were smooth. Together, they all hooked their fingers into the stone and heaved, but for all their strength, the door was stronger. The gap closed a few more inches.

He heard Jade's anguished cry from the other side. "No!"

Finally, it ground to a halt, leaving just two inches of open s.p.a.ce where the remains of the stool had been squashed into a hard, golden slab, preventing the door from closing.

There was a tense moment of eerie silence, broken only by harsh breathing, scrabbling and grunting as all four tried to haul the door back open. It didn't budge.

"Can you use the pressure pads again?" Phoenix called through the gap to Jade.

"We're trying," she wailed, "but we can't reach all three at once."

"d.a.m.n!" he thumped a hand against the uncaring stone. "Can you send some of your lights back through, then? They all followed you. We're in the dark here."

"Sorry." Six little green fireb.a.l.l.s squeezed through the gap and danced around Phoenix's head.

"What about Mjollnir?" Brynn's voice had a sharp edge to it.

"I can't risk bringing this ceiling down on us," Marcus' reply drifted through. "It might just collapse the whole pyramid as well."

"Good point," Phoenix shot a quick look at the ceiling. Suddenly the load of rock overhead seemed a lot more oppressive than it had before, and those columns in the treasure room a lot less st.u.r.dy.

"Is there anything back in the treasure room you can use as a lever?" Jade suggested.

"We'll go look, but I doubt it," Phoenix said pessimistically. "Hang on."

Together, he and Brynn made a swift survey of the treasure chamber. Gold, silver, gems and wood were plentiful, but strong iron bars were non-existent. Phoenix picked up a gilded chair and threw it angrily into a pile of treasure. The chair disintegrated and gold slithered to the floor in a shining cascade.

There was another subsonic rumbling beneath their feet. He exchanged worried looks with Brynn. Had they set off another trap? They sprinted back to the exit. As they neared the closed door, Phoenix could hear m.u.f.fled shouting from the other side.