Helena’s heart skipped a beat. She had seen these symbols before, in the pages of her grandfather’s old journal, filled with tales of secret societies and hidden messages. The significance of the tattoo was unmistakable: it was a code, and a highly sophisticated one at that. Helena’s mind whirled with possibilities. How did this woman, silent and unassuming, come to bear such an enigmatic mark?
Helena looked up at the woman, whose eyes now met hers for the first time. There was a glint of awareness there, a knowing look that suggested she understood exactly what Helena had discovered.
