The Third Key (The Alaesha Legacy Book 1) Read Online Free PDF Page B

exists, there's no way you're that old."
    His grin was magical, though not in the same way as his ring. "You flatter me. Alas, I am much older than I appear. This," he said, waving a hand at his body. "This is a guise, a costume, you could say. My true form is not human and tends to shock and terrify those who are not familiar with me. I couldn't have you running away the moment you opened the door, could I?"
    Alex stood up. "This is bull. I don't know what game you guys are trying to pull, but I'm not buying it. I'm out of here." He stomped toward the door, knocking over the glass he'd set on the floor and spilling soda on the carpet. He paused only briefly to look at the mess before stepping through the opening to the hallway. Or trying to step through, anyway. Before he could break the plane of the doorway, he bounced backward, stumbling and landing on his rear beside Edith. His nose was bleeding and his forehead was quickly developing a bright red spot. He blinked rapidly.
    Charles leaned forward from his perch with a smirk on his face. "The silencing spell also includes a blocking spell. It won't dissipate until I release it, so you really have no choice but to hear me out."
    "You're holding us prisoner?" Edith's stomach sank and her chest contracted, forcing her breath to come in short gasps.
    Charles shook his head. "No, no. Not you. Just him. You can leave anytime you like, though I do hope you'll listen to what I have to say."
    "Why can I leave and not him?"
    "Because I don't trust him. He's hiding something. You, Edith Myers, are an open book. You act gruff, but you're true at heart. I trust you no to share what we have discussed here. I trust you completely."
    Edith's forehead crinkled in doubt. She stood up and headed for the door. As her foot broke the plane of the door frame, she braced for a rough impact but none was forthcoming. She moved through freely where Alex had dropped like a rock. She felt a gentle heat against her leg and pulled the key from her pocket. It glowed warmly for a few seconds before returning to its normal color.
    Stuffing the key back into her pants, Edith briefly considered taking the key and running, but instead she rubbed her temples and sighed. "I'm so in over my head." She turned around and took her place on the floor again. "None of this makes any sense at all, but tell me what I've gotten myself into."
    Dana slid off the couch to sit next to her. "It's not really that bad. You don't need to be too worried. But now that you have the key, you're kind of stuck with it."
    Charles's face pinched as he looked at the cheerleader. "Actually, Dana, it really is that bad. Things are a lot worse than your mum and dad have told you. I wanted them to be honest with you, but they insisted on keeping you in the dark, hoping to protect you. Fat lot of good that did, eh?"
    Dana shook her head. "I don't understand. What do you mean?"
    "They told you about the impending war, right?"
    She nodded, her skin blanching noticeably.
    Edith raised her hand. "War? You kind of skipped over that part. What war?"
    Charles glanced between the two girls. "There is a war brewing in our world, Alaesha. Between the good guys and the bad guys. We were hoping to avoid it, but we failed. It's started. Started awhile ago, really. Months. Maybe even years. We just didn't know it. Right now, two keys are missing. That's not counting this one, which was apparently found or the one we know is in the hands of the enemy."
    Dana's pale skin drained of all color and her hand gripped Edith's painfully. Edith didn't notice over the buzzing in her ears. "Wait, they have one?" Dana whispered, her dread floating in the air like a heavy blanket descending on the world.
    Charles nodded, his lips pinched together. "Yes, they do. The Seventh Key."
    "Wait, that's Antarctica, right? No one is there, so it's not so bad." Dana relaxed and Edith could feel her fingers again.
    "It also means they have full access to an empty continent where