17
Louisiana bayou, USA.
Jake looked out at the live oak trees, the frown deepening between his eyebrows. The Spanish moss had a sinister look now, as if the lacy web choked the life from its host. Leaves rustled in the breeze, and the dawn chorus of birdsong began, a reminder that the world continued to turn whatever happened next. Martin could track Naomi’s phone. They could find out who had her, get her back, but would that be enough?
He pulled the wooden box from his pocket and opened it to look at the relic. The finger bone was a sickly yellow as if it had been kept in a smoky room for generations, the wax stopper a thickened crimson. It seemed a paltry thing, but the vaults beneath ARKANE in London were filled with such objects. Many held tremendous power and had cost much to find
