cursed the weak light from her phone, unable to penetrate the blackness around her. Another burst of light flashed through the room, allowing her to see her purse lying on the kitchen table. Two steps and she had it in her hand.
She grabbed it and shoved her hand inside, looking for her more powerful flashlight. Finding it and turning it on, she dropped her now dark cell phone into the purse and then dug Finn out of a padded side pocket. Her tablet with all her research notes was in her purse too, so she closed the bag and slung it over her shoulder, wrapping Finn’s chain around her palm, clutching him in her fist.
With the bright flashlight in one hand and Finn in the other, she headed back down the stairs.
Once her slippered feet hit the packed dirt, she took a deep breath to steady herself. Honestly, she was probably just seeing things. It had been an unsettling night. Another round of thunder vibrated through the house, as if to emphasize her mental point. The air was alive with charged particles. She shone the light forward, not sure what to expect.
It was still there, illuminated clearly in the center of her light, on the large stone that stretched from floor to ceiling.
She took a step, her breath loud and harsh in her ears. She swallowed and then lifted the locket in her other hand to compare.
It was the same. Exactly.
The curvy intertwined initials on the back of the locket were etched into the stone on the wall, mirror perfect.
Impossible.
The symbol was too unique to be coincidence. What connection could F possibly have to this house? Why carve initials here too? It was so fantastic. Too amazing.
She took another two steps forward, eyes still darting back and forth between the locket clutched in her outstretched hand and the symbol on the rock, comparing just to be sure.
Yes, it really was the same.
Close enough now, she quickly looped Finn around her neck to free her hand. Lightning pulsed long and sustained, bright enough to illuminate even the dark cellar. Emme felt the hair on her arms and neck raise, prickling with electricity. Thunder vibrated heavily through the air, causing the trapdoor behind her to slam shut.
She stretched out her hand to trace the symbol on the rock, wanting to confirm with touch what her eyes already knew. That it was real.
The bristling feeling of charged electricity became stronger, magnetic, almost pulling her arm forward of its own accord. Blinking in surprise at the sensation, Emme touched the stone.
And then true disaster struck.
Emme saw a blinding flash of light and felt the strong jolt course through her, matched by crashing that threatened to burst her ears. She was pulled forward and vertigo over swept her.
She was falling, falling, falling.
And then suddenly she was not. She could feel pelting rain against her face, wind tugging at her body. A flash of light illuminated black sky as she swayed gasping in the sudden biting cold.
What had happened? Where was she?
Branches whipped at her, tugging at her nightgown now soaked through. Wrapping her arms around her chest, Emme staggered forward trying to see through the gloom, but wooden arms kept grabbing at her. Trying to catch her. Stumbling, she desperately tried to see some sort of habitation in the inky blackness, but limbs tripped her as she lurched onward.
She didn’t know how long she struggled to walk. The cold seeped deep into her bones and made dodging branches harder. A sudden pulse of lightning showed a slight clearing in the trees ahead. Maybe it would contain some sort of shelter.
She hurried forward, a buffeting gust pushing fiercely against her back. Suddenly, a loud crack sounded. Something heavy knocked her head.
And then blackness took her.
Chapter 7
Herefordshire
On the lane to Haldon Manor
Beltane
April 30, 1812
J ames was almost home. He pulled his coat tightly around his shoulders, trying to ignore the damp that seeped into his bones. He conjured the image of a hot fire
She grabbed it and shoved her hand inside, looking for her more powerful flashlight. Finding it and turning it on, she dropped her now dark cell phone into the purse and then dug Finn out of a padded side pocket. Her tablet with all her research notes was in her purse too, so she closed the bag and slung it over her shoulder, wrapping Finn’s chain around her palm, clutching him in her fist.
With the bright flashlight in one hand and Finn in the other, she headed back down the stairs.
Once her slippered feet hit the packed dirt, she took a deep breath to steady herself. Honestly, she was probably just seeing things. It had been an unsettling night. Another round of thunder vibrated through the house, as if to emphasize her mental point. The air was alive with charged particles. She shone the light forward, not sure what to expect.
It was still there, illuminated clearly in the center of her light, on the large stone that stretched from floor to ceiling.
She took a step, her breath loud and harsh in her ears. She swallowed and then lifted the locket in her other hand to compare.
It was the same. Exactly.
The curvy intertwined initials on the back of the locket were etched into the stone on the wall, mirror perfect.
Impossible.
The symbol was too unique to be coincidence. What connection could F possibly have to this house? Why carve initials here too? It was so fantastic. Too amazing.
She took another two steps forward, eyes still darting back and forth between the locket clutched in her outstretched hand and the symbol on the rock, comparing just to be sure.
Yes, it really was the same.
Close enough now, she quickly looped Finn around her neck to free her hand. Lightning pulsed long and sustained, bright enough to illuminate even the dark cellar. Emme felt the hair on her arms and neck raise, prickling with electricity. Thunder vibrated heavily through the air, causing the trapdoor behind her to slam shut.
She stretched out her hand to trace the symbol on the rock, wanting to confirm with touch what her eyes already knew. That it was real.
The bristling feeling of charged electricity became stronger, magnetic, almost pulling her arm forward of its own accord. Blinking in surprise at the sensation, Emme touched the stone.
And then true disaster struck.
Emme saw a blinding flash of light and felt the strong jolt course through her, matched by crashing that threatened to burst her ears. She was pulled forward and vertigo over swept her.
She was falling, falling, falling.
And then suddenly she was not. She could feel pelting rain against her face, wind tugging at her body. A flash of light illuminated black sky as she swayed gasping in the sudden biting cold.
What had happened? Where was she?
Branches whipped at her, tugging at her nightgown now soaked through. Wrapping her arms around her chest, Emme staggered forward trying to see through the gloom, but wooden arms kept grabbing at her. Trying to catch her. Stumbling, she desperately tried to see some sort of habitation in the inky blackness, but limbs tripped her as she lurched onward.
She didn’t know how long she struggled to walk. The cold seeped deep into her bones and made dodging branches harder. A sudden pulse of lightning showed a slight clearing in the trees ahead. Maybe it would contain some sort of shelter.
She hurried forward, a buffeting gust pushing fiercely against her back. Suddenly, a loud crack sounded. Something heavy knocked her head.
And then blackness took her.
Chapter 7
Herefordshire
On the lane to Haldon Manor
Beltane
April 30, 1812
J ames was almost home. He pulled his coat tightly around his shoulders, trying to ignore the damp that seeped into his bones. He conjured the image of a hot fire
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