Page 84 of Dark Chains: First Link
Kolhood arched a brow. "So? I'm sure we can spare one of the many humans working on the island."
Losham swallowed. "Father is going to be furious."
"Father doesn't need to know," Kolhood countered.
Losham snorted. "Really? Like our father couldn't read a human's thoughts from a mile away? He'll know."
"Then put a listening device on the human without their knowledge and instruct them to interrogate the service staff about what's going on with their lord."
That was possible, and it wouldn't yield anything that could harm the narrative because the harem staff had been compelled and thralled by Dave to believe that Navuh and his concubines were still residing on the first and second floors of the pyramid.
Losham smiled at his brother. "This is an excellent idea, Kolhood. I'm surprised that I didn't think of it myself."
The compliment caught Kolhood off guard, and for a moment, his hostile expression turned confused.
"Are you going to do it or should I?" Kolhood asked.
"I will. Father left me in charge because he trusts me the most, so if he discovers that I sent a human to check on him, I could excuse it as fulfilling my duty, making sure he was okay. You, on the other hand, would have a harder time justifying the maneuver and avoiding Father's wrath."
Kolhood's jaw tightened. "I want verification. Not your word. Proof."
Losham nodded. "I'll give you access to the transmissions from the device so you can hear what is being said. Is that good enough?"
"It will do. When do you plan on doing that?"
"In a day or two. It's not a priority, and I need to find a suitable human. Father is very selective about the harem staff."
That was true, and his brothers knew it, but that wasn't the reason Losham was buying himself time.
It had been a while since the harem staff had been thralled and compelled to confirm the story that Navuh was in his apartment, recuperating from the meltdown he'd suffered and demanding not to be disturbed.
It should still be holding, but a reinforcement couldn't hurt. A visit from Dave through the secret tunnel would take care of that, and no one would be any the wiser.
"Fine," Kolhood said. "Let me know when you find the right human. Now, let's talk about that accursed basement. I hear that the crews have resumed work."
"They have."
"What exactly are you hoping to find down there?"
This question had also been asked before, but Losham's previous answers had been vague and invited further inquiry. He had avoided specifics because he hadn't had anything that would sound plausible until an idea occurred to him after last night's phone call with the clan.
"I was pondering the same thing, and I suspect that our father has been storing artifacts from the time of the gods."
Kolhood's eyebrows rose. Behind him, Hocken straightened in his chair, and Hazok looked up from the spot on the table he'd been staring at.
"Artifacts," Kolhood repeated, his tone doubtful.
"Yes. I could think of nothing else that would justify the secrecy and the extensive security measures. Navuh must have hid in there items from the era of the gods. The glass enclosure in the basement was climate-controlled and sealed, which is consistent with preserving ancient and fragile objects."
"In what way could ancient artifacts be strategically significant?" Kolhood asked.
The question confirmed what Losham had always suspected about his brother. Kolhood had a military mind. He thought in terms of forces, logistics, and tactical advantage. Abstract concepts like cultural influence and ideological warfare were outside his realm of reference, and he needed things spelled out for him.
"Humans believe the gods were myths," Losham said. "Unveiling physical evidence that the gods were real would undermine the foundation of every major monotheistic religion in the world."
Kolhood stared at him. "So?"
Not too smart if he hadn't figured it out after that explanation.
