The Buried Pyramid

The

Buried

Pyramid

by
Jane Lindskold

A TOM DOHERTY ASSOCIATES BOOK

NEW YORK

NOTE: If you purchased this book without a cover, you should be aware that this book is stolen property. It was reported as “unsold and destroyed” to the publisher, and neither the author nor the publisher has received any payment for this “stripped book.”
This is a work of fiction. All the characters and events portrayed in this book are either products of the author’s imagination, or are used fictitiously.
THE BURIED PYRAMID
Copyright © 2004 by Jane Lindskold
All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book, or portions thereof, in any form.
Edited by Teresa Nielsen Hayden
A Tor Book
Published by Tom Doherty Associates, LLC
175 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10010
www.tor.com
Tor® is a registered trademark of Tom Doherty Associates, LLC.
ISBN 0-765-34159-X
EAN 978-0765-34159-4
First edition: May 2004
First mass market edition: February 2005
First electronic edition: November 2008
Printed in the United States of America
0 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Tor Books
by Jane Lindskold
Through Wolf’s Eyes
Wolf’s Head, Wolf’s Heart
The Dragon of Despair
Wolf Captured
The Buried Pyramid

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements
Prologue
Chapter 1: The Arrival
Chapter 2: Sir Neville’s Secret
Chapter 3: A Letter from the Sphinx
Chapter 4: Unexpected Traveling Companions
Chapter 5: Auguste Dupin
Chapter 6: Alexandria
Chapter 7: Papa Antonio
Chapter 8: Bazaar
Chapter 9: Anubis
Chapter 10: Miriam’s Tale
Chapter 11: The Great Pyramid
Chapter 12: Mozelle
Chapter 13: The Sphinx Again
Chapter 14: Riskali
Chapter 15: Destruction at the Hawk Rock
Chapter 16: Four Watchers
Chapter 17: Better and Verse
Chapter 18: Dire Warnings
Chapter 19: In the Pit
Chapter 20: The Boat of Millions of Years
Chapter 21: Magic
Chapter 22: Apophis
Chapter 23: Negative Confessions
Chapter 24: Condemned
Chapter 25: Tomb Robbers
Chapter 26: Sweet Balm

For Jim, my favorite archeologist:
Indiana Jones could only hope to be
as exciting as you are.
And…
For Kay McCauley:
Thanks for believing.

Acknowledgements

I’d like to extend my thanks to a few of the many people who made their resources and knowledge available to me while I worked on this novel. My husband, Jim Moore, offered advice on weaponry, as well as his usual irreplaceable assistance as first reader and sounding board. Pati (P. G.) Nagel shared information about period steamboats and attire. John Miller and Gail Gerstner Miller loaned me period travel material and works on Egyptian magic. The staff at the Taylor Ranch Branch of the Albuquerque Public Library provided assistance tracking down works I wouldn’t have been able to find otherwise.

Yvonne Coats and Sally Gwylan both read earlier drafts of the novel and offered some cogent comments. My editor, Teresa Nielsen Hayden, offered numerous comments and an ear for period diction.

A special service was provided by the folks at Tekno Books, who gave me an excuse to investigate the background of this novel in “Beneath the Eye of the Hawk,” which appears here in slightly altered form following its debut in
Pharaoh Fantastic,
edited by Martin H. Greenberg and Brittany A. Koren.

Profound thanks go to my agent, Kay McCauley, who wouldn’t give up on this project, even when I might have done so. Thanks, Kay. You’re a trump.

For those of you who are interested in this book or other of my projects, I can be contacted through my website at janelindskold.com.

Prologue

Beneath the Eye of the Hawk

Twisting around on his galloping camel and glimpsing the pursuing Bedouin resolving into form within the dust cloud stirred to life by their own pounding mounts, Neville Hawthorne spared precious breath to curse the day Alphonse Liebermann had come to Egypt.

“Alphonse Liebermann is a cousin of Prince Albert,” Colonel Reginald Sedgewick explained to the tall, broad-shouldered man standing in front of his desk. “A German, of course. Something of an archeologist and theologian.”

Colonel Sedgewick smiled rather deprecatingly.

“Or rather I should say Herr Liebermann fancies himself an archeologist and theologian. If my reports are correct, he is a hobbyist more than anything else.”

Neville Hawthorne, captain in Her Majesty Queen Victoria’s army and currently assigned to the diplomatic presence in Egypt, didn’t permit his lips to twitch in even the faintest of smiles. He knew such wouldn’t be appreciated.

Colonel Sedgewick—in civilian life a lord and knight—might feel free to comment on the foibles of his social betters, but Lord Reginald Sedgewick did not think his junior officers—at least those without honor or title—should share that privilege.

Indeed, there were times, Neville mused, that Sedgewick probably thought that those without appropriate social rank and fortune shouldn’t be permitted to hold officer’s commissions. However, snob or not, Sedgewick recognized talent and ability. It was for both of these qualities that he had summoned Captain Hawthorne tohim.

“As a courtesy to our queen’s German relations, I’m assigning you to be a nursemaid to Herr Liebermann. Won’t call it that, of course. Aide. Bodyguard and translator. Liebermann will need the latter. Understand he doesn’t have much in the way of
Arabic, though he’s fairly fluent in French.”

Neville Hawthorne nodded, hiding his sudden interest behind a properly impassive face. Fluency in French was not only useful but necessary in some circles of Egyptian society. France, like England, had numerous interests in Egypt. Indeed,
despite—or in some cases because of—the reforms instituted by Muhammad Ali and continued with more or less enthusiasm by his heirs, French remained an important language in both Egyptian society and government.

What tantalized Captain Hawthorne was that his commander had singled out Arabic from the slew of languages spoken in modern Egypt—Armenian, Greek, Coptic, and Turkish, in
addition to English and French.

Most Europeans didn’t have much Arabic. Nor did they need it. Even if this cousin of Prince Albert’s was interested in archeology and theology, he could research to his heart’s content without ever speaking a word to the Arab population. Indeed, the majority of archeological matters were still administered by the French.

“Then Herr Liebermann wishes to travel outside of the usual areas, sir?” Neville asked.

Colonel Sedgewick nodded, his eyes narrowing appreciatively as he reconstructed the course of deductive reasoning through which his subordinate had reached this conclusion.

“That’s right,” he said, glancing down at a letter on his desk. “Says here that Herr Liebermann wants to do some desert exploration. That’s why he needs you to ease the way for him. Wouldn’t be necessary if he were staying on the usual tourist routes.”

“Very good, sir,” Hawthorne replied. “When do I meet Herr Liebermann?”

“He arrives in Cairo two days from today.”

A stack of papers, including Liebermann’s original letter, was pushed across the desk, and Neville gathered them up. He was careful to not so much as glance at the documents until his commander had finished speaking.

“To enable you to be at Herr Liebermann’s disposal at all hours, you’re to put up at whatever hotel he chooses. If he has no preference, use Shepheard’s. My clerk will have expense vouchers for you. Make reservations, just in case.”

“And my staff, sir?”

Colonel Sedgewick looked momentarily irritated, obviously thinking that Captain Hawthorne should be thanking him for his generosity. Then he reconsidered.