Clocksworth Academy
Page 17
“However, you have to admit that you, the Roses, have never been a boring family.” Eric tried to lighten the mood.
“Yes, we all have skeletons in our closets. Speaking of which, young lady, could you please tell us what on earth you were doing in my crypt? If you had not found the way to sneak in, maybe Declan would not have gotten the chance to kidnap you,” the Master pointed out with a smirk.
“Wait, what crypt?” asked Vittor, making all smile at his ignorance.
“Apparently this building has some secrets hidden even from those of us who live there. I did not know about that either,” Eric quipped.
“So, you two have just teamed up and already are working against me,” the Master concluded, his face emotionless, not giving away his thoughts.
“I hoped I could find something useful in the books in your bookcase, but somehow, I stumbled and accidentally fell on the table corner, making the door to the crypt open by itself,” said Floriana. “It is amazing. Like a museum full of artifacts from different periods of history. I was looking at a marvelous baculus with flashing emerald gems when Declan attacked me.”
“Did you see the baculus?” The Master raised an eyebrow.
“Yes, it was in a glass display, hidden behind an old typewriter.”
“And was it flashing?” he asked.
“Yes, it had four flashing emerald gems on the hilt,” Floriana explained.
“Well, what is it?” Vittor asked impatiently.
“I thought we all agreed that the root of this family’s problems lay in secrecy. Maybe it is time to change that. Grandpa, what is that baculus used for?” Vittor requested boldly, surprising his sister with his nerve at raising his voice to the Grand Master twice within a few minutes.
Floriana gave thumbs-up to Vittor before she repeated his question. “Yes, Grandpa, why was that baculus flashing?”
“Well,” the Master sighed, “the baculus is not really Rose’s family responsibility. But after what we have been through and all the horrible things secrecy caused our family, I am going to share a piece of confidential information with you. A secret only full-fledged members of the Order of the Black Rose know.”
Eric’s eyes glowed playfully, forming an expression unlike any other Floriana had ever seen on his always ready for action face.
“It is the pastoral staff the Grand Master of the Templars once bore as a mark of his jurisdictional power. It has a golden rod with a cross pattée on the hilt and four emerald stones decorating each of the four corners of the cross pattée, the distinguished Christian cross of the Knight Templars. It passes from Grand Master to Grand Master and it is the baculus that signals to us that History has been altered and that the Order must take immediate action,” the Master said. “That is the reason the baculus is kept in the crypt. Its awakening signifies a major historical moment.”
“How exactly does it work?” Floriana asked with sparkling eyes.
“That is not for you to know.” The Master smiled and winked playfully.
Not much time passed before Floriana found out how the baculus worked. It was by accident and it was nothing but her intention to reveal the secrets of the golden rod with the emerald gems. And when all was over, she wished she had never found out.
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Series Starters
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Acknowledgments
I dedicate this book in the loving memory of my grandfather, Ioannis (Yannis) Triantafyllou who passed me the love for storytelling.
Special thanks to Liana, my editor from Learning to Fly for all the work and effort she puts in my books. She’s a pleasure to work with and I couldn’t have done it without her.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Penny BroJacquie is a passionate writer, travel blogger, and life lover.
After a 20-years career working as a sports reporter for some of the largest media outlets in Greece, she decided that life is more beautiful when you work freelance.
In summer 2014, Penny BroJacquie published her first book, a travel guide called City Break In Athens.
The Undead Must Die: The Order Of The Black Rose - Book 1, was her first fiction book.
When she doesn’t write, Penny pets her dogs, cooks new recipes, and takes photos. You'll find her somewhere in Europe enjoying a cup of coffee or watching a movie.
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www.pennybrojacquie.com