“What makes you thinkyoudo?” Dani called out.
“How about this?” Maurice said, pulling a gun out from behind his back.
Theo’s stomach plummeted.
They should have left.
They should be at the airport right now.
“And I thought you weren’t a murderer?” Theo said, trying to maintain an even tone, but he knew it was futile.
“I’m not. But I can’t say the same about Maurice. Open it,” Vautour commanded again.
Theo’s shoulders slumped. There weren’t any other options. No olive oil displays to knock over. No bathroom windows to climb out of. No Keraboss Super Ks to hop into. The only choice left was to comply.
“Okay,” Theo said, reaching around for his bag so he could get his gloves.
But Maurice shuffled forward, brandishing the gun. “Stop what you’re doing!”
Theo threw up his hands. “I’m getting my gloves to handle the piece,” he explained.
“Leave the backpack alone!”
“But it’s an important archaeological artifact. I shouldn’t handle it without gloves,” Theo tried to reason.
“Leave it,” Maurice said again.
“Quit wasting time, Dr. Galanis, and open the box,” Vautour said.
“I need her help,” he said, motioning to Dani. “It’s probably heavy and I don’t want to damage the piece.”
“Fine, fine,” Vautour said, waving his hands in front of him like he was bored. “But hurry up.”
Theo looked at Dani and tossed her a sympathetic glance.
I love you, she mouthed.
As impossible as it seemed, Theo smiled. “I love you, too.”
They turned their backs to Vautour and Maurice, and each took a deep breath before placing their hands on the lid of the larnax.
“Lift on the count of three,” Theo said. “One. Two. Three.”
They lifted the heavy ceramic lid and carefully lowered it to the ground. Having watchedRaiders of the Lost Arkone too many times, Theo was almost afraid to look inside, as if soul-sucking demons were going to fly out and melt the skin off his face.
He’d always believed in myths and fairy tales, but this box tested the extent of his beliefs. His heart pounded as he and Dani stood back up and peered into the box.
But they didn’t find the skull of a bull’s head. Or the body of a half man, half beast. Instead, the only thing inside the three-by-four-foot box was a single gemstone the color of blood. An unrefined ruby the size of a football with jagged edges.
The eye of the Minotaur.
“Fuck me,” Dani said under her breath.
Theo had never seen a ruby this size. Especially in Greece. It couldn’t have originated here.
“What is it?” Vautour called out from behind them. “Show it to me!”
Theo reached into the box, lifted the heavy ruby from its resting place, and turned around.
