Chapter One

April Lopez let her eyes roam across the darkened landscape, better known as the midnight sun. Steep crystal icebergs of the Arctic Circle loomed in the distance like a kaleidoscope of color. A glorious magic filled her heart as she embraced the northern aurora looming over the Alaskan skyline. The witching hour. She closed her eyes, searching for reassurance that traveling to Middle Earth was the right decision. She pictured the lapis lazuli and gold leaf pendant nestled warm against her breast. Her mentor teacher claimed the pendant guaranteed her entrance into the golden city. 

Her throat tightened. “I can’t do it,” she whispered. The snowmobile took her to the small entrance hidden in the Arctic Circle. The icy wind whirled around her, making her cheeks numb. Her eyelashes were like frozen toothpicks. She longed to cuddle under the blankets in her Sedona apartment. Instead, she’d journey through tunnels to find a man rumored to be a priest of the old Atlantean world. Panic seized her good intentions. Middle Earth. That’s insanity! But if she turned back, how many people might perish because of her cowardice? She had to reach the central city of Agartha and ask for the priest’s help in stopping Ursula and the Archon from enslaving humanity. As a gemologist and lover of stones, the excitement to study the inner core of the planet would rank as a spectacular adventure if not for the horror facing Sedona after the Archon’s return. 

April looked around for Tamara, a Cait Sith sidhe shifter, who’d agreed to accompany her through the tunnels and into the caverns. Two green eyes flashed before Tamara’s body materialized in a belted, black snow jacket  and diamond-patterned warmers over her arms and legs. Tamara’s ebony hair glistened along her shoulders and over her dainty breasts. She was petite for a woman, but April knew mighty strength hid in the smallest of sidhe folks. 

A rumble frightened her, and she closed her eyes to calm a nervous mind. After her nerves settled, she reached over and embraced her companion. “You don’t have to make this journey.”

Tamara hissed and twitched her nose. “Money’s good.”

“That reason is not why you’re helping me.”

A snicker escaped her cool exterior. “The evil bitch will pay.” Tamara turned away and surveyed the area. 

April honored her need for privacy. Tamara still hadn’t grieved her cousin’s death—instead, she’d agreed to risk her life on this crazy journey to a world that held the unknown. 

She stretched her gloved fingers, now grown stiff from the icy night air. A dark, circular ridge of ice overshadowed the hidden entrance. Since she couldn’t teleport, they’d need to crawl through the small opening. She secured her pack on her back and pulled the straps tight. 

Together, they hiked over the cliff’s edge and slid behind the barrier shielding the entrance.

Tamara shifted quickly into a small, black, tuxedo-tailored feline. Her white chest gleamed like a jeweled tie. 

“Your clothes?” April asked.

“Glamour.” Head high, Tamara pranced through the concealed passageway. “Follow me.” 

April crawled on her belly, using her elbows to push her body through the narrow opening. Her leg muscles cramped from the cold stiffness. The endless hours of training in Arizona’s underground caverns still left her shaky. Horrible images of being buried alive filled her mind. A sweat broke across her skin. Her foot hit a solid wall of ice. She froze, struggling to gather her breath and stop the pounding in her ears. “Tamara.” Her voice cracked, dry and hoarse. 

“Yes, milady”

“I think-k we’re trapped in here.” 

“What makes ye think so?”

“I tried to move backwards and can’t.”

A growl escaped Tamara. “I guess we move forward,” she snapped. “The caverns can be dangerous—risky, not a place for a human who can’t teleport.” 

“I’m second-guessing that decision.” Waves of movement rippled through the ice rock. Sharp, jerky shifts rumbled inside the tunnel. “Shit, an earthquake.” Small shards of ice pummeled their bodies. “Being buried alive is not what’s on my agenda.”

Tamara snickered. “I’d rescue you and teleport to safety. But…”

“Save it. We’ve got company.” April sensed others just inside the wall of ice. “Metatron, my guardian archangel, warned me of dangerous cave dwellers who live in the subterranean caverns.”

Tamara arched her back, her tail perpendicular. “Did he mention anything about a demon in these tunnels?”

“No.”

“Good, demon blood doesn’t set well with my digestive system.”

April’s arms hurt from pulling her body across loose gravel that scraped her stomach. Like The Princess and the Pea, tiny pebbles pushed their way through her insulated snow jacket. Having her face inches from the ground caused her nose to itch, one of those itches that tortured until a person wanted to scream. Not able to stand it a moment longer, she pulled her glove toward her face, but that action only made her want to sneeze. 

