At that moment, Chris strolled up the block with Sarah at his side. “Is the party over already?” he asked.
“No, I think they’re setting out dessert. Why don’t you go on in?” Cassie suggested.
“Time we went back too before your boyfriend has a nervous breakdown,” Erik counseled archly.
Cassie regarded him a moment longer. “Whatever the reason for your one-man intervention, this is a gift horse I’m not about to look in the mouth.” She pulled him into a hug. “Thanks, dude.”
“No problem, toots.”
They followed Chris and Sarah back to the house.
***
Half an hour later, the party began to break up. The cherry pie had been demolished. Daniel and company departed for a power shopping trip to the city. Zach and Hannah wandered off to the far side of the garden to exchange sweet nothings. Faye and Maddie sat beneath the pergola, discussing Arkana business. Erik made his farewells, glancing pointedly at Cassie as he left.
The pythia stood up and held out her hand. “Griffin, can we go inside and talk?”
The scrivener paled at the suggestion, a shadow crossing his face. “If you wish.”
As they walked past the end of the table, Faye called out, “Cassie dear, would you carry this into the parlor, please? I’d like to examine it more closely this evening after everything quiets down.” The memory guardian held out the Sage Stone.
Cassie took it and contemplated the lackluster object with a shrug. “All that fuss and it turned out to be nothing but a lump of rock after all.”
She drew Griffin to the front of the house, pausing to lay the artifact on the end table next to Faye’s plum armchair.
The scrivener stood in the middle of the room, regarding the pythia cautiously. “What did you and Erik have to say to one another?” His attempt to sound casual proved unconvincing.
“Nothing important,” Cassie countered. “I’d rather talk about something else.”
“Oh, yes? What might that be?”
“The conversation you and I never got to finish in Sweden.”
“Now?” Griffin’s eyes flew open in wild alarm. “You want to talk about that now? But I... I haven’t had time to prepare. I haven’t thought about what to—”
She gently pushed him backwards into Faye’s armchair and then dropped onto his lap.
He stared at her in shock.
“Why don’t I cut to the chase?” Cassie leaned in and kissed him. When their lips parted several moments later, she asked, “Was that what you were trying to tell me?”
Recognition dawned brightly in his eyes. He reached up to caress her cheek. “By comparison, I recall using far too many words.”
“Just for the record, you were going to say you’re in love with me, weren’t you?”
He nodded mutely, too overcome to speak.
“Just for the record, I’m in love with you too.”
He drew her head toward his, about to kiss her again, when she sat bolt upright.
“Did you hear that?”
“Hear what,” he murmured, still intent on another kiss.
“A sound coming from...” Cassie swiveled her head. “There.” She pointed to the object on the end table.
“Good grief!” the scrivener gave a start. “It’s glowing.”
The core of the dead black rock had begun to emit an incandescent aura. Waves of golden light danced across its surface.
“It isn’t just glowing. It’s whispering something.”
Cassie held the Sage Stone up to her ear, but all she could discern was an echo—like ocean waves in a conch shell. “I can’t make it out. What did the Minoan legends say this thing was supposed to do?”
“It purportedly offered them advice—providing guidance on difficult questions.”
“So, it’s a Minoan magic eight ball?” Cassie shook it slightly.
“Not Minoan anymore if it’s begun to speak to the Arkana.”
She held it up to her ear again. “It still sounds like waves crashing on the shore.”
Griffin removed the stone from her hand and placed it back on the table. “Perhaps Faye was right. After sleeping for three millennia, the Sage Stone may be a bit sluggish. It’s bound to regain its voice in due course. For the present...” He turned Cassie’s face back toward him. “I’m sure we can find some way to occupy ourselves.”
As Cassie sank into the depths of their next kiss, she felt a presence hovering beside her shoulder. The Minoan priestess had raised her hands in benediction—an affirmation of life that refused to stay buried beneath the wreckage of time. The pythia could sense that her ancient guardian was smiling.
