AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Memories rushed through me of human servants and friends who had prepared for their own end with a sense of excitement alongside fear. There was a firm knowledge that if they were prepared, the gods would take care of them when they entered into the afterlife. My goddess memories were mixing with my own, and the line between Tory and Bast was blurring more every day. In a way, it felt much like preparing for my own death and the acceptance of a new and more exciting life ahead.
“The water sound is louder now,” I said, turning and looking down the corridor.
Austin stood, and we moved farther along until the tunnel itself came to a dead end. The floor was wet under our feet, the water deep enough to splash as we walked. The wall in front of us looked as though it had been bricked up, though at a later date than the building of the corridor.
I ran my fingers over the wall. “Cement,” I said in surprise. The Egyptians did have their own version of cement, usually made from crushed limestone and sand, but it wasn’t usually used in walls though, more for bigger projects like the pyramids. Austin reached out too, and I heard the scatter as it crumbled under his fingers and fell to the stone floor. He worked his way sideways, and I did the same.
“Here,” he murmured. He reached out and pulled me over to him, sliding his fingers down my arms until he found my hand and placed it on the bricks about a foot from the wall. My eyes widened as I felt the stream of cold water pouring from the wall through a gap in the cement. The gap was about four feet high, and I looked up at Austin.
“The corridor behind must be flooded, and with a considerable amount of water if it’s leaking through this high up. We should—”
A hissing sound came from beside me, and a second spray of water jetted out into the air a little farther down. A third one sprayed out just past me, fine droplets coating my face and hair.
“That’s... not good,” I said slowly. Kitty Cat miaowed and took off up the corridor.
“I think he might have the right idea,” Austin said, backing away from the wall. “Come on, Tory, time to go.” He grabbed my hand, and we turned.
There was a grating noise, and a couple of bricks fell to the floor. The water poured out, flowing over our boots, and Austin began to run, pulling me with him. I followed but looked back just in time to see the wall give way as a deluge of dark water surged into the tunnel behind us. It reached the roof, and I knew there was no way to get out before it caught up to us.
“Austin!” I cried out.
He turned and glanced back, and then looked ahead at the long expanse of corridor we had just ventured down. His face hardened, and in one movement, he pulled me to the ground and shoved me towards one of the small openings in the wall.
“Go!” he shouted over the rushing water.
I wriggled through, and I then turned and grabbed the bag he shoved through the opening. I dragged it inside, and Austin followed. His large frame was too big for the space left by slender Egyptian builders, so I grabbed his hands, trying to pull him through. He twisted frantically, finally getting free, then rolled onto his back and kicked hard at the wedges on either side of the doorway. Water flowed into the room, soaking his clothes, but he kicked again, and with a loud crash, the boulder fell into place, stopping the water and sealing us inside the tomb.
Chapter twenty-one
TORY
Wesatforafew moments in the pitch black, listening to the sound of the water rushing past in the corridor. Finally, I quietly said, “Not that I don’t appreciate the quick thinking and the not drowning part, but... umm... did you think far enough ahead to get us out of here afterwards?”
Austin sighed. “Not so much. I kind of went with the idea of avoiding the rushing water, and I figured this would buy us time for the water pressure to reduce and maybe run out, or give us time to put the scuba gear on.”
“Mm-hmm. I get that. I’m struggling with the bit where you sealed us in a tomb.”
I heard him scoot back along the floor so he was sitting with his back against the wall like I was, staring into the dark space where our prison door had slid shut. “I’m hoping we’ll be able to pry it up once the water has died down. We’ve still got the crowbars.” He paused and inhaled sharply. “Tory, are you bleeding?”
I heard him scrabble in the bag, and a red light suddenly spilled out, filling the tiny chamber with a ruby glow. He held the small lantern up to me and ran it close to my body. I looked down as he lifted my tank top and winced as he pressed his fingers to my side. They came away covered in blood.
“I didn’t even feel it, it can’t be that bad,” I told him. “I probably caught myself on something getting through that doorway.”
He didn’t reply, just stared at the blood on his fingers. I could hear his harsh breathing coming faster.
“Austin, are you okay?”
He didn’t answer.
“Austin, what is it? Do you need to feed or something? Austin!” His eyes drifted up to mine, glinting red in the strange light, but they were wide, and he stared at me as though he didn’t recognise me.
“Austin,” I murmured gently, reaching out to take his hand.
He snatched it back, jerking away from me. “No... No, no, no... No more...” He curled up on the floor, pulling himself into a tight ball, and I heard the deep, shuddering sounds of sobbing.
Alarm shot through me. I crawled over to him and shook him. “Austin, what’s wrong? Austin, please!”
He began to scream, and I jerked my hand back. “No, please, no, no!” He pulled himself tighter. “No more, leave her alone, no more... Anything, I’ll do anything... Lucille! Lucille!”
