R. Scott Boyer's Blog, page 3

Scions of the Sphinx, Ch. 7

Chapter 7 of Scions of the sphinx is now up on Wattpad.com and my site at RScottBoyer.com/blog. This is a big scene where we get our first real, in-depth look at the ancient kingdom that Bobby keeps flashing back to in his visions. Not only is there a heat wave and draught, but a plague as well. Talk about a bad time to visit (even if it’s just in his dream).

Chapter 7

At first Bobby thought it was his garden back home. The trellis against the back wall held golden trumpets and scarlet morning glories, just like the ones his mother planted in the spring. However, the wall behind it was wrong. The wood lattice in his backyard stood up against the side of the house by the kitchen window. This trellis here appeared to be made of some kind of net and leaned up against a cobblestone wall.

The girl Bobby had seen in his vision at the Eagle’s Nest knelt among the delicate flowers, picking a bouquet of daisies. Devoid of a hijab, she raised her delicate chin and looked straight at him. Bobby froze, unsure if she saw him or not.

The girl flashed a brilliant smile that turned slowly to consternation. “What is it, Osiris?” Her words were foreign and heavily accented, but somehow he understood them.

Bobby frowned, unsure how to respond. The girl continued to watch him.

“You’re making me nervous. Is something wrong?”

Confused, Bobby took a step back and tripped over a planter box at his heels. Dropping to one knee, he discovered supple calfskin boots in place of his normal black-and-white-checkered Vans. His forearms were wrapped in leather bracers wrought with gold. In fact, all of his clothes looked strange; from the wide-linked belt to the low-cut tunic, he looked like a character from a medieval Renaissance faire.

“Is everything all right, my love?” The girl tucked the bundle of flowers under her arm and stood up. “Perhaps we should adjourn for the day.” Taking his hand, she guided him carefully out of the delicate garden.

Bobby stumbled along after her. These surroundings, they appear foreign, yet somehow familiar…

High overhead, granite cliffs towered over them like giant stone sentinels. Where their broad shoulders met, cerulean water cascaded from up high, draping the city in an almost unbroken curtain of shimmering mist.

Bobby’s mouth fell open. “We’re in a valley surrounded by waterfalls?” he asked.

The young woman followed his gaze then let out a musical laugh. “Sometimes I forget just how lovely the Seven Sisters truly are. Other days, I try not to think about how rapidly they are dying. Even the water here in the palace recedes at an alarming rate.”

At Bobby’s feet, the banks of a tiny pond rose two feet above the shallow water within. Nearby, a half dozen orange and black koi circled in the narrow confines of a similarly shrunken pool, cut off from the rest of their intended terrain.

The girl sighed. “Soon, what little water remains will be gone. After that, I fear we will face the same fate as those outside the castle’s walls.”

They walked together for several minutes, winding their way through open courtyards and hooded walkways. Soldiers practiced swordplay in the yards. Couriers in colorful livery raced through the halls. Ladies dressed in satin and lace strolled among the gardens. Decorative fountains lay scattered throughout the landscape, their bone-dry basins a testament to the drought. One giant fountain sprouted the barest of trickles, the listless water dripping down the cracked stone to form a mere half-inch pool in the trough.

Bobby opened his mouth to ask a question and then shut it. So many things around him didn’t make sense that he didn’t know where to begin.

An inner gate loomed up ahead, its thick iron bars black and stoic. Bobby and the girl passed over a portcullis spanning a dry ditch that had clearly once been an aquatic moat. Walking beneath the stone archway, they entered a long hallway lined with ancient tapestries and coats of arms. As they made their way past a row of polished shields, Bobby caught a glimpse of his reflection.

The boy, or more accurately, the man, in the image resembled him and yet was not him. Clearly older, perhaps in his early twenties, the reflection looked darker and more distinguished. In place of Bobby’s short crop of pale blond hair, the man in the mirror had perfect chestnut curls.

Bobby gasped. The face, his face, was similar but not the same. This face was more refined—the cheekbones higher, the jawline tighter and sharper. Only the eyes were the same—light blue with just a hint of green. The sensation of looking at this other man both terrified and exhilarated Bobby. Somehow, his consciousness was inside someone else’s body!

Bobby swayed on his feet as vertigo gripped him. “Perhaps you should lie down,” said his guide. “But first we need to make a quick detour,” she said, pulling him into a wide hall lined with statues.

They came to an arched doorway guarded by two soldiers armed with poleaxes and scimitars. Both men hastened to open the thick oak doors. “Princess Isis,” said the man on the left with a curt bow.

Hooking her arm in Bobby’s, Isis flashed the guards a bright smile and swept into the vast chamber beyond. A dozen men in a mix of royal and military garb stood around an enormous oval table covered with charts and maps.

At the head of the table sat a regal old man with piercing blue eyes and a gold crown upon his brow. As Bobby and Isis walked into the room, the king stood up and spread his arms, welcoming them both with a warm smile. “Ah, the young lovers, so good to see you both. Please, join us. The council was just discussing plans for the evacuation.”

“Father,” Isis said with a short bow. “We can’t stay. I just came to inquire if you’ve given any more thought to my request.”

The king’s sunny countenance turned cloudy. “Oh how I wish you would forget this nonsense about seeking to aid in the relief effort,” he said with a sigh. “You and Osiris are two of the last descendants of the Pure Ones. It’s why our two families were destined to marry before either of you were even born. Neither this kingdom, nor I, can afford to lose either one of you.

“Besides, now there is this matter with the rebels to deal with. Their leader is spreading ridiculous rumors about knowing how to cure the plague—as if my counselors and I haven’t tried everything. They’re amassing an army out in the countryside. I’m sorry,” said the king, shaking his head sadly, “but I’m afraid you both must remain here where it is safe.”

“I can take care of myself,” protested Isis. “Besides, I am far less susceptible than others. I can help treat the sick. I might even be able to cure those that aren’t too far gone—”

The king threw up his hands in exasperation. “I love you with all my heart, daughter, but you are as stubborn as a mule. Just because you are less susceptible than most does not mean you can’t catch the crimson plague. Other Pure Ones have already died. If you are weak from treating others, you may not be able to heal yourself.”

“I am willing to take that risk. Please, father, I can’t sit inside this castle, day after day, picking flowers in the garden, pretending that the citizens of our nation aren’t dying outside its walls. I can help. I know I can!”

“Not unless you’ve found a way to change the weather. This accursed heat fuels the illness. At this point, the only solution is to leave this land and hope the illness does not follow. Those who are still healthy can head south and find someplace to rebuild.”

