Kingdom Keepers: The Return Book Two: Legacy of Secrets Read Online Free Page B

front, one a ways behind to observe.”
    “That would be me,” Charlene said. “Better at night, as in now, when there are fewer people around.”
    “But we glow at night,” Maybeck said.
    “All the better,” she said. “If someone sees us, maybe they’ll think we’re part of the show. They’re still working like crazy out there.”
    “Not once you’re out of the park, they won’t, so be careful,” Finn said. He’d never been comfortable around all the tech talk. Action, though—action he could do. “But one hour. No longer. Half hour out, half hour back. We’ll expect you at a few minutes past midnight.”
    To his surprise, Maybeck did not object. When the two were gone, Finn lay down on the coarse dirt. Philby and Willa followed his lead.
    “It’s weird to feel tired, isn’t it?” Finn said, yawning widely. “When crossed-over, I mean.”
    “This whole radio wave transmission is weird, if you ask me,” Philby said. “Two dimensions—it’s so limiting. And don’t get me started on our resolution.”
    “I won’t,” Finn said. Willa laughed. “I actually feel as if I could nod out.”
    “Me too,” Willa said.
    Finn closed his eyes and tried to rest, which basically never worked for him. It was like trying to grow taller. He rolled over and lay flat on his back, looking up at the teepee’s tapering cone, at the small patch of black sky at the very top. Low clouds slid past in hypnotizing patterns. Time slipped. He felt as calm as he ever had while a projection. His back felt cool on the soil, which was new to him as well. He sighed long and slow, welcoming a wave of disorientation.
    A sudden pain stabbed in his chest, sharp and hot. It felt as if a stake had been driven through his heart. Finn couldn’t move. Couldn’t sit up. Couldn’t call out. Was he dreaming of being a vampire? But the pain was so intense. It stunned him. He couldn’t breathe. Straining to sit, he realized he was paralyzed. He managed to rotate his wrist. 12:15 a.m. He felt a kiss on his cheek, long and slow and…definitely Amanda, he thought.
    He sat up suddenly. Philby and Willa were…sleeping. Unless Philby snored when deeply relaxed.
    He stood and left the teepee. Maybeck and Charlene would be back at any minute. Finn shook his head to clear the cobwebs. Squatted by the campfire and looked out at the tranquil river; moved down to the shore’s edge and saw his reflection in the dark water. In the distance, he heard the workers, toiling to ready the park for its opening in the morning.
    Idly, Finn reached down and poked his reflection. Watched the perfect circles ripple across his face. He lifted his finger. A droplet of water fell from his fingertip, producing another, smaller set of concentric waves. There was something wonderful and odd about the moment. He thought back to the gentle kiss on the cheek—his absolute certainty it had been Amanda. A wonderful dream. The best. He missed her something fierce, the kind of missing where your chest hurts and your throat chokes just thinking of her.
    He wondered what he’d done—leading the Keepers across Disneyland at night, jumping onto King Arthur Carrousel and crossing the boundaries of time. He shivered at the thought that he and his friends might have no way to return to their real lives.
    Wait! he thought. Water, dripping? He touched the water’s surface. Splashed with his fingertips. “Philby…” he called softly. He reached down to his side, made a fist around some of the sand and dirt, and let it trickle from his grip. He touched his chin, his nose. He rubbed his hand into the dirt. And then he laughed, running all the way to the teepee.
    Finn shook Philby, who reached out and slapped Finn’s arm away. “Get lost! I’m trying to sleep.”
    “Yeah, I know,” Finn said.
    “So stop shaking me. Let go!”
    “You were snoring. You were sleeping.” Finn delivered this matter-of-factly.
    “Take special note of the past tense. I would like to continue