Kingdom Keepers New Series Book #1 by Ridley Pearson

Author:Ridley Pearson [Pearson, Ridley]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Disney Book Group
Published: 2022-02-21T00:00:00+00:00

27

THE CAT THAT LILY CALLED Desamora led Blair past Pirates of the Caribbean. The cat had repeatedly pulled on Blair’s shoe strap until Blair had stood. She followed the cat out of the tea shop, her caretakers allowing her to go. Two of the guards now followed within striking distance in case Blair encountered any trouble. A man and a woman stood on either side of the ride’s entrance studying the few guests who entered the attraction. Blair had been told Eli was being held in Cold Man’s Corridor beneath the ride. Blair didn’t see how the cat could possibly know to bring her here. And yet, here they were.

They circled the attraction, passing archways blocked by metal gates. Through some came only shadow. Through others Blair could see flowering gardens and fountains.

Her two bodyguards caught up to her. “Look up,” one of them said.

Blair’s attention had been nearly fully upon Desamora. “The realm!”

“These archways come off a back terrace. Perspective creates the illusion the realm is farther away than it is.”

“Cold Man’s Corridor?” Blair asked.

“Part of Pirates. Next door is Villains Realm,” the other guard said. “Follow me.” Moments later, Desamora scratched at a gate that appeared to be part of the Villains Realm. The three girls joined her.

“Interesting,” the taller girl said.

Blair tested the gate. Locked. She felt relieved. She desperately wanted to find Eli. But the idea of entering a dark corridor frightened her.

“Dogs are good at finding things, leading you to places. But a cat?”

Desamora whined and pawed again at the gate.

“Look, the lock is broken,” said the other girl as she handled the lock.

“But a cat?” Blair said, persisting. “Really?”

The bodyguard worked the lock free of the clasp and swung open the gate.

“I will go with you. I am Amara.”

“Blair.”

“This is Barika. She will wait here.”

Desamora took the lead. While the cat could walk soundlessly, Blair could not. She tiptoed to keep quiet. Sunlight seeped through open air slits in the walls. Blair tried to remember each turn. She counted the number of doors and archways they passed through. Amara moved like a cat herself, taking long silent strides, her eyes sweeping in all directions.

Desamora stopped in front of a wood-paneled wall. She looked up at Blair with pleading eyes. Blair bent down to look at her more closely.

“I don’t speak cat,” Blair whispered to both Desamora and Amara.

The cat pawed the wall like she had with the gate. Amara stepped forward and pushed the wall panels, but to no avail.

The cat pawed the wall a second time. Amara searched the wall. Blair joined her. “Any loose stone, or a crack for the fingers.” Blair studied a vertical line of decorative gargoyles to the right of where Desamora had scratched. The ornaments had big, angry eyes and long tongues. Holes had been drilled for the eyes.

Blair shivered as she stuck her fingers into the various eye holes. She poked and pinched. Nothing. And then, a click. A panel popped open.

She heard voices. Amara pushed Blair back protectively and peered through the crack.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.