The Center of the Earth (The Lost Keepers Book 10) Read online

  Tate reached for my hand again, and I immediately felt a sense of calm. We were in this together. With him by my side, I could do anything—even slay whatever dragon may wait at the bottom of this hill.

  But of course, there was no dragon. In fact, after just a few minutes of walking down through the steep sloping tunnel, an opening jutted off to our left. Tate led me into the darkness, back to level ground. The space was small enough again that his glow easily illuminated the path before us, and it was a hundred times easier to walk on the flat ground here.

  “You’re not really Nephilim, right?”

  Tate laughed. “No. Not any more than you are. But we don’t mind the mortals believing that. If that’s what they need to call us to make sense of it all in their minds, then it’s fine by us.”

  “And what they said about a hollow earth?”

  “Yeah, that part’s true. We don’t have another sun, of course. We’d all fry. But we do have a source of light down there at the core. Mostly it’s still a lot of tunnels and caves, but there is a surface in the middle where gravity shifts, and the city they showed the mortals is our capital—Shamballa.”

  “The center of the earth, accessible only by the poles and a cave in Kentucky…” I shook my head in disbelief.

  “Oh, it's accessible in many different areas. You can enter through Brazil, the Himalayas… even under the Great Pyramid of Giza. Kentucky was just the most convenient to us.”

  This time it was my turn to laugh. I’d call him crazy if I wasn’t seeing it first hand for myself. “So this palace of yours… I’m guessing it's in Shamballa?”

  “Yep. It’s about a seven day hike from here. Lucky for you, we have portals built into the cave systems.” He slid his hand across the dusty wall. “And we’re juuuust about… here.” He glanced over his shoulder with a mischievous grin, then stepped through the stone wall.

  I took a deep breath, then walked through the wall behind him.

  Chapter 3

  The other side of the wall couldn’t have been more opposite from the cave in appearance. I’d pictured the middle of the earth as looking very dark, maybe with a red glow. I’d expected damp, dank halls and bats. Lots of bats.

  Instead I stepped upon the glistening white marble floors of a great hall of a palace. Tate’s hands were in the air, calming the guards who surrounded us. Their eyes were all wide golden circles, glued to me.

  “Hi,” I squeaked.

  “That’s her!” Movement from the left side of the room drew my attention to a guard who was quickly making his way toward me. The other guards glanced around uncertainly, but Tate immediately jumped into action. He rounded on the guard, and I swore it looked like he grew a half a foot taller as he funneled his anger at the older man.

  “Back down!” Tate bellowed.

  The guard stopped in place, shooting daggers in my direction but silently obeying his interim king’s command.

  “No one is to lay a hand on her. Everly Gordon is my guest, and she is to be treated with the utmost respect for as long as she chooses to remain in Agartha. Am I clear?”

  “Yes, your Majesty. But Osborne—”

  “I don’t care what Osborne said.” Tate narrowed his eyes, daring another guard to speak against him. “She is welcome here.”

  We waited for several seconds more before Tate turned toward an attendant I hadn’t previously noticed standing in the doorway. “Please prepare the Noble Suite for Ms. Gordon. I’d like Hattie to attend to her. Will you please let the others know as well?”

  “Yes, your Majesty.” The young attendant scurried away.

  He took my hand then. “Would you like to wait in my rooms until yours are ready?”

  “Uh, sure.” I hadn’t quite gotten my wits about me again just yet, so I followed him without question. He led me out into a foyer with a winding staircase up to what I assumed were the guest suites. One floor past that was the royal residence.

  The whole palace was bright, with glossy white marble and glistening gold accents. Warm light filtered in through giant leaded windows, and I craned my neck to see its source. There was no sun here, but that definitely looked like sunlight illuminating an airy world outside, with lush greenery surrounding the bustling city of Shamballa.

  “Are you sure we’re in the middle of the earth?”

  “Positive,” Tate said with a laugh. “It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”

  “Gorgeous.” We stopped to gaze out of a floor-to-ceiling window on the landing just in front of the royal residence. There were mountains and rivers and forests just beyond a city that was somehow futuristic in appearance while simultaneously looking like it was pulled from the pages of a fairytale picture book.

