City of Gold (38 page)

There was something peculiar and foreign about the smell in the air. Cody’s eyes drifted open.
Where am I?
He looked to his left, straight into two bright lights racing directly toward him.

He hurled himself out of the way as the lights raced past with a piercing squeal. Cody watched the lights disappear into the distance. It was something he hadn’t seen in a long time—a car.

“Cody, move!” On the other side of the road were Jade and Tiana. Tiana’s face was white. Cody scampered toward them as another car whizzed by.

“What’s going on? Where are we?” he asked.

Jade pointed over his shoulder. “Turn around.”

He turned and his jaw dropped. Jutting into the air was Big Ben Clock Tower.

They were in London.

98

Safe

TIANA’S EYES WERE WIDE WITH WONDER. “That metal carriage was pulled by invisible horses,” she stammered in disbelief.

Cody stared over the London skyline in amazement:
What just happened!
“We’re back in Upper-Earth…how? Creating a portal of that size should have killed me.”

Tiana held out her hands and examined them curiously. “When you took my hand, before we went through the portal, I don’t know how to explain it, but it was almost as though my energy was being sucked out of my fingers.” She paused and smiled. “Perhaps you’re stronger than you think.”

Cody rubbed his forehead. “But that doesn’t explain why we’re in Upper-Earth. I wasn’t imagining any specific destination when I used the word, I just wanted to get anywhere but where we were. It doesn’t make sense. I’ve never been to London in my life.” He bit his lip and turned to Jade who had wandered off and was looking around.

Jade’s face scrunched. “I know this neighborhood…I’ve been here before.” She looked back and forth, scanning the street. She stopped and pointed to a large mansion at the end of the row, isolated by a black iron gate. “That house. I’ve been to
that
house.”

Cody joined her side. “How can that be? Why
that
house?”

Jade took a deep breath. “Because the man who lives in that mansion is named Arthur Shimmers—and he’s my father.”

The steps leading to the house’s large double doors were old cobblestone. Flanking the entrance were two life-sized black, stone statues of knights on horseback.

They ascended the stairs slowly. Cody glanced up. Framed in the fourth floor bay window was the silhouette of a man watching their approach. The next instant he was gone.

Cody turned to Jade. “You’re
positive
your father lives here? When’s the last time you even saw him?”

“It’s been years, but…” She took a deep breath and grabbed the dragonhead door knocker.
Thud. Thud. Thud.

They heard the shuffling of footsteps from the other side. Tiana braced herself for combat. Cody felt Jade’s fingers lock with his. The door opened and an exceedingly old man with a stern face and a tuxedo stood in the entrance. His eyes stopped on Jade. “Little Mari? Mari Shimmers? Is that you?” his voice creaked.

Jade exchanged glances with Cody. “Do you know me?”

The old man’s frail face rose into a smile. He stared at her, seemingly carried away by recollection. A minute passed as they waited for the elderly butler to return to the present. Cody coughed.

The butler jerked, startled. His eyes went wide as he remembered where he was. “Come in, come in! Your father will want to see you straight away!”

They sat anxiously in the foyer. Jade’s knee shook and she was fidgeting with her hands. Cody placed his hand on her leg, stilling it. “You okay?”

Jade sighed. “It’s just…I haven’t seen him in a long time. What if he doesn’t…”

Cody held his finger to her lips. “
Shhh
. He will be
very
proud of you. How could he not?” Cody grasped her hand. Jade smiled.

“Mari?” All eyes turned to the man now standing in the open doorway. He was tall and handsome. His wavy, shoulder-length hair was dark, as were his bushy eyebrows. Like Jade, his eyes were dark green.

Jade stood to her feet. “Father.” She blushed, stumbling over her words as she tried to say something else. The man stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her against his chest.

Cody exhaled. At long last—they were safe.

99

Unmasked

CODY FELT A RUSH of energy pump through him the instant his foot stepped into the office. The intense static shock jolted up his spine.
What is that?
He had experienced the feeling before, but couldn’t remember when.

“Oh, my gosh! Is that
me
!” Jade exclaimed. She ran over to a side shelf and picked up a framed picture. “I was such a fat child!”

Her father walked to her side. They began chatting. Cody stepped awkwardly away, feeling guilty to intrude on their reunion. His retreat went unnoticed. He eyed Tiana still standing at the room’s entrance. Her pale face expressed that she was in shock and angry at being so. Cody decided to let her be. He strolled through the large room.

Cody stopped at the desk. Lying in the middle of the desk was a large, rustic book. The book’s cover was made of simple wood. Cody felt his heartbeat quicken. The only marking on the cover was an image of three rectangles in the form of an upside down arrow surrounded by a runic sun. The boxes forming the point of the arrow were colored, one in scarlet and one in gold.

He suddenly pinpointed the sensation. It was the same intensity he had felt whenever he approached
The Key
. He reached into his backpack and pulled out the ruby pocket-watch. The purple hand was spinning out of control.
We’re not safe
.

There was a click as the office door opened behind them. Jade’s father stared intensely at Cody. “I believe you’re already acquainted with my employee.”

