About PANDORA’S KEY
“With vivid imagery, compelling characters and plenty of bursts of action, this first novel weaving mythology and contemporary teenage troubles is thrillingly memorable!
[In] this fresh, intriguing novel, Fischer is clearly laying the groundwork for a trilogy that will successfully continue to bring ancient mythology forward into a modern tale of self discovery…[and] Fischer’s fast pacing and numerous plot twists are sure to keep the reader turning the pages…”
—Kirkus Indie
When everything you believed about yourself is a lie, how do you unlock the truth?
Evangeline Theopolis has nightmares about the violent deaths of women she has never met. Her single mother suffers delusions she can’t hide. And Malledy, a brilliant young man, has a disease that will leave him paralyzed and insane. Their lives are about to collide.
On Evangeline’s 16th birthday her mother gives her a necklace with an antique key charm—a family heirloom, though no one knows what the key unlocks. Everything changes. Her mom is hospitalized. Her godmother attempts murder. An ancient Order tries to kill Evangeline, and a lethal Sect to kidnap her.
Nothing makes sense—especially Evangeline’s own face, which has morphed from geeky to eerily stunning; the ancient key that feels strangely alive against her skin; and the magical abilities she begins to possess.
Evangeline must use her wits and supernatural powers to fight her deadly adversaries and discover her true identity. But can she accept who she really is and save the world?
Praise for PANDORA’S KEY
“With vivid imagery, compelling characters and plenty of bursts of action, this first novel weaving mythology and contemporary teenage troubles is thrillingly memorable!
[In] this fresh, intriguing novel, Fischer is clearly laying the groundwork for a trilogy that will successfully continue to bring ancient mythology forward into a modern tale of self discovery…[and] Fischer’s fast pacing and numerous plot twists are sure to keep the reader turning the pages…”
—Kirkus Indie
“In this inventive debut installment of The Key Trilogy, an Oregon girl’s life is uprooted by the discovery of her pivotal role in a prophecy stemming from Greek mythology… Surprising twists add to the story’s intrigue. The co-author of several sports autobiographies, Fischer hits her stride in this quick-paced novel.”
—Publishers Weekly
“Never have I seen a book take over my classroom like this one did… I haven’t seen this much enthusiasm since [my] students read The Hunger Games Trilogy… “
—Sandra K. Stiles (5 stars, Amazon)
“In Pandora’s Key the story of Evangeline moves along quite quickly, a wonderful thing after reading so many books with slow starts. Hearing about the mythology of Pandora and Pandora’s Box was a treat. The entire story was well written and there wasn’t a dull moment to be found…While this story wrapped up the beginning, there is still so much more that can be had in continuing the series and I would love to see where it goes.”
—Jessica for Book Sake
“Pandora’s Key was a wonderful spin on Greek Mythology. The characters were engaging and there were twists and unexpected turns throughout the book.”
—The Norman Howard School (5 stars, Amazon)
“A great read for the young to not-so-young readers alike. Fischer has a captivating imagination and wonderful story telling ability. This book will throw you an unexpected twist just when you think you figured it out. I can’t wait for the next two!”
—Castine 207 (5 stars, Amazon)
“Pandora’s Key is Greek mythology with a suspenseful, modern twist. This story hooked me from chapter one, and then again, and again with each consecutive chapter. Evangeline (heroine) is super cool… a seemingly normal girl thrust into a freaky, twisted, almost unbelievable adventure. Except it’s written in such a way that it feels like it could really happen. You won’t put this one down…I didn’t. Can’t wait for the next story in the trilogy!”
—MythGal (5 stars, Amazon)
“I’m a big fan of mythology, so I was intrigued by the opening chapters and immediately I was hooked. This book is wildly entertaining, imaginative and creative—the twisting plot propels the reader to the end. It’s perfect for teens but also for adults who enjoy a great fantasy with lots of symbolism and interesting characters. Definitely worth the read!”
