“Definitely not.” Ben closed the box that held Desta’s crown and turned to the crown. “I have an idea.” He looked around the room. “One that might gain us some goodwill here in Addis.”
Tenzin rubbed Bowie’s furry head; the dog was completely under her spell now. “I have a feeling I might know what you’re thinking.”
“Crowns, crosses, and I see at least one manuscript that looks like a contemporary of the Garima Gospels.” He shook his head. “All of this should be in museums.”
Tenzin looked a little crestfallen. “You mean we’re returning all of it?”
“All of it, Tenzin.” He picked up the box. “Except for this one. This is for Saba and Saba alone.”
Bowie whined a little when Tenzin stopped petting him.
“I know, Bowie.” Tenzin sighed. “I feel exactly the same way.”
20
Giovanni watched with wide eyes as Ben and Tenzin unloaded everything they’d managed to stuff in their backpacks, along with the wooden box that Ben carried and the small dog Tenzin hadn’t yet returned.
What could she say? Every time she put it down, it started barking.
Giovanni shook his head. “You cannot keep the ambassador’s dog, Tenzin.”
“You tell her,” Ben muttered. “I couldn’t get her to leave it there.”
“He threatened to wake the house every time I put him down,” she said. “What was I supposed to do? Let us get caught because Ben doesn’t like the dog?”
“He bit me!”
“You did not make any effort to establish dominance,” Tenzin said. “Lion dogs are small but very proud.” She didn’t understand why it was a hard concept for him. He was certainly not shy about establishing dominance with human or vampire males.
Sadia had followed them in the library, and she was jumping up and down. “Can we keep him? He’s so cute!”
“No, Sadia. He belongs to another family.” Giovanni unwrapped a particularly beautiful cross with a Star of David worked into the gold. “And you have a dog at home. My God, they had all this in their safe?”
“And more,” Ben said. “We couldn’t carry half of it. We just took the most valuable pieces from what I could tell.”
Sadia was petting Bowie’s head. “He’s so fluffy!”
Tenzin handed the dog to her. The little lion dog was panting and wagging his tail so furiously Tenzin thought his butt might just fall off. “Take him out to the garden. He probably has to urinate.”
“Okay.” Sadia bounced out of the library with Bowie in her arms.
Ben pointed at the door. “You’re taking it back.”
“Tomorrow night.” She shrugged. “Let Sadia play with him tonight. I don’t think he gets enough attention at that house.”
“That dog looks pampered within an inch of its life,” Ben said. “Can we talk about these crosses please?”
There were over a dozen crosses that appeared to be solid gold in every configuration imaginable. Lalibela-style, Gondar-style, Coptic-style crosses, and those with Judaic iconography.
Giovanni touched them gently. “These all must have been taken from churches, but I have no idea how to get them back to their rightful places.”
“We give them to Hirut,” Ben said. “We’re flying to Lalibela tomorrow night, right?”
“Yes. Doug and Zain have already left with the Land Cruisers. Mika has arranged other transport for us to the airport.”
“Call Hirut tonight,” Ben said. “Tell her we’d like a meeting tomorrow before we leave. If we return these crosses to her along with the crown and the manuscripts, she’ll know where to send them, right?”
Giovanni nodded. “I would think so.”
Tenzin said, “And we’ll also garner more than a little goodwill.”
“Yes, I imagine you’re right.” Giovanni looked at Ben. “And no one at the embassy is going to raise the alarm?”
“What are they supposed to say?” Ben pointed to the crown. “Oh, by the way, someone stole a bunch of antiquities that were looted a hundred years ago from our secret vault of stuff we’re holding on to. Can the police investigate that for us or no?” Ben shook his head. “They didn’t want anyone to know they had this stuff; they’re not going to report it.”
Daniel barreled into the library with a muddy face and clothes that definitely needed to visit a washtub. “Glorious. Absolutely glorious forest. The leopards were stunning.” He pointed over his shoulder. “Is that the ambassador’s dog Sadia has in the garden?”
“I told you he followed us,” Tenzin said. “Yes. I’ll return him tomorrow night. I’m a thief, not a dognapper.”
“You’re a dog borrower,” Ben said. “Totally different.”
“It is different because I’m giving the little animal an adventure. He’s descended from wolves, you know.” Not that you’d be able to tell from the soft fur, silly underbite, and elaborate tail. “If we give these to Hirut, she’s going to know we have ulterior motives, but she might not care.”
“Nevertheless,” Giovanni said. “We told her that nothing of Ethiopian origin would leave Ethiopia without Saba’s permission, and we’re holding to that.”
The following night, as Giovanni and Beatrice prepared to move the household north to Lalibela, Ben and Tenzin met Hirut at the top of Entoto Hill, which overlooked Addis. Hirut strolled through the restored grounds of Emperor Menelik’s palaces and throne rooms, which were open to the public during the day and used for the occasional state banquet in the evening.
“It’s beautiful to see these things restored,” she said. “I remember when they were built.”
The cobblestone path was lined by towering cedars and flowering jacaranda trees. The gardens were a riot of color, and the fountains in the distance trickled a playful melody in the night. The stars were more visible on the hills above the city, and the night sky was a deep blue washed with drifting clouds.
“The complex is beautiful,” Tenzin said, looking around the colorful buildings and lush gardens. “And very human.”
“Thank you.” Hirut gestured toward the banquet hall, which was painted with bright colors in front. “Saba approved of the buildings the human emperor built. They were royal without being ostentatious like European structures.”
“Very natural. Their balance and proportions remind me of Penglai.”
Hirut smiled. “I accept that as a compliment, though Saba’s empire is, of course, far older than the Eastern court.”
Tenzin held her tongue. Hirut was proud, as most vampires were, and doubly so being a direct descendant of Saba’s line.
“Hirut, thank you for meeting us,” Ben said. “We have enjoyed our time in Addis. The city and the people are very welcoming. It’s a fascinating place, and I look forward to returning. I believe Giovanni told you we’ll be heading north tonight.”
The vampire nodded. “The churches of Lalibela are truly a grand sight and very holy places, a destination of human and immortal pilgrimage. I hope your family enjoys their time there.” Her eyes shifted to the large duffel bag Ben had with him. “Is there something else you wish to share, son of Zhang?”