Michael Belmont and the Tomb of Anubis (The Adventures of Michael Belmont) (27 page)

The full moon could be seen hanging in the sky behind the window, making it shimmer with a tranquil light.
 
Soon, the entire array lit up, and the real moon slowly fell into place behind the one made of glass.
 
Michael couldn't believe the detail he was seeing, it looked just like a photograph, but more bright and alive, more like looking at the real moon through a telescope, which he and Abigail had done so many times before.
 
He could see all the craters, the Ocean of Storms, and the Sea of Tranquility.

The children watched as a stream of soft light emanated from the glass to shine on the door, creeping toward the moon carved into the wood.
 
When the moons finally lined up, they heard a faint click, and Michael quickly reached over and pushed.
 
The door swung open without resistance.

Liam came up behind him, shining his light through the doorway.
 
Inside was a small room, empty except for a single glass display case standing against the far wall.

The three of them entered, but Michael looked at Liam who stood back against the door, holding it open.
 
"Just so that it doesn't accidentally swing shut," he said grimly.

Michael frowned, "Good thinking."
 
The idea of being locked inside the room until the next full moon did not sit well with him.
 
He nodded to Abigail, who followed him toward the dusty display case; she smiled at him hopefully, and shined her light upon it.
 
He could tell there was something inside.
 
When they reached it, he opened the top, brushed off some cobwebs and decorative cloth, and looked down inside.

"WELL?" his sister yelled, making him jump.

He shot her a nasty look, but his expression transformed into a smile as he reached down into the case to pull out a long, slender staff.
 
It was the same staff they had seen in the portrait of Conan MacFarlane hanging outside in the hallway; it was the staff of Anubis.

Michael held it up so that his friend could have a look.
 
Liam smiled broadly and gave his friend a thumbs up.
 
Suddenly, he got a panicked look on his face and began to push with all his might against the door.

"Ah," he grunted heavily, "it's, it's starting to close.
 
Hurry up, we need to get out of here."

Michael and Abigail sprinted for the door as it teetered back and forth, Liam struggling with all his might to keep it open for them.
 
They shot through the doorway as fast as they could.
 
Michael tripped over the doorframe and nearly slammed into the wall by the stained glass window.
 
As he pulled himself to his feet, he saw that Liam was laughing and smacking his leg.

"I'm only joking," he said with a smile.

Before he could stop her, Abigail grabbed the staff out of Michael's hand and began to strike Liam across the back with it.
 
"THATS…NOT…FUNNY," she yelled at him between swings as he howled in pain.
 
She managed to crack him sharply on the head before Michael was able to wrestle the staff away.

Liam looked up at them with a dazed face.
 
They could tell he was seeing stars.

Michael shook his head.
 
"Sorry, Liam, but you deserved that.
 
I warned you not to tick her off like that."

Liam shrugged his shoulders dumbly and began to stutter something that sounded a bit like "Sorry" as he rubbed his head.

Abigail curled her hand into a fist and raised it at him in warning, taking a step forward.
 
He jumped up and hid behind Michael, who patted his sister lightly on the head.

"Down girl," he told her.

Michael and Abigail sat on the rug beside his bed and examined the staff, which was lying on the floor between them.
 
It was remarkably well preserved for something thousands of years old.
 
The black and gold jackal head peered at them with its lip curled up in a snarl.

"So what's this moonwood business all about?"

Michael filled her in on everything Titania had told them about the art of cultivating moonwood.
 
"Mr. McGinty must have constructed that door from it.
 
It all makes perfect sense."

"Why's that?" his sister asked.
 
"Does the door attack werewolves or something?"

"No, Fenris told us that during the full moon, the creatures lose their minds and become uncontrollable.
 
That door can only be opened when exposed to the light of the full moon, which just happens to be the only time when the MacFarlanes have no interest in getting to it."

Abigail smiled.
 
"It was the perfect security system for the staff."

Michael nodded.

Liam walked through the door and closed it behind him, holding a plastic bag full of ice to his head.

"So what are we going to do with that thing?
 
Should we give it to Zuriel like we planned?"
 
He sat down on the rug next to them.

"It certainly doesn't look all that powerful does it?" Michael observed.
 
Except for its length and forked end, it looked like a fancy walking cane, like something his grandfather would have carried.
 
"I can't begin to imagine how this could help us find our parents.
 
If Zuriel knows how to use it, maybe that's our best hope.
 
We don't have any reason to distrust him, but on the other hand, we don't know anything about him.
 
Do we really want to entrust the fate of our parents to someone that we've only met once?"

"We could always take it to Minister Khalil," Liam said.
 
"Or your Uncle Lincoln."

"But we've already been over that.
 
Khalil won't be of any help.
 
He doesn't believe in stuff like this.
 
I don't think my uncle would know what to do with it, either."

Although he hadn't told them of his suspicions, Michael wasn't altogether sure what was going on with his uncle.
 
Considering the history of this staff, if Link really was a werewolf then giving it to him might not be the best idea.
 
Since meeting the MacFarlane clan Michael's imagination was running wild with suspicions about his uncle.

"Besides", Michael went on, "we still don't know who else might be searching for this staff.
 
We don't want to put anyone in danger."

Liam shrugged.
 
"Well, Finnegan didn't seem to know anything about it either.
 
I doubt he could help us, although it appears he can be quite valuable in a fight."

"What about Titania?" Abigail asked.
 
Michael knew she was longing to meet the faeries.
 
Unlike him and Liam, she didn't know how dangerous they were.