An eerie feeling crept inside—others watched. April clenched her jaw, forgetting all about her irritated senses. She had little room to maneuver. Lifting her foot a few inches, she tested the ice. Solid. On her elbows, she crawled at least fifty feet and, with a slow, deliberate kick, she tested the space behind her. Her foot jammed hard, sending a jolt of pain along her calf. Without a doubt, someone used magick, and the idea pissed her off.  

Tamara moved forward. “Stay here. I’ll scout ahead.” 

“Like leaving is an option.” A bead of moisture dampened her brow in the dense, dank air. Tapping her forehead on her clasped hands, she envisioned Metatron’s gentle spirit. He’d promised not to leave her until they reached the door with the sun emblem. 

A grip squeezed her hand, and his calming voice echoed in her left ear. “I’m right beside you.”

Tamara returned. “This tunnel ends in five hundred feet.” She looked over April’s shoulder, eyes wide. 

“What?” A terrified echo reverberated back to her. 

“Let’s go.” Tamara took the lead.

April fought the jitters threatening to send her scrambling like a possum to the surface. They came to the edge, and the cavern widened. April stretched her legs and arms, grateful to be standing and off her stomach. She wiped the shards from her neck and welcomed a chance to look behind her at the wall of ice forcing them forward. A shower of ice glistened. In the sparkles of light, she swore an image appeared. A spirit or an elemental? “Tamara, there’s a living being here. It’s projecting curiosity. I don’t think it means us harm.”

“That’s a relief.”

In the archway of the tunnel, large stalactites hung from the ceiling and stalagmites rose from the cave’s floor reminding her of a maze of dangerous traps. One wrong choice and she might vanish in a puff of smoke. They maneuvered around the stalagmites. The ice walls changed into a rusty-brown sediment of the earth’s crust.

A rancid, earthy scent like her little brother’s sweaty gym socks existed within the soil. Quite a change from the Arctic Circle’s entrance. April and Tamara cautiously moved through the pin-cushion labyrinth. The tunnel narrowed, and Tamara, with her nocturnal eyesight, went first through several switchback turns until they reached a dead end.  

Tamara’s black-and-white tail stiffened, giving April plenty of reason to pull back. A sudden drop-off caused her to dig in her heels, unsure of the dark looming edge hanging before her. With no choice, she gripped the edge of the cliff and jumped onto the path leading deeper into the core of the cave. A few feet later, they came upon the most enchanting waterfall April had ever seen.   

Aqua crystal gleamed behind subtle rolling hills encasing a pool of purplish water.  Exquisite!

An ideal place to rest her aching muscles. Slipping the knapsack from her shoulder, she sat on a small boulder and took a piece of dried jerky and a frozen bottle of water from her bag. “Great.” She stuffed the meat into her mouth, savoring the juices. 

Tamara shifted back into a woman and sat beside April. 

She offered the zip-lock bag to Tamara then replaced it in her pack. Dipping her hand in the pool of water, she watched as a fluorescent sparkle shimmered around her fingers, and she sensed an energy of pure heaven.

Archangel Metatron materialized in a fur-lined jacket and tight jeans. 

He smelled like candied apples. The archangels were the best-looking men. Metatron was one of Lara’s favorite protectors. Lara was her best friend and the owner of the Haven Nest boutique, also known as a demon spirit-catcher, now married to Rafe, who was the ambassador between the human and fae realm. “What’s going on with the tunnel?”

“The elementals use earth magic to make changes in the tunnels’ directions.” He took her hand and walked through a solid wall of dirt to reveal the illusion. “We sensed your conflict and couldn’t risk you turning around.”

“I almost did.”

“I’m sorry the earth elementals frightened you, but it’s crucial you complete your task. Another kidnapping took place after your departure.”

“What will we do if they refuse to help us?” 

“The priest has already rebuff me and the other celestials. You and Tamara will change his mind.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Trust me. In time, you will understand your true purpose in coming to Agartha.”

“And mine?” Tamara asked.

“You’ll be pleased.”

April became increasingly uneasy with his words. His tone aroused old fears and uncertainties that made little since to her. She gave him a weary glance, wondering why the angels didn’t intervene in the conflict facing the planet.  

“We don’t intervene because humans have chosen duality, believing in polarities that exist in the physicality of the surface. In the celestial galaxy, there’s no such thing as good and bad.” Metatron responded with compassionate understanding.

