The Steward's Sealed Rest

The sarcophagus lid shifts with a grinding sigh, releasing a breath of air that smells of dust, old resin, and extinguished incense. Beneath the wrapped remains, a bronze clasp glints against the ribcage, its scarab-shaped cover still intact. When the hidden compartment is finally opened, the corpse's fingers curl once against the stone, and a cold draft stirs the papers, carrying the faint suggestion of a bell tolling somewhere far below.