THE HUNTER

C H A P T E R 1

England, 1967

Ariene Seeker leaned nude against the back of her chair, relishing a joint as she watched the surface of a green-flickering computer monitor.

Her blue eyes fixed each one of the red dots symbolizing trackers, and the silence of the dimly lit room was interrupted by a steady, beeping sound of the marker points.

Since moving to the former convent building near the Trinity College in late August, not much has changed on the interior. The smelly, chalky walls were bare and partially exposed except for a small crucifix that hung in each room.

Everywhere Putz flickered crumbling to the ground, which had it's best times already behind. So things were on the back burner when the young woman had settled in the back of the cellar.

Ariene's backpack had not been overly crowded when she left France a few weeks ago. With the pay that the treasury had brought her there, she immediately rushed to her next assignment. As in the »Seeker« circle, she knew everything about treasures and relics .

The Seeker-circle innate supernatural and cognitive abilities distinguish them from those of the »people« mentioned in their world.

Ariene tapped her slender foot contentedly as she remembered the jubilant emotion she felt as she passed another find into the hands of so-called "guardians." One of the last to be precise.

At least Ariene did not know of any other member of the Guardian Circle in England. And if her worst archenemy, Hunter, had not completely wiped out the fourth circle, she would not have to invest twice as much in the treasure hunt.

Salty tears rose in her eyes. Unconsciously Ariene bit her lower lip to suppress the annoying feeling of loneliness and pain.

1. »Your circle was your family.«

2. »Your credo is your destiny.«

At that time, the four circles had lost a whole family. The entire fourth circle disappeared. The world lost its treasurer. Each Master a treasure, a secret and a living person who knew where it was buried.

But the fourth circle could not speak anymore. Was lost, hunted and killed. All secrets and treasures had to be found again.

You know where it's hidden, the treasurer had once whispered to Ariene.

The last message of her mother. Mom, Ariene thought. Will I find your treasure again? The one you kept back from the world?

From the mist of memories, she blinked bitterly, glancing impatiently at her watch. Time was always an enemy to her in the usual way, as even the Hunter never waited long, whenever a Seeker went on a treasure hunt.In this case, the clock showed just before eight. But there is no more time left.

Ariene needs to go.

She got up, grabbed a pair of crumpled jeans and a white shirt from the backpack next to her sleeping place, more or less composed of a bedstead of straw and varnish, put on a little eyeshadow and hurriedly put a bubble gum into her mouth.

She took a quick look at her blond pony, throwing the remains of the joint out of the Josephian bay windows of the basement, and took one last look at the monitor.

She was about to fill her mother with pride. Even if she could not see it anymore.

»Let it keep it like that, baby.« she breathed casually. With that, she packed the alarm into her backpack, pulled on a thin leather jacket, and slammed the door.