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"But I only asked for the How could she have ed such a feat? One of the sheets of paper bore a title and date--Arca No&eu with a price and the name and address of a book dealer

"Ysabeau knows every dealer in London" Phoebe’sher face from attractive to beautiful "And no wonder The phrase ‘the price isn’t ialvanize any auction house, no matter the lateness of the hour, even on the weekend"

I picked up another volume--Kircher’s Obeliscus Panature was on the flyleaf

"I had a ru Place first There didn’t see that was already in your possession," Phoebe explained "Matthew has wide-ranging tastes when it comes to books There’s a first edition of Paradise Lost at Pickering Place and a first edition of Poor Richard’s Al Place?" Unable to stop nature with er

"Marcus’s house over by St Jaift from Matthew, I understand He lived there before he built Clairmont House," Phoebe said Her lips pursed "Marcus may be fascinated by politics, but I don’t think it’s appropriate for the Magna Carta and one of the original copies of the Declaration of Independence to reer rose froe Matthew’s likeness hovered for a nature had been Phoebe’s eyes widened

"I’ the ink back onto the paper It swirled back onto the paper, re-foric in front of warmbloods"

"But you didn’t say any words or write down a charm" Phoebe looked confused

"Soic" Re Ysabeau’s words, I kept my explanation as brief as possible

"Oh" She nodded "I still have a great deal to learn about creatures"

"Me, too" I save me a tentative smile in return

"I assuery?" Phoebe asked, carefully opening another of the thick tonetica The engraved title page showed a tall tree, its wide branches bearing the fruits of knowledge These were chained together to suggest their common bond In the center God’s divine eye looked out from the eternal world of archetypes and truth A ribbon wove a the tree’s branches and fruits It bore a Latins were deliberately enigreed that it referred to the hidden ave unity to the world: "All things are at rest, connected by secret knots"

"‘They all wait silently, connected by secret knots,’" Phoebefor?"

With no detailed knowledge of Kircher’s ideas aboutin the inscription

"And why are these four disks larger?" she continued, pointing to the center of the page Three of the disks were arranged in a triangular fashion around one containing an unblinking eye

"I’ the Latin descriptions that accoes "The eye represents the world of archetypes"

"Oh The origin of all things," Phoebe looked at the ie more closely

"What did you say?" My third eye opened, suddenly interested in what Phoebe Taylor had to say

"Archetypes are original patterns See, here are the sublunar world, the heavens, andin succession each of the three disks surrounding the archetypal eye "Each one of thein--as well as to one another The h I’m not sure if that’s relevant"

"Oh, I think it’s relevant," I said under my breath, more certain than ever that Athanasius Kircher and the Villa Mondragone sale were crucial links in the series of events that led froe Somehow, Father Athanasius must have learned about the world of creatures Either that or he was one himself

"The Tree of Life is a powerful archetype in its own right, of course," Phoebe mused, "one that also describes the relationships between parts of the created world There’s a reason genealogists use fa an art historian in the fa to be an unexpected boon--from both a research standpoint and a conversational one Finally I had soery

"And you already kno iery Not all of theret "Most are just sirain of Species It was the only ie in the whole book Too bad Darwin didn’t think to hire a proper artist like Kircher did--so truly splendid"

The knotted threads that had been waiting silently all aroundSorasp, if only

"Where is everybody?" Ha, Haone to pick up Sarah and Fernando Everybody else is here soarden"Feeling better after your sleep, Auntie?"

"Much, thank you" But my attention was fixed on Haently in response to my silent question

I wasn’t surprised Nevertheless, I stared down at , Diana Hello, Hamish" Ysabeau sailed into the room and offered her cheek to the daemon He kissed it obediently "Has Phoebe located the books you need, Diana, or should she keep looking?"

"Phoebe has done an a job--and quickly, too I’h"

"Well, that is e are here for" Ysabeau beckoned her grandson inside and gave one cold Marthe will bring more, and then you will tell us what must be done"

After Marthe dutifully appeared (this tiblack brew that Phoebe had poured) and Gallowglass joined us, I brought out the two pages from Ashmole 782 Hamish whistled

"These are two illuminations removed from in the sixteenth century--the manuscript known today as Ashe of a tree It looks a little like this" I showed thenestism "We have to find it before anyone else does, and that includes Knox, Benjaation"