“But, Father—”

“Enough!” said the king, hanging his head as if embarrassed by his admonition. “We are doing all we can. One more person will not make a difference. The great project is nearly complete. We will leave behind the repository, guarded by the watcher, and depart this place.”

“Please, Amun-Ra, I beg of you—”

The aged monarch put a hand to his temple, rubbing fiercely. “Osiris, do you have nothing to say about your betrothed’s desire to risk her life playing nursemaid to the citizens infected by this gods-forsaken plague?”

Silence hung heavy in the room. Bobby stood there, puzzled. The king and several others around the council table looked at him. Bobby nearly jumped when he realized Amun-Ra had been speaking to him and expected a response. “Um, no, Your…Your Highness…I think that she is strong willed…”

The king paused for a moment, his face unreadable. Then he threw back his head and laughed so fiercely it shook the hall. “So formal today, my future son-in-law. ‘Strong willed.’ Ha! As if you just found that out!”

“I’m sorry, Amun-Ra. I don’t quite feel myself at the moment.”

“Tell me you aren’t ill.”

“It’s nothing like that,” said Isis, jumping in quickly. “We just got a bit too much sun out in the garden. Isn’t that right, Osiris? He just needs to lie down for a while. We won’t bother you any further.” she turned, clasped Bobby by the elbow and steered him toward the door.

King Amun spoke to her back. “Very well, daughter. Rest well and remember that I love you both.”

Bobby let Isis lead him out of the chamber and down the hall. When they were far removed, beyond earshot of the guards, Isis stopped and spun Bobby around to face her. “It’s not true, is it?”

“Is what true?” asked Bobby.

“You’re not feeling ill, are you?” she asked, raising a hand to his forehead. “You don’t have any rashes or sores? Or—”

“I’m fine,” said Bobby, removing her hand and stepping back. “Like you said, I probably just need to lie down. Why don’t you help me to my…er, our room?”

The smile Isis gave him could have warmed the coldest winter night. “I await that day with all my heart, but you know we are not to share a bed until after our vows.” She took his hand, entwining her slender fingers with his dark, foreign ones.

Princess Isis led Bobby up a broad staircase lined with intricately carved banisters and broad tapestries depicting picturesque landscapes—mountains and rivers populated with soaring eagles and majestic stags. At the top of the landing, they made a left, heading past half a dozen doors to a massive bedroom in the southeast corner. A giant bearskin rug lay splayed in the middle of the stone floor, its glass eyes staring sightlessly at them as they made their way to the massive four-poster bed set against the far wall. Isis guided Bobby to the edge, where he collapsed onto a pile of thick furs.

No sooner did Bobby’s head hit the soft pillow than a tremendous weight descended upon him. Isis leaned over and kissed him lightly on the forehead. “Sleep, my love, and feel better, for the world’s troubles will still be here when you awake.”

Through hooded lids, Bobby watched Isis tiptoe out of the room. Then his eyes slid shut, and sleep washed over him.

Scions of the Sphinx, Ch. 6

Chapter 6 of Scions of the Sphinx is full of intrigue and action. While exploring the ruins near the Great Sphinx at Giza, Bobby and Jinx spot some unfriendly faces from the past, as well as a possible clue to unraveling the mystery of the postcard that drew them to Egypt. Meanwhile, something is happening to Bobby. He stuck his hand in a hole and now he feels lightheaded and awkward. Has he been poisoned? Catch up on all the chapters so far on Wattpad.com or on my site at RScottBoyer.com/blog.

Chapter 6

From atop the wall overlooking the Sphinx, Bobby frowned in anger and disgust. In the distance, Hayward and Simpkins spread out and began searching the grounds near the monument. These two secret agents had not only tracked and captured his grandfather but also abused and tortured Bobby and Jinx on several occasions. Between Hayward’s sadism and Simpkins’s insanity, they were the last duo on earth Bobby wanted hunting for him.

Bobby glanced down at Zaria. “Why didn’t you tell us that Mu’at is with the Core?”

“What are you talking about? I don’t even know what ‘the Core’ is.”

“You mean Chief never told you?” said Jinx, clearly surprised.

“Like I said, I’m freelance. I only get mission-specific information. I guess he didn’t know this ‘Core’ was involved.”

“Well, they are,” said Bobby, glaring down at her as if her lack of knowledge were somehow her fault. “These two are part of a secret organization of metahumans that wants to force human evolution.”

“First they tried using Bobby’s DNA,” said Jinx. “Then they tried using water from the Fountain of—”

“They experimented on you?” The normally swarthy girl turned visibly pallid. “That’s terrible!”

“That’s not the worst of it,” said Bobby. “These two,” he said, gesturing into the distance, “aren’t even human—they’re clones. They’ve died at least twice from what I can tell. Each time, they’re reconstituted with all of their memories, plus an added thirst for revenge.”

Zaria gagged, and Bobby thought perhaps she was going to be sick. “That’s unholy,” she said, speaking rapidly in Egyptian in what Bobby assumed was a prayer.

In the distance, the pair of agents stood perfectly still. Hayward lifted his double chin as if sniffing the air. Simpkins swiveled in the direction of the ancient temple. Bobby ducked low as both men headed their way.

“We’ve gotta get to the cab,” said Jinx.

“That may not be the best idea,” said Bobby. Out across the sandlot, Mu’at and his big bodyguard were heading for the tiny three-wheeled vehicle. “It looks like they’ve made our ride.”

“Not a problem,” said Zaria, brandishing a collection of slender steel picks. “Plenty more where that one came from.” She placed her hands on her hips as both boys shot her incredulous glares. “What? You didn’t really think I drove a cab for a living? Please!”

“Looks like Hayward and Simpkins are coming up through the temple entrance. We should be able to slip by them if we stick to the outside,” said Bobby. He slid his legs out over the wall, preparing to descend. But the porous limestone was slick with erosion. As he lowered himself to the ground, his hand slipped. Tumbling backward, Bobby fell hard onto the ground beside the broken column.

“Ouch,” said Bobby, rolling onto his side and pulling up his arm to avoid contact with the scorching-hot sand.

“Are you hurt?” asked Zaria, kneeling next to him.

Bobby barely heard her. From his new angle on the ground, he had a clear view of the base of the wall below the toppled pillar. Deep in the shadows was a series of scratches. Appearing as random abrasions when viewed upright, they looked much different when viewed from this angle. They looked like…“A flying fish,” murmured Bobby.

“A flying what?” said Jinx.

Bobby rolled onto his back and stuck out his hand. “Quick, give me your flashlight.”