A man stepped through the door with pistol raised—it was Dunstan.

Dunstan bowed. “What are my orders, my master?”

Cody turned to Jade’s father in shock. Jade’s father reached to the desk and lifted a large, polished sword. “Welcome to the headquarters of CROSS.”

To Be Continued in Book Three

of the Lost City Chronicles

Lost City Chronicles Glossary

Alac-icacs
: An ancient desert tribe who once ruled over the people of the sand before coming to ruin.

Arianna
: A citizen of Atlantis

Boc’ro the Wise
: High Priest and councilor of the Alac-icacs

Borderlands
: The land dividing the kingdoms of Atlantis and El Dorado

Brotherhood of Light
: Those trained to use and protect the High Language
*See High Language

Caves of Revelation
: According to Under-Earth legend, the location where the tablets containing the High Language were first discovered

Chazic
: An enforcer for the AREA; understudy of Sli Silkian

Cia
: Heir to the throne of Atlantis

Cody Clemenson
: A 15-year-old boy from Havenwood, Utah; Book Keeper of
The Code

Covenant of the Books
: A treaty made between King Ishmael and the Golden King dividing full access to the Orb’s power between two books:
The Code
and
The Key
.

CROSS
: A mysterious organization run by a powerful master

Dace Ringstar
: Captain of Atlantis’ Outer-City Guard

Dark-Wielders
: Beings belonging to the Brotherhood of Light in El Dorado.

Dunstan
: A high ranking member of CROSS
*See CROSS

Eagleton, Eli
: Atlantis’ captain of the Mid-City Guard

Enforcers
: Grunt men for the AREA who oversee Orb worship and rules

Eva
: Princess of Atlantis

Evona
: One of
The Twelve

Eyelid-less Man
: A mysterious wandering inhabitant of Under-Earth; his origin is unknown

Fiery Plains
: A vast desert too hot to traverse; the aftermath of a major battle during the Great War

Fincher Tople
: Reporter for
The Under-Earth Rumbling

Flore Gub
: An Atlantis fortress on the borderlands

Foz
: Prince of Atlantis

Gelph
: A beggar in Atlantis’ Outer-City

Golden golems
: Foot soldiers of El Dorado with gold platelet armor infused into their skin

Golden King
: The monarch of El Dorado; Book Keeper of
The Key

Great Sea of Lava
: A vast body of lava on the borderlands

Hansi
: Prince of El Dorado; son of the Golden King

Havenwood
: A small town in Utah

High Language
: The creation words that are used to access the Orb’s power

Hymn of the Orb
: A chant repeated seven times every 2.5 hours in Atlantis: “Hail, the Orb of holy light, humbled we by its eternal might. Hail the Orb, let it shine forever bright. Amen.”

Igg K. Stalkton
: A hermit and Skipper of
The Igg
; brother of Lamgorious Stalkton

Inner-City
: The innermost district of Atlantis containing the Sanctuary of the Orb and the Royal family

Ishmael
: The first King of Atlantis

Jade (Mari Shimmers)
: A 16-year-old girl from Havenwood, Utah

Kael
: One of The Twelve

Kantan
: Prince of Atlantis; equal heir to throne with twin sister, Cia

Kingsty
: A soldier in Atlantis’ Outer-City Guard

Labyrinth Mountains
: A large mountainous range stretching across the Borderlands

Lacen
: A soldier in Atlantis’ Outer-City Guard

Levenworth, Gongore
: High General of Atlantis; one of
The Twelve

Lilley
: A peaceful outpost on the borderlands; the farthest point of Atlantis’ kingdom

Mid-City
: The middle of Atlantis’ three districts; industrial center

Monastery of the Brotherhood: Home of Atlantis’ Brotherhood of Light; located in the Sanctuary of the Orb

Naadirah
: First Queen of Atlantis; one of
The Twelve

Nocsic
: A Private deployed at Flore Gub; son of Talgu

Outer-City
: The outermost district of Atlantis

Poe Dapperhio
: An Atlantis servant

Randilin Stormberger
: An Atlantis citizen exiled from Under-Earth due to
Dark Deeds
committed during the Great War; one of
The Twelve

Redtown
: An abandoned town on the edge of the Fiery Plains

Rock-Clothing
: Garments made entirely from polished stones; invented by Gorgo Tallsin

Sadria
: One of
The Twelve
; wife to Wesley Simon

Sally Peatwee
: Owner of Sally’s Diner; gatekeeper of the Second Passageway
*See second passageway

Sanctuary of the Orb
: The spherical structure encasing the Orb in the heart of Atlantis

Second Passageway
: A wishing-well gateway in Area 51 that leads to Under-Earth

Shaheena
: One of
The Twelve

Sheets
: A soldier in Atlantis’ Outer-City Guard

Silkian, Sli
: Head of the AREA *
See the AREA

Stalkton, Lamgorious
: High Priest of the Brotherhood of Light *
See Brotherhood of Light

Surface-Dwellers
: A term used by underlings to refer to those who live above ground
*See underlings