  “It’s too bad we’ll have to destroy it.”

  “What?” I whipped around to face him, certain I’d misheard what he said.

  “According to legend surrounding the prophecy, it’s your job to destroy the Keepers. I assume that means our territories and all other aspects of our lives will fall as well.” He frowned, lost in thought as he looked over his city below. “And it’s probably for the best, if I’m being honest. Our people are too far gone.”

  The main door to his residence swung open, and an older man dressed in a suit stepped out into the hall before I had a chance to ask anything more about what Tate said.

  “Your Majesty.” The man bowed unbelievably low. I thought his nose might’ve kissed the ground. “I heard you were on your way. I’ve put in a request to have dinner sent up for you and your guest shortly.”

  “Thank you, Jacoby. We’ll get cleaned up.” Tate popped his elbow out for me to lace my arm through, then led me into the most luxurious living accommodations I’d ever seen.

  Tate’s family residence put Millie’s multi-million dollar Manhattan townhouse to shame. Every surface was marble or gold, and it looked like someone took a giant bedazzler and added real gemstones the size of my fists throughout the rooms like confetti. Yet somehow, even though it was totally over the top, it didn’t feel ostentatious. Or maybe I was just too blinded by my love for this man to realize how tacky it really was.

  No… not love. Right? Or maybe it was… Maybe the universe was playing the cruelest kind of trick on me, making me fall in love with a man who could never be my soulmate. Igniting my heart with a man who would quite literally be the death of me if I gave in to these emotions.

  “You okay?” Tate asked. He snapped his fingers and a candle in the center of a small table for two sprung to life.

  “Yeah, I’m fine.” I wasn’t about to share those thoughts with him. Not right now, anyway. Besides, I was pretty sure I’d just witnessed a miracle. “Did you just make fire?”

  He crinkled his nose and scratched the back of his head. “Kind of. It’s an enchantment they put on the palace here. It’s supposed to bend to the whims of the ruler.”

  “And you’re the ruler.” I shook my head. “That’s still kind of hard for me to believe.”

  “You and me both.” He moved over to a window beside the table, overlooking his kingdom again.

  I joined him there, rubbing gentle circles on his back. “You keep asking if I’m doing alright, but how about you? How are you handling everything?” So much had happened, I’d almost forgotten that his father was killed right in front of him just a few hours earlier. And his twin was missing, too.

  He gave a small shrug. “I thought I’d be more upset. He was a terrible ruler and a worse father. But still, he was the only dad I had.”

  “You’re probably still a little numb from the shock of it all,” I suggested.

  “No, I don’t think that’s it. It’s like somewhere, deep inside, I know this is right. This is how things are supposed to play out.” He turned to me and took my hands in his. “This is your destiny, and I think it might be mine, too.”

  We stood there looking into one another’s eyes for a moment. It was definitely not the most appropriate time, but I couldn’t resist the urge to lean in and kiss
him again. I craved that feeling of unity our kiss had provided back in the hotel, and I wanted to see if we could replicate it. Our faces were merely an inch apart when he turned away.

  I ignored the flush that crept its way up my neck. Of course he turned away. That was the responsible thing to do. He was supposed to be mourning, not making out.

  The butler returned a few minutes later with a mouth watering dinner prepared by the palace chefs. We enjoyed the meal alone, while Tate told me a little more about Agartha and its wonders. “Would you like to explore it tomorrow?” he asked once his plate was cleaned.

  I pushed my own empty plate to the side. “I would definitely like to see the Firelake.” Subtlety was never my strong suit. As amazing as Agartha sounded, I was here on a mission. I had a blade to retrieve and a prophecy to fulfill. We could tour the place afterward.

  But seeing Tate’s features deflate gave me a change of heart. If it was true that the territory would be destroyed by my Deliverance, then perhaps I should make some time to see it with him first. It seemed important to him, and that was good enough of a reason for me.

