The Nymph's Curse: The Collection Read Online Free Page A

have to admit that she is my favorite piece. There are so many stories that can be assumed by her appearance.” Ariadne looked over at Kaden, who stared at the figure. “Kaden, what do you think?”
    Kaden stood silently for a moment and then looked up at her. “This’s your favorite?”
    Ariadne nodded.
    “Why?” he asked, confusion in his voice. “I mean, why would you pick this old dirty woman? Here you got gold and silver … you know, priceless shit.”
    “Kaden, watch your language,” Beau growled.
    Kaden rolled his eyes and continued. “Besides from being old, she’s kinda … well, ya know, boring. Why’d you pick her?”
    Ariadne glanced over at Beau, who was staring slack-jawed at his son. “Well, Kaden,” she started, “sometimes the things we know the least about are the things that most impact our lives.”
    Kaden shrugged. “I don’t get it. I mean I guess she’s great and all, but still.”
    “I think she’s exquisite.” Beau moved his hand toward the goddess and stopped short of touching her. His eyes were bright with wonder and reverence.
    Something shifted inside of Ariadne as she stared at the handsome man, but she tried to force the feelings down.
    Beau walked around the table as he studied the statue. “Do you mind if I ask to see what else you have from the Minoan era? I’m an archeologist. I think this type of thing is fascinating.”
    “An archeologist, huh? Where are you working?” Ariadne turned away in an attempt to hide her face.
    Walking over to the wall, she pulled a bin from the shelf. He would like it, but in it he would find nothing she would worry about him seeing.
    “Gournai.” Beau grabbed the container from her and placed it on the lab table across from the snake goddess.
    “Are you working near the palace of Knossos?” She tried to sound curious, though she knew the answer.
    “No, a bit outside of the palatial zone. I’ve researched the area and, well, I found some interesting peculiarities.” He chewed at the corner of his lip like a guilty child, trying to hide a secret.
    “So how is the dig going, Beau?”
    “Good. Today my assistant is having my students catalog last week’s finds. Normally I head it, but I’m taking a few days off so I can show Kaden around the island a bit.”
    “That’s really sweet.” Ariadne looked over to Kaden, who was picking at his nails.
    “Have you found anything of significant interest?” Her mind wandered to the tiny bones she had held in her hands a few nights before.
    “We’ve found quite a bit. We located a previously unknown villa, but inside we’ve found only ceramics and a few pieces of bronze.”
    It was more than a villa. Was he being vague, or did he really think that it was just a simple home that he had stumbled across?
    Beau looked away from her, picked up a vase from the container and rotated it in his fingers. On its surface was a painting of a bull and woman. He stared at the image and then looked up at her. “This woman looks like you.”
    Ariadne reached over toward the object and touching his hand, pulled the artifact into her view. She couldn’t focus on the image, only on the warmth of his flesh beneath hers. The simple touch made her stomach clench. She dropped her hand. “Oh.”
    Why did I touch him?
    Looking up, he was staring at her, his eyes wide.
    Ariadne looked away. “So, what is, uh, the goal for your project?”
    Beau flushed for a moment and sat the vase back in the container. “I think there’s more to the Minoans than what we’ve found. Everyone talks about the Palace of Knossos, but the Minoan’s left behind legends that there are other places yet to be found. And I think all legends have some basis in fact.”
    Ariadne smiled. “Which legend, exactly?”
    “One that involves your namesake,” he said, looking pleased with himself.
    “The Minotaur and the Labyrinth?”
    His face twitched at her question. Even if she hadn’t already known, his tell was obvious.
    “You