DESCENDED

GOLD DUST

I come to a stop in front of a case holding a gold bracelet. And the more I stare at the bracelet, the more familiar it becomes.

That's when it hits me...

The bracelet in the case is the same as the one the woman I saw during my meditation was wearing. Even the inscription looks the same.

I reach out to touch the glass casing around the bracelet and my fingertips begin to tingle. A slight hum of energy filling the air. It begins to vibrate... as drawn to me as I am to it. The casing around the bracelet opens, startling me, and I take a cautious step back. Only, it calls to me. Almost as if it is willing me to take it.

Unable to take my eyes away, I touch the bracelet. But the moment I do, it turns into gold dust. Pulling away, I stared at the pile of gold dust in astonishment.

What the heck?

Did I do something wrong?

I thought maybe I was supposed to take it, but perhaps I was wrong. Reaching out to touch it again, I will it to become whole once more, but nothing happens.

What does this mean?

Disappointed, I turn away from it to leave, when the low humming sound returns. Stopping me in my tracks. Turning back to the gold dust, I sweep it into a cloth and shove it into my pocket. Somehow, I get the feeling this bracelet is important to me. Perhaps I'm supposed to return it to the woman I saw.

Maybe she's one of my ancestors...

"We must stay together miss Savant," Gabriel complains, startling me.

"Sorry," I smiled nervously. Following him out of the room.

We join the others who have come to a stop in a room with a large bed in it. A sign next to the bed says it's the property of one of the kings. King Louis the thirteenth.

"What we're looking for is in this room," Gabriel tells us. Then we all disperse, fanning out to find whatever this clue is.

An hour into our search, Liz stumbles upon a secret compartment in the footboard of the bed, and she pulls out what looks like a scroll. We all gather around to look at it, but it makes no sense to me.

"Now what?" I ask.

"Now you go home," Gabriel tells me. "Listen, learn, and wait."

"That's it?" I shrug. Disappointed. "I came all this way just to go home?"

"You need to be trained. And you need to learn the gospel. Amariah will have you brought up to speed."

"I know the word."

"Have you been baptized?" Sebastian asks.

Baptized?

"No," I frown. "Why? What am I? A nun."

"Make sure she knows the gospel like the back of her hand and prepare her for baptism," Gabriel instructs.

He has yet to bother to ask me what I might want. He just barks orders at me that I'm expected to follow.

Rolling up the scroll Liz found, Gabriel tucks it into his pocket. He and Sebastian stand staring at each other in silence for a moment. Which is odd. Until I realize they're communicating with their minds.

Whatever they're talking about, I'm not supposed to hear. But I don't need to tap into their conversation to know what it's about. He wants Sebastian to put some distance between us. And judging by the look on Sebastian's face, I'm willing to bet there are also some harsh words in there for him as well.