This audiobook is narrated by a digital voice.

The ancient stone walls of the Venetian palazzo creaked in the autumn wind as Dr. Elena Rossi carefully brushed centuries of dust from the ornate wooden chest. Her archaeological team had discovered the hidden chamber behind what they initially believed to be a solid wall in the basement of the fifteenth-century building. Now, three days into the excavation, they had uncovered what appeared to be a secret repository of medieval artifacts.

"Professor, you need to see this," called Marco, her graduate assistant, his voice echoing through the dimly lit chamber. The young man stood hunched over a smaller chest, his headlamp illuminating something that caught the light in an unusual way.

Elena set down her tools and crossed the stone floor, her footsteps echoing in the confined space. The palazzo had been donated to the University of Venice for historical research, and this discovery was already proving to be the most significant find of her career. As she approached Marco, she could see what had captured his attention.

Nestled in a bed of deteriorated velvet lay an amulet unlike anything she had ever encountered. The circular pendant was roughly the size of a man's palm, crafted from what appeared to be an alloy of gold and silver that seemed to shift between the two metals depending on the angle of observation. Intricate symbols were etched into its surface, forming patterns that seemed to move and flow when viewed directly.

"Have you touched it?" Elena asked, reaching for her camera to document the find.

"No, Professor. Something about it feels... wrong. I know that sounds unscientific, but there's an energy emanating from it that makes my skin crawl."