Free Ethereal Underground (Ethereal Underground Trilogy) by Briana Gaitan, Brooke Kennedy

pure, but throughout the centuries interspecies relationships had resulted in tainted bloodlines. Only a few full-blooded keepers had remained.
    In the last hundred years, the Officials decided that the keepers were to live on the surface away from the other cities. They still needed to supply a growing army, and most of the population had at least one ancestor of keeper decent in their lineage. When a child was born underground, parents would sometimes get their children tested to become keepers. These babies were stronger and more intelligent than normal. They also had limited capacity for emotions. Recently, Arie had heard a rumor that some of the keeper children were stolen from parents who didn’t want to give up their babies. No one was for sure if it was true or not. Ash sometimes wondered who his parents were and where they lived, but he knew there was no point. He didn’t feel any emotional ties to them.  Ash slowly reached the other side of the room and stepped up onto a large white platform. It was only one step off the ground, but it gave all the Officials a good view. He turned around to face both rows of Officials. He pushed his nerves away, and cleared his mind of emotion. It was a trick that all keepers were taught. He was thankful for it though; it had lessened the pain when he had been attacked by Loki. One of the Officials stood up and walked out from behind his large desk.  He was a shorter man with long, red hair that fell down his shoulders and piercing green eyes. As he walked, his robe dragged along the polished white floor. Ash bowed his head and put his hands behind his back. He didn’t recognize this particular Official by name, but Ash knew he was important.
    “Ash, you have been called here today to discuss your treason. You are accused of violating your vows by participating in forbidden acts in the eighth layer including, not but limited to; gambling, consorting with criminals, unlawful fighting and not putting your duties above all else to protect your peers.” As the words flowed from the Official’s mouth, Ash flinched. Hearing all of it in one sentence made it sound worse that it really was. Ash didn’t say anything. He stared at the keeper symbol that was engraved on the platform below his feet.
    “Ash,” said a recognizable voice, “do you understand why we sent you away?”
    Ash looked up to see one of his mentors, Sune, standing next to the redheaded Official. Sune wore the same robe and his black hair fell against his shoulders. Ash nodded.  He was on a sabbatical to understand how blessed the life of a keeper really was, and how horrible the day to day life underground could be.
    “Yes, Official. I understand.”
    “The opportunities we can provide outweigh anything you may receive down there.” Sune walked closer, his eyes were gentle and understanding. Sune was one of the only people that seemed to stand behind him in this scandal.
    “He is plotting with that red headed hunter! We should get rid of him now, before he betrays us all!” Ash felt his fists tighten behind his back in anger, but he tried to keep a straight face. He watched as a silver haired Official stood up and marched next to Sune. He pointed at Ash and continued on. “We do not give second chances. Why are we allowing him one? We need to get rid of him and the girl both.”
    “Control yourself, Official Julian. Do you want to be next on Sasha Raine’s personal bounty?” Sune’s threat seemed to calm Julian down. Julian meekly took a step back and lowered his finger. He gritted his teeth instead.
    “He is a liability, ” Julian pointed out.
    “He is a warrior who has proven himself to us, and been more helpful than many of the keepers we have. We cannot afford to lose another good keeper.”
    “He will cost us a lot of good keepers,” one of them yelled out. Ash stood there as the two men argued back and forth. He didn’t like how they were speaking about him, but Ash knew his place and