Jinx fished into his pocket and produced the tiny Maglite. Rolling to his side, Bobby clicked it on and illuminated the shadows to reveal a round, fist-sized hole directly below the score marks. Bobby crawled on his belly to the mouth of the hole. Something glistened in the far recesses. Bobby lay flat on his stomach and inserted his hand. His fingertips brushed against something smooth and hard…

“Oww!” said Bobby, yanking his hand out of the hole. “Something stung me!”

Zaria grabbed Bobby under the shoulder and hoisted him to his feet. The tip of his finger bled from a tiny pinprick. “No time for that now, sport,” she said. “Those agents of yours will be here any second.”

Scurrying across the blistering sand, they ran south, along the east edge of the old Sphinx temple. Bobby rubbed his throbbing finger.

On the other side of the wall, Simpkins called out to Hayward, “They’re over here. You go back that way; I’ll go this way.”

Bobby and Zaria burst into a sprint, with Bobby scooping up the slower Jinx in his arms. They ran for only twenty feet before Bobby dropped Jinx back to the ground. Red-faced and dripping with sweat, Bobby extended his good hand and leaned against the wall.

“What’s wrong?” said Jinx, his voice suddenly distant, as if coming from the opposite end of a long tunnel.

“I’m fine,” said Bobby, clutching his hand. “I just can’t carry you right now.”

They ran south, down the east side of the old temple, and ducked around the corner. Swaying on his feet, Bobby poked his head out to glance back the way they’d come. Dressed in a purple pinstripe suit with bell-bottom pants, Simpkins swept through the temple’s east exit and out into the open like a stiff wind that chilled Bobby to the bone. The bright sun glistened off the emaciated agent’s oily black hair even as it made dark pools of his sunken eyes and pockmarked cheeks.

Due west from their crouched position, Hayward broke from the old temple, heading straight for them down the south wall. Hayward’s bulbous cheeks pulled up in a wicked grin as he burst into a trot that sent his fatty rolls bouncing with every step.

Cut off to the north and blocked to the west, Bobby scanned the terrain. To the east was nothing but endless desert. Their only hope lay southward, with the valley temple of Khafre.

“Quick, over there,” said Zaria, pointing to the valley temple. “We can ditch them inside.”

Sprinting over the baking earth, they dashed through the archway into Khafre’s shrine. The long hallways beyond danced before Bobby’s eyes. “I don’t feel so well,” he said, raising a hand to his head. Zaria grabbed his wrist, pulling him along behind her.

They ran to a three-way intersection and stopped. Behind them, Simpkins reached the new temple and headed in after them. Up ahead, Bobby thought he saw Mu’at standing atop the outer wall, his dark silhouette framed against the bright sun as he stared down at them with his penetrating gaze.

“This way,” said Zaria. Bobby’s wrist slipped from her grasp as she took off down a side passage.

No longer guided by Zaria, Bobby stumbled and bumped into a wall. He pushed himself away with both hands. Fiery pain raced from his throbbing finger, through the palm, up his arm.

Blinking back tears, he turned to Jinx to lean on him for support and discovered his little cousin was nowhere to be seen. Bobby managed only a few more steps. His legs felt leaden, tied down by invisible strings. He made it to an intersection and turned left. Simpkins stood in the archway in front of him, less than twenty yards away. Bobby turned around, stumbling back the way he’d come. Hayward stood in the intersection, blocking his retreat.

He was trapped. No escape.

Then, from atop the walls, Zaria appeared. Running along a partition that rose perpendicular to Bobby’s location, she stopped directly above Hayward. Swiveling her head to either side, she put her hands on her hips and laughed at the two Core agents. “Wow, Jinx was right! You really are the two ugliest guys on the planet. Guess I owe him five bucks.” Then she turned and raced off.

Simpkins yelled at Hayward to stop, but it was too late. With an angry roar, the corpulent agent took off in pursuit.

Bobby wasted no time. Returning to the previously blocked intersection, he made a left and then another quick left, only vaguely aware that he was likely going in circles. Mu’at appeared in front of him, fuzzy and transparent. Bobby turned around and discovered the one-eyed man behind him as well. I must be hallucinating. He’s not real.

Bobby heard shouts and the sounds of a commotion off in the distance but couldn’t see who was involved or what was happening. Maybe that’s not real either. He tried to pick up his pace and stumbled again, scraping his knee as he fell hard against the stone. His breath came in shallow, throaty rasps. His vision grew dark, narrowing into a tiny pool of vision only a few feet in front of his face.

On all fours, Bobby crawled a few more feet to a shallow niche carved into the base of the wall, where he toppled over, rolling on his back into a hole. The world spun around him. It was all Bobby could do to close his eyes to shut it out. Even then, he saw Mu’at standing in front of him, the man’s good eye twinkling with the madness of a rabid jackal. With a hyena’s laugh, Mu’at lifted his eye patch to reveal his covered orb. True darkness swarmed in, and Bobby knew nothing else.

Scions of the Sphinx, Ch. 5

Chapter 5 of Scions of the Sphinx is now live. This is a big chapter! Not only do we meet Zaria, the street urchin turned spy who helps rescue Bobby and Jinx, but we also get our first look at the great sphinx. Of course, right as the gang starts to put the pieces together, unwanted guests show up to spoil the party. Catch up on the entire story at Wattpad or my site RScottBoyer.com/blogChapter 5

Roughly twenty minutes later, their impromptu rescue came to an end in the back alley of a flea market. With a nimble flourish, their driver sprang off the overgrown motorcycle and pulled off her helmet. Silky chocolate hair cascaded down to the small of her back in thick, luxurious waves. Bobby froze, momentarily mesmerized. Jinx leaped out of the rickshaw and backed away as though the vehicle were a tiger poised to strike.

“Calm yourself,” said their savior. “You’re safe now.”

“There is absolutely nothing safe about the way you drive,” said Jinx.

Bobby climbed out of the backseat and set a hand on Jinx’s shoulder, attempting to calm his cousin while he studied their driver. An Egyptian girl a few years older than him, she had all the curves of a grown woman. Pretty in a girl-next-door sort of way, she had high cheekbones and pouty lips that hadn’t been revealed when she’d lifted her visor back at the terminal.

Bobby shook his head, forcing himself to concentrate. “Why don’t you start at the beginning? How did you know we were at the airport?”

The girl shrugged. “When you two went missing, Chief’s men searched your parents’ house. They found the postcard and figured you must have come here. After that, it wasn’t hard to find the flight with two boys traveling alone.”

