Empyreal, Book 1

Chapter 18

Sarah waited silently, peering between the shelves of dusty books toward the large oak door. Her breath caught in her throat as she heard footsteps fading down the hall - Eden must have finally left. This was her chance. She slipped out from her hiding spot, hugging the walls as she crept toward Malachi's study.

The old floorboards creaked under her steps, each one sounding as loud as thunder in the heavy silence. She paused outside the dark wooden door, her heart hammering as she glanced around. The coast was clear. With a deep breath, Sarah turned the ornate handle and let herself inside.

The study was dark and cold, lit only by thin shafts of sunlight filtering through the velvet curtains. Sarah blinked, letting her eyes adjust. Strange artifacts sat atop shelves lining the walls - ancient looking stones, curved daggers, leather-bound books with unfamiliar symbols etched into their spines. A massive oak desk stood at the back of the room, neat stacks of paper and quills scattered across its surface.

Sarah hesitated, uncertainty creeping up her spine. This felt wrong, forbidden. But she had to know more about her past, about the secrets this house held. She had come this far, there was no turning back now. Steeling herself, Sarah began rifling through the desk drawers as quietly as she could, searching for anything that might reveal who she truly was.

Sarah hurriedly rummaged through the contents of Malachi's desk, her hands trembling as they shuffled through papers and odd trinkets. The minutes ticked by painfully slow as she scoured for any clue that might unlock the mysteries surrounding her past.

Just as frustration began to set in, her fingers brushed against something smooth - a pendant, its silver chain coiled neatly beneath a stack of documents. Sarah carefully extracted it, holding the crescent moon-shaped amulet up to examine it more closely.

The moment her eyes fell upon the intricate celestial etching, an electric jolt seemed to course through her body. Though she had never seen this necklace before, it felt eerily, hauntingly familiar. Like a half-forgotten memory buried deep within her psyche that was struggling to resurface.

Sarah stood frozen, transfixed by the pendant as scattered images flashed through her mind...a woman's gentle smile, the scent of jasmine on the night breeze, the comforting glow of the moon overhead as a melodic voice whispered to her.

She strained to grasp the fleeting fragments, to stitch them into something coherent. But the more she tried, the more the visions seemed to slip away like smoke through her fingers.

After what felt like an eternity, Sarah let the pendant fall back to her chest, still at a loss. She had found something meaningful, she was sure of it. But its true significance continued to elude her.

Sarah's breath caught in her throat as the sound of approaching voices drifted through the study's closed door. She could make out the smooth baritone of Malachi engaged in conversation with someone else - one of his servants, perhaps. They were drawing nearer with each passing second.

Panic flared within her. If Malachi discovered her here, rifling through his private belongings...

Sarah's gaze darted wildly around the room, searching for somewhere to conceal herself. The window was not an option - it was at least a two story drop to the ground below. Hiding under the desk would leave her exposed.

Finally, her eyes fell upon a carved mahogany wardrobe in the corner. Holding the pendant tight in her fist, Sarah rushed over and pulled open the wardrobe's creaking doors. The interior was empty except for a few moth-eaten coats. It would have to do.

She clambered inside, pulling the doors almost completely closed behind her. The wardrobe smelled of cedar and dust, the air was hot and stale. But she hardly dared to breathe as the study door swung open, heavy footsteps crossing the room toward the desk.