At times, the ability of angels irritated her. “Sit and talk with Tamara and me.” 

He sat on the polished rock across from them. “In the galactic system, the Sirian-Pleadean Alliance of ancient gods work to help and shield the blue planet you call Earth.”

“I have seen the star people. They manage the space station and satellites in space.” Tamara smiled. “It is the star men who are trying to prevent the destruction of the planet.”

“But ever since the introduction of this new vril energy into the surface sediment, the earthquakes and volcanic disruption have killed thousands.” Anxious exasperation ate at April’s heart, watching their cities destroyed from floods, fires, and storms. “Last month, a wildfire stormed through the canyon in Sedona, blocking the road out of the city. How much longer before the magnetic fields return to balance?”

“Depends.”

“Depends on what?” She fisted her hand and pounded her leg.

Tamara changed into her cat and walked along the pool’s edge, batting at a glittering leaf. She brought it to the side of the pool, shifted, and picked it out of the water.

Tamara held the gold leaf and handed it to April. “I think it’s a key.”

“The necklace is a message that you may continue to the next level. Enter Middle Earth with an open mind and a pure heart. When you arrive, use your expertise with mineral gems to help the Zorians. Count on the priest with the raven. He will help you reduce the force of magick within the energetic fields. Trust me! The journey to the realm of Agartha is a significant key to the success of the galactic agreement.”

“Explanation?” Tamara said.

Metatron laughed, and his essence faded. “Chaosskampf lives among humanity, you’ll see.”

April was used to the angels speaking in riddles, but what did chaos have to do with their circumstance? She knew in time—angel time—the truth would reveal itself. “The portal is to the right.” April followed Tamara deeper into the tunnel, around the bend. Within the tunnel’s wall, a gleaming, glittering, saffron prism of magick guarded the entrance into the next set of caverns. It smelled of lemon and sweetness. Using her empathic skills, she tried to pick up any emotional vibrations. The only emotions were the beating of my own racing heart. Heaving a sigh, she rubbed her hands along the walkway, which was filled with clear crystal quartz. She picked up the emerald-colored quartz she found at her feet and tossed the crystal into the prism. It shimmered and opened into another passage. “Let’s go!” 

April stepped through first. In front of her stretched a road of pebbled stones. Sconces of lights hung suspended from the limestone walls. Birds of a reddish hue flew above, and the cavern opened into a wide arena like inside an underground subway she’d visited in London when she vacationed with her parents. She looked around at the six portal shields. Over to the right, a yellow shimmer of gold drew her attention. Metatron told her to look for a door that would lead them into Middle Earth. Her stomach somersaulted at the prospect they’d found the entrance. Inhaling a deep breath, April and Tamara held hands and stepped through the portal into the spiral stairwell. 

“Should we take our chances and begin the descent?” Tamara asked.

“I’d rather be at the Cowboy Saloon with a red-hot martini and a sexy cowboy giving me preposterous propositions.” Tamara’s lioness meow surprised April, and she gave Tamara an appreciative smile. “After you.” April clung to the small crevices chiseled within the stone steps, which helped her balance her body as she descended into the bowels of the cavern. The fluorite gems embedded throughout the stairwell radiated a protective shield, the same she used to shield her from unwanted spirit attachments during clairvoyant readings. The gems calmed her tumultuous emotions. Hesitating for a moment, she asked Tamara, “Do you see the golden gate with the sun’s emblem?” 

“No, only spiraling stairs,” she answered in the deep, raspy mew.

They kept walking until the stairs ended in a vast rock platform like one might see on a mountain ridge in Sedona. “Where is the door or portal?” April asked.

“Look over there.” 

April squinted her eyes, and she saw the golden lights of another portal. “I see it.”  

They moved from the platform and tried to walk through the arch but instead hit a barrier. “The arched entrance is controlled with some kind of mechanism, lock, or a code.”

They ran their hands along the limestone walls, searching for any access point. A melodic tone came through the stones, a chanting of voices blending into one humming sound. 

April struggled to make out the spoken words but couldn’t identify the language. Yet, the tonal vibrations were familiar.  Each chakra note changed in sound as the music vibrated throughout her body. An electrical current zapped the base of her spine, and the kundalini yogic energy exploded in her frontal cortex. She drew in a breath and allowed her body to become one with the sporadic harmonic notes she recognized—but why? 

