Butler The Last Keeper

1. Auflage 2025
ISBN: 978-1-4335-8789-4
Verlag: Crossway
Format: EPUB
Kopierschutz: 0 - No protection

E-Book, Englisch, 400 Seiten

Reihe: The Dream Keeper Saga

Book 5 Concludes the Dream Keeper Saga, an Adventure for Middle-Grade Readers Steeped in Magic, Mystery, and Glimmers of Hope After a worldwide quest to save the planet from Eymah and his nightmares, Lily is now racing to escape the dark caverns of the Realm. Joined by Keisha, Adam, and their magical friends, she fights Eymah's monsters in an unrelenting battle of ice and fire. When she meets an elder centaur along the way, Lily learns about an ancient scroll that foretells the last keeper-one who prepares the way for the arrival of the prince. Could it really be her? In her final fight to defend the earth and the Realm, Lily relies on her faith in Pax's promise: that he will return and make all things new. The thrilling conclusion to the Dream Keeper Saga takes middle-grade readers on an adventure filled with talking dragons, monsters, wizards, and more. Mixing fantasy with Christian themes, this novel invites families to reflect on and discuss God's story of redemption. - Ideal for Middle-Grade Readers and Families: Includes kids' favorite fantasy and adventure elements, with imaginative new characters and settings they'll love - Christian Themes: Invites readers into deep conversations about the gospel and theological issues, including faith, sacrifice, and salvation - Book 5 in the Dream Keeper Saga: This thrilling story concludes the adventure series by Kathryn Butler

Kathryn Butler is a trauma surgeon turned writer and homeschooling mom, who writes regularly for the Gospel Coalition, desiringGod.org, and other platforms on faith, medicine, and the power of great stories. She's the author of many books, including the Dream Keeper Saga, a middle-grade fantasy series with Christian themes.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Butler, Kathryn

Leseproben

Chapter 2

The Cry in the Shadows

“I say, little fellow, not so quick now! We’re not quite as spry as you!”

Cedric chased after Flint, who’d darted into the cavern with Rigel flitting close behind. Lily cast a final glance over her shoulder at the wall of stone behind her. The rock face glowed slightly, its seams still warm from where she’d sealed the breach only moments before. The shrouds had screeched past her in a gray tide, and afterward the walls of rock had spiraled like water swirling down a drain, and the breach had clasped shut. As she searched the cave to orient herself, Lily half-expected a shroud to dart out from behind a tumble of rocks or to ooze like dripping tar from the stalactites up above. However, she saw only the glow of Flint skittering through the cave and heard only the occasional drip of water onto ancient rock.

It’s okay, she thought, her shoulders relaxing. It’s really okay. She replayed the events of the past hour in her mind: the hordes of shrouds charging toward them over the Egyptian desert. The breach yawning open like a ravenous mouth in the Sphinx’s headdress. The flaming pearl. Gabrielle and Yong fighting to reel in the shrouds. Dad. As the cool, damp air dappled her arms with goose bumps, she clung to the memory of her father holding up a bedraggled Sprock and encouraging her with tears in his eyes. “Go, Lily,” he’d urged her. “I love you. Go.”

Lily’s throat tightened. Dad was supposed to join her through the breach. She’d counted on him walking beside her for this next journey through the Realm, squeezing her shoulder every so often to reassure her that she wasn’t alone. She’d come to rely upon the comfort of his voice, his stories, and even his dopey jokes.

But he’s safe, Lily told herself. With the shrouds now expelled from the waking world, Dad was safe. So were Mom, Gran, Keisha’s and Adam’s families, and countless others who’d run screaming as the shrouds blackened the sky. After teetering on the brink of annihilation, the world was safe again. Pax had shown her the way. “Thank you,” she whispered.

“Hey, Lily, wait up!” Adam sloshed through a puddle and joined her. “You know, you were amazing back there. I mean, I’ve seen you do some awesome stuff before, but—well, you know. This was really awesome.”

He coaxed a smile from her. “Thanks, Adam. You were pretty awesome, too.”

“Nah, it was all Gabi. I couldn’t have made a dent against any of those shrouds if she hadn’t taught me how to use this.” He turned his boleadora in his hands, then swung his backpack to the front and stuffed the weapon into a zippered pouch.

“Don’t sell yourself short,” Keisha said, still panting from their flight into the cavern. She leaned on her staff to catch her breath. “That ghoul would have gotten Lily if you hadn’t bonked him.”

He shrugged. “I gotta say, part of me can’t believe we actually made it. It doesn’t seem real. I feel like I’ll wake up soon and find out I’m late for camp again.”

“Late again? I thought you got your alarm clock fixed,” Keisha said.

“I did fix it. I just hit the snooze button a lot.”

“Oh, Adam.”

“What? What’s the point of a snooze button if you’re not going to snooze?”

Keisha rolled her eyes. “So, what’s next, Lily?

