Oceanborne by Katherine Irons Read Free Book Online Page A

had written the love song in honor of the king’s royal marriage. “An earlier civilization,” he finished.
    She glanced at him again. “Tell me the truth. They aren’t genuine, are they? You’re not an antiquities thief; you’re a dealer in fakes.” She stood and dusted her hands off on her jeans. “If these tablets had been discovered in the early nineteenth century, they’d be the centerpiece in a world-class museum, not left here for any lobster fisherman to discover and cart off.”
    Elena’s tone left no doubt in Orion’s mind as to what she thought of him, and he felt a punch of embarrassment in his vitals. His desire deflated as he attempted to defend himself.
    â€œNo, I wouldn’t do that. These are real. I’m not sure why Jones didn’t retrieve them, but the photographs exist. I believe his ill health kept him from returning to the site, and when he died …”
    She sniffed. “But you knew where they were.” She shook her head. “I’m not the fool you’ve obviously taken me for. Your charade is over, Mr. Xenos. You’ll be lucky if you’re not spending the next ten years in a Greek prison.”
    Orion raised his hands, palm out, and stepped back. She certainly had a way of throwing cold water on his plans for a romantic afternoon. The woman was a shrew. What he’d seen in her and why he’d bothered to show her these treasures was beyond him.
    â€œYou think these are fakes?”
    â€œI do. You probably have a little workshop in Athens where your associates turn out statutes of Athena and—”
    â€œEnough,” he said. He went to a shelf and pulled out a rough sandstone slab no larger than his two hands held together. “Look at this. What you call Linear A. It’s an account of the king’s expedition to—”
    She made a sound of disgust. “The more you say, the deeper you dig yourself into the swamp,” she said. “Linear A has never been translated, and I doubt that you’re the first scholar to do so. And having achieved the feat, you don’t tell anyone. You keep this bit of knowledge to yourself. Hardly! These must be fakes.” She turned away, unwilling to even examine the precious carving. “I appreciate the opportunity to see this structure, but I think it’s time we returned to the beach.”
    â€œI doubt if the storm is over yet. It was pretty damp up there.”
    â€œI’m tough. Let’s go, or shall I find the staircase myself?”
    â€œWhat would it take for you to believe me?”
    Elena shook her head. “Sorry. Once you lose credibility with me, you’re done for.”
    He wasn’t ready to give up. If he could take her into the sea, there was another place not far from here where the remains of a wall jutted up from the ocean floor. That wall contained inscriptions in Linear B and in Atlantean. But he wasn’t sure that the shades had left. They might be lying in wait off the beach, hoping that he and the woman would leave the relative safety of the land.
    But she wasn’t done. She had to zing him one more time. “You really disappoint me, Orion,” she said. “I knew you were some sort of scoundrel, but I didn’t take you for stupid, as well.” She pushed past him, moving toward the place where they’d entered the outer hall.
    â€œWait,” he said, trying to hold back his anger.
    She stopped, spun back to face him, and gave him a rude gesture involving the movement of a particular finger on her right hand. “Go to hell, Orion!”
    That was when he lost control.

CHAPTER 5
    E lena was fast, but Orion was faster. Her pulse raced as she heard his bare feet striking the floor behind her. Her survival instinct went into overdrive, and when he grabbed hold of her, she whirled on him, ready for a fight. If Orion wanted to play rough, she was fully prepared to put him down,