The snake thrashed, raising a cloud of dust.
“Xander, no!” Xaria cried as she fell to her knees.
“I’m fine,” he said from behind her.
She turned to see Xander in Hatshepsut’s arms.
She had swooped in and grabbed him before the blow made contact.
“You may get down now,” Hatshepsut said, firmly.
“I kind of like it up here,” Xander said, smiling.
Hatshepsut huffed with annoyance and dropped him on the floor.
Xaria rushed to his side and grabbed him.
“If you ever scare me like that again!” Xaria screamed trying to fight tears.
Xander smiled a hugged her back.
“I’m good,” he said with a smirk.
“Psycho-hottie had me”
Hatshepsut rolled her eyes as she turned her attention back to the problem at hand.
Senemut was wrestling with snake.
With a swift movement, he brought the head of the gigantic snake to the floor.
Senemut wrapped his arms around its neck and squeezed with all his might.
The snake twisted and thrashed its body around the small space as it spat venom.
“Get behind me!” Raylin shouted as she began to form a dark barrier of magic around Xaria and Xander.
“Get out!” Senemut shouted.
“I will keep him busy.”
“How?” Xander asked.
“It’s blocking the only way out!”
Hatshepsut stood silently during the chaos.
She gave her gloves a tug and put them in her pocket as she zipped across the room.
She dodged the snake’s corrosive venom as she slid under its belly and took hold of the snake’s flailing tail.
The tail began to freeze over.
Slowly the entire snake turned into a block of ice.
Senemut released the snake’s head as it froze.
When the transformation finished, Hatshepsut clinched her fist, shattering the snake into pieces.
Hatshepsut dusted herself off as she gave Senemut a cocky smile.
“Show off,” Senemut said under his breath.
He turned to Xander.
“Are you alright?”
“Yeah, I’m fine,” he said, dusting himself off.
“I was in the middle of downloading when that thing attacked me.”
“Did you finish?”
“Not quite,” Xander said walking over to the destroyed desk.
“The hard drive is still intact.
I can take it back to Sut’s and finish up.”
“Good,” Senemut said nervously.
“We should leave before anything else happens.”
“What are you worried about?” Hatshepsut said.
“You are indestructible.”
“I am,” Senemut said pointing to the others.
“They’re not.”
Hatshepsut looked at Xaria, Raylin, and Xander.
“You are right,” Hatshepsut said.
“Let us depart before anything else happens.”
“Good,” Senemut said.
“Guys,” Xaria said pointing at the gold statue.
Everyone turned to look at the statue.
Its emerald eyes began to glow.
“We need to leave, now,” Senemut said turning towards the door.
“It’s too late,” Xaria said.
The shards of ice from the previous serpent had dissolved back to sand.
The sand had already begun to reform.
This time the transformation was quicker and deadlier.
Instead of forming one serpent, there were three smaller serpents that took up the bulk of the room.
“By the gods,” Hatshepsut said in amazement.
Hatshepsut dropped to her knees and slammed her hands to the ground.
Ice shot out of the floor, forming a thick dome of ice between them and the charging snakes.
“Senemut, we need an exit!” Hatshepsut cried as the snakes slammed into her makeshift wall.
“Raylin!” Senemut cried.
“I’m working on it,” Raylin said holding her hands out.
A dark mist began to form on the floor around her.
The behemoth snakes pounded away at the Hatshepsut’s ice barrier.
The vibrations shook the whole room.
“I cannot hold this much longer,” Hatshepsut strained.
“The ceiling is not going to hold much longer,” Xaria said.
Cracks formed in the ceiling allowing chunks of stone to tumble.
“We’re not going to make it!” Xaria cried as the ceiling completely gave way.
Suddenly, the ground opened and the group was swallowed by darkness.
After a disorienting moment, they fell out of Raylin’s misty portal.
They stood brushing themselves off as they caught their breath.
“We’re back!” Xander cried in disbelief.
“Why didn’t we use a portal in the first place?” Xaria asked, exasperated.
“I didn’t know the exact location of the room,” Raylin replied, “or have a mystical signature to follow.
I had a hard enough time transporting us here.
Don’t forget I’m still learning.”
“Thanks for saving us,” Senemut said giving her a pat on the shoulder.
“I greatly appreciate it if no one else does.”
Raylin gave a shy smile as she gave him a quick nod.
“Was it even worth it?” Xaria asked.
“We’re no closer to finding out who sent her majesty to kidnap us then we were yesterday.”
“The file I was trying to download was labeled Sarcophagus of Ishaq,” Xander said.
“Does that mean anythang to y’all?”
“No,” Hatshepsut said, thinking, “but it does sound intriguing.”
“I bet,” Senemut said still shaken by what just occurred.
“Well, it’s late and that is all the treasure hunting we’re doing this trip.
Get to bed.
Tomorrow is the beginning of our vacation!”
“That’s what I’m talkin’ about!” Xander exclaimed.
Then he turned towards Hatshepsut, kneeled and took her hand.
“Thank you for saving my life.
If there is anything I can do for you, just ask.”
“Come on, lover boy,” Xaria said, grabbing her brother by the collar and dragging him up the stairs.
Raylin followed them quietly as she seemed to hold something under her coat.
Senemut was about to stop Raylin until Hatshepsut interrupted him.
“What are you thinking about?” Hatshepsut asked.
“What?” Senemut asked dazed as he turned his attention to Hatshepsut.
“What are you thinking about?” Hatshepsut repeated.
“You seem distracted.”
“I thought I saw .
.
.
What are you thinking about?”
“That name, Ishaq.
Does it not sound familiar to you?”
“Vaguely, but I do have this feeling of dread every time it is spoken.”
“So do I.
We are going to need help.
Someone with ancient knowledge.”
“More ancient than us?,” Senemut asked in disbelief.
“Is there such a person?”
“Of course.”
“Who?”
“Ochiru.”
Senemut looked at Hatshepsut.
She sat down and leaned back into the sofa with a smirk.
Senemut knew what that look meant.
Hatshepsut was up to something.
“You killed Ochiru,” Senemut said suspiciously.
“I never said I killed him.
I only said that I had something to do with his ‘disappearance’.
I used my eye on him.”
“That really doesn’t make much of a difference.
It’s not like we can retrieve him.”
“Maybe with a little mystical help.”
“Mystical help?” Senemut asked confused.
“What kind of mystical help?”
Hatshepsut shrugged her shoulders as she smiled mischievously at Senemut.
He could see the wheels turning in Hatshepsut’s head.
“Raylin,” Senemut said as realization struck.
“That is why you’re trying to play nice.”
“No .
.
.
yes.
I thought she would have very little trouble doing it.
She is highly skilled and very powerful.
It should not be difficult for her.”
“When do you plan to bring it up?”
“I was hoping you would take care of that for me.”
Senemut began to laugh.
“I do not see what is funny,” Hatshepsut said sternly.
“You’re going to spend a week with us in hopes to get on Raylin’s good side?”
“Of course not,” Hatshepsut said with a smile.
“You all can spend your vacation here, but I will be elsewhere.
I do have to work after all.”
“After everything that has happened, don’t you think that you should take a vacation?”
“I will not be fooled again.”
Senemut said nothing.
He sat down beside her and took her hand into his.
“Be careful,” he said.
“You’re not indestructible.”
“Well, not everyone is as lucky as you,” Hatshepsut said standing up and walking towards the wooden door.
“You can use any vehicle in the garage, and I will set you up on the security system.
Stay as long as you wish.” Then she turned and gave him a smile.
“Have fun.”