Fatal Tide - Iris Johansen [78]
Kelby wasn't in bed beside her.
Melis glanced at the clock. It was a little after three in the morning, and Kelby seldom got up before six.
Unless something was wrong.
The dolphins.
She sat up, swung her feet to the floor, and reached for her robe. A moment later she was climbing the steps leading to the upper deck.
Kelby was standing at the rail, his head lifted, his gaze on the night sky.
“Kelby?”
He turned and smiled at her. “Come here.”
There was nothing wrong. He wouldn't have been able to smile like that if all was not right with his world. She moved toward him. “What are you doing out here?”
“I couldn't sleep. I feel like a kid on Christmas Eve.” He slipped his arm around her. “And in a few hours I get to open my packages.”
His expression had the same luminous excitement that had been there from the moment he'd found the canister. “They may not be as exciting as the one you unwrapped today.”
“And they may be better.” His gaze went to the sky. “You know, that metal is odd. I've been wondering—meteorites?”
She laughed. “Or maybe it was brought down by spacemen?”
“Well, anything is possible. Who would have dreamed that a society founded thousands of years ago could be as advanced as they evidently were.” His arm tightened around her. “And it's all here for us, Melis. All that wonder . . .”
“Wonder?”
He nodded. “There's so little wonder left in the world. Children are the only ones who have it naturally, and they lose it as they grow older. But once in a while something comes along that reminds us that if we open our eyes and search hard enough we can still find it.”
She felt her throat tighten as she looked up at him. Something . . . or someone. “What do you think is still down there?”
“Hepsut wasn't very descriptive. I can't wait to get my hands on those tablets. It may give me an idea where to search, what to expect.”
She laughed and shook her head. “You don't want to know what to expect. It would spoil it for you.”
He nodded ruefully. “You're right, some of the magic would be gone. And magic's important.” He glanced down at her. “It's late. You don't have to stay with me. I'm crazy as a loon tonight.”
She wanted to stay. She could tell he wanted to talk, and she wanted to be here for him. And being near Kelby at this moment of triumph had a magic of its own.
Magic and wonder.
“I'm not sleepy. You mentioned arches. If they did exist, what do you suppose they'd be like?”
“You want me to play that game?” He looked back at the sea. “Intricately carved. Maybe inlaid with mother-of-pearl and gold. And when you go through them the streets would be laid out with perfect symmetry. They'd be like the spokes of a wheel that would lead to a great temple in the center of the city. . . .”
“I found the Jolie Fille last night,” Nicholas said in a low voice to Kelby while he was adjusting his air tank the next morning. “It's anchored about thirty miles south of here.”
Kelby's gaze went to his face. “Did you get a good look at it?”
“Big. Sleek. Probably fast. And crawling with guards. I counted four sentries pacing the decks in the short time I was there. Archer isn't taking any chances on being surprised.” He paused. “And I saw a coast guard boat boarding the Jolie Fille as I was leaving.”
“A search?”
“It looked a lot friendlier.”
“A payoff?”
“That would be my bet.”
“So outside help is unlikely.”
“No loss. Outsiders usually get in the way.”
“Good work, Nicholas.”
“Only what you'd expect of me. Now we have something to work with. Even if it's not at the top of your list right now.” He smiled as he started across the deck to help Melis. “Good luck down there, Jed.”
Kelby and Melis brought up four nets' worth of artifacts from the ocean floor the next morning. Some of them were mundane or unrecognizable, but one made Kelby's eyes widen with excitement.
“Melis.” He carefully raised the object in his hand. “Look.”
She moved nearer. “What is—”
It was a goblet. The gold was dulled and the lapis and rubies were partially obscured by silt, but the craftsmanship was