Five Classmates. Two Time Portals. What Could Possibly Go Wrong…

The month of September marks new beginnings. For some it’s their very first day of school. For others, it’s moving up a grade or even on to high school, college or university. For many, it’s back to work, a return to routines, and moving forward in the new season. However, autumn also marks the harvest season for hard-working farmers who reap what they have sown throughout the late spring and summer. I’m harvesting my own kind of crop by bundling Books 1-3 of the Last Timekeepers series so readers can escape to the past, and have a blast anytime of the year. Your reading adventure awaits…

Blurbs:

Books 1-3 in the Last Timekeepers series now available in one volume. Escape to the past and have a blast!

The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis: After 13-year-old Amanda Sault and her classmates uncover a mysterious stone arch, they learn that it's an ancient portal created by the lost civilization of Atlantis. Chosen by an Atlantean Magus, Amanda and her companions are swept into the secret world of the Timekeepers: legendary guardians entrusted with preserving history from a sinister force known as Belial.

The Last Timekeepers and the Dark Secret: In Nazi-occupied Amsterdam during World War 2, the Last Timekeepers are tasked with locating an ancient book before it falls into enemy hands. With help from the Dutch Resistance and a mysterious baron, they must stay one step ahead of a regime determined to silence the truth.

The Last Timekeepers and the Noble Slave: On his third Timekeeper mission, eleven-year-old Drake Bailey must confront a dark chapter of history: the antebellum South. In a time of fear and cruelty, Drake must outwit his captors, protect a vital bloodline, and find the courage to break the chains that threaten to destroy him. Do the Timekeepers have what it takes to complete their mission and protect the timeline?

Excerpt from The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis:

They were almost inside the glowing archway. Its light felt warm and welcoming, like the rising summer sun. Treena stuck her thumbs in the straps of her khaki backpack as if it doubled as a magic parachute. Amanda mimicked Treena and grasped the straps on Jordan’s backpack that she was still wearing. Ravi was the only other person wearing one, so all the rest had nothing to break their fall if that light suddenly cut them loose.

The brilliant, fathomless glow swallowed Amanda, blinding her. Calm and silence overrode her senses. In that moment, two things happened—Amanda sensed that there was no separation between her and the others—as if they were all connected by these tiny threads of light. Second, she started to feel as though she were free falling, moving fast and out of control. She regained her vision, just as the white light exploded into a whirling rainbow.

Drake laughed. “Wicked! This feels like a ride at Disneyland!”

“It feels better than that!” Jordan replied. “I’ve been to Disneyland twice, and there’s no ride that even comes close to this!”

“It’s as if we can fly!” Treena shouted, doing a somersault in mid-air.

“It does feel wonderful, doesn’t it?” Melody said dreamily.

Amanda grabbed both ankles and flipped herself over. She giggled. This freedom, this feeling, this flux was awesome. The huge, spiraling rainbow surrounding the group of seven gently juggled them in mid-air like floating balls in a never-ending lottery game. She glanced over at Jordan’s uncle. His cheeks were sucked in, and his body flopped one way then another like a fish out of water.

“Is your uncle okay, Jordan?” she asked.

Jordan maneuvered over to his uncle by spreading his arms and legs wide as if he were a free-falling parachutist. He grasped his uncle’s shoulder and shook him. “Uncle John? Uncle John! Don’t make me slap you again!”

He reached over, grabbed Jordan, and kissed him on the forehead. “It’s all true, Jordan! It’s all true!”

Jordan squirmed. “What’s true?”

“Time flows through us,” he answered, his voice cracking as if he were a young boy again.

The whirling rainbow burst into shards of light, and they all touched bottom.

It felt soft—like a cushy trampoline—as Amanda, her classmates, Melody, and Professor Lucas bounced easily until they all stood still. Then the ground became solid again. Polished marble walls and finely crafted pillars materialized through the fading light. A sudden high-pitched buzzing noise made her wince. Everyone seemed to hear it too; they cringed in unison. The sound of waves crashing against a shore replaced the buzzing, and a set of deep purple curtains miraculously appeared in front of them. Amanda rubbed her eyes. In the time it took her to take a breath, the curtains were drawn. The brilliant white light that had pulled them into the stone arch now hovered between the open curtains. It started to radiate out, then draw in, out, then in, changing its shape with each rhythmic movement, until it finally transformed into a woman.

The woman was beautiful in an otherworldly way. She had long, fair, flowing hair adorned with quartz crystals. Piercing blue eyes stared back at Amanda like she was peering into her soul. She had a long narrow face with high cheek bones that tapered down to a firm chin. Her nose was long and slender. Amanda smiled at her. The woman smiled back. Her teeth were white, small, and even. She was perfect in every way. A rich-blue sleeveless linen robe adorned her slim body, accentuating her ivory skin.

I wonder if she’s a princess. Amanda didn’t doubt it, especially with all the jewelry the woman wore. A sparkling metallic snake bracelet wound around her left arm, a string of gleaming pearls and shells hung around her neck, and a silver belt strewn with various green, blue, and red gems hugged her waist. The only piece of clothing that didn’t seem to belong was a plain pair of woven sandals.

Melody pushed Drake behind her and took a few steps forward. “I demand that you tell us where we are!”

The beautiful woman gave Melody a gentle smile, and nodded. She opened her arms wide and said, “Welcome to the Temple of Poseidon, in the City of the Golden Gates.”