—KM (5 stars, Amazon)
“I simply couldn’t put Pandora’s Key down. It was a pleasure to read such a beautifully written novel in this genre of coming-of-age fantasy thrillers. It’s a bit like Dan Brown meets Twilight with a mythological twist. I would recommend this book to teenagers and adults alike who appreciate strong heroines, suspense and unexpected twists.”
—A McKenna (5 stars, Amazon)
“I really loved this book! While the story is supernatural, it’s believable. It’s a page turner—fast paced and never boring or drawn out. I’m ready for Book #2! Hope it comes out soon!”
—Lisa A. Mitchell (5 stars, Amazon)
“I couldn’t put down Pandora’s Key. It’s the kind of book you try to avoid the ending of, so you can just keep reading it. I loved this book and I would definitely recommend it to friends.”
—Emily Whitfield (5 stars, Amazon)
“Pandora’s Key is a delightfully magical story about two separate peoples’ lives and how they end up intertwining. Once the background is established…the book becomes spellbinding. The words just flow! From young teens through adults, all aspects of the story are clearly understandable. The Greek mythology in the prologue serves as a hint of where this inspiration began. I am a retired educator and I loved this book!”
—Peter (5 stars, Amazon)
“When I first started to read this book there was no way I was going to put it down. The story sucks you in and when something sad or scary happens you feel the emotion, too. Pandora’s Key has a range of everything, from mystery to romance it creates detail of the characters and you feel like you are there with all of them.”
—Lucy B (5 stars, Amazon)
“For any teen that enjoys action, suspense and mythology, Pandora’s Key is the perfect read. With compassionate characters and exciting plot twists, it truly kept me on the edge of my seat. Pandora’s Key is action packed, filled with magic, and has just the right amount of romance mixed in to make it a wonderful coming of age tale.”
—Abby Dennis (5 stars, Amazon)
“The thing that strikes me most about Pandora’s Key is that it’s such a sophisticated YA book that I’m 40 and couldn’t put it down. Seriously, I read it in three hours and can’t wait for the next book in The Key Trilogy. Fischer’s debut urban fantasy novel seamlessly blends Greek mythology with a gritty, modern world. There’s something for everyone—a teenage girl coming of age and forced to accept a terrible gift and burden; a doctor drowning from loss and struggling to find something to believe in; and an antagonist who is brilliant, desperate and devolves into pure evil. There was enough magic, ancient curses, Gods and Goddesses and powerful talisman to create a story that travels at a breakneck pace. Bravo Nancy Richardson Fischer—now get busy writing the sequel!”
—Ashley Anderson (5 stars, Amazon)
“This story is highly addictive… I must say, I didn’t expect to be so emotionally invested in the storyline. I cried, bit my nails down to the cuticle, and held my breath until I simply had to put the book down to find release. But I couldn’t keep it down for long, because I simply had to know what would happen next. I’m currently in a state of impatience; anxiously awaiting the sequel in The Key Trilogy.”
—Katrina (Kindred Dreamheart, 4 stars, Goodreads)
“[Pandora’s Key] had a complex plot
that was woven expertly and subtly. In terms of pace, this book moved very quickly… I thought the characters were fantastic! They were realistic and three-dimensional and I loved learning about them from their own perspective as well as through the eyes of others… I think the real genius with this book lies in the delivery… I will DEFINITELY read the rest of the series! The characters were enthralling, the story fantastically told, and there were lots of twists and unexpected surprises to keep me on my toes! All in all, this makes for a great read! I can’t wait for the next book to come out!”
—Jeanette (5 stars, Goodreads)
“I love the Greek mythology. I love the storyline. I love the characters.”
—Chey (5 stars, Goodreads)
“I could not put [Pandora’s Key] down… It was brilliant… I found myself holding my breath while reading because there were so many twists [and] I didn’t know what was going to happen… Nancy is such a great author and she has a way of hooking you to the story… [she] is definitely an author to look out for. Pandora’s Key is such a great book and all mythology fans will love it.”
—OCD Kay (K-Books, 4 stars, Goodreads)
“I thought [Pandora’s Key] was very well written and well thought out. It kept me on the edge of my seat… and stayed on my mind when I had to put it down. An intriguing twist of plots where you were constantly wondering who was friend and who was foe… I really appreciated this unique take on an ancient legend.”
