Nimrod looked horrified. "You don't have a Tammuz with a flashlight," he said. "You are not burglars, but djinn, and from a very distinguished family of djinn, too. Try to remember that. The whole point of the initiation ordeal is that you spend a night in the wilderness with the flame for company. Oil lamps have a very special place for us." He tutted loudly and shook his head. "A flashlight. The very idea."

"We're not used to the dark, that's all," said John nervously. "All the light pollution in New York means that it's never really very dark there at all. Not like it gets dark here in Egypt."

"This is a Byzantine lamp of the seventh century A.D.," said Nimrod. "And I can assure you it will be quite adequate for your needs."

"But what are we going to do all night?" asked Philippa.

"Try to get some sleep," said Nimrod. "That's what people normally do at night. I do recommend you use the sleeping bags, as it gets quite cold after dark. If you get bored, then you might like to play a word game with the dictionary. Or perhaps give that antique lamp a bit of a polish. I was thinking on the way here that it's looking a bit dull."

Creemy was already back in the Cadillac and starting the engine. "We'll be back at dawn," said Nimrod, climbing into the backseat.

"But what if something happens to us?" asked John.

"No one knows you're out here except me and Creemy.

What could possibly happen to you? Anyway, you're a djinn. It's other people who ought to be afraid of you." Nimrod closed the car door and then lowered the window. "By the way, if you should see some strange lights above the pyramids and a pompous-sounding voice in the sky, don't worry. That will be the son et lumière at the pyramids. The sound-and-light show for the tourists. From here you'll hear every word, I should think. Who know? You might even learn something."

Nimrod tapped Creemy on the shoulder and then the car was gone in a cloud of grit and dust like a great white chariot leaving the twins alone in the now swiftly lowering darkness at Abu Sir.

John was quite sure he could hear his own heart beating.

"I wish Neil and Alan were here," he said. "I mean, Winston and Elvis."
"Me, too," admitted Philippa. "I don't think I've ever been so scared as I am now."

"I suppose that's the point," said John. "This wouldn't be much of an ordeal if it were just a walk in the park."

A warm breeze seemed to tease them for a moment, caressing their faces and stirring their hair.

"I hope this is worth it," said Philippa.

"I suppose it will be, if we end up with djinn powers like Nimrod," said John.
Soon after Nimrod had gone they heard some corny music and a laser beam pierced the sky as the sound-and-light show started at the pyramids, about a mile to the north. And for a while at least they were too interested in what was happening above their heads to pay much attention to the darkness. But when at last the show ended, Philippa found herself shivering with a mixture of cold and fright.

Excerpted from THE AKHENATEN ADVENTURE: Children of the Lamp Trilogy, Book 1 © Copyright 2004 by P.B. Kerr. Reprinted with permission by Orchard Books, an imprint of Scholastic. All rights reserved.