Secrets Of The Serpent's Heart (The Arkana Archaeology Mystery Series Book 6)
Read Secrets Of The Serpent's Heart (The Arkana Archaeology Mystery Series Book 6) Online
Authors: N. S. Wikarski
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SECRETS OF THE SERPENT’S HEART
by
N. S. Wikarski
Secrets Of The Serpent’s Heart
Book Six Of Seven—The Arkana Mystery Series
Copyright © 2015 by N. S. Wikarski
All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Chapter 1 – How A Golden Age Turns Bronze
Chapter 11 – Informed Observer
Chapter 12 – It’s Hip To Be Square
Chapter 13 – Dancing Around The Problem
Chapter 14 – A Journey Of A Thousand Miles Begins With A Single Steppe
Chapter 15 – What Dreams May Come
Chapter 17 – Flight To Suburbia
Chapter 20 – Reason To Retrieve
Chapter 21 – What’s Around The Bend
Chapter 22 – Power Beauty Tips
Chapter 24 – High Way To Heaven
Chapter 26 – Antipodal Alliance
Chapter 27 – Psychic Friends Network
Chapter 28 – Abominable Writing
Chapter 29 – Location, Location, Location
Chapter 32 – Termination Benefits
Chapter 34 – Photo Opportunity
Chapter 35 – Leroy And The Bandits
Chapter 38 – Planned Aggression
Chapter 39 – Arrivals And Departures
Chapter 41 – Silence Is Golden
NAMES YOU SHOULD KNOW
(Through The End Of Volume 5 In The Series)
Key to books in the series:
GK
– The Granite Key
MM
– The Mountain Mother Cipher
DW
– The Dragon’s Wing Enigma
DD
– Riddle Of The Diamond Dove
JL
– Into The Jaws Of The Lion
Abraham Metcalf
– Prophet and autocratic leader of the Blessed Nephilim. In his seventies.
Annabeth
– Third wife of Daniel. Nervous and high-strung. Wants to improve her position in the Nephilim hierarchy by birthing more children.
Archwarden
– Leader of a Nephilim satellite compound.
Arkana
– Secret organization whose mission is to retrieve and protect the artifacts of lost pre-patriarchal civilizations around the globe.
Blessed Nephilim
– Fundamentalist religious cult which traces its lineage to the Nephilim of the Bible. They practice polygamy, live in isolated compounds, and maintain a strict separation from the rest of the world.
Bones Of The Mother
– Collection of Minoan artifacts which have been hidden among the ruins of forgotten civilizations on every continent. Each artifact provides clues to the location of the next relic. Collectively, they will lead to the location of the Sage Stone.
Cassie Forsythe
– Psychic with the ability to touch an artifact and relive scenes from its past. She succeeds to the title of Pythia within the Arkana after the murder of her sister. Nineteen-year-old college freshman at the beginning of the story.
Central Catalog
– Abandoned rural schoolhouse outside the Chicago metro area which contains the records of Arkana troves throughout the world. Also known as “the Vault.”
Chatelaine
– Arkana honorary title meaning “castle protector and keeper of the keys.” Rank conferred on Maddie in recognition of distinguished service (DD). This title carries with it voting privileges within the Circle.
Chief Scrivener
– Person responsible for managing the records of the Arkana Central Catalog. The title is currently held by Griffin. His rank was elevated to Right Honorable Chief Scrivener in recognition of distinguished service (DD). This title carries with it voting privileges within the Circle.
Chopper (Orvis) Bowdeen
– Mercenary and friend of Leroy Hunt. Hired by Abraham Metcalf to provide weapons training to the Nephilim and set up surveillance systems at all Nephilim compounds around the world.
Chris (David Christian)
– Librarian at the Chicago Public Library who assists Daniel with his research and becomes his friend.
Circle
– Governing body of the Arkana.
Concordance
– General council of the Arkana.
Consecrated Bride
– Nephilim term for married women within the cult.
Daniel Metcalf
– Lesser son of Abraham whose skill with ancient languages has made him an unwilling participant in the quest to find the Bones Of The Mother.
Diviner
– Title given to the prophet of the Nephilim. A role currently occupied by Abraham Metcalf.
Dr. Rafi Aboud
– Foreign doctor with a mysterious past who has been hired by Abraham to perform experiments at a secret laboratory. The purpose of his experiments is known only to the Diviner.
Erik
– Martial arts and weapons expert, in his mid-twenties. His job is to protect the Pythia on field assignments and arrange for the safe transportation of artifacts. His title is Security Coordinator.
