Ancient Guardians The Legacy of the Key Read online

  Reece returned his gaze speculatively. Did she trust him? She wasn’t terrified of him, as she had been of the men who’d grabbed her. But she also didn’t feel the unnatural calm that the apparition of her father had seemed to turn on at will. She was scared, and she knew she had reason to be. If Levi were capable of forcing him to trust her, he hadn’t shown it. Nor was he trying to intimidate her, though he surely could have done so.

  She looked up at him and nodded.

  They resumed their quick pace through the woods. The thick clouds had begun to drop light snowflakes. Reece felt a chill coming over her. Reflexively, she brought her free hand over the exposed hand that she had resting on his arm. She absently leaned closer into him trying to stay warm. Noticing immediately, he covered her hands with one of his.

  She looked up at him. “Are we almost there?” She asked as they reached a clearing.

  “Yes, just a few more feet in this direction. My cousin, Harrison, is waiting.”

  Once in the clearing, Levi led Reece out toward a street where she recognized the same black car Jack had raved about at the restaurant. As they crossed the street and approached the car, the dark, tinted window where the driver sat rolled down. Reece was unsurprised that the driver was the other man she’d seen at the airport; the blond man who’d raised his glass to her in the restaurant. With one arm slouched over the steering wheel, he smiled. “You took long enough, Levi!”

  Levi hustled Reece into the front seat, and got in the back seat, behind his cousin. Instantly, the car was in gear, and they were moving. The car went from a dead stop, to what seemed to be the speed of light; yet, it felt like they weren’t moving at all. The trees they were passing, a complete blur in her vision, were the only thing that gave relevance to the fact that they were moving. None of it made sense. Is this even a car? She looked at the driver, wondering how he was managing to keep the car on the road. He didn’t slow the car once, not even to take a sharp turn.

  The driver looked over at Reece, his eyes were piercing in their light silver-blue color. “I’m Harrison, by the way. Relax, Miss Bryant—I drive rather well.” He looked out at the snow; it had gone from a light flakes to heavy clumps hitting the car. “Sorry we had to interrupt your lovely morning in the park.”

  Reece nodded. Harrison was as superbly dressed as Levi. She questioned who these men really were. “Do you guys work for the government or something?”

  Harrison glanced over at her and subtly grinned. “I suppose you could say that, yes.”

  She looked back at Levi; he was intently focused on a transparent object in his hand. “Where are we going?”

  Levi didn’t answer. Instead, Harrison responded. “We’re taking you to a safer place, Reece. I’m sure my cousin hasn’t explained much. Unfortunately, explanations take time. I can give you the lighter version of facts; however, I need you to promise you will not do anything crazy, like jump out of our car.”

  Reece looked at him quizzically. Her anxiety soared, but she hoped her expression didn’t show it. “I won’t be jumping out of any cars; I understand basic physics, thanks.”

  He chuckled. “We’ll see about that!” They were leaving the city and going into the more rural areas. “Tell me something, Reece; have you ever considered the existence of other worlds, apart from your own?”

  Reece swallowed hard. “You mean, like Mars? Not really, why?”

  “The man in your room—you thought he was a ghost, correct? Or possibly a bad dream?”

  “I’ll admit, I’ve considered both options.”

  He chuckled and glanced at her with a mischievous grin on his face. “Reece, he was neither. He was not of your world.”

  Reece stared at him in shock.

  “Maybe a little too much information?” He smiled sympathetically. “You should relax. Where you are going will be much more welcoming than where you were about to be taken.”

  He looked into the rear view mirror. “Levi, we’re almost to the vortex. Make sure Javian has sent for Areion and Saracen. We should get Reece to Pasidian quickly.”

  Did he just speak in a different language? Reece rubbed her forehead disbelievingly. The car grew silent, except for the low purr of the engine. The road they were traveling on was long, winding, and very narrow. Considering the high speed they were driving, combined with the sharp turns, Reece expected to have her body weight thrown all over the inside of the car; yet, gravity had no effect on her.

