Excerpt: Immortal Hand; Immortal Vengeance; Eternal

Stone chinked under the blade of the shovel.

“I say.” Gerald Copeland said, and lifted the tool out of the dirt. “I think I’ve found something!” He got down on his hands and knees. “Hand me the brush, old chap, and bring the light closer.”

Friend from his university days at Cambridge and colleague, Robert Wilder, tossed him the brush and stretched out the lantern, dangling from a pole, lowered it slightly.

“Treasure do you think?” Robert asked from above the hole and watched Gerald scrap away the top soil with the shovel before setting it aside.

“I don’ t know yet. It could be a medieval floor. Won’t Professor James be chuffed!” He bent to use the brush, removing the clotted soil and thin threads of roots.

“I don’t suppose he got permission for the dig?” Robert asked.

Gerald paused in his work, glared up at his friend. “We are in an age of exploration, my good man.” Gerald said in a perfect imitation of the professor. “Those who deny us history, are doomed to repeat it. Think of the adventure my boy, the adventure!”

Robert shook his head. “I’ll take that as a ‘no’.”

“Which is why we are digging at night and away from the rest of the ruins.” Gerald said and cleared away the rest of the dirt. “I say, that’s a little strange.”

“What is?” Robert asked, a little bored. He tossed a lock of blond hair out of his way.

“I don’t think it’s a floor at all. Look here: Stone, but with iron strips.” He drew in a sharp breath. “Sarcophagi!” He breathed in awe and bent to his task.

“I’d better get the Professor.” Robert groaned, but Gerald didn’t hear him. The light bobbled as Robert set the pole on the ground, laid bricks over it to keep it steady.

He envisioned a skeleton, surrounded by the trappings of wealth and nobility. He imagined Professor James, clapping him on the back in congratulations. He imagined the envy of his archaeological colleagues at the University, his name in the papers… The Times, no less and the headline: Copeland Finds Ancient Treasure. Oh, the fame, the fortune! He could travel to Egypt, to Syria and Palestine, find more antiquities.

Maybe he would regardless, but he’d have a more respected name following this discovery.

He swept the last of dirt away, sat back on his heels. A stone sarcophagi, here, in rural Yorkshire.

Amazing. Never had such a thing been found. He was at a loss to explain it, or age it, yet, he felt sure all would be revealed once opened.

Gerald picked up the shovel again. Best get on with it before the Professor arrived to demand he dig it out.