Jinx frowned at this explanation. “Who are you? You’re not one of Chief’s commandos, or we’d have seen you at the Eagle’s Nest.”

“My name’s Zaria. I do freelance.” She gave Jinx a sardonic smile. “You don’t honestly think that a guy with his own underground forest only has operatives in the States, do you?”

“We need to go back,” said Bobby, returning to the rickshaw. “That man in that limo is the one who brought me here, which means he took my parents. If I don’t meet him, there’s no telling what he will do to them.”

Zaria leaned up against the lime-green rickshaw and flashed a smile far different than the one she’d given Jinx; it was full of coy amusement and just a hint of sass. “Slow down there, sport,” she said. “The last thing you wanna do, if that guy has your parents, is put yourself into his hands.”

“You know that guy?” said Jinx.

Zaria’s smile disappeared in an instant, replaced by a dark scowl. “Everyone in Cairo knows Mu’at. The guy showed up a few months back and literally took over the city. All the drug dealers and gangs—none of them will mess with him. They say he’s insane. A crew went after him when he first arrived and simply disappeared. Twenty guys…completely gone without a trace. I hear all their wives and kids went missing too. Talk about ruthless. Trust me, if he has your parents, he has absolutely no intention of giving them back, regardless of whatever he says.”

Bobby dug his nails into the seat cushions. “But I need to rescue my parents!”

Jinx held up a hand, begging for patience. “What do you mean he’s insane?”

Zaria shrugged, casually studying her fingernails. “You know that eye patch? Well, rumor has it that the eye is still there. Supposedly he was a priest, or cleric, or something in his youth. They say he was gifted, blessed by visions sent by God. Then one day, while meditating, he gazed upon the true face of God.”

Zaria shrugged, as if that explained everything. Still in the backseat of the cab, Bobby released his grip on the seat cushion and leaned forward. Jinx returned to the rickshaw and perched one foot on the running board. “Go on.”

“What’s there to tell? To look upon the true face of God is to lose yourself to madness. Everyone knows that,” said Zaria. “Supposedly, Mu’at managed to tear his gaze away, but not before the image emblazed itself upon his retina. The rumor is that to look into the left eye of Mu’at is to see the madness imprinted there and to be driven insane, just like him.” Zaria winked at Bobby. “Best not to go looking for Mu’at. After all, I’d hate to see anything happen to such a cute face.”

Cheeks flushed with heat, Bobby turned toward Jinx. “Perhaps we can figure out where he’s taken my parents and rescue them.”

“Now you’re talking, champ,” said Zaria, putting her helmet back on. “So, you got any clues where to start? I don’t know about you, but I’m not up for hanging out in this alley all day.”

“Only one,” said Jinx, “the postcard that Mu’at left on the fridge.” Climbing back into the cab next to Bobby, Jinx pointed off into the distance. “Take us to the Great Sphinx.”

“Great,” said Zaria, firing up the engine to another billow of black smoke. “Just one problem, tourist boy,” she shouted, hooking a thumb off to the side. “Giza is that way.”

* * *

With heavy traffic, it took well over an hour to travel from Cairo to the Great Sphinx at the Giza Plateau, just west of the valley temple at Khafre. Pulling up amid the stone monuments and ubiquitous sand, they were quickly set upon by beggars, hawkers, and tour guides offering royal treatment at discount prices.

Zaria waved them all away, even brandishing the tire iron at an especially insistent beggar who kept “accidentally” stumbling into the boys while not so subtly rifling through their clothes. After retrieving Jinx’s compass and flashlight for the third time, Zaria finally gave the wily old coot a coin, along with a curse, and told him she’d split his skull if she ever saw him again.

Walking to the Sphinx, Bobby, Zaria, and Jinx encountered a motley collection of tourists posing for pictures and marveling at the ancient wonder. Joining the throng, the boys spent three hours walking around the colossal monument, studying it from every angle while Zaria lounged in the shade nearby.

Magnificent in its scope, the 241-foot-long monument was carved from the bedrock as a singular piece, rather than assembled from blocks like the surrounding pyramids. Nowadays, the base of the sixty-six-foot-tall monolith contained hundreds of limestone bricks from numerous renovations seeking to thwart erosion’s endless assault. As for the head of the monument, the right side proved far more interesting than the left, with the semblance of an earhole and a splash of red, suggesting that vibrant colors once covered the Sphinx’s nemes headdress. And then there was the infamous missing nose, broken off at the base as if struck by a mountainous hammer.

“Did you know that the proportions at the base are a perfect match to those of an actual lion?” said Jinx to Bobby as they stood there, gazing up at it. “The length of the haunches, paws, and tail are all perfect. However, the width is all wrong, and the height is too, for obvious reasons—since lions don’t actually have pharaoh heads. Still, the height of the torso is also wrong, something virtually unseen in other Egyptian depictions of the Sphinx. This incongruity has prompted many scholars to speculate that the existing statue may, in fact, have been carved out of the torso of an original structure that was much taller and properly proportioned. The theory is that the original head became too eroded, prompting the pharaoh Khafre to carve a new head from the body of the original, slimming down the prior body in the process.”

Bobby found this interesting, and told him so, but also remained focused on finding a connection with the postcard. Unfortunately, not even Jinx could think of a single reason anything in view might lead to Bobby’s parents.

Zaria stood up from her resting spot in the shade and strolled over to join them. “Maybe the Sphinx wasn’t intended to be quite so literal,” she said. “Maybe the goal was simply to draw you to Cairo. Ever think of that? The postcard might simply have been the most obvious landmark—like a photo of the Eiffel Tower to draw you to Paris or the Statue of Liberty to represent New York.”

Jinx shot her a dark stare. “If that’s the case, then we have nothing to go on, no way of finding Bobby’s parents since you pulled us away from meeting Mu’at at the airport.”

Bobby frowned at Jinx. “She did the right thing. Even before Zaria showed up, something didn’t feel right about getting in the car with that guy.”

Jinx dropped his head and said nothing.

“This, on the other hand, feels right,” said Bobby, staring up at the giant limestone sculpture. “This is where we’re supposed to be. We just have to figure out why.”

“Was there anything else in the photograph?” asked Zaria. “Any other clues? Another landmark perhaps?”

Bobby sat down in the sand, leaning against one of the concrete barricades. A security guard gave him a scowl before turning away. “I don’t really remember that well,” said Bobby. “I kinda tuned out after I realized my parents had been kidnapped.”

“I, on the other hand, have an eidetic memory,” said Jinx, tapping the side of his head with a broad grin. “I remember every detail of the postcard.”