Melody jerked. “I-I beg your pardon?”

“Atlantis,” Professor Lucas answered in a whisper. “We’re in Atlantis.”

Excerpt from The Last Timekeepers and the Dark Secret:

“I wonder what else is down here.” Drake beamed his cell phone across the basement, hitting jars of jams, pickles, and relishes. His stomach growled.

Jordan pulled the cheese from his pocket and handed it to Drake. “Trade you for your phone.”

“Best. Trade. Ever.” Drake passed his phone to Jordan.

Jordan walked over and grabbed a jar of pickles off the dusty shelf. At least they wouldn’t arrive at the baron’s place hungry. He hoped his uncle had managed to stop Amanda’s bleeding. His hand tightened over the jar, the ridges of the lid cutting into his palm. A scrape from behind the shelves made Jordan jump.

“Hello?” he asked, pushing jars aside. He flashed the cell phone into the small, dark area.

“Who ya talking to, Jordan?” Drake asked with his mouth full of cheese.

“Shhh, Drake.” Jordan listened. Hearing nothing, he shrugged and turned back around.

“I thought I heard—” Jordan stopped and pointed the phone at Ravi. His jaw dropped. “A-Are you serious, Sharma?”

Drake spat out his cheese, snorting with laughter.

“Is there a problem?” Ravi asked, tying the bowtie of his tuxedo.

“You look like a penguin with attitude!” Drake slapped his knee.

“Say what you want, but I’m glad we didn’t hit the cleaners on the way to school now,” Ravi replied, pulling down his sleeves, “or else I wouldn’t have these dry clothes.”

Jordan chuckled. Suddenly, he heard a door creak open, followed by heavy footsteps squeaking down the stairs. Panicking, Jordan stuffed Drake’s phone in his track suit jacket’s pocket and waved Drake over by the shelves. Drake slipped behind Jordan just in time, before the small light bulb above the bottom of the stairs clicked on. Jordan swallowed hard. There, staring directly at Ravi was a portly man in a blood-stained apron. Tufts of blond hair sprouted from the sides of his balding head. His brown trousers were pulled up past his waist, making him resemble an evil garden gnome. In one of his hands, he held a huge butcher knife, its blade flecked with blood.

Wielding the knife, the man pointed at Ravi. “Who are you?”

Ravi licked his thick lips nervously. “The name’s Bond. James Bond.”

Excerpt from The Last Timekeepers and the Noble Slave:

Drake glanced at Elvis standing by the back of the wagon, and their eyes locked. He didn’t appear to be dressed like the slaves Drake remembered in movies or had seen in textbooks. Wearing a dark frock coat over a white linen shirt, and a pair of tan trousers, Elvis seemed dressed more for city living instead of country life. He smiled at Drake and tipped his charcoal derby at him again. “Is…is Elvis your slave?” Drake asked.

“He’ll be free once I pass on.” The sides of Dixie’s hazel eyes crinkled. “But Elvis sometimes thinks he’s the one who wears the pants on account he takes care of me. Taught him how to read and write as best I could, but as you see, people don’t know what to make of him. His skin’s lighter than some white folks I know.”

“So Elvis is an albino.” Drake rubbed his chin. “I thought so. His skin would be the same color as mine if it wasn’t for the lack of a particular enzyme in his body.”

“Not sure what the devil you said, but sounds like you’re one smart boy. If I was you, I wouldn’t show off your schooling to the people ’round here. Folks don’t take too kindly to educated blacks, free or not.” 

“Don’t worry, Dixie, he’ll keep his mouth shut.” Jordan nudged Drake. “Right?”

“When hell freezes over,” Drake whispered to Jordan. He looked up at Dixie and grinned. “Right.”

“Let’s go, children, into the wagon.” Melody gave them the come along sign. “We don’t want to take up any more of Dixie’s valuable time.”

Dixie guffawed. “Pay no mind to the time, Melody. My pappy taught me that you get what you need in life, and I got plenty of time to help others get to where they need to be.”

The sound of Treena grunting into the back of the wagon made Amanda giggle. Drake caught Treena scowling at Amanda while Jordan helped her in. Ravi followed Jordan, careful not to brush his sherwani against the rough wooden sides. The wagon creaked against the added weight, but it seemed sturdy enough to transport them on the rugged dirt road. The Prof assisted Melody into the wagon, and she found a place next to Treena near the front. Jordan and Amanda sat next to each other near the back gate, while Ravi brushed away the dust from one of the sacks of grain before he planted his butt on it. Drake had never known Ravi to be this anal about anything, especially clothes.

“Come on, Drake,” The Prof held out his hand, “last but not least.”

Drake started toward the wagon and stopped, feeling a twinge in his bladder. Looking both ways, he spied a copse of tall shrubs leafy enough to allow him some privacy. “Um, give me a sec, Prof. Nature calls.”

“Hold on, I’ll come with you.”

“No thanks. I think I can handle this task.” 

Drake darted toward the shrubs before Professor Lucas or Melody could protest. Finding the most appropriate spot, he unzipped his pants and proceeded with his business. As soon as he was done, he zipped up his pants the same time a calloused hand roughly covered his mouth. Drake’s neck muscles corded while he was dragged deeper into the forest with what felt like a gun shoved between his shoulder blades.

UNIVERSAL BOOK LINK:  https://books2read.com/u/b5ExvR