But the next room they walked into was partially intact. Nera spotted some shelves on a wall at the back. They still had artifacts on them. “Niklas.”
She jogged over and was studying the pots as he joined her. Her eyes widened as her brain realized just what she was seeing. “Holy stars.”
Niklas laughed. “I told you the Larco was well-known for this stuff.”
Yes, but she hadn’t imagined the ancient pottery would be so…explicit.
He smiled at her. “You aren’t a prude, Nera.” His eyes glowed, and she knew he was thinking of some of the things they’d done to each other in his cabin.
She ran her tongue over her teeth. “No. But…” There were sculptures and pots showing men with…impressive and impossible appendages. Couples caught in various positions. She eyed one of a man taking a woman from behind. At least Nera thought it was a woman; it was hard to tell with the stylized images.
Niklas picked one up. A man with a woman on her knees in front of him. “It’s not damaged at all. The ancient Terrans of this region seemed very interested in celebrating acts of love.”
Nera picked up one of a woman on top of a man. “This is not love. This is lust.”
His face turned serious. “It can be both.”
She stared at him, but was interrupted when Solomon appeared. “Jesus, sex statues.” He whistled. “Points for creativity. These little beauties would grab a ripe little profit on the open market.” When Niklas speared the younger man with a look, the treasure hunter rolled his eyes. “Or be a fascinating, if slightly naughty, exhibit in some drafty Institute museum somewhere.”
“Get one of the agents to bring one of the anti-grav carriers in,” Niklas ordered. “We’ll load up everything we can take.”
Solomon nodded, and soon he was back with the others. The anti-grav carrier was brought in, floating off the ground, and they carefully began loading the artifacts.
“Nera, let’s check the next room,” Niklas said.
She nodded. They moved down a long corridor that for the most part, had no roof. When they entered the next room, she gasped. The space gleamed with gold and silver.
Niklas was smiling. “Damn. I was hoping some of this had survived.”
The room was chaotic. The gold and silver artifacts littered the floor amongst the rubble. Someone had pilfered the room’s contents, but they hadn’t had the time to take everything.
“Look at this.” He held up a damaged, flat sheet of gold. It had what looked like a monster’s face carved into it. “This is a headdress.”
Nera picked up a tiny gold object and turned it over. She gasped. It was inlaid with brilliant turquoise, and had probably been some kind of jewelry. They grinned at each other.
“We’re going to need another anti-grav carrier,” she murmured.
Not long after, they were packing the last of the artifacts onto the carrier. She watched Niklas cradling the magnificent remains of a gold-and-silver necklace. His face was reverent.
“Simply beautiful.” He glanced at her on the other side of the carrier. “If I’m correct, this is the necklace of the Lord of Sipán.”
She saw the necklace was made of strange-shaped beads. Each was like a little textured wave.
“The Lord of Sipán was a mummy found in the north of Peru with several others in an elaborate burial. They were from some pre-Inca culture.” Niklas’ voice deepened into what she thought of as his teacher voice. “These beads are shaped like a nut that grew here and they represented the earth.” He fingered the gold half of the necklace. “The beads of gold represent masculinityand the sun god. And the silver.” He touched the other half of the necklace. “Femininity and the moon god. This necklace signified that man came from the earth and would return to it when they died.”
She loved hearing him tell her these little pieces of history. “Let’s not return to the earth today, okay? And who would want a necklace made of nuts?”
He smiled. “There was another necklace found in the tomb. No images survived, but it was called the golden spider necklace. Each medallion apparently featured a web with a spider and a human head. Would you have liked that one better?”
She sniffed. “I’m not very fond of spiders.
He laughed. “Funny how having you here has made this experience so much better.”
Her hands tightened on the beaten piece of silver in her hands. “Niklas?—”
Suddenly, Solomon burst into the room. “Zombies. A mob of them heading this way, out of the jungle.”
Niklas cursed and set the necklace on the carrier. “All right. Get this back to the Centurion and get it loaded. Time for us to go.”
