Nicholas felt compelled to follow into the dark. Their actions and attitudes seemed to different that he thought he had entered some other fantastical world. He shrugged and followed. The narrow passage meandered. It smelled wet and briny. As his eyes adjusted to the dark, he heard someone behind him, and he turned around to see who it was but felt a hand grab him out of the shadow and pull him along the path. Lily led him through the passage into a large room with an opening to the sky above his head. Seven large stones lay in a circle. He saw glyphs carved into each face. Moss covered one of the stones. The floor was covered in gravel and dried, sandy mud. Between two large stones, Nicholas could see, faintly in the dark, a deep alcove with a large shape obscured in the shadows.
Lily and Violet presented the book to Nicholas, unwrapping it from its yellow cloth. He reached out and grabbed the heavy book. The four women looked at him expectantly.
The sound of footsteps in the passage caught Nicholas’ attention, and he looked to see who would enter the room. Two tall, beautiful women entered, carrying a third, also bound with rope and blindfolded. They carefully put the bound woman on the ground.