GLOSSARY OF NAMES
Key to books in the series:
GK – The Granite Key
MM – The Mountain Mother Cipher
DW – The Dragon’s Wing Enigma
DD – Riddle of the Diamond Dove
JL – Into the Jaws of the Lion
SH – Secrets of the Serpent’s Heart
Abraham Metcalf – Prophet and autocratic leader of the Blessed Nephilim. In his seventies.
Annabeth – Third wife of Daniel. Nervous and high-strung. Wants to improve her position in the Nephilim hierarchy by birthing more children.
Archwarden – Leader of a Nephilim satellite compound.
Arkana – Secret organization whose mission is to retrieve and protect the artifacts of lost pre-patriarchal civilizations around the globe.
Blessed Nephilim – Fundamentalist religious cult which traces its lineage to the Nephilim of the Bible. They practice polygamy, live in isolated compounds, and maintain a strict separation from the rest of the world.
Bones of the Mother – Collection of Minoan artifacts which have been hidden among the ruins of forgotten civilizations on every continent. Each artifact provides clues to the location of the next relic. Collectively, they will lead to the location of the Sage Stone.
Brother Andrew – Elderly convert to the Blessed Nephilim with previous experience as an herbalist. Prepares questionable medicines for Metcalf.
Cassie Forsythe – Psychic with the ability to touch an artifact and relive scenes from its past. She succeeds to the title of pythia within the Arkana after the murder of her sister. Nineteen-year-old college freshman at the beginning of the story.
Central Catalog – Abandoned rural schoolhouse outside the Chicago metro area which contains the records of Arkana troves throughout the world. Also known as “the Vault.”
Chatelaine – Arkana honorary title meaning “castle protector and keeper of the keys.” Rank conferred on Maddie in recognition of distinguished service (DD). This title carries with it voting privileges within the Circle.
Chief Scrivener – Person responsible for managing the records of the Arkana Central Catalog. The title is currently held by Griffin. His rank was elevated to Right Honorable Chief Scrivener in recognition of distinguished service (DD). This title carries with it voting privileges within the Circle.
Chopper (Orvis) Bowdeen – Mercenary and friend of Leroy Hunt. Hired by Abraham Metcalf to provide weapons training to the Nephilim and set up surveillance systems at all Nephilim compounds around the world.
Chris (David Christian) – Librarian at the Chicago Public Library who assists Daniel with his research and becomes his friend.
Circle – Governing body of the Arkana.
Concordance – General Council of the Arkana.
Consecrated Bride – Nephilim term for married women within the cult.
Daniel Metcalf – Lesser son of Abraham whose skill with ancient languages has made him an unwilling participant in the quest to find the Bones of the Mother.
Diviner – Title given to the prophet of the Nephilim. A role currently occupied by Abraham Metcalf.
Dr. Rafi Aboud – Foreign doctor with a mysterious past who has been hired by Abraham to perform experiments at a secret laboratory. The purpose of his experime
nts is known only to the diviner.
Erik – Martial arts and weapons expert, in his mid-twenties. His job is to protect the pythia on field assignments and arrange for the safe transportation of artifacts. His title is security coordinator.
Fallen – Term used by the Nephilim to describe inhabitants of the outer world. Anyone who doesn’t belong to the cult.
Faye – Elderly leader of the Arkana. She holds the title of memory guardian. Her age is unknown, but it may exceed normal human limits.
Field Agent – Operatives of the Arkana deployed around the globe who handle artifact retrievals. Individuals tasked with assisting in the retrieval of Bones of the Mother. In order of appearance: Fred (Turkey-MM), Rabten and Rinchen (Tibet-JL, China-SH).
Griffin – Chief Scrivener. He is responsible for cataloguing all artifacts collected in troves around the world. British and in his early twenties, he has an eidetic memory.
Hannah Curtis – Teenage bride of Daniel Metcalf who is subsequently reassigned to marry his father, Abraham. Runaway who has found shelter with Faye.
