Read Online Atlantis Unleashed by Alyssa Day - Free Book Online

like he was.”
    The Atlantean flinched back as though she’d struck him, then leaned toward her. “Did you say Nereus? You actually saw Nereus? There were rumors, but . . . that memory would have been embedded in the gem more than eight thousand years ago.”
    She shivered and tried to make it to her chair, but he caught her and lifted her gently onto the battered old couch in her office. Before she could protest, he’d whipped his jacket off and placed it around her trembling shoulders.
    â€œWhat can I do, my lady?” he asked her, crouching down before her. “What helps in this situation? Be assured you will have my utmost apologies, but they must hold until we have secured your well-being.”
    She blinked, bemused by his sudden concern. “I don’t . . . well, tea. Actually, some hot tea with lots of sugar would help. George can—” She looked around, remembering that George was gone. “Where did he go?”
    Liam’s mouth flattened into a grim line. “He ran like a scared rabbit when you collapsed. I assumed he wanted to go in search of an authority figure or for medical assistance. I was compelled to prevent that.”
    She was instantly alert. “What did you do?”
    â€œI did him no permanent harm, my lady. He is merely resting, and his memories are somewhat altered. It is a small talent that I possess.” He gestured with one hand, and she whipped her head around to see George lying flat out on the floor behind her desk, passed out cold, his skin bearing an alarming resemblance to the stark white of his shirt.
    â€œYou’re sure he’s all right? We need to call—”
    â€œI swear to you on my life and honor, and we will call for assistance for him in a few minutes.”
    She subsided, since he was clearly able to stop her from going for help and George’s complexion did seem to be pinking up. A couple of minutes later, after the trembling subsided enough for her to be sure she was thinking coherently, she went after the facts. “You picked an interesting way to try to persuade me to accompany you.”
    He raised his head in an arrogant gesture that made her suspect he really did have a high priest in his bloodline. “You have been chosen as one of only five human scientists to be allowed into Atlantis while we prepare to make the announcement of our existence to the world. Do you really need persuasion, Dr. McDermott?”
    She stared at him for a long moment, knowing there was no way she could turn him down. Atlantis. What archaeologist wouldn’t drop everything to be among the first to explore its wonders? She’d give everything she owned for the opportunity, just as she’d always done. Sacrificed friendships and relationships for the thrill of the quest. The excitement of the discovery.
    If she’d do that, maybe risking her job by ignoring her boss, for the Lupercale, what wouldn’t she do for Atlantis?
    There was no doubt that it existed. Not after that vision. Or at least it had existed, thousands of years ago. Keely’s visions had never, ever been wrong.
    Still, believing it was there to be found today was a leap in both faith and logic. The former was no strength of hers; the latter told her to stay put and escort Liam to the door.
    But . . . Atlantis . The mere thought of it caused her jet-lag-induced exhaustion to vanish. Even the chance it was something more than a fantasy-fevered dream of every archaeologist, historian, and scholar in the world was worth pursuing. She knew she’d made her decision the moment she’d seen those crystal spires.
    Still, it ticked her off to give in so easily, especially after he’d knocked her sideways with that trick with the sapphire. “I’ll give you my decision in forty-eight hours,” she said firmly.
    A gleam of amusement lit his dark eyes. “Unfortunately, I need your decision in the next forty-eight seconds, or