Free Theodosia and the Staff of Osiris-Theo 2 by R. L. Lafevers, Yoko Tanaka Page A

and she flinched a bit. Of course, the lights did that all the time, but today the timing was perfect.
    I led her to the large stone sarcophagus in the middle of the room. "This is the sarcophagus of an unknown priest from the Old Kingdom."
    "A sarcophagus?" she repeated hollowly.
    "Yes. A stone tomb. Where they placed dead bodies.
Although the priest's mummy wasn't one of the ones downstairs. It wasn't in the sarcophagus when Mum found it."
    Miss Chittle swallowed nervously, then glanced at me. "It wasn't?"
    "No." I pointed to the empty wall behind her. "That's where the mummies normally go."
    Miss Chittle put her hand to her mouth and stepped back. It was hard to tell in the flickering light, but she looked a bit pale. "H-how do you think they got downstairs?"
    I shrugged. "We're not sure. Someone probably carried them down. They don't weigh much, you know. Nothing but dried-up husks. All the important parts were taken out. Some through their noses."
    She looked at me with an expression of horror. I stepped closer. "Did you know that the embalmers removed the deceased's internal organs, including their brains, during the embalming process?"
    She shook her head, stirring up a faint cloud of sherry fumes.
    I warmed to my subject. "They inserted long hooks up their noses and pulled the brains out through the nostrils." I flared mine at her, just for emphasis.
    Miss Chittle placed her hand briefly on her stomach, then turned her back to me. Craning my neck, I watched her remove a small silver flask from her purse. She lifted it to her lips and took a few swallows, daintily dabbing at the corner of her mouth when she was done. She slipped the flask back into her purse, then faced me again. "Medicine," she explained briskly, not meeting my eyes. "For my nerves."
    I refrained from snorting, but just barely. "Over here," I continued, "are Canopic jars. They're where they stored the deceased's liver, lungs, intestines, and stomach."
    Miss Chittle moved away sharply and bumped into the sarcophagus.
    "Careful there," I said cheerfully.
    A faint hint of panic sprang into her eyes. She whirled around and headed toward the wall on her left. "Oh." Her voice was unnaturally high. "Here's a charming statue. A cat."
    "Uh, no. That's not a statue. That's my cat, and she doesn't like to be—"
    My words were cut off as Isis arched her back, hissed, then took a vicious swipe at Miss Chittle's gloved hand.
    "—touched by strangers," I finished.
    Miss Chittle squealed and jerked her hand back. Without another word, she lifted her skirts and ran from the room.
    I looked back at Isis, who now sat as calmly as you please, licking her paw. "You didn't like her either, I take it?"
    Ignoring me, Isis leaped off the column and streaked toward a floorboard in the far corner. Another mouse, probably. Well, she'd done her good turn for the day. I supposed she'd earned a hunting break.
    Before I had a chance to dwell on my victory, Father's voice cut through the museum. "Theodosia Elizabeth Throckmorton! Get down here this instant!"
    Oh dear. Time to face the music.
    Reluctantly, I headed for the stairs. I wasn't dawdling. Not exactly. Just giving Father a bit of time to calm down.

CHAPTER EIGHT
A Long Shot
    T HERE WAS A SMALL CROWD IN THE FOYER —all waiting for me, apparently. Admiral Sopcoate was holding Miss Chittle's coat for her and she was trying to shove her arm into the sleeve—only, she was shaking so badly, she kept missing. "You didn't tell me the girl was mad as a hatter!" she said, making a final stab with her arm and managing to get it into the sleeve this time.
    "Really, she's not mad, just very high spirited," Father said. I was heartened by his loyal support of me.
    "Nonsense," Grandmother harrumphed. "The girl has far too much freedom, and her head has been stuffed with so much ridiculous learning as to make her useless."
    Before Grandmother could get on a roll cataloging all of my faults, I interrupted her.
    "Perhaps Miss Chittle