Chapter 5The cart moved with surprisingly little vibration or noise, its rubber tires smoothing the uneven surface of the marble floors of the museum. The mysterious bowl sat on its upper shelf, covered in a white cotton cloth to shield it from strangers’ eyes. The sight of two young men moving quickly through the echoing halls, the taller, darker one pushing the cart with their veiled cargo, drew more attention than they’d expected. It made them self-conscious, almost as if they were doing something illicit. One visitor, a well-dressed older woman holding the hand of what must have been a grandchild, offered up a stage whisper as they passed: “Ooh, look, they have a treasure!”
Alex and Xander made no comment but shared a smirking glance as they whisked by.
Back in the American Wing offi
