Chapter 2

Marian sat on the edge of her bed. She looked at the necklace her mother had given her that morning. It was beautiful in its simplicity, a disc of gold about the size of a half dollar with twelve rubies set symmetrically around the edge, and a square black stone set in the center. The pendant was attached to a silver chain.

Her mother's instructions about the pendant were strange. "Don't put it on unless you are sure you want it? My grandmother told me she felt it owned her, and giving it to my mother was the hardest thing she ever had to do." Then a distant look came into her mother's deep blue eyes. "I feel the same way. Here, take it before I change my mind." Her mother looked out the window into the misty rain. "That is the disk of Dal Rathal, the gift giver, the goddess of love and Emotion. I have found it more related to power and sex, however. When I wore this pendant men would give me what ever I asked." Her mother closed the lid to the gold box and handed it to Marian. "There are three who hold the secret of the Triad," her mother continued. "The talisman will draw you together. Remember, when the three are joined great power will be unleashed."

The lights didn't work in the shower stalls because of some remodeling that was needed. Marian finished her shower as quickly as she could. She wasn't ready to join the other girls in the dressing area unclothed so she toweled herself in the shower stall and put on her robe then went back to her room.

After the robe was tossed on the bed and she removed the towel from her head and let her long golden hair fall around her shoulders, Marian admired her reflection in the mirror. Her body had an athletic firmness, but not at the expense of her figure. Her breasts were full and firm and her skin had a healthy unblemished glow. "I don't think I'll need the necklace to get what I want from men," she said to herself. She picked up the box on the desk and took out the talisman. It felt warm as she ran her fingers over the surface of the disk.

Marian let it dangle on the chain in front of her. She slid the chain over her head and let it fall around her neck. When the disk touched the flesh between her breasts it felt like a small jolt of electricity went through her body leaving her sex moist with desire. She admired her body in mirror again and thought to herself the pendant highlighted her golden hair and blue eyes. She slipped nightshirt over her body, turned off the light and lay down. Marian's fingers began to work their magic between her legs as she brought herself to orgasm. When the climax came she closed her eyes and streaks of red light seemed to explode in her subconscious from the intensity of the experience. Soon she fell into an uneasy sleep.

Jack sat straight up. The bell sounded like it was right outside his door. He looked at his alarm clock. It was time to get up. He put on robe and grabbed his bath kit and headed to the showers.

When he returned to his room he saw the box with the talisman still open on his desk. Jack closed the lid and placed it inside the desk drawer. He finished dressing and left for the cafeteria. One of the requirements that made no sense to him was separate entrance for the men and women. He had to enter through the basement door and climb a flight of stairs to the dining room.

"This place must really believe in keeping the boys away from the girls here," he said to the guy in front of him as he looked around the cafeteria.

"What do you mean?" The boy asked. Then he noticed where Jack was looking. "Oh, the segregated seating, yea, the only place you'll get to sit near to the girls is class. You'll get used to it after awhile."