“Great. So where was it taken from?” asked Zaria. “Maybe there’s a clue there.”

Bobby shot to his feet. “That’s it,” he said, rushing over and giving Zaria a big hug. “We need to find the place where the photo was taken.”

Disentangling herself from Bobby’s exuberant embrace, Zaria brushed at her dusty leathers. “Warn a girl next time, sport,” she said. “Not that I object, mind you…”

Bobby turned beet red. Jinx raised a hand to stifle a giggle. After an awkward pause, he turned east, pointing toward the ancient temple. “It was somewhere up there,” said Jinx. “I should be able to find the right spot based on the angle of the photo and the elements in the foreground.”

Zaria waved him on, and Jinx started up the slope, heading away from the Sphinx and toward the old temple. The three of them soon left behind the swarming masses of tourists with their broad-brimmed hats and telephoto cameras. The crowd thinned beyond the old Sphinx temple, but some people roamed the sandy corridors, snapping photos of slab archways and crumbling limestone pillars. At least the hawkers and beggars had vanished.

“The angle was from somewhere over here, with the ground just beyond the temple’s outer wall in the foreground,” said Jinx, stopping near the northeast corner of the ancient ruins.

“But we can’t see the Sphinx from inside here,” observed Zaria. “Which means the photo isn’t from inside the temple.”

“They may have been on a ladder,” said Jinx.

“Or standing atop the wall,” said Bobby, pointing to the thick archways fifteen feet overhead.

With no way to ascend the massive walls, they exited the temple and made their way around the perimeter. By the far corner, they found a crumbled block leaning up against the wall.

“I should climb up to see if the views match,” said Jinx.

“Too risky,” said Bobby, eyeing the smooth expanse of stone above the crumbled pillar. “You won’t be able to reach the top. Give me your camera. I’ll climb up, take a few photos; then you can look at them and compare.”

Zaria pretended to swoon, fanning herself with an open hand. “You’re so brave!”

Bobby blushed again and took the camera from Jinx. Tucking it into his pocket, he scrambled over the loose scree up onto the fallen pillar. From there, he stood on his tiptoes, extending his reach until he grasped the top of the wall. Pulling himself up, he crouched low to avoid being spotted by anyone on the other side. Removing the camera, he snapped a few pictures, using the zoom feature to capture the image at different depths. As he zoomed all the way out, a glint of light caught his eye.

Lowering the camera, Bobby peered off into the distance, where a black stretch limousine had just pulled into the monument’s sandy parking lot. “Um, guys, I think we have a problem,” said Bobby, lifting the camera up again and using the zoom for a closer look.

“Looks great from here,” said Zaria playfully, staring up at his rear.

“What is it?” said Jinx. “What’s the problem?”

Bobby explained what he was looking at as the Bentley came to a halt and the back door opened up. Zaria swore under her breath. “They must have guessed we’d come here to search for clues.”

Sure enough, Mu’at stepped out of the car, casting his one-eyed gaze around like a hawk searching for prey. A moment later, the giant chauffeur came around to join his master. Together, they began walking toward the Sphinx.

Bobby was just about to pocket the camera and climb down off the wall when two more figures climbed out of the limo.

Even from a distance, there could be no mistaking Simpkins’s skeletal figure and his obese partner, Hayward.

Scions of the Sphinx, Ch 4

Chapter 4 of Scions of the Sphinx is now live on Wattpad.com. This chapter marks our first look at the main antagonist, Mu’at. Bobby doesn’t know it yet, but this strange man with the black eye-patch is the man responsible for his missing parents. Catch up on previous chapters on Wattpad or my website RScottBoyer.com/blog

Chapter 4

“So where to?” asked Bobby as they merged onto the 110 freeway. “Burbank?”

Jinx scrutinized the plane ticket. “LAX to New York, with a connecting flight to Cairo.”

“And you got your ID?” asked Bobby.

Jinx reached into the bulging hip pocket of his cargo pants and pulled out a passport. “After our little trip to Guatemala, I make it a habit to carry it everywhere I go.”

Bobby took his right hand off the wheel and ruffled his cousin’s spiky brown hair. “Why does that not surprise me?”

“You got the money, right?” said Jinx.

“Yeah,” said Bobby. “I grabbed it from Mom’s stash box when I ran upstairs to get my passport. All we need now is your permission paper work and hopefully a vacant seat on the plane.”

“I’ve got my paper work already,” said Jinx, producing another set of documents from his voluminous pants. Bobby braked hard to avoid rear-ending the car in front of him.

“What?” said Jinx, sticking out his lower lip to give Bobby a wounded look. “I downloaded everything I needed from your dad’s computer while you were upstairs. Chief showed me how to forge documents months ago.”

Bobby checked the time on the dashboard and silently implored the car to go faster. “I guess all we gotta do now is get there in time.”

* * *

Arriving at the terminal with less than half an hour until departure, the boys combined Bobby’s cash and Jinx’s paper work to purchase the last remaining seat on the flight. Thankfully, the terminal proved nearly empty, with only a short line at the TSA checkpoint. Since neither boy had any luggage, it was a relatively simple matter for them to take off their shoes and belts and pass through the metal detectors.

The only holdup was Jinx emptying his seemingly bottomless pockets into the gray plastic bin for X-ray screening. The TSA attendant on duty, a heavyset black woman with neon pink fingernails, raised her eyebrows, looking astounded as Jinx unloaded the contents. Thankfully, despite the huge quantity of items, nothing raised an alarm.

Jinx took a puff on his inhaler as they arrived at the gate with less than a minute remaining in the final boarding call. Handing over their tickets, the boys hurried down the ramp and onto the plane. Bobby was up front in first class, while Jinx sat near the back.

As Bobby found his spot in B4, he noticed a tall, athletic man with a black eye patch over his left eye sitting across the aisle. Impeccably dressed in a dark gray suit, the intense glare of the man’s jet-black eye made Bobby squirm. Turning toward the window, Bobby busied himself strapping in and adjusting the seat belt.

The plane rolled back from the terminal, and Bobby folded his arms, trying to relax as the plane prepared for takeoff. A few minutes later, the engines rumbled and the plane shot forward, climbing steadily upward toward the clouds. The instant the “Fasten Seat Belt” sign turned off, Bobby jumped up and made his way to the rear. Jinx sat next to a pudgy, middle-aged man with thinning hair and an expansive birthmark shaped like a pear beneath his right ear.

