After a lot of speculation about whether it was a random robbery, something from Jake’s past, or this Reaper business, Jake tossed his empty beef jerky bag in the trash and reclined his seat. “I’m going to take a nap. Wake me when the jet lands.” After a minute, he cracked one eyelid. “How hot was she?”
Kendall got up and walked off.
Nathan had a helicopter waiting at the airport in Italy. “At least we won’t have to deal with a nosey tourist like last time. I’d rather run past one of those statues than have a conversation with Loretta.”
“But you’d like a conversation with Brandi,” Kendall said. The redheaded nurse had been part of the tourist group they had stayed with at an inn in Italy. She was after the same thing they were. The relics. But Brandi was as determined to see the artifacts destroyed as Nathan was to save them. And she wanted the Reaper dead. He had stolen her father’s collection and killed her parents, leaving her and her brother, Thomas, alone. They had been working ever since to discover the Reaper’s identity and the location of the relics.
“I think she has the answers to what happened in Iraq.”
“You don’t still believe Nathan was involved? I mean, it had to be the Reaper behind it. Thomas was there and he working undercover for the Reaper.”
“I think Nathan knows more about it than he’s saying, but I don’t think he was behind it. Brandi may be the only person besides the Reaper who knows why he requested me for a cover-up mission.”
His face clouded, and Kendall knew he was thinking about the young girls he’d discovered at the prince’s palace. There weren’t any terrorists or weapons, just young sex slaves and a bunch of relics.
“Maybe you were simply hired because of your expertise,” Kendall said. “Even Nathan says you’re the best.”
Jake shrugged. “Maybe.”
“I’m surprised Nathan is letting us do this alone,” Kendall said.
“I’m not. Nathan cares about two things right now.” Jake looked at Kendall and narrowed his eyes. “Make that three. First, he wants what the Protettori are protecting. Second, he wanted us away from the mansion so we wouldn’t know what he’s up to. Whatever he’s got going on in his dungeon is dangerous. Sending us to Italy to get the treasure killed two birds with one stone.”
“What’s the third thing?”
“You,” Jake said, watching Kendall. “He wants you.”
“I work for him. That’s all.”
“Right,” he said dryly.
It was getting dark when they arrived, but the castle looked like a different place than it had a few days ago. Nathan had sent a team to the castle as soon as they left. The airstrip had been cleared and guards posted throughout the woods surrounding the castle and along the wall.
The head of the security team met them at the helicopter as soon as it landed and brought them up to date on things. “No sign of trouble. The guards and staff have taken up most of the rooms on the second floor and part of the third.”
“We’ll find something,” Jake said. “We’ll sleep in the tower if we have to.”
“Dinner’s ready in the dining hall,” the guard said. He left, and Jake and Kendall walked slowly, taking it all in. Kendall stopped when the castle came into view. It didn’t look as imposing now, probably because she knew there were so many armed guards protecting the place.
Jake stopped beside her. “You OK?”
“We’re missing something.”
“This time you have my permission to explore all you want. A rat couldn’t get through all those guards and statues.”
“Thank you for your permission, my lord. Any other instructions?”
“My lord, I like that.”
“You would.” She walked toward the castle without waiting for him. In the distance she saw the statues. She noticed the one with the sword tip she’d broken off on her first trip to the castle. It was watching, almost as if it were alive. And then she thought she saw it move. Marco and his wild ideas. Jake was probably right about the old man being on too many pain meds.
“Should we check on the treasure first?” She looked toward the woods where the chapel was hidden.
“Wait until morning. It might look a little suspicious if the guards see us there in the dark.”
“We’ll have to work quickly in the morning.”
“Won’t it take a while to catalog everything?” Jake asked. “I’m not the expert, but there were some amazing things in that room.”
“Beyond amazing. I doubt there’s a treasure its equal anywhere. We’ll have to catalog it quickly for now. We can finish when we unpack it.”
“Wherever that is. Nathan will probably do it himself so we don’t know where he’s hiding it. He doesn’t seem inclined to share where he’s hidden the Spear of Destiny.”
Kendall didn’t like that either. Nathan obviously trusted her and Jake, or he wouldn’t have sent them to pack up something as valuable as this treasure. But Jake’s blatant attempts, and even Kendall’s subtle hints, hadn’t gotten him to divulge the spear’s location. “I’m sure he has his reasons.”
Jake shook his head. “If he stabbed you, you’d say he had a good reason.”
“You need food. You’re getting cranky.”
Dozens of people were at the castle. Security guards, cooks to feed the guards, maids to handle laundry and cleaning. Kendall wondered if the castle had once looked like this, bustling with activity. Nathan hadn’t wanted to let more people know where the castle was located, but he’d decided that it was more important to have heavy security in place.
They found rooms on the third floor. Kendall expected Jake to make some smart remark about sharing, but he didn’t. After they put their things inside, they went down to the dining hall to find something to eat. The security guards had changed shifts and were gathered in small groups eating and talking about the castle. Kendall overheard bits of conversation about statues and the strangeness of the place. Nathan had apparently warned them of the dangers without giving away too much. Jake excused himself and went to talk to the head of security again.
Kendall took the opportunity to explore, hoping something would click. Some message from the stones or something to reveal what she was missing. She found herself wandering the floors and discovered another entrance into the mural room where they’d found the round table and the relics. The treasure room underneath the chapel surpassed this by far, but there were enough relics in here to keep a museum busy for a long time. Suits of armor, chain mail, weapons, scrolls, gold figures… There was even a crown.
The round table in the middle of the floor was huge. Thirteen ornate chairs surrounded it. They were old, she suspected. When she touched the back of one, she was certain. They were beyond old. She heard whispers that she couldn’t identify. English, she thought. Not as it was spoken in this time. Old English? She heard shouts and a ringing sound like the clash of swords. Both Marco and the Reaper—posing as the historian—had said the Protettori were an ancient order. How ancient?
Kendall moved around the room, touching and feeling until the impressions became too strong. She backed off for a few minutes, letting her senses calm before starting again. A fascinating oak cabinet revealed a hidden catch that opened a door in the top. A golden cup and a vial sat on the shelf. The sensations and whispers began to overwhelm her. If she didn’t leave, she’d be useless tomorrow. She trusted Jake, but she didn’t know how much he knew about properly packing up artifacts.
Back in her room, she took something for a headache and climbed into bed. After she finished crating up the treasure, she would go back to the mural room and explore some more. That golden cup intrigued her. In the middle of the night she woke up. She’d been dreaming about the tower room and the blood on the bed. The dull throb was still knocking at her head, but there was a sense of urgency so strong she worried that Jake was in trouble. She left her room and climbed the stairs to the tower room. Jake wasn’t here. No one was.