"This stops here and now."

Lapis stood besides Thea. They were both silent, books, scrolls, and papers stacked up in little cubbyholes. Candles brightly illuminated the area, flickering ominous shadows into every corner. Ankh paced back and forth, hand on his bare chin, still barely robed.

"I did not become Pharaoh just to live my life in fear," he snarled to no one in particular. "I did not dedicate my body and soul into ruling over people I genuinely care about just to be snuffed out."

Lapis looked at Thea, and Thea merely shrugged.

"Do you all understand me?" Ankh finally said, slamming his hands down on the long, wooden table that stretched the middle of the room. He glared at everyone, clustered guards, his friend, and his lover.

When no one replied, Ankh pushed himself with a grunt of disgust. He snapped his fingers at one of the guards. The guard bowed and wordlessly came over, setting a knit basket on the table.

"You need to examine the snake, Lapis."

Lapis wrinkled his nose. "Do I have to?"

"I'm not in a joyous mood, Lapis!'

Lapis swallowed audibly, looking at the basket with barely disguised disgust. It was only for a moment though; after that, his eyes turned steel and he stepped forward, taking off the lid. Without hesitation he reached in, and removed the large snake. His eyes grew as he continued to pull, and pull, and pull.

"In the name of the Holy Ones," Lapis muttered under his breath, his eyes huge. "This is twice as large as any man!"

The room remained silent as Lapis laid the snake out. He was right; by Thea's eyeball estimation, the monster was ten, perhaps even eleven feet. She hadn't really noticed what a monster it was in the heat of everything.

Still the room was quiet as Lapis examined the serpent. He was down on his hands and knees now, running his hands up and down the snake, closely inspecting it's pattern. Thea watched in wonder as he pulled back some of the scales, and a bit farther down ripped one out and examined it up to the light. Once he was done with that, he examined it's eyes. From there he seemed to be studying the head, running his thumb over its sleek head--for how large of a beast it was, Thea expected a larger head.

Lapis took either side of the head, fanning out the hood. This he examined closely. Once that was done, he shocked Thea; carefully he squeezed either side of the snake's jaw, causing it's mouth to open. For a moment he shook it's head upside down until the tongue rolled out.

"What's he doing?" Thea finally muttered to Ankh quietly, not peeling her eyes off him.

"Growing up he was always fascinated by animals," Ankh explained quietly. "He's a bit of a biologist in that way. His idea of a fun time is killing something and carefully extracting every organ to see how they differ from one another. It's why I called for him."

"I'm surprised he's not an embalmer," Thea whispered.

"He considered it, at one point."

Thea drew in a sharp hiss of breath when Lapis carefully, very, very carefully, inserted his pinky into the mouth. It was just for a moment, and he removed his digit. Evidently pleased now, Lapis got to his feet. The look he cast Thea and Ankh were anything but pleased, though.

Snapping at one of the guards, Lapis was given a piece of linen which he wiped his hands off with.

"And?" Ankh asked.

Lapis opened his mouth, but then closed it. He tried again, but still nothing. Thea looked in worry between the pair.

"I've never seen anything like this," Lapis finally conceded. "I mean--the sheer size of this thing alone..."

"But it's a cobra," Ankh said, "just like the head I was--gifted."

"This is completely different. The pattern alone tells me this snake isn't from here. It's pattern is bold, with chevron shaped stripes. It's hood is massive, and it's teeth are positioned in a way unlike any other snake I've ever seen."

"What does that mean?" Ankh said.

Lapis briefly worried his bottom lip. "Would you prefer logical, or other?"

Ankh briefly glanced at the guards. "Just tell me anything, Lapis."

"This is either a snake that has been modified by some magic," Lapis said, "or...it's a completely different species from some far, far away land."

"I don't like either of those answers, Lapis."

"I know, my King. I am sorry."

Ankh waved his hand. "Dispose of this thing."

"Wait!" Lapis said desperately. "I would like to examine it further, for my collection, please. This may be the only chance I get."

"I hope it's the only chance you get," Ankh replied mirthlessly. Even so, he yielded. "Pack up this thing and have it delivered to Lapis' study."

When the guard left, another came in. Thea was happy at the guard present, but still didn't feel at ease.

"So," Ankh said, a mischievous glint suddenly in his eye. "You think, perhaps, that snake was imported?"

"Technically, yes," Lapis replied. "It is, with one-hundred percent certainty, not from Egypt."

Ankh smiled a rather disturbing, murderous grin. "That gives me the best idea to draw out this assassin."

"Ankh..." Lapis said, narrowing his eyes in warning.

"We will hold games."

Lapis cocked his eyebrow.

Thea briefly looked at Lapis, and then at Ankh. "Games?"

"Yes," Ankh said now, clasping his hands together, looking almost gleeful. "Pankration is very popular right now. We can hold a pankration competition. We shall invite everyone."

"Everyone?" Lapis asked, and for the first time since Thea had known him, looked apprehensive.

"Everyone," Ankh stressed, still looking downright maniacal. "Including my idiot of a uncle who's been banished."

"Ankh!" Lapis gasped. "I must protest--"

Ankh turned sharply to him, forever grinning. "What? It's an olive branch. Let bygones be bygones, yes? And we--the three of us--shall sit at three different parts of the arena--"

"Ankh," Lapis said a bit more strictly this time, "I really, really must protest now--"

"Why?"

"You're going to have us get picked off, one by one!"

"I would never," Ankh admonished, looking slightly offended.

"But--"

"What?" the Pharaoh challenged indignantly, "you'd have us all sit together to be taken down in one fell swoop?"

Lapis pursed his lips tightly.

Thea rose her hand tentatively. "I don't think anyone is actively trying to kill me. I think they're trying just by guilt of association."

Lapis rose an impatient eyebrow. "The snake tonight would tell me otherwise, Thea. it seems they want you dead, too."

"We will all be surrounded by guards," Ankh said, rubbing his two hands together eagerly. "Security will be the tightest it's ever been." The King snapped his fingers at one of the guards. "Have the invitations drawn up immediately--tonight. I want them sent out within the day."

Ankh walked a few steps forward, still simpering to himself, back turned on his friends. "I'm sick of being attacked in the shadows--if they want me dead, they need to have the bravery to kill me in broad daylight."

Thea looked at Lapis. He looked as worried as she felt.