Fallen
– Term used by the Nephilim to describe inhabitants of the outer world. Anyone who doesn’t belong to the cult.
Faye
– Elderly leader of the Arkana. She holds the title of Memory Guardian. Her age is unknown but it may exceed normal human limits.
Field Agent
– Operatives of the Arkana deployed around the globe who handle artifact retrievals. Individuals tasked with assisting in the retrieval of Bones Of The Mother. In order of appearance: Fred (Turkey-MM),
Rabten and Rinchen (Tibet-JL).
Griffin
– Chief Scrivener. He is responsible for cataloguing all artifacts collected in troves around the world. British and in his early twenties, he has an eidetic memory.
Hannah Curtis
– Teenage bride of Daniel Metcalf who is subsequently re-assigned to marry his father Abraham. Runaway who has found shelter with Faye.
Joshua Metcalf
– Daniel’s biological brother and competitor for Abraham’s favor. Appointed by the Diviner as head of the Order Of Argus.
Leroy Hunt
– Mercenary currently on the payroll of the Nephilim. His job is to protect Daniel as they attempt to retrieve the Bones Of The Mother. He has no conscience and a taste for violence.
Maddie
– Short-tempered, chain-smoking Operations Director of the Arkana. She manages day-to-day global affairs.
Matristic Civilizations
– Arkana term for ancient goddess-worshipping societies which thrived without military fortifications, rigid social hierarchies, male dominance, or career warfare.
Memory Guardian
– Faye’s title as head of the Arkana.
Mother Rachel
– Principal wife of the Diviner. Highest ranking consecrated bride of the Blessed Nephilim.
Operations Director
– Maddie’s title as manager of global operations for the Arkana.
Operatives
– Members of Blessed Nephilim satellite communities assigned to help Daniel in the field. In order of appearance: Nikos (Crete-GK), Ilhami (Turkey-MM), Sergio (Spain-DW), Mohammed (Egypt and Sudan, DD).
Order Of Argus
– Secret intelligence organization within the Nephilim. Abraham’s eyes and ears among the congregation.
Overlord Cultures –
Arkana term for male-dominated warrior cultures fixated on territorial expansion through conquest and exploitation of indigenous inhabitants.
Paladin
- Arkana honorary title meaning “the Pythia’s defender.” Rank conferred on Erik in recognition of distinguished service (DD). This title carries with it voting privileges within the Circle.
Pythia
– Title currently held by Cassie. The official seer of the Arkana. Her rank was elevated to Right Honorable Pythia in recognition of distinguished service (DD). This title carries with it voting privileges within the Circle.
Rhonda
– Antique store owner and Sybil’s former business partner. Surrogate big sister to Cassie.
Sage Stone
– Mythical Minoan relic which is reputed to possess great power. Nephilim prophecy reveals that this relic must be acquired by Abraham if his secret plan to orchestrate a global apocalypse is to succeed.
Scion
– Nephilim title given to the Diviner’s successor and heir-apparent. Daniel currently holds the position.
Scouts
– Operatives of the Arkana deployed around the world to ferret out undiscovered matristic civilizations and potential new trove sites. In order of appearance: Bobbye Johnson (Botswana-DD), Oluoma Okoli (Nigeria-DD).
Security Coordinator
– Title originally held by Erik. He reports to the Operations Director.
Sentinel –
Watchers posted by the ancient Minoans to guard the location of each artifact until the arrival of the Arkana team. In order of appearance: Iker Mendiluze (Spain-DW).
Sybil Forsythe
– Cassie’s sister. Late Pythia of the Arkana.
Trove
– Arkana collection point for artifacts related to a specific geographic region or culture.
Trove-keeper
– Person appointed to manage the collection of artifacts at a particular location or trove. In order of appearance: Xenia Katsouros (Minoan-GK), Aydin Ozgur (Anatolian-MM), Stefan Kasprzyk (Kurgan-MM), Thea Xara (Maltese-DW), Ortzi Exteberri (Basque-DW), Ochanda Exteberri (Basque-DW), Grace Littlefield (Haudenosaunee-DW), Michel Khatabi (Berber-DD), Sophie Khatabi (assistant, Berber-DD), Dee Pandala (Malabar-JL).
Tyro
– Title which refers to an apprentice agent of the Arkana. In order of appearance: John (Sudan-DD), Zachary (Vault-JL).
Vault
– Another name for the Central Catalog.
Vlad
– Broker for shady arms deals. Aboud’s ally in finding a buyer for weaponized pneumonic plague.
Zachary
– Faye’s teenage descendent—often referred to as her “great-great-something-or-other grandson.” He has joined the Arkana as a tyro.