—Alison W (4 stars, Goodreads)
“From the first page of Pandora’s Key, Nancy Richardson Fischer grabs your attention…Every reader will find themselves lost in this book…Fischer successfully captures the readers’ attention, with endless action and unusual twists and turns that never let you go.”
—Katheryn36 (5 stars, Goodreads)
“Everything about Pandora’s Key is intriguing, from the title to the last word.”
—Shannon (5 stars, Goodreads)
“Prepare to be disappointed! You are going to want to read the other books in this trilogy and they are not in print yet! This is a story based on Greek mythology with a paranormal flavor… In a field of YA books, this one stands out. It is a refreshing change of pace from vampires. This one is not just another Twilight wannabe!”
—Glenda Christianson (5 stars, Goodreads)
“This book was so fantastic it left my brain paralyzed.”
—Emilija (5 stars, Goodreads)
PANDORA’S KEY
NANCY
RICHARDSON
FISCHER
THE KEY TRILOGY • BOOK ONE
Contents
Dedication • Epigraph
Prologue • Chapter One • Chapter Two • Chapter Three • Chapter Four • Chapter Five • Chapter Six • Chapter Seven • Chapter Eight • Chapter Nine • Chapter Ten • Chapter Eleven • Chapter Twelve • Chapter Thirteen • Chapter Fourteen • Chapter Fifteen • Chapter Sixteen • Chapter Seventeen • Chapter Eighteen • Chapter Nineteen • Chapter Twenty • Chapter Twenty-one • Chapter Twenty-two • Chapter Twenty-three • Chapter Twenty-four • Chapter Twenty-five • Chapter Twenty-six • Chapter Twenty-seven • Chapter Twenty-eight • Chapter Twenty-nine • Chapter Thirty • Chapter Thirty-one • Chapter Thirty-two • Chapter Thirty-three • Chapter Thirty-four • Chapter Thirty-five • Chapter Thirty-six • Chapter Thirty-seven • Chapter Thirty-eight • Chapter Thirty-nine • Chapter Forty • Chapter Forty-one • Chapter Forty-two • Chapter Forty-three • Chapter Forty-four • Chapter Forty-five • Chapter Forty-six • Chapter Forty-seven • Chapter Forty-eight • Epilogue
Acknowledgments • About the Author • More by This Author
Coming Soon From Nancy Fischer Richardson
Copyright
This book is for Henry—
my best friend, husband, and partner in adventure and magic.
“We must be willing to let go of the life we planned so as to have the life that is waiting for us.”
—Joseph Campbell
Prologue
Thousands of years ago the Gods and Goddesses of Mount Olympus created the first woman and named her Pandora. Each God gave Pandora a magical gift. Aphrodite, Goddess of Love and Beauty, bestowed beauty. Poseidon, God of the Sea, bequeathed black pearls so Pandora would never drown. Haephestus, God of Fire and Metalworking, gave Pandora the ability to create reality from imagination. Apollo, God of the Sun and the Arts, granted her musical prowess. Athena, the warrior Goddess, contributed the ability to kill, and Demeter, Goddess of the Harvest, tempered that attribute with healing powers. The Messenger God, Hermes, gave Pandora the trait of cunning.
Not to be outdone, Zeus, King of the Gods, gave Pandora two gifts. First, he endowed her with curiosity. And, second, he gave her an intricately carved gold box that emanated a soft rose-colored glow as a gift for mankind designed to punish them for accepting stolen fire from Mount Olympus. The box was filled with five Furies: Plagues, Natural Disasters, Hatred, Jealousy, and the most horrific fifth Fury, Annihilation. Zeus reasoned that curious Pandora would open the box and the Furies would be released to torment mankind for eternity. He allowed his wife, Hera, Goddess of Women and Marriage, to add Hope to the box before he closed it, because men would need a reason to live once the Furies had been released.
