Andrea sat up in bed, her struggle for sleep futile. She pushed back the heavy fall of hair from her face. A strange glow came from the small antique box on top of the dresser. What in the world...? Drawn by the light in the otherwise dark room, she slid out of bed to approach the wooden box.

   Staying at arm’s length with trembling hands, Andrea touched the ill-fitting lid of the box with the tip of one finger. The soft blue glow escaped from the cracks around the lid changing to an intense yellow as her finger connected with the wood. Wanting to run, yet oddly driven, she quickly flipped the box open. She gasped and drew back. A blinding white beam filled the room with light.

Her eyes closed then blinked rapidly in response to the intense light. As they adjusted and she could see again, she crept closer. Andrea stared at the delicate, hand-tooled, silver ring lying on the blood-red interior of the box. The odd blue stone, so plain when she first discovered the ring, emitted a brilliant light. A beam stronger than any flashlight emanated from the stone and streaked to the ceiling, lighting the entire room. She fought a losing battle against the urge welling up within her to touch the ring.

   Slowly she touched the edge of the ring. The metal felt warm, even inviting. Andrea jerked her finger away. Nothing changed. The stone in the ring continued to glow; the blinding white light stayed the same. The need to touch the ring grew even more compelling. At last she gave in to the demand, cautiously lifting the ring from the box. She slid it onto her left index finger.

   Once settled on her finger the light from the ring changed. It swirled around her in an amazing display of rainbow-like colors. Andrea watched the dancing, swirling light show with a wondrous sense of awe and disbelief. Surely I’m dreaming. This is not real. It’s just not possible.

   She sank to her knees on the floor, her legs refusing to support her any longer. The lights slowed then suddenly disappeared into the stone of the ring. The room grew dark.

   Andrea was unprepared for the whispers. They sounded eerily like a soft wind blowing through the room. The whispers grew louder then became several voices talking excitedly over each other. The stone in the ring pulsed with a deep blue glow.

   “No, oh God, no,” she whimpered. Terrified, she struggled to jerk the ring from her finger, but one voice became separate and clearer than the others.

   “Nay, my Lady. You must trust in your heritage. Trust in the ring and heed our voices. We will guide you in times of trouble. Keep us with you always. Let Destiny guide your path.” The gentle, but firm, female voice faded back into the unintelligible whispers then they stopped.

   The glow faded and the ring once again held a plain blue stone in a dark silver setting.

   Andrea found the sudden quiet and the darkness unnerving. Still kneeling on the floor, she shook her head trying to wake from the dream she felt trapped within. The pinch she gave herself hurt but didn’t help at all. Rising on shaky legs, she walked to the bedroom door and reached for the light switch.

   Light filled the room from the elaborate overhead fixture. Andie leaned weakly against the wall and took deep breaths in an effort to calm down. For the hundredth time, she wished her grandmother hadn’t left her anything. Even though the house seemed grand, the furnishings mostly antiques, and the town inviting, she began to think the gift came with a price she might not be willing to pay.