Read Online Tut by P. J. Hoover - Free Book Online Page A

hissed.
    I took the sword from Henry and hung it back on the wall. “It’s kind of like a hobby, I guess.”
    â€œSword fighting?”
    â€œCollecting things.” Sword fighting had, at some point, been a hobby for me, too, but I opted against mentioning that.
    Another shiny object hanging on the wall caught Henry’s attention. “You have an antique star chart? Is this real?”
    Not only was it real, I’d drawn it myself, hundreds of years ago, after spending decades watching the movement of the planets. The paper had yellowed, even behind the protective glass. I’d have to get it represerved one of these days.
    I shrugged. “I don’t know. It’s just something I picked up at the thrift store.”
    Henry jabbed a greasy finger onto the glass, and I tried not to cringe. The shabtis were going to be frantic after this visit. “Where’s Pluto? It should be right here.”
    I studied the map to act like I didn’t know. “Maybe it hadn’t been discovered yet?”
    â€œDude, you have to add it. I am a huge Pluto fan.” Henry had yet another Pluto shirt on. This one read, PLUTO: DWARF PLANET MY A** .
    â€œI figured,” I said. “But it’s not a planet.”
    â€œIt should be,” he said. “I started this online petition to get it replanetified.”
    â€œThat’s not even a word.”
    â€œIt will be once the petition gets accepted. You just watch and see.” Henry grabbed a hamburger and sat on a faded green camel seat on the other side of the coffee table like he was all settled in to stay for the evening. He took a bite, but a big chunk of the meat fell onto the wood floor. And that’s when I heard the closet door rattle.
    I ran over and slammed myself against it a millisecond after it started opening. Inside, I heard small scrapings at the door.
    Henry stopped mid-chew and stared at the closet. “What’s in there?”
    â€œAnother cat.” I shot Horus a look of pure satisfaction. “I take turns locking them up.”
    Horus glared back at me and then leapt onto the camel seat next to Henry, staring at Henry with his one good eye until Henry moved.
    I opened the closet door a crack. “Do not come out,” I ordered in an almost inaudible whisper.
    â€œBut master…,” Lieutenant Roy said. “Your visitor’s food—” He looked like he was about to collapse from the strain of my town house not being immaculate. How did he even know … unless he’d left a shabti in the family room as a lookout?
    â€œThe food can wait,” I said, and then shut the door. When I turned back around, Henry was staring at me.
    â€œWere you talking to someone?” he asked.
    â€œJust the cat. Try not to drop anything else, okay?”
    Henry nodded but didn’t take his eyes off me as I picked the food up off the floor. And then he grabbed another burger and ate it in one bite.
    â€œSo can’t we work on this project some other time?” I said. I needed to head to the Library of Congress before Gil got home.
    â€œWe’re already behind.” Henry picked up the giant King Tut book. He was just about to flip it open when Horus pounced on a bug that had crawled up Henry’s leg.
    â€œAaaaaahhhhhh!” Henry screamed. His jeans ripped, and he jumped like he’d been mortally wounded, dropping the book to the floor with a loud boom.
    â€œHorus!” I yelled.
    His claws were still attached to Henry’s upper leg, but Horus didn’t care. With expert precision, he peeled the scarab beetle out of its exoskeleton with his teeth and ate it. And then after a loud crunch, Horus spit the shell out on one of Henry’s duct-tape-covered gray Chucks.
    The closet door cracked open. I shoved it shut and kicked it. Then I swatted Horus away from Henry’s thigh.
    Henry collapsed. There was only a little bit of blood. His normally messy hair was