It didn’t take much to convince the pear man to change seats for an upgrade to first class. In under a minute, the man had collected his possessions and departed for the front, leaving Bobby to spend the rest of the flight next to his cousin.

The boys talked for a while, voicing expectations and making plans for their final arrival in Cairo. Jinx fretted over their limited resources and lack of preparation. Bobby tried to act calm, ordering round after round of soda and snacks from the flight attendant. Inside, however, his stomach was roiling with fear and concern for his parents.

Eventually, both boys grew tired. Taking his miniature flight pillow, Bobby shoved it into the crook of his neck and leaned against the window. In time, the rhythmic hum of the plane’s engines lulled him to sleep, where he dreamed of the beautiful girl in the garden.

* * *

The descent into Cairo International Airport was smooth but cloudy, affording Bobby no opportunity to view the city or the famous landmarks beyond its borders at Giza. Departing from the plane, the cousins found themselves in an ultramodern terminal full of sharp angles, glass panels, and polished steel. Having been in the air for nearly a full day, they stepped outside into an early morning haze. Arid heat stomped the street like the heel of a boot, the cloudless sky crushing any hope of relief.

Making their way to the curb, the boys stood on the sidewalk, watching cars and buses whiz by. Nearby, an ornamental geodesic dome covered in silver panels shimmered in the emerging sun.

“You’d think that whoever bought your plane ticket would be here to pick us up,” said Jinx. As he spoke, a black stretched Bentley pulled up alongside the curb. The rear window of the Flying Spur rolled down to reveal the man with the eye patch from the plane.

Bobby felt queasiness in the pit of his stomach as the man fixed him with a cold stare from his coal-black eye. “Get in,” the man said in crisp English, with just a hint of an Eastern European accent.

Bobby turned to Jinx. His little cousin wore an anguished expression, as if he’d just been asked to eat a worm.

“If this is who brought us here—”said Jinx, taking a step toward the limousine.

Bobby whirled around as a commotion broke out off to his left. A green rickshaw plowed up onto the walkway, barreling through the crowd, sending unwitting travelers diving for cover. With a cloud of black smoke, the three-wheeled vehicle screeched to a halt between the boys and the limousine.

“Quick, get in,” said the helmeted driver, dressed in brown motorcycle leathers.

“Who the heck are you?” said Bobby.

The rickshaw driver flipped up her visor to reveal large green eyes draped by long, dark lashes. “Chief sent me. Now, hurry up!”

The eye-patched man’s face contorted in rage. Reaching for the door, he made to climb out, but the rickshaw driver lifted a leg and kicked the door shut in his face, sending the man tumbling back in his seat.

The rickshaw driver fixed Bobby and Jinx with an angry glare. “We don’t have time for this. Let’s go, NOW!”

Something about those eyes dug into Bobby’s brain. He stood there, frozen as the eye-patched man fought his way upright and reached for the door again.

Pulling a crowbar from behind her seat, the girl in the helmet drove the tip between the door and the frame of the car and torqued it. The Bentley’s owner yanked the handle to no avail and began shouting to his chauffeur. An instant later, the driver’s door popped open. A burly Egyptian man, wearing a suit and turban, leaped out, brandishing a pistol in his right hand.

The rickshaw driver raised an arm, and the gun flew out of the chauffer’s hand. That was all the proof Bobby needed. With a shake of his head, he shoved Jinx into the backseat of the cab and dove in after him. While the limo driver went to retrieve his weapon, the girl gunned the rickshaw’s engine, reinvigorating the cloud of smoke. Wheeling the taxi around, the cabby tore off back the way she’d come—straight into oncoming traffic. Jinx screamed, and Bobby threw his hands up in front of his face as she spun the wheel, swinging the rickshaw around once again.

With cars swerving and horns blaring, the three-wheeled cab slid across three lanes of traffic and onto a narrow side street. Two sharp turns and they exited the airport terminal, emerging out onto Cairo’s congested main roads. Bobby coughed and Jinx went for his inhaler as an even denser cloud of smog than the one they traveled with enveloped them.

Deftly squeezing between cars, buses, and vans, the rickshaw never slowed. Gripping the seat backs, Bobby tried shouting to their driver, but between the blare of traffic and the roar of the cab’s obnoxious one-cylinder, 200cc engine, communication proved nearly impossible.

“Sorry,” shouted their driver over her shoulder. “My choices were rather limited if I was going to make it here on time.”

Jinx tried to reply and ended up nearly choking. Bobby yelled, but she just pointed at her helmet and signaled for them to wait. Both boys sat back in the open-sided carriage and tried not to breathe too deeply as their mysterious rescuer wove a frenzied path to wherever they were headed.

Wattpad

A few days ago, I started posted my unpublished stories on Wattpad. In addition to Scions of the Sphinx, the third book in my young adult Bobby Ether adventure series, I am also posting portions of a middle grade story I wrote back in 2015 called Helping Hands: The “I Dare You” Club, about a group of civic-minded kids who get involved at their local shelter.

I plan to continue to post new chapters of Scions of the Sphinx here to my blog, but for anyone interested in Helping Hands: The “I Dare You” Club, I encourage you to head over to Wattpad and check it out. It’s free. Just sign up then search for my books by title. It’s also a easier platform for reading Scions of the Sphinx as well.

Scions of the Sphinx, Ch 3.2

Here is the second part of chapter three, Scions of the Sphinx. This scene is special because it marks the start of Bobby and Jinx’s next great adventure. An empty house and postcard of the Great Sphinx at Giza are the only clues to the whereabouts of Bobby’s parents. Let the journey begin! Catch up on entire story at RScottBoyer.com/blog

