He stared at those open jaws, frozen forever in a silent scream.

No other pteranodon—except for the Skull King’s monster—ever had teeth.

“How could that be?” Marika asked. “How could Kalverum Rex have been here centuries ago?”

Bach’uuk answered her but stared pointedly at Jake. “Time is a river. Some can travel up or down it.”

Jake had done so himself—so why not this monster?

They headed across the square, stepping over bodies as if they were nothing more than toppled and broken statues.

“Someone must have used the ruby crystal here,” he said, “turning everyone to stone, including this creature.”

As they continued toward the pyramid, he kept a wary watch on the winged monster, expecting it to suddenly twist around and lunge to life. Even the wisling tightened its tail around Jake’s neck and gave a small hiss of warning at the sculpture.

As they passed under one of the pteranodon’s wings, Marika turned, walking backward, staring up at the creature. A worried look pinched her features.

“What?” Jake asked.

“Back in Ka-Tor, those three pictures, the ones showing the destruction of Ankh Tawy …”

“What about them?”

“Remember the middle picture, the one showing a winged beast blasting the city apart.…”

Jake suddenly understood. He stopped and looked up at the stone figure of the pteranodon. The middle mosaic of the triptych had illustrated a great winged creature done up in bits of broken tile and glass. Jake realized that he was staring at that same creature, frozen in place, forever screaming up at the sky. He remembered his earlier impression, that it looked as if the pteranodon was summoning the storm.

He considered what that implied.

Did the escaping Egyptians of this city make the same assumption, that this beast was the source of the Great Wind? Did they name the creature after a monster out of their own legends?

Marika had already realized the truth. “This beast … this is the Howling Sphinx of Ankh Tawy.”

30

WHAT’S OLD IS
NEW AGAIN

From the top step of the pyramid and under a full moon, Jake had a sweeping view of the city—and of its destruction. Towers lay toppled, crushing entire neighborhoods. Fires had burned large swaths. Roofs had been caved in by massive boulders. Still, if he squinted his eyes, he could imagine how Ankh Tawy must have once looked: a handsome city of gleaming spires, blue-tiled homes, sparkling fountains, and verdant gardens.

But now it was all gone.

Jake stared down at the stone beast—the Howling Sphinx of Ankh Tawy. Even from so far away, a dark cunning glinted from those black diamond eyes.

Is that why future Egyptians sculpted their Sphinxes with human faces, to reflect this monster’s malignant intelligence?

Jake shook his head. Such questions would have to wait. Ultimately, he knew who was truly to blame for all of this destruction.

Kalverum Rex.

The Skull King.

He had laid waste to this beautiful, peaceful city, and Jake could guess why. He stared down at this defiant last stand by the stone warriors, defending the pyramid against that monster, one step away from defeat.