The Mummy: The Tomb Robbers' Secret

The Spell Was Not Working

"The spell has gone wrong."

Evie opened her eyes, waking up at last from what had seemed a long golden sleep. She was aware now that she was in a body, a corporeal body. The sweet nothingness that had surrounded her had now faded and she was aware that she was once again flesh and blood—but whose flesh and blood?

And there was a life inside her, small and slumbering in a womb, but whose? She now became aware that she was seeing through another's eyes, and that her habitat was strange and foreign.

"Wh-Where am I?" She tried to speak but nothing came out. She tried to will the body to move but someone else was in control. Now awake, aware, but helpless as a child she tried to see with eyes that were hers, yet not hers.

Women dressed in white linen were coming and going. They offered food like dates and figs and a strange white bread. With this was a beer sweetened with honey that tasted like nothing she had had before. So, she could taste and swallow even though it was another who did it for her.

Sheer pleated linen gowns were brought for her and Evie tried to see if she could make her host choose the one she fancied. To her delight, it worked—maybe release from the spell would be possible. A bejeweled collar was placed around her neck, earrings in her ears and heavy bracelets were fastened around her wrists. Lastly perfume was dabbed on her wrists and her eyes were painted with kohl. The toilette of the princess was finished.

I can see all of this, marveled Evie, perhaps the sleep spell had been broken but she was still trapped in the body of the princess. How was she to escape? How long could she live?

A train of male servants, two carrying ostrich feather fans, entered the room and prostrated themselves. They were followed by a tall, handsome man wearing a linen kilt, a linen scarf on his shaved head framed his handsome face. At eighteen he had a commanding presence, more so than the son Ramesses III had appointed his heir.

"The son of the Lord of the two lands, son of the king's body, Prince Pentaweret," said one of them in a loud voice, and the princess stood up to greet her husband.

She dismissed her maids and attendants and her husband sat next to her on the bed.

"How are you my beloved wife? How is our wise little one?" Then in the softest of whispers he asked, "Is it safe to talk here?"

"I am well and so is our son." Then in a low voice she said, "We should exercise caution, my women are under strictest orders to not listen to my private conversations, but I do not know who I can or cannot trust."

Pentaweret put his arm around his wife's slender waist and drew her close. "The day is approaching, the deed will be done in the throne room with my mother and some of her courtiers to witness. I will then declare that I will replace Rameses on the throne, if it is their will."

"And I will be Great Royal Wife and our child will be the heir. All of Egypt will be ours." She smiled and embraced her husband.

"No, No, you mustn't," thought Evie. "Talk him out of it, please. He will be forced to commit suicide and they may kill you. This is madness, don't do it." Evie was both elated and fearful of what might happen. If the princess killed herself would she be trapped? Maybe; or maybe her release might come with the princess's death, but she could not count on that.

The prince kissed his wife on her lips and Evie could feel their intimate touch. How much time had passed since she had been with Rick? She missed his strong arms and his touch. She wanted, no she needed, to get back, get out of this prison she had found herself in.

Roma stood, staring, looking at the night sky as if she were looking for something. Ardeth came up behind her and put his arms around her waist, wondering what she was doing.

"Look at the moon," she said, "It's almost time for the new moon. The Egyptians celebrated the Beautiful Feast of the Vally during the new moon of the second month. That's when Pentaweret assassinated Rameses III." She put her hands on top of his, "Pentaweret was ordered to kill himself and he disappears from history. No one knows what happened to his wife, but would she have been allowed to live?"

She turned around to look at him. "I think she killed herself, better than waiting to see what her fate would have been. And if she does, that will free Evie."

"What if it kills her?"

"No, if Pentaweret dies, if his wife dies, that releases Evie from the spell. If they don't exist they can't hold her captive. If Evie is still alive there's a chance, but I have to admit I don't know what's going on. I don't even know if we can find out, we may just have to trust to chance."

She gently pulled out of his arms. "I blame myself for this, I should never have told her about the tomb. This is my fault."

"No, it's not," Ardeth said gently, "This is something you could not help, maybe this was pre-ordained. Something good may come of this."

"I started this; I'm going to end it. After we get Evie back, I'm going to destroy that mummy and the bones and I'm going to blow up the tomb so no trace remains. That's the only way this evil will end. If I could break into the museum and destroy Pentaweret's mummy, I'd do that too, but I can't. All I can do is take away his tomb, the source of his power."

She turned and left, but he followed her as she made her way to the pavilion. The mummy lay there, flanked by the two torches. He looked on in horror as she took her knife with the blade she kept razor sharp and sliced through the bandages of the mummy.

"So Evie can get out," she said as if the explanation should satisfy him.

"Roma," he said and tried to take her in his arms but she would not let him touch her.