  “But of course I would love to see the rest of Shamballa first. If you’re sure you have time for that.”

  “I have all the time in the world for you.” His golden eyes glistened, and my heart flipped in response. He escorted me to my rooms after dinner, and I fought to give him the space he needed. I couldn’t get enough of this man, the ruler of Agartha. He was a bit rough on the outside, but now that he’d let me into his heart, I never wanted to leave.

  We lingered for just a moment before saying goodnight, but I didn’t try to kiss him again. No, not tonight. Instead I would try to find a way for us to enjoy each other’s company—and kisses—for the rest of eternity. Just as soon as I fulfilled this prophecy…

  Chapter 4

  A fit of giggles erupted from a small group of Agarthian children peering over the rail of the bridge we walked across. I paused for a moment, glancing at Tate to signal for him to stop. We’d escaped the palace without much fuss and walked the streets of Shamballa in the warm mid-morning sunlight, and getting out had ignited my curiosity for this city.

  There had been other children playing as well, all bright-eyed and happy as they ran and rolled in the grass between tents in the marketplace. But this group on the bridge was distracted by something in the water below.

  “What are you guys looking at?” I asked, stepping up to the rail a little ways down from them.

  “Watch this.” A golden eyed boy flashed me a mischievous grin as he pinched off a piece of bread from the loaf in his hand. “Throw this is the water.” He dropped the fluffy lump into my palm.

  “Just anywhere down there?”

  The girl next to him giggled again with anticipation, nodding. I tossed the bread down into the water, watching it send ripples outward. It only lasted for a moment though before an enormous iridescent hot-pink fish rose from the depths of the river and took the bite in a single gulp. The creature was unlike anything I’d ever seen. It was the size of a seal, but more closely resembled a goldfish covered in neon cotton candy.

  The children laughed uncontrollably. Tate did too, as he reached over and tapped the underside of my chin to close my gaping mouth.

  “What was that?”

  “That was a rosy bubble bass.”

  “That was not a bass like any I’ve ever seen.”

  “Then I’d say you’ve got a lot more to see in your life.” Tate winked and pulled me along.

  “Bye, Prince Tate!” One of the little girls batted her lashes and waved goodbye until a boy I guessed was her brother stepped on her toes.

  “It’s King Thaddeus,” he whispered angrily. The rest of the children all laughed some more.

  I had to admit, the Agarthian people were growing on me. We might have gotten off to a rough start, what with Tate hunting my soul and the girls on campus pinning me to walls—oh, and Clayton Miles stalking me, of course—but it turned out most of the people here were delightful.

  And Tate was eager to show me all of the wonders Shamballa offered. There were shops and restaurants, musicians in the street and artists painting on the corners. The Agarthians all seemed so happy and at ease. It left me wondering why Tate believed them to be too far gone. I couldn’t imagine bringing any harm to this city.

  Many of the citizens stopped to greet Tate as we passed them. They dipped their chins with respect, referring to him as the rightful ruler of Agartha. Their King. But as we walked deeper into the city, further from the palace, I began to see others who would avert their eyes, or even scowl as they saw us coming down the street. Tate didn’t seem bothered by them, though I was certain he must have noticed.

  We approached a large park in the middle of the city, walking along an outer sidewalk for a moment before crossing the street toward more shops on the other side. Tate gestured toward a lovely blue cottage with a perfectly manicured lawn and a sign overhead that read, Moonflower.

  He tugged my hand to follow him across the street, and though he may have been trying to shield me from seeing what lay ahead in the park, his plan failed. A quaint little park bench—one that would have looked warm and welcoming on any other day—was vandalized in fresh red paint, bright as the flowers planted beside it. Someone had hastily written: Bow to Titus, or bow to no one.

  Judging by the hard set of his jaw, Tate had seen it. But by the time we reached the little cottage, his muscles had relaxed and his frown was replaced with that boyishly charming half grin of his. “Let me introduce you to Hattie.”

