Prong was a long way ahead on the Beard Travelator. She’d turned the other way so she could run on the spot, using the moving bridge as a treadmill.

“Hahaha!” she giggled. “It tickles my talons. Ooh, it’s making my exercise so much more fun!”

The hairs didn’t tickle Bab, though. He could barely feel anything through the soles of his thick stone boots. “What are you up to, Prong?” he yelled.

“Getting fit! No need for the Camel Mummy gym now. Soon I’ll be fit enough to lift you right over my head!”

She picked up the pace, laughing like a bandaged maniac.

With Prong working up a dusty sweat in the distance, Bab was finally alone with his dad. They were properly together for the first time in six years.

As they travelled through the moonlit clouds, Bab told his dad everything. He explained how he and his mum had found Prong and Scaler lying in the desert. How the Pharaoh’s Beard had dragged him to the lost city of Mumphis. How he’d helped the Animal Mummies defeat the Unpharaoh not once, but twice.

He even admitted he’d kept the Beard a secret from his mum.

“I hardly blame you, mate,” said Richard. “Sounds like you’ve had a lot on your plate.”

“So you believe me, Dad?” Bab asked. “About the other mummies, and the magic? Mum said you always thought there was some truth to Egyptian myths.”

“Oh yes,” said his dad casually. “I’m not your usual boring archaeologist, Bab. No imagination, that lot. In fact, I’ve learned quite a bit about that magic lady you fought.”

Bab gaped. “You know about the Unpharaoh?”

“Yes, Bab, I know all about the Unpharoah. Or Andica, if we’re being personal. That’s her name, see.”

“I know. Some gods told me – no biggie.”

His dad chuckled and Bab felt his stone belly wobble. How he had missed that nasal laugh!

“You must tell me all about your adventures, Bab,” Richard said. “Especially your battles against the Unpharaoh. She’s a bad egg, that one, not at all like her s–”

Richard swallowed.

“I mean, she’s a bad egg,” he finished.

Bab looked down at his painted father. “Not at all like who, Dad?”

“Err, no one. Forget I said anything.”

“Dad,” said Bab firmly. “I can tell when you’re hiding stuff from me, remember? Is there something I need to know about the Unpharaoh?”

His dad sighed. “Yes.”

Nothing could have prepared Bab for the something else.

“She has a twin sister,” said Richard. “Just as old, and just as powerful in magic.”

Bab clenched his rocky fists and almost fell off the Beard Travelator.

“Oh, man,” Bab groaned. “Don’t tell me there’s a spare Unpharaoh to deal with.”

“It’s nothing to worry about,” Richard tried to reassure Bab. “The Unpharaoh’s sister lives in secret, disguised, hiding from the worlds of people and mummies. And from who knows how many other worlds.” He stared into the dark clouds around them, as if lost.

Anxious, Bab tried to run his fingers through his rocky hair. “Are the Animal Mummies in danger from this twin sister, do you think? I mean, have you ever seen her?”

“She built the Spongy Void, Bab. But I, er, I don’t know any more about it.” Richard patted his chest, like he was trying to smooth down invisible wrinkles.

He keeps doing that, thought Bab. He always used to do that when he was nervous.

BEE-BAW-BEE-BAW!

“Those clouds are making a weird noise,” said Bab.

“P.P.?” Richard called ahead to Prong. “Are you making a weird noise?”

But the noise wasn’t Prong. It was a flying wooden canoe.

It pulled up alongside Bab, keeping pace with the Beard Travelator. An odd-looking man was riding in it. He had a green face, bloodshot eyes, and a white hat with a knob on top that flashed red and blue, like a police siren.

The man riding in the skyboat could be only one person.

“Hello, Osiris,” Bab said. “I’m assuming this can’t be good.”