A movement rippled through the walls, and April squirmed, hearing the silent hiss of a desert lizard. The music vanished. April and Tamara continued searching for a way to open the golden sun. 

Without warning, a creature with the face of an ancient lizard and a humanoid body charged through the rock. They both screamed and ran to the opposite end of the cavern. Trapped and unsure of where to go, they dashed toward the stairs. “Teleport to safety,” April screamed to Tamara.

“What kind of protector would I be if I abandoned you?”

“A smart one,” April cried out.

“I’m gonna distract him.”

April went for the stairs and leaped up two steps. At the same time that lizard man dived for her feet and slammed his face into the metal railing a little harder than he should. April wasn’t sure whether to return back to where they came from or risk jumping into another tunnel she saw to the right of the platform.

Too late. The lizard man gained his footing and chased her up the spiral staircase. She gasped, realizing a shiver of panic, and began to shake as fearful images invaded her mind. She hadn’t come to Middle Earth to become someone’s lunch. Out of breath, she couldn’t run any more. The hiss of his voice pierced her. She choked out a cry, frightened. Electrified with anger, she turned around and kicked him in the chest when he appeared around the next swirl of steps.

Tamara showed up in feline form and jumped onto his back, causing the lizard man to turn away from April and focus on her.  

From the tunnel, she’d seen earlier, beautiful sparkles of light flashed above and zoomed right past them. The light materialized into a boy, small in stature, with yellow hair and shadowy moon eyes. April’s gaze darted around the tunnel, trying to find a safe place to hide. Tamara released the hold she had on lizard man and stood in front of April as they watched the lizard disintegrate before their eyes. The pounding of April’s heart pulsed inside her ears. She hadn’t ever been this scared in her life.

Releasing her grip on the rail, April sighed. “What do we do?” She crinkled her nose at the stench and pointed to the pile of ash. 

“Come stand at the platform and explain why you are here.” The boy gave her a cautious look as he aimed the wand toward her. 

Tamara, in her feline form, looked into her eyes and nodded to do as the boy said. Whatever weapon he carried could turn a living being into dust.

“We’re looking for the sun portal, the doorway into Middle Earth—and by the way, what happened?” April pointed to the remains of the monster.

“A saurian humanoid sensed your vulnerability. The reptilians feed on those who find themselves without the vril protection.” The boy took a step toward them. April moved forward and extended her hand. 

He glided around her and picked up Tamara. “I am Nava, a Sirian starseed from the Galactic Federation, and protector of the interdimensional tunnels.”

Tamara purred and tilted her head like cats do when they expect you to scratch their ears. He didn’t disappoint, and Tamara angled her long neck in his direction. 

April rolled her eyes at the two of them. Now wasn’t the time to flirt. 

He put her down. 

She shifted. “I’m Tamara and this is my friend, April.”

“You’re a surface dweller. How? How did you find these caverns?” Nava stared into Tamara’s cat-shaped eyes in bewilderment.  

“We’re on a mission to speak with the wise one with the raven.”

He turned to face her, and a shadow crossed the boy’s eyes. His brows furrowed together. “Our priestess shall decide your fate.”

Nava motioned toward the platform at the circular sun door. “The entrance to Rainbow City.” The boy watched Tamara with interest. “You are not human.”

“I am Cait Sith sidhe, a fairy cat from the elemental realm.” Tamara swiped a hand through the particles of energy surrounding his body. “You have powerful magic.”

Nava moved closer and the same energy surrounded Tamara.

A drum beat and the harmonic melody that April heard earlier resounded through the corridor. Two rhythmic beats then a pause. The musical notes repeated several times before the door clicked open. A beam of light flew past them.

Nava appeared on the other side of the corridor. As Tamara stepped through the sun door, Nava extended his hand, guiding her into Rainbow.

Tamara turned to April and motioned for her to follow.  

Her body vibrated with a higher frequency as she stepped through the archway into a valley of vibrant colors. The rainbow spectrum surrounded a cacophony of lights sparkling like fireflies. “The adults?” April asked.

A dark scowl hitched from his eyebrows to his flatlined mouth. “Your limited perception sees only children. We are the Keepers of the Stargate.” He turned toward Tamara. “You have risked much coming here. What is it you seek?”

“Can you help us find the priest with the raven?”

He glanced at April, and his frown deepened before he returned his attention to Tamara. “Zorith is a day’s journey from here.”

