Read Online Pandora's Key by Nancy Richardson Fischer - Free Book Online

malignant creature was breathing just beneath the walls. The women formed a circle and began to chant in ancient Greek. The sound washed through the greenhouse like water over time-worn stones, gathering speed, energy, and power until it was a rushing river, fogging windows and making blooms and leaves quiver in resonance.
    The leader stepped into the center of the circle and nine of the women dropped to their knees—these were initiates of Pandora who had reached the age to decide whether or not to become full members and pledge their lives to the Sect. One member of Pandora walked before each of those kneeling, pulling back their hoods. As she reached the last young woman, her own hood fell back, revealing Juliette’s contemplative face. The remaining followers stepped behind the kneeling sisters’ shoulders, bracing them for what was to come. The chanting died away.
    The leader took a deep breath, releasing it in a soft sigh. “We are not Gods. We are mere mortals fulfilling the destiny that the Gods have set out before us.” She took in all the figures around her, feeling the weight of this moment. “Do you come willingly?” she asked the kneeling women.
    “We do,” they replied in one voice.
    “Will you sacrifice your life for Pandora and her descendants?”
    “We will,” answered the chorus of voices.
    “Pandora is forever,” the leader warned. “It is a beautiful and terrible gift.”
    “Forever,” the women agreed. The leader drew a curved blade with an intricate silver handle from the folds of her robe and stepped toward the first kneeling disciple, carving a P deep into her palm. Blood dripped onto the floor. She moved from disciple to disciple until every palm of the kneeling had been branded with a P, the symbol of Pandora, and the concrete was stained red.

Chapter Ten

    Juliette sat down on the edge of Malledy’s bed. “You can’t sleep?”
    Malledy shook his head. He’d been tossing and turning for hours and Juliette, always in tune with his needs, had brought him a glass of warm milk. “I’m afraid,” he admitted to his mentor, taking a sip of the milk.
    Regardless of his epiphany from earlier in the day, Malledy knew the sand was quickly draining from his hourglass. He was having more of the violent thoughts and anger Dr. Aali had warned him about and at times he could barely keep himself under control. He understood that Huntington’s was trying to worm its way into his brain. When it succeeded, it would be too late to use the artifact he currently sought to excise his disease. He would simply lack the intellectual ability because he would be insane.
    Juliette put her hand on Malledy’s arm. “You’re not going to die. Not if I can help it.”
    Malledy squeezed his mentor’s hand, striving to give her comfort because she didn’t deserve to be part of this nightmare. The idea of her becoming his caretaker—feeding him, washing him, wiping his feces when he lost all control, sickened him. He thought about telling Juliette of his epiphany, but chose not to give her what could be false hope should he fail to find Pandora’s Box in time. In addition, telling Juliette what he planned would put her in an extremely dangerous position.
    Archivists were strictly forbidden to use any artifact they discovered for personal gain. To do so would mean expulsion from the Order. And “expulsion” was the same as “removal.” If Malledy told Juliette what he planned and she didn’t stop him, then she would be an accomplice. Her life would be forfeit—same as his own. It was better to silently hope for the best but prepare both himself and his mentor for the worst. Malledy took another swallow of the warm milk and steeled himself—it was time to have the conversation he’d been avoiding, dreading.
    “Juliette, I know that you wish things were different and that you’re trying to make me feel better, but we’ve always been honest with each other, right?”
    Unable to meet Malledy’s