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“Your goal will be very specific. Here’s the part where I need you to pay close attention.”

Melody could only imagine what she was being sent to investigate. In her short time at the Hallowed Order, she’d been witness to incredible things. As an acolyte, she’d already seen evidence of paranormal activity most people only dreamed could be real. And her ‘gift’… Xiomara had been instrumental in showing her how to use that as well. To cultivate its power. To wield skillfully it rather than fear it, even when—

“Am I boring you, Ms. Larson?”

She gulped hard and shook her head. “Um, no. No, of course not!”

“Good,” said Xiomara. She eyed her shrewdly. “Because the window of opportunity here is a small one. Small and narrow and rapidly closing. This is perhaps the only chance we’ll ever have.”

“The only chance at what?” Melody couldn’t help but ask.

“At acquiring the egg.”

Melody blinked. This time she didn’t even try to hide her confusion. “Egg?”

“Yes,” Xiomara replied. “A carved ivory egg, to be exact. The surface is chased with gold and precious metals. Inlaid with jewels. Eight inches tall, and—”

“A jeweled egg…” Melody searched her memory. “You mean like a Faberge egg?”

“Very much so,” Xiomara replied. She looked almost pleased at the reference. “Only much older. Much more valuable.”

“An egg.” The word sounded flat. Unromantic.

“A very important artifact,” Xiomara corrected her. “But yes. An egg.”

“And where do I find this… egg?”

“That we don’t fully know,” said Xiomara. “But it’ll be somewhere on the plantation. Either hidden within the Manor itself or possibly on its grounds.”

“Hidden?”

“We’re not sure,” the Head of Order admitted. “It may be hidden. It could also be in plain goddamn sight. Wherever you find it, you’re to take possession of it immediately.”

Melody’s brows knit together, forming a crease between her eyes. “So I’m stealing it?”

Xiomara’s mouth went tight. Her eyes fixated on Melody’s, darkening just a tiny bit.

/> “You’re not stealing it,” she said evenly. “Let’s just say you’re… recovering it.”

For a moment Melody was tempted to read her. To use her powers, even a little bit. Maybe she could lower Xiomara’s guard, get into her mind. Unmask whatever secrets she kept there…

“Ms. Larson,” spat Xiomara. Her tone was foreboding. Deadly serious.

“Y—Yes?”

“You’re not considering what I think you might be considering,” Xiomara seethed. “Are you?”

“No,” she answered quickly. “Never.”

“Let’s fucking hope not.”

The woman stared at her just a second longer than was comfortable before finally continuing. Lifting her arm, Xiomara held up a breathtaking jeweled pendant on a woven gold chain — the object she’d taken from the strange closet. Melody had forgotten all about it.

“This,” she said reverently, “is the Heart of Isolomara.”

The amethyst pendant dangled between them, glimmering a rich purple in the library’s warm light. Melody found herself staring it at almost hypnotically.

“It’s one of three sister jewels. Flawlessly cut, perfectly set.”