One deep breath and Bobby knew he wasn’t wrong. The air inside the house smelled stale and dusty, something his mother would never tolerate. A cursory search of the two-story, three-bedroom house revealed no trace of his parents. His mother’s new Toyota Corolla, which she’d gotten after the accident, sat in the gravel driveway. Bobby swallowed hard, afraid of what they would find in the garage.
Heading out the back, through the kitchen, Bobby and Jinx went across the yard to the stand-alone wood structure. Nathan Ether’s Honda CR-V sat inside, the dim half-light casting pale shadows across the shiny white hood.
Jinx turned to Bobby. “If both your parents’ cars are here, then where are they?”
Leaving the garage, Bobby led Jinx around the corner to the garden. The girl from his dream was not there. Bobby took a deep breath, unsure whether he felt relieved or disappointed to find the garden empty.
Back inside the kitchen, Bobby paced back and forth across the sunflower linoleum.
“Perhaps they went on vacation?” said Jinx.
“And didn’t bother to tell their son, knowing he’s secluded at a top-secret underground facility?” Bobby frowned and kept pacing. “Clearly you don’t know my mom.”
“Maybe a friend picked them up to go someplace?”
Bobby drew a finger across the kitchen countertop. “Look at this dust. I’m telling you they’re gone.”
“Perhaps they had to go somewhere last minute. Maybe they left a clue.”
Bobby’s face scrunched up as his gaze swept over the room. “Everything looks the same. If they’d wanted to leave a note, they’d have put it on the table or…” Bobby stopped, his voice trailing off into silence.
“What is it?” asked Jinx.
Slowly, Bobby walked over to the refrigerator and removed a strawberry sticker magnet from atop a postcard and an envelope. Tilting the postcard so Jinx could see, Bobby examined the picture of the Great Sphinx at Giza, shot at an angle so that the lanky monolith stretched out across a backdrop of sandy desert and brilliant blue sky.
“So I was right after all,” said Jinx. “They went on vacation.”
Bobby shook his head. “My parents visited the pyramids a few years ago when I went to sleep-away basketball camp. They wouldn’t have gone back. Mom keeps a list. Next up is Australia to dive the Great Barrier Reef.”
“Then where did it come from?”
Bobby flipped the card over. Printed on the other side in black spidery script were three words: “See You Soon.” The postcard slipped from Bobby’s hand, fluttering to the ground, where it slid across the floor and disappeared under the refrigerator.
“What is it?” said Jinx, setting a hand on Bobby’s arm.
Bobby’s gaze was distant and hollow as he turned to his little cousin. “That’s not my parents’ handwriting. I don’t know whose it is, but it’s not theirs.”
“What about the envelope?”
Bobby glanced down at his right hand, just then remembering the envelope’s existence. With trembling fingers, he peeled open the flap. Reaching in, Bobby pulled out a neatly folded packet of documents. Through watery eyes, he identified a plane ticket. The destination shown was Cairo, Egypt. The passenger listed was him.

Scions of the Sphinx, Ch 3.1

This is the first part of chapter 3, Scions of the Sphinx. In this scene, Bobby is coming home to check on his parents after being away for several months. The transition is both real and metaphorical, as it symbolizes the changes he has undergone in the past two books and sets the stage for the main conflict. Where are Bobby’s parents? You can catch up on previous chapters at RScottBoyer.com/blog

***

The next morning after breakfast, Bobby and Jinx departed the Eagle’s Nest via the sphere tram. Passing through the marble lobby embedded in the west wall of the biodome, Bobby marveled at how the gyroscopic pod conveyed people from a subterranean forest beneath the Coachella Valley to an office building in downtown Los Angeles in just a few short, albeit gut-wrenching, moments.

As with prior trips, the supersonic journey provided little opportunity to contemplate the matter. Before he knew it, Bobby and Jinx were both stumbling out from behind the massive air-conditioning unit that concealed the entrance within the skyscraper. Awaiting them was a black Escalade, with a pair of commandos dressed in civilian clothes ready to take them to Bobby’s house.

They drove in silence, with Bobby and Jinx in the backseat and their escorts up front. When they pulled up outside his house, Bobby hopped out and turned to the soldiers. “You guys mind waiting in the car? My parents have bad memories about armed men in their house.”

Jinx gave him a quizzical look, which Bobby pointedly ignored. The driver simply nodded and turned on the radio. The agent in the passenger seat pulled out a smartphone and began tapping away.

Heading to the front porch, Bobby used the spare key his parents had given him before his departure. As he inserted the key into the lock, Jinx tugged on his arm. “What was that about your parents having an issue with armed men? Your parents weren’t even here when the Academy’s goons came for you.”

Bobby shrugged. “I just didn’t want them coming inside in case…”

“In case what?” asked Jinx, rising on his tiptoes to look over his shoulder as Bobby cracked the door open and stepped inside.

“In case this,” said Bobby, making a sweeping gesture with his hands. “It’s a Sunday afternoon. Dad should be glued to the TV, watching college football, while my mom is in the kitchen baking.”

“But I don’t hear anything,” said Jinx.

“Exactly.”

Scions of the Sphinx, Ch 2.3

Here is the last part of chapter two, Scions of the Sphinx. I like this scene because it shows not only Bobby’s interest in tracking down the girl from his visions, but also the start of Jinx’s fledgling relationship with Ana. Don’t forget to check out earlier chapters at RScottBoyer.com/blog

They made small talk on the way back, with Jinx bombarding Chief with questions about the various denizens of the forest. Each time, Chief gave him a patient nod, paused a moment to provide an answer, and then gently urged Jinx to continue their trek.

It wasn’t until they’d nearly reached the hill that Bobby remembered the reason he’d volunteered to come on the hike in the first place. “Hey, Chief, have you heard from my parents lately?”

Chief shook his head. “Why do you ask?”

Bobby sighed, the image of his empty house in Bayside playing in his mind. “Maybe I could call them, you know, just to say hello?”

“Even better, why don’t you and Jinx go for a visit? The two of you have been progressing exceptionally well in your studies. I’d say you both deserve a break.”

Bobby did his best to hide his relief as Chief ascended to the top of the rise and stopped.

“I need to go check on the rest of the kids before I have dinner,” said Chief. “Why don’t you two head back to the lodge?”

“Actually, I’d like to tag along, if that’s OK?” said Jinx. Bobby gave his cousin a knowing smile. Clearly, Jinx was hoping for a chance to see Ana. “Unless you want me to go back with you…?” Jinx asked Bobby with a nervous glance.

Bobby laughed. “Actually, I’d like to come too, if that’s OK?”

Without a word, Chief turned and headed for the nearest cabin. They worked their way systematically through the half dozen rough-plank lodges, with Chief consulting the monks stationed at each one as to the status of various children. Meanwhile Bobby searched each female face for the girl from his vision.

When they got to Ana’s cabin, Jinx conveniently declared that he felt hungry again, at which point the monk in charge invited him to stay for dessert. Chief didn’t seem the least bit surprised as he prepared to depart. Bobby gave his cousin a sly wink and went on without him.

Bobby and Chief visited three more cabins after that, with Bobby checking every face, but none of the girls at the Eagle’s Nest matched the one from his vision. Finally, after nearly two hours, the two of them returned to the hogan to settle in for the night.

Bobby’s feet dragged as he passed through the subterranean halls. He hadn’t found the girl in his vision, and the image of the empty house troubled him. He would have liked to talk to one of his friends, but Trevor, Lily, and Jacob were all in their rooms with their doors closed—either studying or sleeping. Bobby spared a smile as he passed Jinx’s room. His was the only one with the door open. The space beyond stood empty.