“We go back to Castle Eerie-whatever, right?” Adam said. He shot Keisha a glance. “See, I pay attention!”

“Castle Iridyll,” Lily said. “Yeah, I think so. We need to warn Merlin about what’s happened.”

“Indeed, I believe we do, Miss Lily!” Cedric called back from within the tunnel up ahead. A dozen steps pattered toward them like rain against a rooftop, and in the next instant he appeared.

“We must return to Castle Iridyll, and with haste. After their jaunt in your world feeding off wakey-folk fears, the shrouds are more powerful than when they last slithered about the Realm. Your lassos weakened them, but they could still do dreadful damage if we don’t act quickly.”

With a shudder, Lily remembered Glower’s words when he taunted her on Sprock’s mountain: Once we’ve supped and regained our strength, our master will rise again.

“Cedric? Do you think the shrouds are strong enough to do what they threatened? You know—band together again and bring Eymah back?”

Cedric avoided her gaze, and for a moment his gait stiffened. “Well, now. You and the other guardians did shrivel them up a bit. Let’s not worry about hypotheticals until they become probabilities, shall we?”

“Hippo-whats and probba-billy-whose?” Adam asked.

“He means we shouldn’t worry when we have so little information,” Keisha said.

“Then why didn’t he just say that?”

Cedric clucked his tongue. “It’s always amusing to have you along on our adventures, Master Adam. I’m glad to have you here.”

“Speaking of ‘here,’” Keisha said, her gaze shifting warily about the cavern, “where are we?”

“Truthfully, I’d rather hoped you’d be able to tell us, Miss Keisha. I haven’t the foggiest idea. We scouts aren’t much for spelunking. There’s a reason our Creator blessed me with wings rather than with the digging claws of some of my brethren.”

Keisha turned in place and scrutinized the walls. “I don’t know where we are, but I don’t like it.”

“You said it. Caves give me the creeps,” Adam said.

“No, it’s more than that. There’s something off about this place. It almost feels like we’re walking through a haunted house or a murder scene. Like something terrible happened down here.”

The hair on the back of Lily’s neck prickled. Sprock said breaches eroded through the barrier in the “rotten” places of the Realm. What was so rotten about this place that it could punch a hole between worlds? Lily glanced at Adam and Keisha, their faces smudged with dirt and their hair disheveled after fighting against armies of nightmares. A pang of guilt twisted her gut.

“You know what?” she blurted, the words tumbling out. “You guys don’t have to come with me.”

“What are you talking about?” Keisha said. “Of course we’re coming with you.”

“No, I mean it. You were both incredible back there, and you’ve done enough. You should just go home.”

“No way,” Adam said. “I go where you go. No matter what.”

“But who knows what danger I’m dragging you into! The waking world is safe now. You should just go home and be with your families. This isn’t your fight.”

“Are you kidding? Yes, it is our fight!” Keisha said. “We’re part of the world, aren’t we? There’s no way I’m going to stand by and wait for those things to destroy the planet again!”

“But what about your parents?”

“My mom and dad would be proud to know I’m here with you.”

“Look, Lily,” Adam said, “there’s no way we’re heading back. Not until everything’s figured out. Not until we’re sure you can come home for good, too.”

As Adam patted her on the shoulder and Keisha squeezed her hand, Lily fought tears. “Thanks, you guys,” she eked out, her voice barely above a whisper.

“Come, come, friends!” Cedric called from within the tunnel ahead, the mingling silver and gold lights of Flint and Rigel silhouetting him. “We’d best stay together. There’s no telling where those devils may be hiding.”

Lily jogged to catch up with him. “How do you know which way to go?” she asked.

“Our shiny little friends here seem confident about the way,” Cedric said. “Every so often Rigel floats atop a current of air, and I can see a breeze making the fiery chap’s crown flicker. Where there’s wind, my dear, there’s bound to be a path to the surface. At least, that’s what I hope.”

Lily felt her muscles relax a bit more, like a spring uncoiling. “Thanks for being here, Cedric. I always feel better when you’re guiding me.”

Cedric straightened and puffed up his chest. “It is my honor, my dear. Always happy to serve. Although, I’ll admit that when this is all said and done, I’ll be glad to get back home to the canyon for a taste of mundane life. First thing on the agenda will be to help Tiggins finish that soufflé. Poor little tyke! I still feel dreadful that I abandoned him mid-mixing.”

“A soufflé? I thought you didn’t like stationary food. Except for my mom’s chili, that is.”

“Oh, this is no stationary dish, Miss Lily! This is caterpillar soufflé. One of the finest in the history of culinary arts, I might add.”

Lily broke into a smile. “I didn’t know you were into cooking.”

“Well, now, I daren’t presume to be a master chef, but I do appreciate tradition. This particular recipe I learned from my mother, who in turn learned it from my grandmother, and her from her mother, etcetera, etcetera. The secret, as she taught me, is to harvest the caterpillars when they’ve only just hatched....