Free The Last Timekeepers and the Arch of Atlantis by Sharon Ledwith

place I think of as the true hell.”
    “Does Belial exist in the element of time too?” Treena asked.
    “Belial exists in the blackest shadows of time, Treena Mui. A dark mind that lives in the past to feed off the evil energy continuing to stagnate there.”
    “Eww, it sounds like something a vampire would do,” Amanda said.
    Lilith nodded. “Yes, it does. However, the true essence of Belial—the wickedest part of him—has been dormant for centuries, imprisoned inside the fifth arch by a powerful leader named Kukulkan. Now everything has changed because this dark, evil power has been released back into the world by a corrupt man named Marcus Crowley.”
    Professor Lucas went rigid. His face turned ash white. “Crowley? That…that son-of-a-snake!”
    “Do you know this man, Professor?” Melody asked.
    “Yeah, my uncle knows him, Melody,” Jordan said. “That loser set up Uncle John good so he could skip off with the treasure they found.”
    “Treasure?” Treena said skeptically. “Come on, Jordan, it’s not like the arch is made of gold or silver. It’s just a slab of old stone.”
    “Time is the ultimate treasure, Treena Mui,” Lilith replied. “Think of what you could do if you went back into the past and changed whatever you wanted to. Certain lives could be saved and many criminals caught. You would know where treasures are buried and when disaster would strike. You could observe history firsthand, find the truth, and expel the lies. Think of what could be possible.”
    “Are you saying this douche-bag Crowley is gonna change the past, Lilith?” Amanda asked.
    “And,” Melody added quickly, “are you telling us that both the remaining arches are some sort of time portals? Do you have any idea how impossible that sounds?”
    Lilith nodded. “It does sound impossible, but I assure you it is not, Melody Spencer. Marcus Crowley will change history if given the chance, and will do whatever Belial wants.” Then as if Lilith had been magically recharged, she smiled and said, “But this will not happen because destiny has brought all seven of you here to become the one thing Belial fears the most.”
    Ravi inclined his head. “And what’s that?”
    “Timekeepers,” Lilith answered. Her smile increased. “The Last Timekeepers.”

9. The Last Timekeepers
    Was this lady ready for the loony bin? Amanda’s heart raced, trying to keep up with everything she’d downloaded so far. Atlantis—Lilith—time portal—cellular frequency—Belial—fear—Timekeepers—correction, the Last Timekeepers. She may be vibrating at a high velocity, but her brain certainly wasn’t.
    Amanda sighed. It was time to bring things up to speed. “Okay, Lilith, suppose time travel is possible. What does a Timekeeper do and why is this Belial freak so afraid of them?”
    “Timekeepers are the legendary guardians of history, Amanda Sault,” Lilith said, smiling at her. “All Timekeepers are handpicked by destiny and sent into the past to keep time flowing naturally and on its proper course. Belial knows this and can do nothing to stop it. So he tempts those who choose to take the easier path to their deepest wants and desires. Belial truly becomes their shadow, always there, always lurking.”
    “So how come you called us the Last Timekeepers?” Amanda asked. “It sounds kind of final, like a death sentence.”
    Ravi groaned. “And what happened to the First Timekeepers?”
    “All in good time, Ravi Sharma,” Lilith replied. “And I assure you, Amanda Sault, it is anything but terminal. You are the Last Timekeepers because you are Earth’s last chance to restore the balance in the time period Belial chooses to invade. Like the spirals teach, everything is interconnected, including time. It is important to understand that you are all to be a part of the greater good in order to secure hope for a new tomorrow, a new Earth.”
    “Great. No pressure there,” Treena said.
    “Belial has an easier time seeping