The Atlantis Code (63 page)

The old priest stopped the cart at the cave mouth. “Still, we may yet find a few surprises lurking in the caves before we go. If you’d like, you may join us in our search.”

“I would like,” Lourds said. “There’s no place I’d rather be than hunting for knowledge.”

“Maybe we’ll find a few books that floated up out of the library.” Sebastian fished in a pocket. “In the meantime, it appears that I’m not the only one who wasn’t surprised to see you here. I have messages from your two female companions.” He handed over two folded pieces of paper. “It appears they would like to have dinner with you. Both of them.”

“Ah,” Lourds said, smiling in spite of the disappointment he felt over the loss of that incredible library.

“I assume they’re not going to be interested in dinner at the same time.”

“Probably not.”

“It appears that you have a scheduling problem.”

“No, it’s lucky for me that I have a big appetite.” Lourds flashed the old priest a grin. “After a couple days in jail, I can manage two dinners tonight.”

“If you eat sensibly and pace yourself. Of course, if you get caught eating two dinners, that could be dangerous.”

“Perhaps.” Feeling somewhat better, Lourds shoved the papers into his pocket. “This is the kind of danger I live for, Father. And I don’t think either of those two women is looking for a permanent dinner companion.”

“What will you do after this?” Sebastian asked.

“The Library of Alexandria is still lost,” Lourds said. “I haven’t given up hope of finding some of those books. History has too many missing pieces, too many possibilities buried in stories and languages we’ve carried on over thousands of years. I’m going to keep poking around in those odd little nooks and crannies every chance I get and hope that I find something. That’s the one true love I have.”

And Lourds knew it always would be.