Gemotions

The archaeologist’s trowel struck metal. Dr. Anya Sharma crouched, her breath catching in her throat. She had no recollection of ever setting foot on this site, let alone burying anything here. The artifact was small, unassuming, but it held a strange, magnetic pull.

She spent the next hour delicately removing the surrounding earth, her movements slow, meticulous. When she finally opened the small box, she found a single, tarnished coin. It was a replica of an ancient coin, and on it, a motto. She knew she should be excited, but instead, a cold dread began to creep through her veins.

The motto was one she’d used, once. A secret motto. One she had sworn to uphold. The very core of her being seemed to shrink.