Read Online Supernatural Devices by Kailin Gow - Free Book Online

says that it is.”
    Cecilia shook her head sharply. “He is a liar then, and a thief. And you…”
    “I am just here to find out what is going on,” Scarlett promised. “What I said before is true. I really have no interest in Lord Darthmoor.”
    Cecilia snorted. “If that were true, why would you even be here?”
    “I am here because that is what I do,” Scarlett explained. “I am a detective.”
    “You are with the police?”
    Scarlett shook her head. “No, nothing like that. But I like to investigate things, and Cruces… Lord Darthmoor, is paying me to investigate the ring.”
    “I thought women in London stayed inside drinking tea,” Cecilia said. “Not going around investigating things.”
    Scarlett smiled just a little. “Sometimes we manage to do both. Although I might not get many more chances if I do not find out what happened to the ring, you understand?”
    “And you will give it back to him,” Cecilia said.
    Scarlett considered lying, but thought better of it. Instead, she nodded. “Unless there is a good reason not to.”
    “There is a reason,” Cecilia insisted. “The ring is not his.”
    “It was in his collection,” Scarlett pointed out, “and you took it from him.”
    “Just because he paid for it, that does not make it his.” Cecilia looked momentarily angry again. “He is a plunderer. A thief. That ring belongs to my people. It has been ours for many years. It is the property of royalty, not of some… collector.”
    Scarlett had heard that argument occasionally. Some people argued that even what her parents did was wrong, because they took treasures from far off places, removing them from where they belonged. But Scarlett suspected that this was different. Not least because of the nature of the artifact involved. Could it really open doors to other realities?
    “May I see the ring?” Scarlett asked.
    “You will try to steal it.”
    Scarlett shook her head. “No. You have my word. For now, I just wish to see it.”
    Cecilia hesitated for a second or two, but finally, she nodded and reached into the folds of her dress. She drew out a purple velvet bag closed with a draw string that was currently tied in a complex knot.
    “My knot,” Cecilia explained, “so that I will know if anyone else tries to open it.”
    The girl sounded quite proud of the idea, though Scarlett was not sure what would stop someone from simply taking the whole bag. Still she did not voice that thought as Cecilia carefully unpicked the knots. She tipped the contents out into the center of her palm, holding her hand flat but obviously ready to snatch it back should Scarlett try to go back on her word.
    In her hand sat a golden ring formed from a double braid of the metal, just as Scarlett had been told to expect. The word Thura , for opening, was on the inside. Why there should be Ancient Greek on something supposedly of Eastern European origin, Scarlett did not know. Was Cecilia lying? After all, it seemed to make as much sense that the ring was rightfully Cruces. He had said himself that he was not English. Could he be Greek?
    Scarlett did not get chance to make that point to Cecilia, however, because at that moment, a hand clamped over her mouth. She saw the same happen to Cecilia, while at the same time, Scarlett found herself dragged to her feet. Behind her, someone started to chant in a low, sonorous tone. Scarlett tried to turn and see what was happening, but the grip on her held her fast. While the chanting… the chanting was so soothing… so very…
    Scarlett found herself quite grateful in that moment for the presence of whoever was holding her. At least that way, it meant that, as she fell into sleep, she did not topple to the floor. She just collapsed into strong arms, already too deeply asleep to care why.

 
     
Chapter 9
     
     
    “ S carlett, wake up.”
    At the sound of Cruces’ voice, Scarlett roused herself. It was far from easy. It felt like she was dragging herself upwards from a