Read Online Undiscovered (Treasure Hunter Security Book 1) by Anna Hackett - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Anna Hackett
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must be some sort of mechanism—”
They both peered over the edge.
The smaller golden sarcophagus inside was shaped vaguely like a man. The bottom half of it was smooth but covered in hieroglyphs. A large, elaborate necklace covered the chest, and it was decorated in layers of bright-blue, semi-precious stone, and another translucent stone of startling gold-yellow color. In the center was a huge, oval-shaped pendant in the same gold stone.
The face on the sarcophagus wasn’t human. It looked like a dog.
“Set-animal again?” Dec asked.
Layne was staring at the artifact, drinking in all the details. “Maybe. It could be Anubis. He was also depicted with a canine head, and was the god of mummification and the afterlife.” She pulled some thin gloves out of her pocket and pulled them on. Then she reached over to touch the stone amulet in the center of the chest.
“I’ve never seen a rock that color,” Dec said.
“It…my God, I think it’s Libyan desert glass.”
“Which is?”
She looked over her shoulder. “A mysterious yellow glass found strewn across a portion of the Western Desert bordering Libya. It’s suspected it was created when a meteor crashed into the sand. King Tutankhamun had some of this in his treasures, but it was a long and dangerous journey to collect it.”
“Western Desert again.” Everything seemed to be pointing in one direction.
She touched the desert glass again before she snatched her hand back. “Oh.”
The yellow glass started to sink into the sarcophagus.
Suddenly, the chest of the sarcophagus started to open.
“My God. I’ve never seen anything like this,” Rush said. “Oh, no, what if the mummy is exposed?” Panic filled her voice. “It’ll deteriorate.”
The chest plates opened out, like petals on a flower. But no bandage-wrapped mummy was below. “Looks like it’s only a compartment in the gold. It doesn’t go all the way through,” he said.
And inside the space rested a small gold cylinder.
“God.” Rush reached in and carefully lifted the artifact out. “It’s a scroll. Made entirely of gold!”
“I’ve heard of the Copper Scroll,” Declan said. “But not a gold scroll.”
It was only as long as her palm, but perfectly formed. It was made with small hinges and they easily rolled out.
It was filled with hieroglyphs.
“I can’t leave it here,” she said.
“Got something to wrap it in?”
She nodded. “I have a pack in the main excavation area.”
“I’ll get it.”
Dec was back moments later with a backpack. Carefully, Layne lifted the scroll and together they settled it into the bag.
The shadows had really thickened and Dec knew that above, the sun would be setting soon. “All right, Rush, we keep the scroll between you and me and my team. Got it?”
She nodded.
“Good. Now, let’s get out of here.”
“The sarcophagus—?”
“I’ll work out how to close it up and don’t worry, my team and I will keep an eye on it tonight.”
They left the tomb and crossed over to the rope ladder. He gestured for her to go first. She planted a boot on the bottom rung and grabbed another one with her hand.
Then she paused. “Declan—”
His gaze met hers and for a beat, they stared at each other.
He wasn’t sure who moved first, her or him, but she was back in his arms, the kiss hot and just a little wild.
When she pulled back, she licked her lips, her gaze a little dazed.
Shit . Layne Rush was going to be a problem. One he knew he should steer clear of, but wasn’t going to.
“Climb the ladder, Rush.”
“Ladder. Right.” She grabbed the rope rung and climbed. Dec followed her up, and every time he glanced upward he was rewarded with a view of her spectacular ass flexing under her cargo trousers.
He drew in a breath.
She reached the top and pulled herself over. Dec cleared the last few rungs and climbed out. His team was waiting at the top.
“Nice of you to join us,” Logan drawled.
Dec barely resisted giving
They both peered over the edge.
The smaller golden sarcophagus inside was shaped vaguely like a man. The bottom half of it was smooth but covered in hieroglyphs. A large, elaborate necklace covered the chest, and it was decorated in layers of bright-blue, semi-precious stone, and another translucent stone of startling gold-yellow color. In the center was a huge, oval-shaped pendant in the same gold stone.
The face on the sarcophagus wasn’t human. It looked like a dog.
“Set-animal again?” Dec asked.
Layne was staring at the artifact, drinking in all the details. “Maybe. It could be Anubis. He was also depicted with a canine head, and was the god of mummification and the afterlife.” She pulled some thin gloves out of her pocket and pulled them on. Then she reached over to touch the stone amulet in the center of the chest.
“I’ve never seen a rock that color,” Dec said.
“It…my God, I think it’s Libyan desert glass.”
“Which is?”
She looked over her shoulder. “A mysterious yellow glass found strewn across a portion of the Western Desert bordering Libya. It’s suspected it was created when a meteor crashed into the sand. King Tutankhamun had some of this in his treasures, but it was a long and dangerous journey to collect it.”
“Western Desert again.” Everything seemed to be pointing in one direction.
She touched the desert glass again before she snatched her hand back. “Oh.”
The yellow glass started to sink into the sarcophagus.
Suddenly, the chest of the sarcophagus started to open.
“My God. I’ve never seen anything like this,” Rush said. “Oh, no, what if the mummy is exposed?” Panic filled her voice. “It’ll deteriorate.”
The chest plates opened out, like petals on a flower. But no bandage-wrapped mummy was below. “Looks like it’s only a compartment in the gold. It doesn’t go all the way through,” he said.
And inside the space rested a small gold cylinder.
“God.” Rush reached in and carefully lifted the artifact out. “It’s a scroll. Made entirely of gold!”
“I’ve heard of the Copper Scroll,” Declan said. “But not a gold scroll.”
It was only as long as her palm, but perfectly formed. It was made with small hinges and they easily rolled out.
It was filled with hieroglyphs.
“I can’t leave it here,” she said.
“Got something to wrap it in?”
She nodded. “I have a pack in the main excavation area.”
“I’ll get it.”
Dec was back moments later with a backpack. Carefully, Layne lifted the scroll and together they settled it into the bag.
The shadows had really thickened and Dec knew that above, the sun would be setting soon. “All right, Rush, we keep the scroll between you and me and my team. Got it?”
She nodded.
“Good. Now, let’s get out of here.”
“The sarcophagus—?”
“I’ll work out how to close it up and don’t worry, my team and I will keep an eye on it tonight.”
They left the tomb and crossed over to the rope ladder. He gestured for her to go first. She planted a boot on the bottom rung and grabbed another one with her hand.
Then she paused. “Declan—”
His gaze met hers and for a beat, they stared at each other.
He wasn’t sure who moved first, her or him, but she was back in his arms, the kiss hot and just a little wild.
When she pulled back, she licked her lips, her gaze a little dazed.
Shit . Layne Rush was going to be a problem. One he knew he should steer clear of, but wasn’t going to.
“Climb the ladder, Rush.”
“Ladder. Right.” She grabbed the rope rung and climbed. Dec followed her up, and every time he glanced upward he was rewarded with a view of her spectacular ass flexing under her cargo trousers.
He drew in a breath.
She reached the top and pulled herself over. Dec cleared the last few rungs and climbed out. His team was waiting at the top.
“Nice of you to join us,” Logan drawled.
Dec barely resisted giving
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