Read Online Keepers of the Lost Garden (The Lost Garden Trilogy Book 2) by K.T. Tomb - Free Book Online Page B

passage.
    As soon as all of them were safely inside, Yousef picked up a large tapestry and hung it over the opening. He then went inside the passage and pressed on the other side of the slab in the exact manner that he did when he’d opened it.
    The slab moved back into place.
    Yousef breathed a sigh of relief as Knight’s patience wore off. “I understand why the…”
    “Shh!” Yousef got in Knight’s face, clearly angry. “You are not welcome here…Americans! I only talk to the Cherubim! No Americans!”
    Cherubim.
    Knight thought that he and Jess were the only ones to know her as a Cherubim.
    How much does Yousef know?
    Jess smiled a reassuring smile at Knight as she gently placed her hands on his chest. “It’s all right. You have to remember, Evan Knight, that you are an outsider and a hated American here.”
    “Well, I should have seen that one coming,” groaned Geronimo.
    “You, too, Geronimo. Please let me handle this with Yousef.” Jess looked at Yousef.
    “Please tell us what you have for us, Yousef Omidi.”
    Yousef sneered at Knight. “I have a cache of weapons at the end of this passage. There are three backpacks filled with provisions and supplies. There are also passports with different names so that you will be able to leave Iran, should you survive.”
    Jess’s and Knight’s eyes met in a gaze that expressed concern for each other’s welfare. There was a sparkle of what Knight thought could have been love.
    Love for him.
    A love that they had for each other.
    This just started to become real.
    The only question was whether they would live long enough to fully express their love.
    Yousef continued as he pointed down the barely lit passage. “This will take you to a path that will lead to Mount Sahand.”
    Knight recognized that name.
    He snapped out of his thoughts of Jess and realized that all of his research might have been correct. According to his research, Mount Sahand was one of the mountains that had walled in the Garden of Eden.
    They were close.
    He could feel it.
    Jess hugged Yousef, while carefully avoiding his beard of surprises. “Thank you, Yousef Omidi. You and your family will be blessed for your assistance to the Daughters.”
    Yousef wiped a tear from his eye and headed back to the door. They all watched as the stone slab closed one final time, leaving them alone in the passage.
    Geronimo looked down the passage. “I don’t understand, Jess. That guy believes in Allah. Why did he just help someone who believes in God?”
    Jess blatantly showed her disappointment. “You assume that two people cannot work together because of different beliefs? I would expect a friend of the Chosen One’s to see things as they are, not as the world has chosen for you to see! Whether you choose to believe in Allah, God, Buddha or whoever, it is the fact that we believe in a higher power that unites us! I call shame on you, Geronimo.”
    “Now, let us proceed.”
    Knight couldn’t hold in his laughter as Geronimo stood in shock.
    Didn’t know she had it in her.
     
    * * *
     
    The passage appeared shorter than it was.
    The smell of mildew became more evident as the passage became damp.
    They walked in two inches of water until they spotted a wooden plank propped between the walls. Geronimo checked to make sure that the Christmas lights were far enough off of the ground and away from the water.
    Supported on the thick plank were three backpacks and two black duffel bags.
    Knight handed a backpack to Jess and Geronimo and kept one for himself. He put it on without checking inside.
    His curiosity was focused on what was inside the duffel bags. He carefully unzipped the closest one and peered inside.
     
    * * *
     
    The Soufian Cement Company seemed all but desolate, as the jeep that contained Sulna and Alexey approached the rear of the building.
    An overly nervous Iranian man was pacing in front of the loading dock as the jeep came to a stop.
    It took a lot to impress Alexey