His outright public dislike of her frustrated April. “I’d appreciate you looking at me.”

“You’re a lowly surface dweller and not worth my attention.” 

April had enough of the mistreatment. Anger threatened to overwhelm her at his rudeness, but they were in a strange land, so it’d be wise to keep her temper. Unzipping her jacket, she fanned herself, needing to be rid of these heavy clothes. “Will you please show us the way to Zorith?”

“First, we’ll go to the priestess’ palace, she must grant you permission to enter Agartha’s cities.”

Rows of spring tulips in pastel colors lined the cobblestone road leading to the palace. April’s memories flashed to the journey of Toto and Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz. With hesitation, April walked down the cobblestone road, waiting for the Wicked Witch of the West to glide through the trees on her broomstick. “Peachy,” she mumbled. Like Dorothy, she had to find her way to Zorith and locate the mighty wizard capable of helping her save the home she loved.  She clicked her heels. “There’s no place like home, there’s no place like home.”

In the palace’s open courtyard, a crystal rainbow arched over the main entrance. The crystals vibrated with an intense high pitch. April gravitated to the pure sound. Clusters of star energies danced and sang as they flitted through the air. Nava’s skeptical eye made April feel uncomfortable, and she sensed his distrust of her—but why? “What are they celebrating?”   

“Life. We begin each morning with song and dance before the food distribution.”

“Everyone receives food?” she asked, surprised at the joyous conversations, relaxed postures, and an overall sense of well-being. At home, you’d feel poor and separated from others. Quality food was saved for those who could pay. If you couldn’t afford fresh food, there was day-old bread, blocks of cheese, and packaged, unhealthy processed meals. 

“The harvest provides adequate food for all our needs,” Nava said.

Next, an adorable, cherub-faced girl appeared with scones and glasses of juice. She placed them on the table sitting in an alcove close to the dancers.

They sat and watched. 

One of the dancing starseeds transformed into an exquisite woman. The female picked from the bushels of red apples and fruits and offered a boy a perfect fig. 

The young man took a bite before kissing the tip of her nose and giving her the sweetest smile. 

Tamara left to join a group of fairy-winged nymphs dancing. She blended with the women, twirling in a beautiful gossamer dress. Having magical glamour gave one an advantage. 

April removed her jacket and decided to discard it as soon as she found a receptacle. She was smothering in these boots and gloves. 

Nava snarled at the pile of clothing she’d collected at her feet. Without warning, he took out his wand and touched her pile, and it disappeared.

Thank goodness she hadn’t piled the clothing on her backpack, or her phone and personal belongings would be gone. Her heart pounded, knowing he could turn her into dust at his feet. But, not being passive, April gave him a scouring look of her own. “What are you doing?” Her temper was growing thin, and she didn’t know how long before her fuse blew. 

With perfect timing, Tamara came back to the table with a jubilant lilt in her step. “Try one of these.” She offered April a guava. 

April closed her eyes and savored the succulent juices exploding in her mouth. “The fruit is heavenly.”

Nava’s attitude remained snippety, so apparent in his glowering stare. “Surface dwellers make a profit from the earth. They waste food instead of feeding the hungry. They destroy the health of the soil with herbicides and chemicals. In Rainbow, we live with Mother Earth, and she rewards us with healthy nourishment.” 

His nose lifted higher than any high-class snobbish blue-blood she’d ever known. 

Tamara took April’s hand and squeezed. “Keep our purpose in mind.” 

April’s face reddened, and her gaze darted away. “He’s right. The pesticides pollute the soil with poisons. He blames me for his distaste of humans.”

Young, red-haired flower fairy brought her a basket of apricots, almonds, cheese, and bread. “Your spirit sags. Are you in need of nourishment?”

“Yes.” April took the basket and thanked the fairy with periwinkle wings.

“Nava is the watcher of our city. Forgive his harsh behavior. Few surface dwellers visit Rainbow. Staying here is dangerous. I will take you to the priestess.”

“Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me yet—she will decide whether to allow you to proceed on your way to Zorith.” Her bright features darkened, and she lowered her voice. “Or she might feed you to the reptilians living within the sediments.” 

April’s lip trembled, trying to hold back the bile threatening her throat.

Tamara’s fingers clasped her and squeezed. 

The world didn’t appear so bright. She’d seen Nava destroy the lizard man with his wand. Based on the snarl etched across his face, he’d give her to the reptilian and enjoy every minute.

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