  Even so, she started to feel sick to her stomach. She didn’t really trust the two men, but she’d burned her bridges. She decided to stop asking questions. The answers she was receiving were more than she could cope with right now.

  The road curved around a hill, and as she watched, the car left the road effortlessly, heading straight for the hillside. It appeared as if they would crash directly into it. Reece took a quick breath, and was blinded by a bright flash of light.

  Chapter 3

  The paved road they traveled on now was shiny black, and lined with trees unlike any Reece had ever seen. Their trunks were white, with vivid red leaves beaming on their incandescent white branches. She looked deep into the dense forest of these peculiar trees and noticed that they appeared to be glowing in the darkness. The bright, lime green grass that carpeted the grounds of the forest, took on a glowing quality as well. It was strange; it was as though the radiant grass and leaves illuminated on their own, in total darkness.

  It appeared as if everything was glowing in color. A drop of water on the windshield sparkled like crystal. The sky had a sapphire quality to it. She felt as if her vision had changed entirely. What is this place? All she saw was the illumination of the nature all about her, and none of it seemed real. Wherever they were now, the skies were vivid, bright and sunny; a far cry from the snowy streets of Philadelphia.

  She looked at Harrison, then back at Levi, to see if their appearances had also changed. Nothing was unusual about the two men. She held her hand up and examined her skin. Normal. It was very odd; it was only the nature around them that had shown this interesting radiance.

  When she turned her attention back to the road, she saw a large, shimmering gate ahead. It was fashioned with beautiful patterns, circling throughout. She could see that there was no longer a road on the other side of it, and they would most likely have to stop. She wondered how they would manage to bring the car through, or if they would? As soon as she questioned the thought, Harrison turned the car into a dark area, which seemed to be a cave or something of that nature. As he parked the car, she noticed that the area they were parked in was filled with sleek black motorcycles, and other cars like the one she was in.

  When the car shut off at Harrison’s vocalized command, Reece reached over to his arm to stop him from stepping out of the vehicle. Time for answers.

  He looked back at her with concern. “Reece, we’re almost to our destination. I know a million questions are probably swirling around in your head, but you need to try to be patient.”

  “Fine,” She took a deep breath. “But before we go any farther, I really need to know who you guys are. You should understand my apprehension about going any farther with you two. We should have crashed into that mountain a moment ago, and now I’m seeing trees and grass that seem to sparkle and glow. I’m sure you both know that I was well aware of what happened that day on the airplane, too. I know you both had something to do with it. I want answers before I concede to go anywhere else with you.”

  Harrison sighed. “Levi and I are from another dimension known as Pemdas. For many years, our people have protected those on Earth, and many other dimensions as well.”

  Her eyes narrowed. “Pemdas? I’m in another dimension?”

  Harrison nodded. “It is why we did not crash into the hillside when we brought you out of Earth. We went through a vortex, which leads into the outer boundaries of our dimension.”

  Her heart raced. “My friends. What about my friends? They’ll be expecting me. What will they think happened to me?�
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  Harrison stepped out of the car and walked around to open her door for her. “Your absence will go undetected. There’s been a—a stand-in—created to take your place. It’s perfectly programmed; no one will question it.”

  Reece had lost the power to keep her confident expression under control, and she stared at the man in disbelief.

  He watched her speculatively. “As we have both mentioned earlier, we are prepared to tell you everything; but please, not here. Allow us to bring you to a more relaxed environment.” And with that, he turned and walked to the back of the car, leaving Reece standing there, speechless.

  She started to become angry. He still hadn’t answered her about the bizarre events on the airplane. “But—”

  Before she could speak up, she was interrupted by Levi, who had gotten out of the car, and had been staring down at the object in his hand. He dropped the object into a side pocket, and walked over to her. His expression was commanding and extremely serious. “Miss Bryant, we have every intention of answering all your questions. Unfortunately, it’s more than a five-minute conversation, and we have another short journey ahead. I ask that you will have a little more patience, and that you allow us to get you to a more comfortable place. My father is waiting for us, and he will explain everything. There will be a lot for you to try to comprehend. Anything we tell you now will only lead to more questions. Please give us the opportunity to make you more comfortable…for your sake.”

