Grace wondered if she was in bed. Maybe she was dreaming about a new friend and a cute kitten. She was lying down, covered in something warm. It didn’t feel like her soft duvet, though – it was grainy, and she could move her fingers through it. She opened her eyes and gasped. “Sand!”
The mound of sand next to her stirred and Olivia sat up, shaking the grains from her curls.
“This is one of your magic tricks, isn’t it – like the thing you did with the fence?” Grace asked, feeling silly. “You’ve made us appear in the sandpit.”
But Olivia’s eyes were wide with astonishment. “Grace,” she said slowly, “we’re not in your garden any more.”
Instead of wooden fences and big brick buildings, Olivia and Grace were surrounded by sand – lots and lots of sand – dotted with palm trees. The sky was deep blue and the air shimmered with heat. Cuddle was a few paces away, shaking sand from her black-and-white fur. She miaowed in greeting as the girls ran over to her.
“Was it you, Cuddle? Did you bring us here?” Grace asked. She remembered the tickling sensation and the kitten’s loud purr before she’d closed her eyes.
Cuddle rubbed against Grace’s leg. She flicked her crooked tail and leapt into Grace’s arms. Her eyes narrowed as if she knew a secret.
“It’s like she’s saying yes,” Olivia said, scratching Cuddle under her furry chin.
“A magic kitten,” Grace exclaimed. “That’s amazing!”
Olivia pointed into the distance. “And so is that.”
Grace turned to look. Towering in front of them was a gigantic pyramid. Its smooth sides were made from white stone that gleamed in the sunlight. Crouched beside it was an enormous statue with a human head and a lion’s body, its front paws stretched out.
Grace couldn’t believe her eyes. “A real pyramid,” she said. “And what kind of creature is that statue?”
“A sphinx,” Olivia said. “I saw it in a film once – Magic on the Nile.”
“Wow! We’re in Egypt.” Grace gave Cuddle an excited squeeze. “Let’s go and look at the old pyramid. Maybe we’ll find some mummies!”
“Grace,” Olivia said, her eyes bright, “does that pyramid look old to you?”
Grace tilted her head and stared at its polished white surface. The profile of the sphinx next to it was crisp and without a single chip. She gasped. “It’s brand new. But that means …”
“… we’re in ancient Egypt!” Olivia finished.
Cuddle jumped from Grace’s arms. Her crooked tail bounced and her bell jingled as she scrambled up a sand dune and skidded down the other side.
“Cuddle, come back!” Grace called.
The girls raced after her. The kitten was scampering towards a group of purple-and-blue tents under a clump of palm trees. A young girl about their age emerged from one of the tents. She was wearing a white linen dress with a wide gold necklace. Her hair was long and black and on her wrist was a bracelet shaped like a snake.
She gave a cry as Cuddle jumped into her arms.
“Is this your kitten?” she asked the girls with a smile. “She’s beautiful.”
“Her name’s Cuddle,” Olivia said. “I’m Olivia, and this is Grace.”
The girl handed Cuddle to Grace.
“I am Beset,” she said. She looked at Olivia’s denim skirt and Grace’s combat trousers. “Do you come from a land far away?”
Grace and Olivia glanced at each other. “That’s one way of putting it,” Grace replied.
“Welcome, Grace and Olivia,” Beset said. “You must be here for the celebration.” A frown spread over her face. “But I am afraid it may already be ruined.”
“Oh no!” Olivia exclaimed.
“The guest of honour … she is missing,” Beset explained.
“That’s terrible. Maybe we can help you find her.” Grace scanned the landscape. “She should be easy to spot in all this sand.”
“What does she look like?” Olivia asked.
“She is as black as night and has a fine silky coat,” Beset said.
Olivia pictured a beautiful woman in the expensive sort of coat she’d seen movie stars wear. “It seems too hot for a coat,” she said.
“Cleo is like your kitten – she does not mind the heat,” Beset said, giving Cuddle a scratch behind the ears. The little kitten wriggled happily in Grace’s arms.
“The guest of honour is a cat?” Grace said in surprise. Beset nodded.
“Cleo is the Pharaoh’s kitten. He is hosting a banquet in her honour.”
“Who is the Pharaoh?” Olivia asked.
“The Pharaoh is the king of all of Egypt,” Beset replied. She looked even more worried. “If I do not find Cleo soon, the Pharaoh will be sad, and I will be in big trouble.”
