an ancient culture, hundreds of years ago. Seriously impressive.
Looking along the length of the wall, she saw a few places where the stones had tumbled down, but for the most part, she guessed sections of the wall looked as they had when the Warriors of the Clouds had lived here.
They kept walking, and ahead, she spotted an entrance through the stone walls. The narrow gap was only a few meters wide, flanked by the high walls. As she stepped through it, she felt like she was heading down a tiny alleyway.
Then she moved out into the citadel of Kuelap.
Wow . She’d always enjoyed history, and Drew’s ramblings on whatever latest culture he was researching, but this…she felt chills up her arms. Stepping into a place that practically echoed with the voices of the people who’d lived, loved, and fought here was amazing.
The remains of the ancient city spread out before them. There were lots of low stone walls, several in circles that outlined the bases of buildings. She saw lots of platforms and terraces at different heights to make use of the uneven land.
Drew’s notes had mentioned that archeologists had found tombs and burials in parts of the site, filled with funerary bundles, ceramics, and the knotted strings known as quipus—used for recording information. And there was also an impressive drainage system.
“Split up and take a look around,” Declan said.
Sydney nodded, and with Logan by her side, they headed in the opposite direction to Declan and the others. Ahead, she saw that one of the round buildings had been restored. The houses were circular stone walls topped by a cone-shaped thatch roof. She tried to picture all the buildings looking like this one. She imagined it would have looked reminiscent of a medieval village.
“My brother must have loved seeing this.” Sydney carefully stepped over some tumbled rocks. “All this history that so few people see. When you think of Peru, you think of Machu Picchu and the Inca. The Warriors of the Clouds are forgotten.”
Logan grunted, which she took for agreement.
They walked farther along the crumbling stone walls. There were a few people dotted here and there. Sydney checked out everyone’s faces, hoping to see the familiar blue eyes and smile of her brother.
But she didn’t spot him. She reached a point at the outer defensive wall and stared down across the valley and to the mountains beyond. The view of the cloud forests, stretching out before her, took her breath away.
“Okay?”
She nodded at Logan. “I’m wondering what Drew stumbled onto that is so important that Silk Road would come after him.” All she saw here were stone ruins. Amazing and of huge historical value, but nothing that she could think that Silk Road would want.
“Something valuable,” Logan said.
She spun. “I’ve run my own searches. There is no mythical lost treasure of the Cloud Warriors. No stories of vast fortunes. No legends of cities of gold like in other parts of the continent. They didn’t even make or use metal. Right here, at this very site, they’ve only found stone, ceramics, and fabric.”
Logan stared at her. “And yet you said the Inca feared them. That they had the power to fight back against the greatest empire in the area.”
Logan was right. The Cloud Warriors had something of value. And whatever it was had put Drew in danger.
Down in the ruins, she saw some local kids playing and laughing. They were dark-haired, and wearing brightly colored sweaters. As Sydney watched, she saw one girl staring in their direction. A second later, nimble as a gazelle, she ran toward them, leaping over the ruined stones.
As the girl reached them, she shot them a shy smile. Sydney blinked. The girl was maybe ten or eleven, and she had fair hair and freckles scattered across her nose.
Sydney went still. This girl was a descendent of the Chachapoyas.
“Señorita Granger?”
Sydney’s back went stiff. “Yes. Si .”
“ Para ti .” The girl pulled out a
Looking along the length of the wall, she saw a few places where the stones had tumbled down, but for the most part, she guessed sections of the wall looked as they had when the Warriors of the Clouds had lived here.
They kept walking, and ahead, she spotted an entrance through the stone walls. The narrow gap was only a few meters wide, flanked by the high walls. As she stepped through it, she felt like she was heading down a tiny alleyway.
Then she moved out into the citadel of Kuelap.
Wow . She’d always enjoyed history, and Drew’s ramblings on whatever latest culture he was researching, but this…she felt chills up her arms. Stepping into a place that practically echoed with the voices of the people who’d lived, loved, and fought here was amazing.
The remains of the ancient city spread out before them. There were lots of low stone walls, several in circles that outlined the bases of buildings. She saw lots of platforms and terraces at different heights to make use of the uneven land.
Drew’s notes had mentioned that archeologists had found tombs and burials in parts of the site, filled with funerary bundles, ceramics, and the knotted strings known as quipus—used for recording information. And there was also an impressive drainage system.
“Split up and take a look around,” Declan said.
Sydney nodded, and with Logan by her side, they headed in the opposite direction to Declan and the others. Ahead, she saw that one of the round buildings had been restored. The houses were circular stone walls topped by a cone-shaped thatch roof. She tried to picture all the buildings looking like this one. She imagined it would have looked reminiscent of a medieval village.
“My brother must have loved seeing this.” Sydney carefully stepped over some tumbled rocks. “All this history that so few people see. When you think of Peru, you think of Machu Picchu and the Inca. The Warriors of the Clouds are forgotten.”
Logan grunted, which she took for agreement.
They walked farther along the crumbling stone walls. There were a few people dotted here and there. Sydney checked out everyone’s faces, hoping to see the familiar blue eyes and smile of her brother.
But she didn’t spot him. She reached a point at the outer defensive wall and stared down across the valley and to the mountains beyond. The view of the cloud forests, stretching out before her, took her breath away.
“Okay?”
She nodded at Logan. “I’m wondering what Drew stumbled onto that is so important that Silk Road would come after him.” All she saw here were stone ruins. Amazing and of huge historical value, but nothing that she could think that Silk Road would want.
“Something valuable,” Logan said.
She spun. “I’ve run my own searches. There is no mythical lost treasure of the Cloud Warriors. No stories of vast fortunes. No legends of cities of gold like in other parts of the continent. They didn’t even make or use metal. Right here, at this very site, they’ve only found stone, ceramics, and fabric.”
Logan stared at her. “And yet you said the Inca feared them. That they had the power to fight back against the greatest empire in the area.”
Logan was right. The Cloud Warriors had something of value. And whatever it was had put Drew in danger.
Down in the ruins, she saw some local kids playing and laughing. They were dark-haired, and wearing brightly colored sweaters. As Sydney watched, she saw one girl staring in their direction. A second later, nimble as a gazelle, she ran toward them, leaping over the ruined stones.
As the girl reached them, she shot them a shy smile. Sydney blinked. The girl was maybe ten or eleven, and she had fair hair and freckles scattered across her nose.
Sydney went still. This girl was a descendent of the Chachapoyas.
“Señorita Granger?”
Sydney’s back went stiff. “Yes. Si .”
“ Para ti .” The girl pulled out a
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