Tomb of Amenemhab, also called the Minister of War’s tomb, lies beyond an eastern annex connected to the burial chamber of Thutmose III. Its scattered artifacts, oppressive atmosphere, and concealed passage turn it from an archaeological site into a place of immediate danger; there Theodosia makes her first discovery, finding an annex unknown until her arrival.

Setting and Connection to Thutmose III’s Burial Chamber

The route toward Tomb of Amenemhab passes through the burial chamber of Thutmose III, where an enormous red sarcophagus stands across the chamber. Theodosia considers placing the Heart of Egypt inside it, but recognizes that this would not secure the relic: the first person to enter afterward could find it, causing the curse to begin again. The tomb is therefore not simply a destination for returning the object; its accessibility makes concealment there inadequate.

From the chamber, Theodosia passes an image of Osiris presiding as Anubis weighs Thutmose III’s heart, then continues into the eastern annex leading toward the tomb. The sequence links the monumental burial imagery to a more immediate search, as she hopes the wall paintings may explain what must be done to return the Heart of Egypt.

The Cache and the Threat Inside

In Amenemhab’s tomb, the cache remains barely examined. Artifacts lie in piles across the ground, and only the most rudimentary sorting has begun. Theodosia sees nothing that looks like the Was scepter, but the quantity of material suggests that searching could take hours—time she does not have. The unfinished excavation leaves the tomb both a source of evidence and an obstacle to finding the object she needs.

The passage into the tomb also marks a change in the character of the space. Theodosia senses magic heavier and blacker than before, with a sulfurous smell, and the corridor feels oppressive enough to provoke the image of icy beetles running down her spine. She finds fresh torches in the chamber, lights several, and places them in the wall holders. The light makes the work possible, but does not make the place safe: as she studies the paintings, an intruder enters the chamber.

The Hidden Annex and Its Significance

When footsteps crunch across the gritty floor, Theodosia hides between two large statues of Anubis. A singsong voice in a thick German accent calls for the little girl to come out; she recognizes the voice as Von Braggenschnott’s, or possibly one of his henchmen’s. Grasping her amulet, she prays while remaining concealed. The tomb’s statues and passages, initially part of its funerary setting, become cover in a confrontation with the people pursuing her.

After a fall leaves her in a narrow corridor, Theodosia finds that it runs about ten feet before opening into what appears to be a disused closet. The incongruity of a closet inside an Egyptian tomb leads her to recognize the space as a previously unknown annex to Amenemhab’s tomb. The discovery gives the site new archaeological significance and marks Theodosia’s first discovery of her own. Yet her immediate reaction is not triumph alone: with danger still present, she hopes she will live to tell anyone about it.