WITHOUT WASTING ANY MORE TIME, he took his notebook out of his pants pocket and began to write the names of the planets on a sheet of paper, just as they were written:
MERCURIUS-IUPPITER SOLIS-VENUS
MARTIS-SATURNI LUNA-TERRA
— We should swap the letters to see if they form a coherent word or phrase... — he offered her this proposal, which he had given her much thought. — Your uncle showed us the path we should follow. Solving the riddle is up to us alone.
— We have little time — she reminded him in a dejected tone.
— It's possible they discovered the secret corridor. — When she said this, she was referring to Sephy and company.
— Very well! Then let's get to work.
As soon as he finished speaking, Evans wrote the names of the stars again on another sheet of paper. This way, they could try separately, each one for themselves. After a few tense minutes, and despite the intense mental effort they exerted to combine the words, they realized it was impossible to arrive at an answer. The pressure they were under paralyzed their thoughts, for they knew that at any moment someone could enter the room and assassinate them with impunity. Their helplessness blocked their ability to reflect and prevented them from thinking clearly.
— I am animal, vegetable and mineral, under my wings you will find protection — Gregory Evans murmured in a low voice, trying to find the solution in the riddle itself.
The young woman, in turn, discovered a detail that didn't add up: Saturn was misspelled. It wasn't Saturni, but Saturnus. She was thinking about telling her companion when she remembered a certain part of the Lithuanian's story, which she had overlooked, and it was precisely the one concerning the planets. It seems there was a place in the Rock Gate Park called — The Throne Room — flanked by symbolic sculptures of Mars and Saturn. Was it a minor coincidence, or perhaps an answer to the riddle?
— Greg, let's focus on Mars and Saturn. I have a feeling... — Giovanna said, her voice trembling, choked with the excitement of discovery.
They started with the word MARTIS, which they broke down into separate letters, rotating them back and forth, swapping them around like puzzle pieces. And that's when they managed to sort out the first part of the anagram: MARTIS became MATRIS, meaning Mother.
— Good heavens! We did it! — exclaimed the detective, euphoric, but with sweaty palms from the inner tension. — We can leave now. If we do it before they arrive, we'll have a three-in-four chance of them taking the wrong path when following us.
— Aren't you curious to know the final answer to the riddle? — she asked, skittishly. — Consider the possibility that we might need it in the future.
— There's no need, I already know... — He took her hand and led her gently, forcing her to follow him to the entrance where the signs of Mars and Saturn were above the arch. — I'll tell you on the way.
Giovanna let herself be carried away by her companion's excitement, descending the stone steps as quickly as she could. After circling the descending gallery several times and making sure she couldn't hear the voices of her pursuers or see the light of their flashlights, she felt the need to ask him:
— So, once and for all, do you want to tell me the answer to the riddle? — She paused, her expression grave, evident in the furrowed space between her brows.
Gregory Evans relished his moment of glory.
— Think a little... — he said self-sufficiently. — She is animal, vegetable, and mineral, and under her wings we seek protection...
He cleared his voice and continued:
— She cares for us, feeds us, and gives us life, like a mother. Therefore, MARTIS SATURNI is nothing other than MATRIS NATURIS, that is, the Mother of Nature... the most beautiful analogy of Wisdom I have ever heard!
When the two reached the hallway of four doors, Giovanna and Gregory had already disappeared.