She rolled her eyes. "Why not?"
There was a long moment of silence on the other side of the door, and Din imagined Joseph opening and closing his mouth, trying to come up with a proper reply to the rude guest.
"Professor Gunter asks that everyone be seated around the table at nine sharp."
"We'll be there," Din called back before Fenella had a chance to insult the poor guy again.
She groaned, flopping back against the pillows. "Do we have to? Can't we just stay here and let everyone else chase down the figurines? They can bring them here, and I'll do the reading after I'm properly rested."
"And miss all the sightseeing? Besides, you'd never forgive yourself if they found something important without you." He climbed out of bed, padding toward the bathroom.
"Ugh, you are right," she muttered, but he heard the rustle of sheets that meant she was getting up. "I want to see Cairo. Do you think we'll get to tour the pyramids today?"
"Not likely." He paused with the toothpaste in hand. "I'm sure Kalugal has the whole day planned out."
Precisely at nine o'clock, he and Fenella entered the dining room to find most of the group already assembled. Kalugal sat at the head of the table, looking every inch the distinguished professor in his crisp white shirt, a kerchief tied around his neck, and khaki pants. Little Darius sat in his highchair, chewing enthusiastically on a piece of pita.
"Good morning," Kalugal said cheerfully. "Please join us. I trust you slept well?"
"I did." Fenella sat on the chair that Din pulled out for her. "The mattress is heavenly. Can we get the brand for the village homes?" She scrunched her nose. "On second thought, maybe that's not a good idea. No one will want to get out of bed."
"I slept like the dead." Max loaded his plate with eggs and beans. "Which is appropriate, given where we're going today."
Kyra elbowed him. "Don't be morbid at breakfast."
"How is stating facts morbid? We are literally going to search for someone who's been presumed dead for five thousand years."
"But he is not dead," Fenella said. "I thought you were referring to the pyramids." She turned to Kalugal. "Will we have time to visit them today?"
"Not today," Kalugal said, "First, we find Esag, and if there is any time left, we can go sightseeing. And on the topic of Esag, I have good news. The Clan Mother responded to my message about the figurine."
Everyone's attention sharpened, and even Darius stopped chewing and looked expectantly at his father.
"What did she say?" Jasmine prompted when Kalugal took too long to respond, overdoing the dramatic effect.
"The figurine is of Tula, Wonder's younger sister, as she appeared five thousand years ago." His expression grew somber. "We know that she's alive because she's my mother's lady-in-waiting, stuck with her in my father's harem on the Doomers' island."
A heavy silence fell over the table. Din had heard about Areana, Annani's sister, Kalugal and Lokan's mother, and Navuh's mate, who chose to remain trapped in that fortress of an island withher abhorrent truelove mate. Her friend Tula declined freedom as well, opting to stay by Areana's side.
For a long time it had been a secret, but eventually, most clan members had learned about Areana's whereabouts and how she'd been found thanks to Carol's incredible bravery.
"Does Wonder know about the figurine?" Max asked.
"The Clan Mother didn't share that information with me." Kalugal picked up his coffee cup. "But I'm sure she has told Wonder about Esag and Tula. She did not recognize the mark, but that does not negate Esag being the creator of Tula's figurine. It's obvious that the same artist created the figurines of Wonder, Annani, and Tula, and based on the impossible memories embedded in one of them, the artist has the gift of foresight."
"Esag," Fenella said. "It can't be anyone else."
"I agree," Kalugal said. "Which brings me to today's plans. The dealer who sold the Tula figurine has a shop in Khan el-Khalili, the old bazaar in historic Cairo. It's a tourist area, which I'm sure you will all enjoy. Surprisingly, it's also where authentic pieces can be found at bargain prices." He chuckled. "It occurred to me that the vendors conspire to place a valuable artifact in one of the stores occasionally, so when the story spreads, it lures hordes of tourists to buy counterfeits at outrageous prices."
Din nodded. "It's easy to swindle people who don't know what to look for."
Kalugal nodded. "Fortunately, I know exactly what to look for. My people heard about a figurine in a private collection that seemed promising, but when they requested a picture and forwarded it to me, I realized right away that the piece was notonly done in a completely different style but also wasn't worth even a fraction of the price the dealer was asking for."
"Good for you," Max said. "When do you want to leave?"
"As soon as we are done with breakfast and the security briefing." Kalugal turned to his wife. "What are your plans, darling? Do you want to join us on the scavenger hunt?"
She shook her head. "I'll sit this one out. The markets are dangerous, and our sweet little Darius is still human, still vulnerable."