  Reece looked up into the handsome man’s somber face. Concern was apparent from the way he stared down thoughtfully into her eyes. She gazed at him and after a moment, conceded with a nod.

  “Very well, then. Allow me to escort you to the gates, and we will be on our way shortly.” He turned to his cousin. “The horses will be here momentarily.”

  He offered his arm to Reece. As she slowly placed her arm in his, he looked down to her and asked, “I hope you don’t mind traveling by horse from here?”

  She stared at him in astonishment. “Would it matter if I did?”

  He laughed softly and escorted her toward the gate. “No.”

  She remained quiet as Levi led her through the gates. She was now able to see what was beyond the end of the black, glossy road. She assumed the reason they were waiting for horses was because, beyond the gate, there was only a dirt trail that cut through bright green grass, with trees scattered here and there. Some of the trees looked ordinary; some were white-barked with red leaves. The place breathed peace, like a new morning. It had to have been the fascinating glow of the foliage and trees throughout the forest, or maybe it was how much lighter the air felt here; whatever the reason, Reece didn’t feel as tense as she had been.

  “Why do we have to ride horses? Just because the road ended?” It seemed odd that this would be their method of transportation after just having been in a technically-advanced vehicle.

  Levi chuckled softly and turned to look at her. “That is part of the reason, yes. Our land is surrounded by a protective barrier which can only be crossed on our horses.”

  She looked at him quizzically while contemplating his response. Before she could ask any more questions, a loud noise echoed in the distance. Out of nowhere, two of the most beautiful horses she had ever seen came thundering toward them. She watched with amazement as she observed a cloud of gold dust sparkling in their wake.

  Reece, who had never cared much for horses, was in awe of the magnificent animals upon their approach. The two black horses halted a few feet from where they stood.

  “I believe you will be more comfortable upon Harrison’s horse,” said Levi. In one swift motion, he mounted the taller of the two horses. It was obviously as impatient as its master, lifting each leg up in turn and biting down on his mouthpiece, as if trying to break it in half. “Ready to go?” Said Levi. “Areion tends to be impatient.”

  Reece looked over toward Harrison, mounted on the other horse. She walked over to him, trying to stay out of range of its hoofs. “I’ve never ridden before.”

  Harrison smiled at her comment as he reached out to help her onto the horse. Once she was seated behind him, he answered, “I’ll guide him. All I ask is that you hold on, and not jump off his back. Saracen is patient and calm, unlike Areion. I fear you would never wish to ride a horse again if your first experience on a horse was riding him.”

  As she sat into the swell of the tall horse’s back, she tucked her legs up under the edges of the tall, black saddle that Harrison sat in. She was reasonably comfortable, if one could be comfortable while completely helpless.

  Harrison pointed down the dirt trail. “We will ride through the line of trees until we reach a great divide. The divide is the location where we cross over into the inner lands of Pemdas, where we live.”

  She peered around him. The trail seemed to go on forever.

  Levi, who was patiently waiting on his impatient horse, moved a few steps nearer and nodded at Harrison while he spoke to Reece. “You may want to hold on to Harrison. Pemdai horses are faster than Earth horses.”

  She nodded. Levi’s horse backed away and reared up. Reece instantly wrapped her arms tightly around Harrison’s waist.

  Harrison laughed. “Not that tight, friend; Saracen will not be showing off for you today. Just keep a good grip is all you need to do.” He turned back to her. “This may seem frightening at first, but try to keep your eyes open. You will not want to miss this journey.”

  And with that, Harrison leaned forward, and his horse lunged ahead. Reece grabbed Harrison tightly again. Levi’s horse led the way down the trail; the horses thundering and echoing their way through the trees. Reece could feel Saracen’s muscles move powerfully under her.

