The Devil's Chord

The Devil's Chord
Alex Archer

Da Vinci's greatest and most dangerous legacy…In the midst of a lovers' quarrel on a Venetian bridge, a pair of art thieves loses a priceless, stolen Lorraine cross to the canal's murky waters. Suspecting a connection between the cross, Joan of Arc and da Vinci, Annja Creed's former mentor, Roux, sends the archaeologist to oversee the search for the missing artifact. But someone else knows about the cross…knows enough to kill for it.Despite several vicious attacks during their underwater expedition, Annja and Roux's hired diver recovers the cross. But when the diver's loyalties are called into question and he disappears–along with the treasure–Annja is certain there's more to the ancient object than Roux is letting on. She soon discovers the cross is only one piece in an intricate enigma–a key that, when combined with a series of musical notes, may unlock one of Leonardo da Vinci's most fantastical inventions. But the price Annja must pay to stop this key from falling into the wrong hands may be her life.

Da Vinci’s greatest and most dangerous legacy…

In the midst of a lovers’ quarrel on a Venetian bridge, a pair of art thieves loses a priceless, stolen Lorraine cross to the canal’s murky waters. Suspecting a connection between the cross, Joan of Arc and da Vinci, Annja Creed’s former mentor, Roux, sends the archaeologist to oversee the search for the missing artifact. But someone else knows about the cross…knows enough to kill for it.

Despite several vicious attacks during their underwater expedition, Annja and Roux’s hired diver recovers the cross. But when the diver’s loyalties are called into question and he disappears—along with the treasure—Annja is certain there’s more to the ancient object than Roux is letting on. She soon discovers the cross is only one piece in an intricate enigma—a key that, when combined with a series of musical notes, may unlock one of Leonardo da Vinci’s most fantastical inventions. But the price Annja must pay to stop this key from falling into the wrong hands may be her life.

“Have you heard of the devil’s chord, Annja?”

Interesting conversation change. But Annja could go with it. “Of course. It was a tritone of musical notes that the church banned from being played or used in musical scores in the Middle Ages. It was thought to be evil because it’s dissonant.”

“Diabolus in musica,” Roux recited.

“The devil in music,” Annja translated. “I’m not a musician, but I do know the chord is played quite a bit nowadays. The heavy metal bands pounced on the forbidden motif, liking the evil connotation, but a lot of other musicians have used it, too.”

“It’s not so evil.”

“It’s certainly not worthy of excommunication or death. So what does a bit of music have to do with

a cross that once belonged to Joan of Arc?”

“Nothing. And everything.”

Intrigued, Annja propped her elbows on the table, ready for the rest of the story.

The Devil’s Chord

Alex Archer

Contents

Chapter 1 (#ueba798ce-e1e2-5457-a87f-17ff5f35989c)

Chapter 2 (#u402baccf-0b13-502c-8143-f6ae7b834350)

Chapter 3 (#u66c9d058-772f-558b-a4e0-dd57f45e49ae)

Chapter 4 (#u018ea33a-1a74-58a2-b2e9-ce30696934d7)

Chapter 5 (#u78be9450-eac0-51a4-ae9b-fac0057c583d)

Chapter 6 (#ud9573962-34a9-5753-be5f-31b65119ea2e)

Chapter 7 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 8 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 9 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 10 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 11 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 12 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 13 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 14 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 15 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 16 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 17 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 18 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 19 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 20 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 21 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 22 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 23 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 24 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 25 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 26 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 27 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 28 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 29 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 30 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 31 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 32 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 33 (#litres_trial_promo)