Artemis settled behind his rickety desk and motioned for Ridge and India to take a seat on the stools in front. As they sat, he fixed his squinty stare on India.
“I thought you had given up the search for Pagoria.”
“So I had,” she said with a shrug. “But now I have the means to locate it.”
Artemis’ eyes flew open and he leaned forward. “You shouldn’t jest with an old man.”
“I wouldn’t jest when I know how long you have studied the city.”
Artemis leaned back expelling a long breath. “My entire life I’ve collected information, praying to discern the location so I could see it with my own eyes. And now I am too old for such a venture.”
Sadness darkened his face making him appear even older than he had a few moments prior.
“So many wondrous things just waiting to be found.”
“What sort of things?” Ridge asked.
Artemis picked up an aged book and held it up. “Have you ever read this?” he asked, looking at Ridge.
Ridge leaned forward and squinted his eyes. After a moment, he reached into his pocket and drew out his spectacles. With seeming reluctance he pulled them on and looked again at the book Artemis held.
“Ah yes, the Bible. Well, of course I’ve read it. I mean not in its entirety, but I’ve certainly read passages.”
“It is said Pagoria came before it all,” Artemis said shaking the Bible at him. “And you ask what sort of things.”
“I don’t understand,” Ridge began.
Artemis cut him off. “Can you imagine standing at the door to a civilization that is as old as time itself?”
“No. I suppose I can’t,” Ridge said slowly.
India leaned forward. If she didn’t get the subject back to the matter at hand, they would be treated to one of Artemis’ hour-long lectures on all the prevailing theories about Pagoria.
“What do you know about Gabriel’s Bracelet?” she prompted.
The old man looked crestfallen at his speech being thwarted. He began shuffling through the mass of papers on his desk, mumbling under his breath and throwing sheet after sheet over his shoulder.
“Aha!” he said, waving a small book in the air with flourish.
India leaned forward as he began thumbing through the pages.
“I’ve collected these over the years, sometimes having to rely on my crude ability to reproduce the likeness from drawings I have seen.”
He shoved the book forward, tapping the page with his finger.
Ridge pushed closer to the desk, his head nearly bumping India’s as they both craned to see.
A drawing of a metal circlet was rendered on the paper, what appeared to be jewels crusting the outside. The inside was smooth in appearance, but the outside edge held an intricate pattern of dips, etchings and grooves.
“There are many, but this is the one. I’m certain,” Artemis said, tapping harder on the page.
India lifted her gaze to the old man. “How can you be certain? Has anyone ever seen the bracelet?”
He made a sound of exasperation and waved a bony finger at her. “Don’t go asking me how I know. There are some things I just know. Whether you believe me or not is up to you, but I guarantee this is the bracelet you seek.”
India glanced back down at the drawing then sideways at the viscount. He was staring at Artemis as if the man was daft. She couldn’t fault Ridge for the assumption. Artemis didn’t go to great lengths to appear the extremely intelligent man she knew him to be.
And for his other gifts. She couldn’t exactly tell the viscount that Artemis was a seer. He’d likely havehercommitted to Bedlam. But she knew better than to argue with Artemis. He’d been right too many times.
