Theodosia & the Eyes of Horus Read Free

you I could be more than just an errand boy. I've got a nose for this stuff, I 'ave."
    "Er, yes, you do," I agreed. "Can we hurry?" I asked, glancing once more at the approaching Gerton.
    "I'm sure Ratsy can get ye back there. Let's ask 'im."
    We went toward the stage and caught up with Ratsy just as he was coming down the steps. He still looked a bit dazed and sheepish. "Did I really do magic?" he asked.
    "Sure did, bucko! Spouted out all sorts of stuff. Ratsy's small pinched face glowed with pleasure. "D'you fink you could get us backstage? You knows the way, don't you, Rats?"
    Ratsy nodded. "Sure."
    Will turned to Snuffles. "You guard the exit so it don't get locked before we're done 'ere."
    With a quick look around, Ratsy led me and Will toward a small door to the left of the main stage. I glanced over my shoulder. Gerton was still searching through the seats, trying to find me.
    Almost as if he'd felt my gaze on him, he lifted his head and looked my way.
    I quickly darted through the door, hoping he hadn't seen me.
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    CHAPTER TWO CURIOUSER AND CURIOUSER
    ***
    THE SPACE WAS DARK AND SMALL and smelled of mice. Once he'd gotten his bearings, Ratsy led us through a twisting set of hallways.
    "How does he know his way around so well?" I asked Will.
    '"E's worked 'ere before, miss. When you're a rat catcher, you get to know your way around a lot of places."
    Will's words filled me with unease. I risked a glance behind me, afraid giant rats might be following us even now, but I could see nothing in the gloom.
    Will came to an abrupt stop, and since my attention had been behind me, I bumped into him with an oof.
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    "Careful, miss. There's people about now."
    Indeed, I could hear voices and the sound of steps hurrying back and forth.
    Backstage was a confusing collection of small rooms and closets opening off a crooked hallway. To make matters worse, the entire floor listed sharply to the right. A faint odor of old sweat and pipe smoke hung in the air.
    Ratsy held his finger to his lips, then pointed to a door that was slightly ajar.
    "Take's dropping off," said a voice. If I wasn't mistaken-- and I rarely was--it was the announcer's voice. It had the same flat vowels and oratory quality.
    "Some days are better than others, are they not?" This voice was softer and had a lilting accent. Awi Bubu's? "And the daytime shows, they are never as good as those at night."
    "Mebbe. But that's the whole point of keeping a foreigner around, to pump up the profits. If you can't do that, I'll get someone else in here."
    "You have had three weeks of very good profits."
    "And I want three more. Now keep the money coming in or you and that mummy of yours are out on your ear."
    "You don't really mean that."
    I flinched, certain the other man would begin yelling that he certainly did too mean it. Instead, there was a long pause,
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    and then he spoke again. "You're right. I don't. Just try to bring in more than you did today."
    Before the three of us eavesdroppers could react, the announcer came barreling out of the small room directly into us.
    We stared at each other in surprised shock before my instincts kicked in. "Is this where the Great Awi Bubu is?" I asked in a breathless voice. "Do you think it would be all right if we spoke to him?" I clasped my hands together as if in adoration.
    The announcer looked nonplussed for a moment, then shrugged. "I don't care what you kids do as long as you're out of here in five minutes." He pushed past us, and we were left staring at the door.
    "Go on, then." Will nudged me. "You 'eard the man. We only got five minutes."
    I suddenly felt shy. What was I going to say to the magician anyway? Ho there, were you using real Egyptian magic? Are you by any chance a member of the Arcane Order of the Black Sun?
    "Do come in and quit hovering at my door," the magician called out.
    We all froze, then shuffled into the room like a small herd of sheep.
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    '"Ow'd you know we was out there, guv'nor?" Will asked, his