Unearthed by Rachael Wade Read Free Book Online

She scanned the tomb ceiling and surveyed the dirt floor. “Can you please help me up?”
    “Not until you answer our questions.” Gavin’s voice was pitiless, his position with the dagger unwavering.
    “I was sent for you. I don’t know how long I’ve been asleep.”
    “Sent by whom? Original witches?”
    “What?” She searched Gavin’s face, then squeezed her eyes closed. “I’m confused. I’m sorry, I don’t understand what’s happening here. Everything’s groggy—”
    “Who sent you?” I repeated Gavin’s question, watching her grow more and more disoriented by the second.
    “I am the original, the original…” she said, her voice faint as she slumped back into the coffin, her head thumping onto the satin pillow.
    “Anastasia?” Gavin asked, rushing forward. I followed on his heels, wanting more answers. “Anastasia, can you hear me?”
    “She passed out.” I picked up her hand, letting it drop back to her side. She was out cold. “What do we do now?”
    “Take her back to our place.”
    “What? How will we get her down that hill, and past all of the villagers? They’ll be swarming us with questions.”
    “They’re just going to have to get over it.” He bent down and started to scoop her up. “We’ll have to have Greta and Denise distract everyone. Can you lift her legs? I can carry her from here.”
    I lifted her feet and then swung her legs up and out of the coffin, arranging her body so Gavin could lift her up and into his arms. “Be careful, Gav.”
    “I will, love. Grab the Book of the Ancients. Come on, let’s get out of here. We need to wake her up and find out what the hell is going on.”
    The Book of the Ancients was tucked under my arm in less than a second. We high-tailed it out of the tomb and back to the main village, both ready to collapse by the time we made it back to the house. The trek from the castle down the valley hill, although exhausting, wasn’t the worst part of the journey. Amaranthians had followed us, pestering us with questions the entire way home, and we’d managed to ignite a wave of worry from the castle all the way to the main village. Greta and Denise had shooed people away, assuring them they’d get answers soon, and had also made sure Ava was brought home safely while Gavin and I did our best to carry Anastasia into the house. We’d covered her with a sheet, doing our best to shield her face.
    But it wasn’t enough.
    We shut the door the moment we stepped inside, locking up and drawing the curtains to avoid the suspicious, impatient glares and hollering voices on the street.
    I leaned against the door with a relieved sigh. “What do we do now?”
    “We’ll make sure Ava gets something to eat and then we’ll put her to bed,” Greta offered soothingly. Gavin and I nodded our appreciation and watched quietly as she and Denise led Ava out of the living room.
    Anastasia lay on the couch, still out cold but breathing softly, letting us know she was at least conscious, and not dead. “This can’t be happening,” I muttered, grumpily chucking the Book of the Ancients onto the table.
    “We’ll figure this out,” Gavin said, wiping his brow with his sleeve. “Let’s hope she wakes up soon.”
    “Maybe we can wake her ourselves.” I walked over to the Samira look alike to gently shake her shoulders. I waited, then shook again. Still nothing. “I’m going to warm up some soup and make some tea while we wait.”
    Gavin nodded silently, his head in his hands as he ran his fingers over his hair. “Hey, Cam?” he called to me from the living room rocking chair.
    “Yeah?”
    “Samira must’ve known about the castle passageway, don’t you think?”
    “I would guess so,” I said, stirring the pot of soup in the kitchen. “She kept your mother hidden away all those years. We know about the tower, but that passage went farther back. We didn’t finish our search.”
    Gavin mumbled in agreement, leaning on his elbows and rubbing his