 

Scions of the Sphinx, Ch 2.2

Here is the second part of chapter two, Scions of the Sphinx. I hope you like it. Feel free to post comments and don’t forget to check out the previous posts at RScottBoyer.com/blog

Jinx noticed it before Bobby did. Waving a hand before his face, Jinx scrunched up his nose and blew heavily out of his mouth. “What is that nasty smell?”

Bobby took a whiff to see what his cousin was referring to and instantly regretted it. They were now deep in the grove of sequoias that towered over the area northwest of their hilltop base camp. The normally crisp scent of alpine held a taint, like moldy broccoli left to rot in the summer sun.

Chief stepped over to a nearby tree, a majestic redwood with a trunk as big around as Bobby’s bedroom back home. “Come,” said Chief, gesturing for the boys to gather close.

Bobby stepped up to the tree, noting how the thick bark twisted and bubbled, with wide gaps in the otherwise impervious trunk. “Is it sick?” he asked, placing a palm gently on the coarse exterior.

“I got this image from the deer,” said Chief. “They know the forest far better than you or I. Now tell me what you feel.”

“I feel…darkness,” said Bobby, lightly grazing the bark with his fingertips. “Not a disease or insects…More like a stain. I can’t explain it.”

“The tree is weeping,” said Chief, “trying to expel through its bark something that it has absorbed from its surroundings.”

Jinx crinkled his forehead, and Bobby noticed for the first time that, of the dozen other redwoods in sight, nearly all of them had similar cracks in their thick wooden hides.

“How can that be?” asked Jinx. “I thought this entire biodome was sealed so that no ambient energy can get inside.”

“The whole point of enclosing this facility in its polycarbonate dome, rather than simply leaving it as a giant underground cavern, was to prevent exactly what you describe. We coated the exterior of the dome with a special shielding that acts as an insulator: an artificial barrier of sorts. Unlike anywhere else on earth, this ecosystem is immune to the energies of the outside world. Only the Nexus has access to regions beyond the shield.”

“But that means…” Jinx let his words trail off as Chief removed his palm from the tree and turned to look at Bobby.

“That’s right,” said Chief. “It means the source of the disturbance is coming from somewhere within.”

Bobby let his hands drop to his waist, the dull ache in his fingertips slowly receding as the link faded. “What could possibly cause this?”

“Certain actions can cause ripple effects when performed out of balance with nature. Bobby, I believe you are intimately familiar with this phenomenon from your very first arcane event.”

“You’re talking about the basketball game where I made the final shot go farther than it should have, and how I got violently ill afterward?”

Chief nodded. “That is a rather localized and—if you don’t mind my saying so—trivial example, but an accurate one, nonetheless. There are other kinds of events that can have far greater impact, not just on the originator, but on the surrounding environment.”

“Such as?” Jinx stared at Chief, eyes wide, a sense of wonder plastered across the boy’s bookish features.

Chief scratched his head. “To cause something like this?” He paused for a long moment. “As you both know from your lessons, the energy we feel is not just here, it is everywhere, not just in place but in time as well. This ‘temporal energy’ connects past, present, and future, making it quite literally the most powerful force in the universe. If it were to be abused or misdirected somehow…I suppose it’s possible that not even the Eagle’s Nest’s shielding could prevent it from seeping in. Still, it would require a conduit inside the dome to cause such localized damage.”

They stood gazing at one another, each lost in their own ruminations. Finally, Chief said, “Come. It is getting late. I have much still to do this night and have yet to partake of those monster tacos you children were so zestfully consuming.”

“That reminds me,” said Jinx. “What’s the secret ingredient in your salsa?”

Chief placed a hand on the young boy’s shoulder and steered him toward the plateau. “If I told you that, it wouldn’t be a secret, now would it?”

Scions of the Sphinx, Ch 2.1

Scions of the Sphinx, Chapter 2.1

For a while, they simply meandered through the forest. Chief occasionally paused to inspect a bush or flower, but mostly they simply strolled among the trees. They finally stopped at a giant gnarled oak on the outskirts of the grove of redwoods that dominated the heart of the forest. Chief let out a low whistle, and dozens of animals appeared: foxes, bunnies, and raccoons, along with countless squirrels and chipmunks, many with fat acorns stuffed into their chubby cheeks.

Not for the first time, Bobby marveled at the diversity of life within the Eagle’s Nest. Animals and plants from widely divergent native habitats all coexisted here in perfect harmony. It was yet another one of the Eagle’s Nest’s many mysteries.

Kneeling among the crowd of critters, Chief held out a hand containing seeds and nuts taken from his haversack. Bobby and Jinx gasped in unison as the animals formed a line, approaching one at a time to take a treat from Chief’s palm. In turn, Chief took a moment to inspect each creature from head to tail before sending it on its way.

When he was done, Chief moved on, guiding Bobby and Jinx deeper into the forest. Arriving at a young cedar, he repeated the procedure from moments before, except this time it was a flock of birds that answered his call. Alighting on the nearby branches, orioles, blue jays, and red-bellied woodpeckers all waited their turn to be inspected and receive a treat. There was even a red-tailed hawk that pointedly ignored all the other birds.

Several of the jays nestled against Chief’s palm. Jinx and Bobby just stood there, slack jawed at the old Native American’s ability to commune with the denizens of the forest on such a deep level.

“The animals seem to have adapted nicely to having so many humans in their midst,” said Chief, lifting from his arm a white-crowned sparrow that had become a bit too attached. Bobby and Jinx nodded their silent agreement.

As they headed back to the trail, Chief paused. “Ah, my ambass-a-‘deers’ have arrived.”

At first Bobby didn’t know what he meant. Then Ehawee and her brother, Huritt, stepped out from behind a nearby thicket. So light-footed were the tawny doe and majestic buck that neither Bobby nor Jinx had heard them approach.

Huritt, the large and powerful buck, dipped his head and trotted up to Chief as he might another member of the herd. Bobby ran a hand through his short blond hair and whistled. Huritt’s antlers had grown since the last time he’d seen him—still covered in velvet, but thicker and prouder, with royal nubs just beginning to show on the widened beam.

Chief placed a hand on each animal’s neck and closed his eyes. Bobby and Jinx waited as a long moment passed. Finally Chief opened his eyes. The two beautiful deer turned and trotted back into the forest.

“Come,” said Chief. “There is someplace we must go.”

The boys exchanged excited glances and followed their host deeper into the forest.