Unearthed Read Online Free PDF Page B

budge.”
    “Let’s try this way.” Gavin moved to the other end of the stone box, wiggling the heavy lid edge. No luck. He released it with a sigh, plunging his fingers into his head’s dollop of dark chocolate waves. “Okay, we’ll come back to it. Let’s keep moving and see where else this path leads. If Ava entered through the conservatory, this path has to lead there somehow.”
    I quickly agreed, moving to abandon the stubborn stone case, but was rooted to the dirt before I managed to take a single step. Gavin’s bag began to glow, filling the passage with radiant light. The shimmery, orange waves washed over the passage’s walls, basking them in angelic warmth.
    “The book,” I said, rushing to pull the bag from his shoulder. Collecting the Book of the Ancients, I stooped to the ground and hurried to open it, thumbing to reach the front pages.
    “What’s happening?” Gavin crouched down next to me.
    “It’s another image,” I said, watching as one of the blank pages sprang to life. Text began to form next to the picture, but it was still transforming, showcasing nothing but a blurry mess of golden letters.
    “Cam, look.” His fingers touched the image and both of our heads snapped up, first looking to one another and then to the stone box before us. “Do you see what I see?”
    “Yeah, I see it. I can’t make out the words yet, can you?”
    “No, they’re too blurry. Something about…a room, or womb or something?”
    “Come on,” I whispered, willing the damn book to hurry up with its magic mumbo jumbo. Gavin and I focused, finally able to make out the text.
    In the beginning, long before it all
    A secret was hidden, deep within these walls
    Uncover the truth, here in this room
    Your people’s fate lies within its tomb
    “Tomb?” I gulped, glancing around. “Gav…”
    “This isn’t just a secret passage,” he said, looking up to study the ceiling. “It’s a grave.”
    “What kind of grave?” I slowly rose to my feet, crossing my arms over my chest. A cold, slithering chill crept down my spine, and I could have sworn I felt the temperature drop. “I’m ready to get out of here, now.”
    “Wait, baby, we need to do what the Book of the Ancients says. Isn’t that how this stuff works?”
    “That was before. We’re not frozen souls anymore, Gav. Gérard’s positively gone . There are no witches trying to help us destroy the curse. Whatever this is, it’s not the same. I can feel it…something’s off.”
    “We can’t defend ourselves like we used to,” Gavin said quietly, his gaze roaming the floor. “If this is some kind of threat, we’re at its mercy. We have to know what to tell these people when we leave this passage.”
    “ Tomb ,” I corrected him, feeling another chill skate over my spine. “We’ll figure out what to say when we get home. I don’t care. I’m getting out of here. I don’t want to know…whatever’s in that box, I just don’t want to know, okay?”
    “Cam,” Gavin stepped in front of me, taking my face in his hands, “we can’t just walk away from this, you know that, love.”
    “No.” The word came out hard and cold. A stern plea. “The second we do what that book tells us, there’s no turning back. I’m not ready.” I squeezed my eyes shut and shook my head. “Everything’s been so good…so, so good here. Let’s walk away from this, please.”
    “You know that’s not an option. Open your eyes, Cam. Look at me.”
    My head rolled forward in defeat and I bit down on my lip. I slowly let my eyes flutter open, knowing exactly what I was going to find on Gavin’s face when I did.
    That soft, imploring expression of his, mixed with a trace of unwavering determination.
    “I know the place you come from, remember?” he whispered, tucking my hair behind my ear. “Before me. Before Amaranth. Before him , even.”
    My lips parted at his words. We hadn’t spoken about Andrew in years. I hadn’t brought him up. Not once. I had no