The treasure hunter’s eyes bulged from the insult. He took a menacing step toward Niklas. “Why don’t I?—”
Nera appeared in front of Nik, a tall, straight shadow. Damn, she could move fast.
Gunn’s gaze went to her, wavered for a second, then he made a phlegmy sound in his throat. “I’m out of here. You astro-snobs can pontificate all you want. Me, I’m going back to my cabin.” His lips stretched across his teeth. “I have a lovely lady waiting for me.” He strode out, casting one more harsh glance at Nik. “Watch your back, Phoenix.”
“You just made an enemy,” Nera said quietly, so only Nik could hear. “Men like Gunn don’t take kindly to insults.”
“He’s a rather…unpleasant man.” Avril drew her shoulders up. “Okay, please spend the next day on your research and recommendations. And regardless of what Mr. Gunn says, the Institute does care about history. All of it.”
Solomon gave a nod. “Will do.” He exited with long strides.
Niklas stared at the lovely library shelves. They were glossy, beautiful, and made him want to believe the Institute did only care about the historical value of its finds.
He knew differently.
He turned to Avril. “I’d like to see the Hawass Documents.”
Avril smiled. “Oh, they are simply amazing. Come on.” She cast a quick glance at Nera, then ignored her. “They’re all in protective coverings.” She moved over to one wall that was lined with bookshelves at the top and long drawers on the bottom. She pressed a code into one drawer and it slid open.
Holy stars. Nik controlled his body’s visceral reaction. The papers were all encased in a thin layer of plas. Some of them looked like they were printed, the black ink slightly faded. Others were handwritten.
“They are gorgeous,” he said.
“Aren’t they?” Avril stroked a slim hand over the top sheets.
“And I can study them?”
“Yes. As long as you do it here in the library. If they leave the room, an alarm will sound.” Her gaze went back to the silent Nera. “They have chips embedded in the plas. I’ll leave you to it.” She touched Nik’s arm lightly. “I’m really glad you changed your mind about this hunt. I look forward to us working together.”
With a stiff nod at Nera, she left.
Nik leaned over the documents. He wasn’t sure where he wanted to start.
He looked up and saw Nera watching him.
“Why do you care?” she asked. “Why look at those bits of old paper with such reverence?”
“These are where we come from, Nera.”
She went very still. “The past is the past.”
He narrowed his gaze. He detected…something in her voice. Damn, he wanted to know more about her. “The past, for better or worse, has made us who we are.”
Her nebula eyes skewered him. “So a drunken father, deserter mother, and the crummy planet of Zerzura made you?”
He wasn’t surprised she knew his history. “Partly. Zerzura’s history inspired me to learn more about it. My parents inspired me to be better, to escape, and do something more with my life. And my brothers…”
“Yes?”
“They showed me that we all need someone. Someone who has your back, who loves you…even when you screw up.” He knew she didn’t have that, wondered if she even wanted it.
She ran a finger along one glossy shelf. “Trust is a risk. People can take what you give them and use it against you.”
Her words were a punch to his gut. Someone had hurt her, and dammit, he wanted to know who. “When you trust the right person, what you get back is beyond valuable.”
She eyed him. “Yet, you only let your brothers in.”
“No. I’ve got two sisters-in-law now. My cousin, Malin. And a certain teenager who somehow wormed her way into our lives.”