At the last moment, Hades, God of the Underworld, placed a delicate chain around innocent Pandora’s neck. Dangling from it was a small key fashioned from iridescent onyx. If curious Pandora was cunning enough to close the box before the most devastating fifth Fury escaped, she could use the key to keep it locked away. The Gods added a few more twists and turns to ensure their amusement and then sent their lovely creation and her poisonous gift down to earth.
Over the ensuing tens-of-centuries, the onyx key was preserved, but all memory of its history and of the box faded until only a handful of people knew the truth. Some of those people were innocents, as Pandora had been. Some were devious and lethal when crossed. And some were evil or simply insane.
Chapter One
It was a cold May in the Pacific Northwest, but in one backyard bulbs had already pushed through untended soil and opened their petals, revealing cheerful yellow daffodils and snow-white tulips. In adjacent yards, spring flowers had yet to peek out of soil tilled and fertilized by professional gardening services.
Perhaps the early blooms were what made this particular backyard feel bewitched. Or maybe it was the hummingbirds, which would not be seen anywhere else in Oregon for several months, hovering over honeysuckle that shouldn’t be blooming until July. But the other-worldly effect could simply have been the result of the shadows and weak gleam of moonlight casting a silver net over the premises.
Two men slipped through the backyard’s white picket gate. They were dressed in black and wore woolen ski masks that revealed only the drooping hooked nose of the taller one and the almond-shaped eyes of the second, much shorter, but broader, man. The men moved soundlessly to the pale-yellow house, the taller man inserting a thin rod into the seam of the sliding glass door. There was a clicking sound as the lock opened.
The second man slid a compact gun from his side and released the safety. With his free hand he eased the slider open, then hesitated and looked down at his chest where a red flower suddenly bloomed. His knees buckled and the taller man whirled around to help…but it was already too late. The arc of a curved blade caught his neck just below the ski mask and sliced it cleanly, sending up a spray of fine blood. Hands caught both men before they hit the ground. Silently, they were dragged away.
The only witness to the bloody scene was an orange and white tabby who sat unblinking in the picture window.
Chapter Two
Evangeline climbed a rickety wooden ladder into the hayloft. She wore a cotton nightgown she’d never seen before—ivory-colored with tiny pink roses, long enough to brush the tops of her bare feet…except they weren’t her feet, because they were too small and delicate and the nails were painted cherry-red.
When s
he reached the loft, she found a lantern on the floor. Raising the glass top, she lit the wick with a match she hadn’t known she carried, and then turned the brass knob. The lantern glowed, illumining lazy dust motes, bales of yellowed hay, and a thick rope coiled in the corner.
Evangeline tossed the free end of the rope over a rafter. She braced herself, leaned out from the ladder, and grabbed the dangling rope. Slowly her hands, which were not her hands because there was a pear-shaped diamond ring on the left ring finger, fashioned the end of the rope into a noose. I don’t know how to make a noose, Evangeline thought as she slid it over her head and tightened it around her neck.
Evangeline watched her pale feet shuffle along the uneven, slatted floor toward the edge of the hayloft. Her pulse raced. This isn’t happening. But she could smell the thick, cloying sweetness of the hay. This can’t be real. But she felt a splinter from the rough wood bite into her heel. Stop! And then she stepped into space, stomach hurtling into her mouth—terror numbing her body—rope tightening—legs kicking…
• • •
Evangeline struggled to consciousness. Her heart thudded painfully and a thin film of sweat coated her face. She looked down—blue flannel PJ’s. No diamond ring. Size ten feet—no nail polish—poking from beneath her down comforter. Her fingers slid along the smooth skin of her neck, feeling for rope burns—none.
“It was only a nightmare,” Evangeline whispered. But it had felt incredibly real and it took some time to slow her pulse and banish the strange dream from her mind. And that’s all it was, she told herself, sitting up and wiping her face—just a stupid dream.
Rolling out of bed, she shuffled down the hall. She walked through her mom’s bedroom with its queen-sized bed covered with the hand-made quilt of yellow and orange squares that her mother’s agent, Samantha, had given her. She sidestepped the rocking chair and her mom’s beat-up guitar, and passed an antique bureau topped by an oval mirror whose gold border framed glass hazy with age.
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