The Oracle's Message Read Online Free PDF Page B

vitality. And I’m fairly adept at knowing when I’m in the presence of a powerful person. You fit that bill easily.”
    Spier smiled. “Thank you, my dear. I appreciate the sentiment, but I assure you the pearl’s powers would dwarf my own.”
    Annja leaned back. “Do you know where the pearl is supposed to come from?”
    Spier chuckled. “I must confess I’m a bit reluctant to tell you. I sense that you view the legend of the pearl with a bit more skepticism than I expected.”
    “Forgive me if I am being rude,” Annja said. “It’s just that over the years I’ve found a lot of supposedly powerful legends have turned out to be nothing but fantasy, usually perpetrated by someone seeking to manipulate events for their own well-being.”
    Spier said nothing for a moment but then looked at her. “But tell me something. You’ve probably found that just as many things live up to their legends…don’t they?”
    Annja smiled. “Well, you’ve got me there. I have indeed.”
    Spier nodded. “And that’s why you should keep an open mind about this, as well.”
    “Tell me more.”
    “I have heard,” Spier said, “that the pearl was reportedly created by an ancient civilization long since lost to the earth. These people inhabited a wide swath of land in the Pacific that was subsequently destroyed by volcanoes and earthquakes. They brought the pearl into being for the express purpose of using its power to rule their kingdom.”
    “And what happened?”
    “It ended up destroying them.”
    Annja nodded. “Another powerful lesson, I suppose.”
    “It would seem,” Spier said. “But one never knows exactly what may have transpired to destroy their civilization.” He grabbed at his glass and downed the remainder of the schnapps. “The pearl next shows up in the Moros history as belonging to a certain Queen Esmeralda. It was a gift given to her by one of her subjects who was enamored of the woman. Driven to prove his love and worth, he reportedly dove into the sea, swam underwater for seven days and, on the seventh day, emerged from the surf bearing the pearl.”
    “Well, that would, of course, be impossible,” Annja said.
    “Unless he grew gills,” Spier said with a laugh. “And I certainly don’t think he really did that. But the story is interesting.”
    “Did he get his woman?” Annja asked.
    Spier shrugged. “Actually, the queen, upon receiving the pearl, is said to have undergone some sort of transformation. Instead of rewarding her suitor, she had him executed.”
    “Tough love,” Annja said.
    “Indeed.” Spier sighed. “But the pearl did not stay in possession of Queen Esmeralda for very long. It seems that bad luck was destined for the Moros as the Spanish soon started visiting the Philippines.”
    Annja nodded. “I’ve read something of their conquests here.”
    “Then you know they battled the Moros and had a tough time of it in the thick jungles.”
    “Yes.”
    “But not being ones to give up, such as they were, the Spaniards eventually succeeded in wresting control of the region from the Moros. And Queen Esmeralda was taken hostage by the invaders.”
    “I assume she was meant to be a slave?”
    “Perhaps, or a bride for some lucky Spaniard,” Spier said. “Whatever the case, she bought back her freedom.”
    “With the pearl?”
    “Of course. When the leader of the Spanish heard her pleas for freedom and learned how she intended to buy her way out of captivity, he could scarcely conceal his greed at the thought of possessing the pearl.”
    “She gave it to him?”
    “Queen Esmeralda ordered her subjects to bring the pearl to the Spanish. In exchange, she was to be freed.” Spier smiled. “But in a cruel ironic twist, Esmeralda herself was betrayed by the Spanish and, instead of freeing her, they refused to let her go. After all, they now had the pearl and the queen.”
    “Nasty business,” Annja said.
    Spier continued. “Esmeralda was distraught and managed to free