  A small old woman threw her arms around Tate’s waist when we stepped inside. She looked about eighty in human years, which meant she was probably pushing nine hundred in reality. “Thaddeus! I was beginning to wonder if you’d forgotten how to get here.”

  He knelt down to give the tiny old woman a hug. “Impossible! A man can’t forget chocolate like yours.” He winked. “Hattie, I’d like to introduce you to someone. This is Everly.”

  The woman turned her gaze to me. Her eyes were a little milky, but the golden glow behind the glassy surface seemed to intensify for a moment as she took in my features. After a long minute, realization seemed to strike and she clutched her hand to her chest, attempting to bow at the same time.

  “Woah, Hattie. That’s not necessary.” Tate put up a hand beside his mouth and whispered loudly so I could hear. “She doesn’t like it when people point out how special she is.”

  “I’m not—” I couldn’t even finish the sentence before Hattie was standing before me, tears in her eyes.

  “The Deliverer.” Her shaky voice was barely more than a whisper.

  “You know about that?” Tate asked with an incredulous grin.

  “I know everything.” Hattie whacked him gently on the arm and pulled him farther into her little shop. “Now come. Let’s get this beautiful creature some chocolate.”

  Tate waggled his brows at me as we followed Hattie to a counter in the back. The cottage was full of exotic Agarthian flowers I couldn’t name, all wonderfully arranged into exquisite pieces. It was a rainbow of colors, all impossibly vivid, and the entire place smelled incredible. Other gifts lined the walls, but it wasn’t until we reached the enclosed glass counter that I saw the chocolates.

  They were works of art. Some were glossy, some glittered. Others were shaped into mythical creatures. There were truffles and nuts and bars all mixed in with the delicate sculptures as well. My mouth was watering before she even opened the door, but once the smell hit me, it took all my power not to gasp at the aroma.

  “Did you really make all of these?”

  Hattie nodded proudly. “Pick anything you like. It’s on the house today for my king and my Deliverer.” She gave a small bow again before gesturing toward the open shelves.

  “Thank you.” I looked nervously toward a very excited Tate before examining the delicious treats more closely. It only took a second for my eyes to settle on the chocolate of my choice.
It was an owl, sculpted from white chocolate and brushed with a glittering gold dust. He was perched on a dark chocolate branch, complete with knots and twists like that of an ancient tree. It was completely enchanting, and it reminded me of Al.

  “Wise choice.” Hattie winked. “Go on. Take a bite!”

  It was so pretty I hated to ruin it. But it smelled so good I couldn’t resist. I snapped off a small piece of the branch and moaned. “Oh my goodness, this is the best thing that has ever touched my lips.”

  “I take offense to that.” Tate quirked a brow and Hattie cackled in the background.

  “I think I have some flowers that need watering out back. I’m going to step out for a minute,” she said with a knowing look.

  Tate glanced back at me with a twinkle in his eye once the door closed behind her. “Some people say that Hattie’s chocolates are magic. I’ve even heard some of the young girls bragging about how they used them to make poor unsuspecting Agarthian boys fall in love with them.”

  I took another bite of the heavenly treat. “I can see why.”

  He stepped toward me and wrapped his hand around the back of my neck, lifting my face to his. Slowly he leaned down, and the butterflies in my belly went wild at the realization of what was about to happen. Our last kiss had been magical, and it was only an experiment. Now that our feelings were out in the open, what kind of an effect would we get this time?

  “Everly, I—”

  I batted my lashes waiting for him to hurry up and finish his thought or else I might just cut him off with my lips.

  “I… think you’ve got a little chocolate on your mouth.” He swiped my bottom lip with his thumb and popped it into his mouth. Then he kissed my forehead and walked away.

  I was too stunned to speak for a second, sorting through the rush of adrenaline I had from his proximity and the hurt I felt from him choosing not to kiss me again. Was I mistaken? Was I the only one who felt the bond?

  There wasn’t time to ask him. Hattie came running back through the doors, panting. “You need to get out there, Thaddeus. There’s a commotion across the street, and I think you are the only one who can stop it.”