Liam frowned.
 
"Well, she didn't seem too interested in anything going on in "the world of men."
 
That's what she told us.
 
I don't think she'd help even if she could."

Michael shrugged.
 
"I guess our best option is to use the contact information Zuriel gave us, and get ahold of his friend in London."

They all agreed that even though they had doubts about contacting Zuriel, it was probably the best choice.
 
Michael and Abigail followed Liam to the phone, and he dialed the number.
 
A man with a very drab voice answered.

"Ah, hello.
 
This is Liam MacDonald.
 
I need to get a message to a man named Zuriel, he gave us this number."

"Go on then," the man told him, sounding bored.

"Could you tell him that we have come into, ah…possession of a particular um, Egyptian artifact, at which he may be interested in having a look."

The man remained silent for a moment.
 
"Is that all?"

"Ah, yes, I think that's all."

"Very well," he said dryly, and hung up the phone.

Michael looked his friend over with a smirk on his face.
 
"Brilliant work as always, Liam."

"Thank you," he said cheerfully, feeling as though Michael had meant the compliment.

They didn't know how long they would have to wait until Zuriel returned their call, but much to their relief it happened about an hour later.

This time, Michael wrestled the phone away from Liam.

"Have you obtained the item?" Zuriel asked excitedly.

"Yes, we have it here with us right now."

"That's perfect.
 
I'm currently in London, and can get over to your part of the country by tonight.
 
Will you be able to meet me?"

"Oh," Michael said, a bit surprised.
 
He hadn't expected they'd be turning the staff over so quickly.
 
"Yes, I think we could meet you tonight.
 
When and where are you thinking?"

"Well, how about seven o'clock.
 
There's a small restaurant just outside of Arrochar called Loch Long Cuisine, do you know it?"

Michael asked Liam, who responded that he knew exactly where the place was.

"Yes, we know it."

"Good, I'll see you there at seven.
 
Remember to keep that staff safe, and don't let anyone see it.
 
It's the only chance we have at getting your parents back."

"We will," Michael promised.
 
"See you at seven."
 
He suddenly felt uncomfortable about handing the staff over to Zuriel, but he wasn't sure why.

"Well, I guess that's that," he said to Liam and Abigail.
 
"We're meeting him tonight at seven."

Liam looked down.
 
"I hope this works, because if it doesn't, well…what happens then?"

Michael didn't answer, because he had no answer.

Michael and Liam jumped off their bikes and placed them on the rack outside of Loch Long Cuisine.
 
They'd convinced Abigail that it would be a good idea for her to stay at the castle and keep Elizabeth distracted while they went out for 'a relaxing, mid-evening bike ride'.
 
It was about six thirty, and since they were a little early for their meeting with Zuriel they went inside and ordered a soda.

Michael looked out over the loch from the window near their table.
 
Rays from the sinking sun made the water shimmer and dance, and he thought of his father, and how they'd gone fishing in Loch Lomond the day before he'd left for Egypt.
 
He thought of his mother, and how her loving blue eyes had always reminded him of the ocean.
 
He hoped that Zuriel's plan would work, that he could do something to help bring them home.

At about five minutes to seven, Michael watched a red sports car pull up and park in the driveway.
 
He knew that the man getting out of the car was Zuriel, although he looked very different than he had the last time they'd seen him.
 
He was dressed in a nice black suit, and his blonde hair was neatly combed.
 
He walked in and found their table.

"Hello, boys," he said with a friendly smile.
 
"You're both looking well.
 
Mind if I have a seat?"

"Be our guest," Liam told him.

He sat down beside them and the waitress stepped over to take his order.
 
"Nothing for me, thanks," he told her with a wink.

He folded his hands together on the table.
 
"So, were you really able to get ahold of the staff?"

"Yes, we were," Michael told him, "let's just say it wasn't easy."
 
They had agreed not to tell him anything about the werewolves, the corridor, or how they had gotten their hands on the artifact.
 
But as it turned out, he didn't seem to care.
 
Zuriel was noticeably excited, and the hungry look in his eyes combined with his nice suit reminded Michael of a politician.
 
"Did you bring it with you?"

"We've got it here." Liam pulled the staff out from beneath his seat.
 
They had wrapped it up in brown paper and packing tape to keep it safe and hidden.

Michael watched apprehensively as Liam handed it over.
 
Zuriel seemed so giddy as he reached out that Michael half expected him to break into song.

"I've been searching for this for
so
long," he said.
 
Like a child on Christmas morning, Zuriel eagerly tore away the brown wrapping paper.
 
Holding it up close, he gazed at the carving of the jackal.
 
"With this, I can return to the nexus, and open it up to rescue those who've been trapped inside."
 
He said this as if to himself, staring into the jackal's eyes.

"Just promise us you'll do whatever you can to help our parents," Michael pleaded.

"Your parents?" he repeated, "Oh yes, your parents.
 
Yes, I will do what I can to help them, don't worry about that."

Abruptly, he stood up from the table.
 
"I must go at once.
 
There's no time to waste, and I still have some research to do on this staff.
 
My thanks to you both for retrieving it, you'll be hearing from me soon."

By the time Michael raised his hand and opened his mouth to speak, Zuriel was halfway to the door.
 
They watched as he left, got into his car, and sped away.

"Well, what do we do now?" Liam asked gloomily.
 
"Oh, let me guess, we wait."

Michael woke with a gasp, his body shaking in fear.
 
He must have been having some kind of nightmare, but he couldn't remember what it was.
 
He hadn't woken up like this in a long time.