lady.
“This one is Theban; we believe it was used to write
the Liber Juratus .” She trailed her finger over the swirly
symbols that were carved into the top of the large outer wheel.
“This one is Ogham, alphabet of the Druids.” Her finger moved to
the symbols depicting straight lines layered over each other that
were carved into the second, smaller wheel. Both of those wheels
also hosted the Latin alphabet. Her fingers then trailed to the
middle circle, “and this one is Enochian, it's angel script.”
“What? As in, real angels?” Faedra asked.
The woman nodded. “We believe so, yes.”
“Wow.”
“As you are our last participants to sign in, we can
go ahead and explain to everyone how to use it,” the woman said as
she picked up a cypher wheel from the table and held it up in front
of her.
Faedra's group took a couple of steps back and joined
the other participants huddled together in small groups around
tables in the pub.
“May I have everyone's attention please?” the woman
called across the pub as she tapped a glass with a spoon. She stood
at the top of the steps in the center of the pub so that everyone
in each of the pub's three small rooms could see her.
The room fell silent and all heads turned to the
organizers.
“Shortly, we will be handing all of you your first
clue, but I need to explain to those of you who have never used a
cypher wheel how it works. It's very simple really. The clue will
be written in one of the different alphabets on the wheel. Each
clue will also have its own number. You use this number to align
the wheels correctly, allowing you to decipher the clue. Any
questions?”
Several people raised their hands and the organizers
answered their questions. They then started handing out blood-red
envelopes, with a golden falcon stamped on them, to each group.
When every group had an envelope, the lady in the blue cloak
announced that the treasure hunt had begun.
“Good luck, everyone,” she called over the din that
erupted as envelopes around the room were torn open and their
contents ripped out.
CHAPTER FOUR
Etyran ripped open their envelope with an enthusiasm
that was palpable. He was like a kid at Christmas. Faedra could
feel everyone's excitement and her smile widened. He pulled out a
piece of gold colored card that was embossed with a paragraph of
swirling letters.
The four huddled together around their clue.
“This is written in Theban,” Jocelyn stated,
comparing the letters to those on the cypher wheel.
Faedra held out the device, moving the wheel around
as Etyran held up the card for her. She called out the letters, as
they were deciphered, to Jocelyn who was writing it all down on the
notepad they were given with the cypher wheel.
When Faedra finished with the last letter, all eyes
turned to Jocelyn.
“What does it say?” Faen asked.
Jocelyn gave an excited look around at her three
cohorts who were eagerly waiting.
“It says,” she looked down at the notepad, “yards of
cloth were made here, along with chocolates to delight.
But most famously, a horse held dear, a stallion as
black as the night.
Seek the machine where words abound, for that is
where the clue will be found.”
The four looked at each other with blank expressions
for a moment before a group of giggling girls distracted them as
they exited the pub. Their clue already deciphered. Faedra could
hear them squealing even after they shut the door behind them.
“It can't be too hard if that lot figured it
out,” Faedra said, trying hard to hide her disgruntled
feelings.
“Now, now,” Faen whispered, “Be nice.” He gave her a
smirk.
“Sorry. Okay, so what do we have to go on? It's going
to be a landmark so it's got to be historical or famous. What on
earth do cloth, chocolates, words and a horse have in common?”
“Well,” Faen chimed in. “Cloth and chocolates are
made; even words are made, especially if they are made into a
book.”
Faedra clapped both hands
“This one is Theban; we believe it was used to write
the Liber Juratus .” She trailed her finger over the swirly
symbols that were carved into the top of the large outer wheel.
“This one is Ogham, alphabet of the Druids.” Her finger moved to
the symbols depicting straight lines layered over each other that
were carved into the second, smaller wheel. Both of those wheels
also hosted the Latin alphabet. Her fingers then trailed to the
middle circle, “and this one is Enochian, it's angel script.”
“What? As in, real angels?” Faedra asked.
The woman nodded. “We believe so, yes.”
“Wow.”
“As you are our last participants to sign in, we can
go ahead and explain to everyone how to use it,” the woman said as
she picked up a cypher wheel from the table and held it up in front
of her.
Faedra's group took a couple of steps back and joined
the other participants huddled together in small groups around
tables in the pub.
“May I have everyone's attention please?” the woman
called across the pub as she tapped a glass with a spoon. She stood
at the top of the steps in the center of the pub so that everyone
in each of the pub's three small rooms could see her.
The room fell silent and all heads turned to the
organizers.
“Shortly, we will be handing all of you your first
clue, but I need to explain to those of you who have never used a
cypher wheel how it works. It's very simple really. The clue will
be written in one of the different alphabets on the wheel. Each
clue will also have its own number. You use this number to align
the wheels correctly, allowing you to decipher the clue. Any
questions?”
Several people raised their hands and the organizers
answered their questions. They then started handing out blood-red
envelopes, with a golden falcon stamped on them, to each group.
When every group had an envelope, the lady in the blue cloak
announced that the treasure hunt had begun.
“Good luck, everyone,” she called over the din that
erupted as envelopes around the room were torn open and their
contents ripped out.
CHAPTER FOUR
Etyran ripped open their envelope with an enthusiasm
that was palpable. He was like a kid at Christmas. Faedra could
feel everyone's excitement and her smile widened. He pulled out a
piece of gold colored card that was embossed with a paragraph of
swirling letters.
The four huddled together around their clue.
“This is written in Theban,” Jocelyn stated,
comparing the letters to those on the cypher wheel.
Faedra held out the device, moving the wheel around
as Etyran held up the card for her. She called out the letters, as
they were deciphered, to Jocelyn who was writing it all down on the
notepad they were given with the cypher wheel.
When Faedra finished with the last letter, all eyes
turned to Jocelyn.
“What does it say?” Faen asked.
Jocelyn gave an excited look around at her three
cohorts who were eagerly waiting.
“It says,” she looked down at the notepad, “yards of
cloth were made here, along with chocolates to delight.
But most famously, a horse held dear, a stallion as
black as the night.
Seek the machine where words abound, for that is
where the clue will be found.”
The four looked at each other with blank expressions
for a moment before a group of giggling girls distracted them as
they exited the pub. Their clue already deciphered. Faedra could
hear them squealing even after they shut the door behind them.
“It can't be too hard if that lot figured it
out,” Faedra said, trying hard to hide her disgruntled
feelings.
“Now, now,” Faen whispered, “Be nice.” He gave her a
smirk.
“Sorry. Okay, so what do we have to go on? It's going
to be a landmark so it's got to be historical or famous. What on
earth do cloth, chocolates, words and a horse have in common?”
“Well,” Faen chimed in. “Cloth and chocolates are
made; even words are made, especially if they are made into a
book.”
Faedra clapped both hands