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room. Annie whimpered again. We re both in hell. Don t ye understand? Leona turned around. We re in hell, Annie, but we re going to get out. No. Annie shook her head in despair. We re trapped here until the end of time. Leona walked across the small space. She undid the top three buttons of her bodice and pulled out the red crystal pendant. Look at my necklace, Annie. Concentrate on it as hard as you can and tell me about your dreams. Annie was bewildered, but she was too exhausted to disobey. She looked at the crystal. I m in hell, she whispered. There are demons all around, but the most dreadful one of all is the scientist . . . Leona felt the familiar stirring of troubled dream energy. She focused on the small storm brewing inside the stone, channeling her own psychical currents. The crystal started to glow. THE DOOR IN the outer chamber opened again. Leona watched through the bars of her cell as two men wearing black cowled robes tromped into the room. The light glinted on the silver half-masks that covered their faces. She swallowed the sick dread that threatened to choke her and summoned up all of the acting skills that Uncle Edward had taught her. Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html Nobody mentioned that the invitation was to a costume ball, she said. Watch your tongue if you want to stay alive for the rest of the night, one of the men said. The Order does not tolerate insolence. She thought about what Hulsey had said earlier. Evidently the members of the organization required her crystal-working skills. As long as the villains needed her services, there was hope. Uncle Edward s words rang in her ears. Always think positive, Leona. It is not as if there is anything to be gained by dwelling on the negative. Evidently the Order doesn t tolerate a sense of humor, either, she said, surveying the two men through the bars. Tell me, does one go to a tailor to acquire robes and a mask like those or does one buy them ready-made in Oxford Street? Shut your mouth, you foolish woman, one of the men hissed. You have no conception of the kind of power you are playing with tonight. But you will learn soon enough, the other vowed. Rough words but spoken with upper-class accents. These two were not from the streets; their kind inhabited exclusive gentlemen s clubs. One of the pair reached inside his robe. Keys jangled. A moment later the cell door swung open, hinges grinding. The first man reached inside, grabbed her arm and hauled her out of the tiny chamber. The one with the keys hurriedly closed and locked the door. Neither of them paid any attention to Annie, who was huddled in her corner, conversing softly with herself. Brought us down here to hell, y see, she whispered. Demons everywhere. The two robed figures forced Leona through the door in the outer room and along a shadowy stone hall. Candles smoked and flickered in wall sconces. You know, you really should think about installing gas, Leona said. Candles are so old-fashioned. They give the impression that the Order is not terribly modern in its thinking. One of the men tightened his grip on her arm so violently she knew she would have bruises in the morning. Always assuming she survived until morning.No, don t think like that.She forced herself to concentrate, the way she did when she channeled dream energy.Where are you, Thaddeus? I know you re looking for me. Can you sense me? I am here. I do wish you would hurry. The situation appears to be getting somewhat dire. The two men brought her to a halt in front of an iron-and-wood door. The cowled figure on the left opened it. The other man pushed Leona into a candlelit chamber. The crystal worker, one of the men announced. Three men in robes and masks occupied a horseshoe-shaped table. There was no sign of Hulsey. Bring the woman to me, commanded the man at the head of the table. One of the men who had brought her into the room reached for her arm again. She sidestepped him neatly and walked to stand in front of the figure who had spoken. When she got closer she saw that his mask was gold. My name is Miss Hewitt, she said coldly. And I really must tell you that mature adults consider dressing up in long robes and wearing silly masks a game that is best reserved for children. Such activities do not imply any degree of maturity. There was a murmur of anger from around the table, but the leader seemed unperturbed. I applaud your spirit, Miss Hewitt, he said, amused. As it happens, you re going to need it. Do you know why you are here? No need to mention that Hulsey had said they needed her quite urgently, she decided. As cards went, it was not the highest one in the deck, but neither was it the lowest. I assume you want me to work some crystal, she said. Really, you needn t have gone to such overly dramatic lengths to obtain my services. I take appointments. I m sure I could have fit you in early next week. Tonight works much better for us, Gold Mask said. We have been informed that you can control a certain crystal known as the aurora stone. I hope, for your sake, that is true. Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html Her pulse, already racing, began to pound more heavily. I have never encountered a crystal that I could not work. This one is quite unique. It is the key to an old strongbox. If you are successful in opening the box, we of the Third Circle will be very pleased. Indeed, in future we might have more employment for you. I m always in the market for new clients. If you fail, however, you will be quite useless to us, Gold Mask concluded softly. Indeed, you will become a liability. She chose to ignore that.Think positive. I will be happy to see what I can do for you, she said briskly. I assume you are acquainted with my usual fees? There was a short, startled silence. No one had planned to pay her a fee for this night s work. That probably did not bode well. Never mind, I ll send you my bill later, she continued smoothly. Now, then, why don t you show me this aurora stone and let me see what I can do with it? Gold Mask rose. This way, Miss Hewitt. He walked toward a door. The others got up, formed a tight knot around Leona and filed after him. Gold Mask opened the heavy door, revealing another, smaller candlelit chamber. Leona felt the familiar tingle of energy from the aurora stone. She was careful to keep her expression impassive. The less the members of the Third Circle knew about her ability to work the crystal, the better. Inside the chamber an old steel chest elaborately decorated with alchemical symbols sat on a carpet. The aurora stone, dull and opaque, rested in an indentation on top. In spite of the frightening circumstances, a small rush of excitement flashed through Leona. Sybil s strongbox. For generations it had been no more than a legend among the women of her family. Doing her best to appear calm, she walked across the chamber and examined the strongbox. The thin sheet of gold that covered the lid was etched with a very familiar alchemical code. It was the code in which her mother s journal was written, the code that had been passed down to all of Sybil s daughters for two hundred years. Silently she translated the warning Sybil had left: Know ye that the aurora stone is the key. All the mysteries inside will be destroyed if the box is forced by any man s hand. Interesting, she said, as though the strongbox was nothing more than an artifact on display in a museum. She looked at Gold Mask. May I ask why you simply didn t pry open the lid? As it happens, Miss Hewitt, I am something of an expert on the code used by Sybil the Virgin Sorceress. According to the writing on the lid of that strongbox, the aurora stone is the only key that may be safely employed to open it. Damn. He was able to translate Sybil s code. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ] |
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