The portal swung open without warning, nearly pitching her headfirst into the room.
“She’s here!” Cassie called to someone behind her. “Oh Jeez!” I’m sorry, Faye. I didn’t mean to knock you off your feet.” She caught the old woman as she toppled forward.
Faye’s hand had involuntarily flown to her chest at the unexpected welcome. “Just a slight turn, my dear. That’s all.” Before she knew what was happening, the two other members of Cassie’s field team had flanked her. Griffin took her right elbow and Erik her left, propelling her into the main hall.
The schoolroom was devoid of life, the round table empty though dust free. Her chair of office was stowed against the back wall. How different from the cacophony that prevailed in this chamber during a meeting of the Concordance.
“We’re going to be leaving for the airport in a little while,” Cassie explained. “But we wanted to be here to... um...” The pythia shot her companions a furtive look. “To say goodbye,” she finished brightly.
“Smooth.” Erik sounded sarcastic.
Faye’s suspicions were aroused. “What’s going on?” She peered at each of the three faces in turn. They all assumed blank expressions.
“Nothing,” Griffin said a bit too innocently. “Nothing at all. Please step this way.”
The old woman decided not to challenge their strange behavior. She allowed herself to be led to the elevator and down into the vault. When they disembarked, Faye made a move toward the chatelaine’s office.
“No, not there,” Cassie blurted out.
The paladin once more gave her a dirty look.
“But I have a meeting with Maddie,” Faye protested.
“Um... Maddie’s not in her office.” Cassie retorted quickly. “She told us to bring you someplace else.”
“I hope she isn’t in the chimney,” Faye protested. “I don’t believe my old legs are up to the challenge of that spiral staircase.”
“No, she’s not in the chimney,” Cassie countered. “There won’t be any stairs, scout’s honor.”
“Very well.” Faye knew something funny was going on, but she decided to play along. “Lead on.”
They didn’t turn down the row of desks in the main vault with its barking dogs, napping cats, and squawking parrots. They didn’t head for the Continent rooms which housed the records of all the Arkana’s troves around the globe. In fact, they turned their backs entirely on the main chamber with its trickling waterfalls and artificial sky.
The trio guided Faye down the corridor that led to Cassie’s office. The pythia’s door was ajar, and Faye glimpsed the quartz wall panels glowing softly over sheets of falling water, but they didn’t stop there either. The little band continued farther on to another door and halted abruptly in front of it.
“Just a second.” Cassie came to stand behind Faye. She put her hands on the old woman’s shoulders and positioned her so she was facing the closed door. Then she placed her hands over Faye’s eyes. “No peeking,” she cautioned.
“What on earth...” the memory guardian murmured but didn’t resist.
“OK, guys.”
Faye could hear the door being opened and the flick of a light switch.
Cassie removed her hands. “Surprise!”
Faye blinked. “My goodness. What is this?”
“It’s your new home-away-from-home.” Cassie took her by the hand and drew her into the room. “You like?”
“It was Maddie’s idea,” Erik explained.
“Hannah’s presence at your home has made the farmhouse an inconvenient venue for our group meetings,” Griffin added. “Since the girl still doesn’t know about Erik and me, nor about the scope of the relic hunt, we’ve had to keep our distance. The only logical place to meet with you is here at the vault. Although you have the reception room upstairs, Maddie thought you might like a space that’s less formal. A place you could call your own.”
Faye smiled. “Well, this certainly feels like home to me.”
The room was outfitted as a cozy parlor circa 1900. A plush purple armchair complete with antimacassar was angled in one corner of the room. It was flanked by a small occasional table. Behind it stood a brass floor lamp with a fringed shade.
Faye’s eyes were drawn to the two windows on the opposite wall. Daylight slanted warmly through lace curtains and left bright squares on the plush oriental carpet. “We’re still underground, aren’t we?” the old woman asked cautiously.
Cassie clapped her hands in delight. “Isn’t it fantastic? Same principle as the ceiling in the Central Archive. It’s set on a timer to mimic sunlight at this time of year, but if you want a moonrise, you can have that too.” The pythia walked over to the wall panel between the windows and twisted a dimmer switch. Immediately, the sun outside set and the floor was bathed in moonlight.
“Remarkable,” Faye murmured.
“In deference to your love of nature,” Griffin observed. “It seemed fitting that your parlor should have windows.”
Cassie readjusted the lighting and sunlight returned.
The old woman shifted her attention to the right of the armchair where a walnut mantel topped with porcelain figurines surrounded a fireplace.
Apparently noticing the direction of Faye’s gave, Cassie said, “It works, and you don’t need to haul wood either. Just turn the key on the side. See.” The pythia bent and turned a metal key protruding from the base of the mantel. Instantly, flames fanned out around the ceramic log.
“Oh, my stars!” Faye exclaimed, impressed. “How convenient.”
Griffin drew her attention past the fireplace to a floor to ceiling bookcase sparsely filled with volumes. “We thought it best to leave the selection of reading material up to you,” he remarked.
The side of the room adjoining the bookcase was taken up by a large camelback sofa with mahogany ball and claw feet.
“Look familiar?” Erik grinned. “It’s almost like the one at your house. So’s the armchair.”
“You must have gone to a great deal of trouble to set this up,” Faye murmured. She crossed the thick carpet and ran her hand over the upholstered chair. “My goodness, this fabric feels like my chair at home.”
“It wasn’t easy,” Cassie said. “We had to go to the Merchandise Mart to get the pieces custom-made.”
“The idea of the room
