Stained Love

Fireworks

We all sat in the car on the crowded street waiting to get through the traffic that had coagulated, which made sense because Chinese New Year was in full swing. The car was crammed, it was hot and I was just not having it and Jon was starting to get on my nerves as per usual.

"I think walking is faster, or if we take a rickshaw." Rick said unhappily rubbing his face with his hand. He then looked at me through the mirror to see if I was doing okay.

"It's Chinese New Year. Don't you love this country? With so many extra little holidays and drinking is mandatory." Jon chimed into the conversation hoping to ease the tension but failed horribly. I scoffed looking out the window to see the fireworks going off.

"I can't believe we get to see your first big discovery. It's so exciting." Evy said to both Tori and Alex happily, stroking Alex's face with her gloved hand.

"Well, after last night... I'm surprised you want to see it at all." Alex told Evy, yanking his face away from her hand. Rick rolled his eyes and Tori huffed seeing that reaction out of her dad. Our emotions were strained and I didn't want to upset anyone with my own internal discomfort.

"This car will pick you up in about an hour." Jon told us as we passed through a gate to a large house.

"You're not coming?" Evy asked our brother.

"No, no. I've seen enough mummies to last a lifetime." Jon replied happy to finally have a way out of the action. Something told me he would get pulled back in eventually. We walked into the house slowly and cautiously not really knowing what to expect from Alex and Tori's professor. Roger was a strange man to predict, you never knew what would become of something when going into business with the man. He was a lot like Beni and I didn't like him.

"There he is." Alex said as we rounded a corner into a large room with a ginormous sarcophagus on top of the shape of 4 horses pulling a carriage with the emperor on top. 

"Oh, my darling, very impressive. When do you get to open the sarcophagus?" Evy asked Alex.

"Well, I have to wait til the official red tape's been cut." Alex recalled. I saw Tori huff out of the corner of my eye. Something was up with her and I would be finding out about it as soon as I could. She hid her emotions well like I did, but right now she wasn't doing too hot.

"The words 'Rest in Peace' mean anything, to you two?" Rick said to us all. Not too eager to jump into another mummy adventure. We started our walk around the beautiful sculpture.

"So mom, why don't you stick around for the next few days... and we can open it together?" Alex said to Evy. Tori smirked a little, reminding me of her dad. I was busy observing everyone's energy in the room. Reincarnated princesses tend to do that after learning from the past two adventures what we have screwed up.

"I'd like that very much, thanks." Evy said still looking at the statue in awe, standing at the front of the horses.

"Alex... huh, won't you go and tell Professor Wilson that we're here?" Rick told him.

"No problem." He said as he walked back around the rear and out of the room to go find him.

"Okay." Rick smiled forcibly. Alex suddenly stopped and spun around to say one last thing before he made his exit.

"Oh, just... don't wake the big guy up while I'm gone." He said sounding genuinely worried.

"I won't let them Alex, don't worry." Tori said, there was a glimmer in her eye. Evy and I started walking around the horses. I reached out touching their necks missing my own horse at home. I admired how intricately they were made. Rick was whistling, juggling around the Eye of Shangri La in his hands. He stopped and his whistle got lower as he noticed me, Evy walked onwards as I stopped immediately, noticing Tori and Evy were having a private conversation.