Joshua Metcalf – Daniel’s biological brother and competitor for Abraham’s favor. Appointed by the diviner as head of the Order of Argus.
Leroy Hunt – Mercenary currently on the payroll of the Nephilim. His job is to protect Daniel as they attempt to retrieve the Bones of the Mother. He has no conscience and a taste for violence.
Maddie – Short-tempered, chain-smoking operations director of the Arkana. She manages day-to-day global affairs.
Matristic Civilizations – Arkana term for ancient goddess-worshipping societies which thrived without military fortifications, rigid social hierarchies, male dominance, or career warfare.
Memory Guardian – Faye’s title as head of the Arkana.
Mother Rachel – Principal wife of the diviner. Highest ranking consecrated bride of the Blessed Nephilim.
Operations Director – Maddie’s title as manager of global operations for the Arkana.
Operatives – Members of Blessed Nephilim satellite communities assigned to help Daniel in the field. In order of appearance: Nikos (Crete-GK), Ilhami (Turkey-MM), Sergio (Spain-DW), Mohammed (Egypt and Sudan, DD), Yu (China-SH).
Order of Argus – Secret intelligence organization within the Nephilim. Abraham’s eyes and ears among the congregation.
Overlord Cultures – Arkana term for male-dominated warrior cultures fixated on territorial expansion through conquest and exploitation of indigenous inhabitants.
Paladin - Arkana honorary title meaning “the pythia’s defender.” Rank conferred on Erik in recognition of distinguished service (DD). This title carries with it voting privileges within the Circle.
Pythia – Title currently held by Cassie. The official seer of the Arkana. Her rank was elevated to Right Honorable Pythia in recognition of distinguished service (DD). This title carries with it voting privileges within the Circle.
Rhonda – Antique store owner and Sybil’s former business partner. Surrogate big sister to Cassie.
Sage Stone – Mythical Minoan relic which is reputed to possess great power. Nephilim prophecy reveals that this relic must be acquired by Abraham if his secret plan to orchestrate a global apocalypse is to succeed.
Scion – Nephilim title given to the diviner’s successor and heir-apparent. Daniel currently holds the position.
Scouts – Operatives of the Arkana deployed around the world to ferret out undiscovered matristic civilizations and potential new trove sites. In order of appearance: Bobbye Johnson (Botswana-DD), Oluoma Okoli (Nigeria-DD).
Security Coordinator – Title originally held by Erik. He reports to the operations director.
Sentinel – Watchers posted by the ancient Minoans to guard the location of each artifact until the arrival of the Arkana team. In order of appearance: Iker Mendiluze (Spain-DW), Elle (China-SH).
Sybil Forsythe – Cassie’s sister. Late pythia of the Arkana.
Trove – Arkana collection point for artifacts related to a specific geographic region or culture.
Trove Keeper – Person appointed to manage the collection of artifacts at a particular location or trove. In order of appearance: Xenia Katsouros (Minoan-GK), Aydin Ozgur (Anatolian-MM), Stefan Kasprzyk (Kurgan-MM), Thea Xara (Maltese-DW), Ortzi Exteberri (Basque-DW), Ochanda Exteberri (Basque-DW), Grace Littlefield (Haudenosaunee-DW), Michel Khatabi (Berber-DD), Sophie Khatabi (assistant, Berber-DD), Dee Pandala (Malabar-JL), Zhang Jun (Hongshan-SH).
Tyro – Title which refers to an apprentice agent of the Arkana. In order of appearance: John (Sudan-DD), Zachary (Vault-JL), Zhang Rou (China-SH).
Vault – Another name for the Central Catalog.
Vlad – Broker for shady arms deals. Aboud’s ally in finding a buyer for weaponized pneumonic plague.
Zachary – Faye’s teenage descendent—often referred to as her “great-great-something-or-other grandson.” He has joined the Arkana as a tyro.
SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY
The treasure hunt and cast of characters in this series are purely fictional, but the underlying historical assumptions are based on new theories about our distant past. I am indebted to the authors mentioned in the following pages for having the courage to challenge cultural beliefs that we’ve accepted without question for far too many generations. I would encourage readers who want to delve more deeply into these topics to have a look at the works cited in the bibliography.
Barnes, Craig S. In Search of the Lost Feminine: Decoding the Myths That Radically Reshaped Civilization. Golden, CO: Fulcrum Publishing, 2006.
Biaggi, Cristina, ed. The Rule of Mars: Readings on the Origins, History and Impact of Patriarchy. Manchester, CT: Knowledge, Ideas & Trends, 2006.
Davis-Kimball, Jeannine. Warrior Women: An Archaeologist's Search for History's Hidden Heroines. New York: Grand Central Publishing, 2003.
DeMeo, James. Saharasia: The 4000 BCE Origins of Child Abuse, Sex-Repression, Warfare and Social Violence, In the Deserts of the Old World. 2nd Edition. Ashland, OR: Natural Energy Works, 2006.
Eisler, Riane. The Chalice And The Blade. New York: Harper & Row, 1988.
Fagan, Brian. The Long Summer: How Climate Changed Civilization. New York: Basic Books, 2003.
Gadon, Elinor W. The Once & Future Goddess. San Francisco: Harper San Francisco, 1989.
Gimbutas, Marija. The Civilization of the Goddess: The World of Old Europe. San Francisco: Harper San Francisco, 1991.
__________ The Gods and Goddesses of Old Europe, 7000-3500 B.C. Myths, Legends, Cult Images. London: Thames and Hudson, 1974.
__________ The Language of the Goddess. San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1989.
__________ The Living Goddesses. edited and supplemented by Miriam Robbins Dexter. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1999.
Lerner, Gerda. The Creation of Feminist Consciousness: From the Middle Ages to Eighteen-Seventy. New York: Oxford University Press, 1994.
__________ The Creation of Patriarchy. New York: Oxford University Press, 1987.
Miles, Rosalind. Who Cooked the Last Supper: The Women's History of the World. New York: Three Rivers Press; 2001.
Morgan, Elaine. The Descent of Woman: The Classic Study of Evolution. London, UK: Souvenir Press, 2001.
Naranjo, Claudio. Healing Civilization. Nevada City, CA: Gateways Books & Tapes, 2010.
Ryan, William and Walter Pitman. Noah's Flood: The New Scientific Discoveries About The Event That Changed History. New York: Simon & Schuster; 2000.
Sanday, Peggy Reeves. Female Power and Male Dominance: On the Origins of Sexual Inequality. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1981.
__________ Women at the Center: Life in a Modern Matriarchy. New York: Cornell University Press, 2004.
Sjoo, Monica. The Great Cosmic Mother: Rediscovering The Religion of the Earth. New York: HarperOne, 1987.
Stone, Merlin. When God Was A Woman. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1978
__________ Ancient Mirrors
of Womanhood. Boston: Beacon Press, 1984.
AUTHOR BIO
"There's a 52% chance that the next Dan Brown will be a woman ... or should we just make that 100% now?" --Kindle Nation Daily
Nancy Wikarski is a fugitive from academia. After earning her Ph.D. from the University of Chicago, she became a computer consultant and then turned to historical mystery and adventure fiction writing.
She is a member of Mystery Writers of America, the Society of Midland Authors, and has served as vice president of Sisters in Crime - Twin Cities and on the programming board of the Chicago chapter. Her short stories have appeared in Futures Magazine and DIME Anthology, while her book reviews have been featured in Murder: Past Tense and Deadly Pleasures.
Her novels include the Victorian Chicago Mysteries set in 1890s Chicago. The series has received People's Choice Award nominations for best first novel and best historical. The seven-volume Arkana Archaeology Adventure Series is an Amazon bestseller.
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