  The ride was more comfortable than she expected. She began to loosen her grip. Harrison grabbed her hands before she separated them, startling her. “You’re not going to want to do that just yet!” He yelled, over the thunderous gallop of the horses.

  Reece clasped her hands tightly again around his waist. She leaned a little sideways to look ahead, and felt her heart nearly stop. In front of them, the land ended in a gray mist. Saracen gained even more speed; then she could feel him gathering himself. With a surge of muscle, he leaped into nothingness.

  She looked down and saw nothing underneath them but thick, gray mist. She looked back, and saw a trail of fiery red leaves slowly falling into the nothingness below.

  The horses landed gracefully. Their front hooves beckoned the ground as they drew closer to the other edge of the great divide of emptiness. As they reached it, anxious front legs grabbed the ground as if they were pulling it beneath them, and grateful back legs followed. The horses then resumed their thundering gallop, faster than before.

  The sound of hooves seemed muted now; Reece looked down. They were riding on firm, black sand; although, they were moving too fast for her to be sure. She decided to bring her attention to the change of scenery before her eyes. The forest of trees with the vibrant red leaves had been replaced by bright green meadows.

  Reece gasped at the beauty of the open areas surrounding them. There were flowers with colors so unique and vibrant that they reflected the light of the sun, just as gemstones would. The sun…do they have a sun here? She looked up at the brilliant blue sky in search of it.

  She saw that the sun was a round object, similar to Earth’s; except it had a unique brightness and light about it, and strangely, it did not hurt her eyes to stare at it. Brilliance, fire, and ice would accurately describe the round image that illuminated the skies of this interesting world.

  Snowcapped mountains lined the horizon. The terrain they were traveling through was becoming less flat, and the flowers in the meadows were being replaced with tall trees and thicker vegetation. The trees became plentiful as they headed into a dark forest. She watched in amazement as this forest became denser, and the plant life began to mysteriously glow; as the foliage in the forest of red-leaved trees had. So it appeared to be that whenever this unique environment saw a hint o
f darkness, it glowed.

  The weather cooled as the last of the sun’s light was blocked by the forest they were riding through. Everything was glowing now. Greens, blues, and yellows illuminated the grounds all around them. She saw pink and white twinkling lights fluttering above the ground, fireflies? She looked out around Harrison, to see what was in front of them, and where they were going. As they crossed a stone bridge, she gazed in awe at the site of a sparkling, silver-colored river beneath them.

  They steadily made their way over the smooth surface of the arched bridge. Once safely across it, they began a gradual ascent up a hill. She held tighter to Harrison as the horse lunged up the hill abruptly. Once at the top of the hill, they were quickly out of the darkened forest and entering a valley, surrounded by rolling hills.

  She glanced around to check for signs of buildings, but there was nothing. Where were they taking her? They couldn’t have ridden for more than thirty minutes or so, yet she was ready to get off the horse. She sighed with relief when the horses came around a hill, and a small village came into view.

  The village sat in the valley they were riding through, and was surrounded by more wooded hills. Up the hills and above the village there was a clearing, and what appeared to be another city. Finally! She thought as she they quickly approached the small town.

  The horses slowed as they entered the bustling streets. Reece looked around, wondering where they would stop.

  The houses were made of stone and covered with dark green ivy. Some people stood on the street, waving and cheering as the horses walked past.

  What she saw reminded her of the places she loved reading about in historical novels. From the cottage-like buildings, to the long gowns she noticed the ladies wearing. Some women wore aprons with their hair tied up in tight buns, while others wore long dresses with capped sleeves and ribbons tied around their waists. There was too much to take in. Horse-drawn wagons filled with produce, different people wearing clothes from another time period scurrying around, carrying fresh baked breads, and crates filled with various types of food. Is this real? Did they time travel somehow? People didn’t dress like this anymore.