The Society of the Ethereal Medallion

Buried Secrets

The camels were trained to stay put when a master or rider left them. 

Daisy followed us and would stand guard. 

The Sphinx looked down on us with dignity and poise. The statue was at least 4,400 years old, built around 2603 B.C. Its limestone skin was eroded and old from years of an unrestful watch. Its nose no longer existed, looking to have fallen off over time.

"So what are we supposed to do now? Travel inside the half-woman, half-tiger...thing."

"The Sphinx is half-human, half-lion, and this one is no woman, although they did make one for the Pharoah Hatshepsut, and in Asia, their Sphinx is also a woman. No, this one is the Pharoah Kahfre."

"How do you know?"

I grabbed the top of the wall that situated itself around the Sphinx and pushed myself up. 

This is the last time I let my mother talk me into wearing a dress on an expedition like this. If they dared to look up my skirt, I'd kill them. No one would find out it was me neither.

Looking behind to make sure they were listening, I prattled on, "A French archaeologist Auguste Mariette discovered a statue with the same likeness in the 1800s at the Valley Temple ruins adjacent to this monument. It is said that Kahfre built the Sphinx for a divine purpose, that with both the Sphinx and the Temple, it could resurrect the soul of Kahfre by channeling the power of the sun and their Egyptian deities."

"Creepy," Ares muttered, following close behind as we neared the gigantic monument; it seemed much smaller from a distance, but as we approached, it towered above us. "How tall is this thing?" He asked in awe.

"66 feet high." 

His eyes widened as he looked back to me to confirm I was correct.

"And 240 feet long."

"Jesus Christ."

William walked up to him, patting him on the shoulder, "A lot bigger than the pictures in your storybooks, huh?"

"I'll say."

"We need to survey the statute, see if we can look for a door or a keyhole, something of the sort." I pulled my medallion up from underneath the fabric of my chest, "Look for this symbol. It's the key." 

We separated, wandering around the monument with nothing spotted. 

"Do you guys see anything?"

"Nothing," William sighed.

"I don't see anything," Ares answered.

"Hey," William said, coming up to meet me, "Where was the sun touching the statue?"

"On its right shoulder." I realized what he was insinuating, but that was far too dangerous. "You're not suggesting that-"

"You know I am."

"Well-I can't-"

"Then I'll do it, but I'm gonna need that necklace, Greene." He saw me shrink back with uncertainty, "Don't worry."

 I've never given my necklace for someone to hold; not even my mother or father have touched it. 

"I'll bring it back."

"Let's also keep in mind that we need to hurry before either something happens to those camels or we have some unfriendlies seeing what we're up to. I don't think the Egyptian police like people loitering," Ares chimed.

My shoulders sank with an invisible weight as I unclipped and dropped the medallion into William's hand. 

"Not a scratch, I promise."