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worry lines around her eyes.
    He explains, ‘We have to go back to the underworld.’
    â€˜Isabel screams out, ‘No way! Why would they send us there again?’
    Arkarian touches her arm. ‘They’re not. At least they’re not sending
you
there, Isabel.’ His eyes shift to Ethan. ‘Nor you, Ethan.’
    His head moves in my direction and this time his eyes are
not
saying no. ‘But they are sending you, Matt. You, me and Rochelle.’
    â€˜What!’ Ethan calls out.
    Isabel jumps to her feet and stares Arkarian down with her hands on her hips. ‘If you and Matt are going, then so am I!’
    Arkarian reaches up to touch her arm as he tries to explain. I tune out as he says something about Rochelle’s touch and how she can now visualise the different compounds or layers of the earth beneath her hands, and how
he
is needed to open the rift between worlds.
    All I can think is that the Tribunal chose me.
Me!
‘But I have no powers.’
    Everyone goes quiet and Arkarian says, ‘Without your presence, Matt, our mission would be pointless. Even without your powers, you are the only one who can touch the key to the treasury of weapons with your own hands and not die as a result. You did it once before, when we escaped from the temple. You thought it was a dial that opened the secret passageway between our worlds. In a way it was, but it has a much more valuable purpose. So now we have to go back to the temple and find that key in the rubble of what’s left after Lathenia and Marduke destroyed it. And we have to hurry. We have to secure that key before Lathenia gets there. Movement has been detected at the rift. That’s why we have to go straightaway.’
    Isabel is still standing with her hands on her hips, her face drawn tight and hard. I’ve seen her fired up before, but right now she looks as if she’s about to explode. ‘Now wait a minute!’
    Arkarian looks up at her and for a second I feel a moment of empathy for him. A small smile breaks out on my face and I pretend to cough into my hand. When my sister sets her mind to something, heaven help anyone who gets in her way.
    Getting up, Arkarian reaches out and touches her face with an open palm. He holds it there as if through it he is passing a wave of calmness and reassurance. ‘We’ll be all right without you. Trust me as I trust you.’
    She inhales deeply, then relaxes her head against his chest. His arms weave around her and they stand holding each other. Glancing over the top of Isabel’s head, Arkarian looks at Ethan. ‘When I’m gone I want you and Isabel to monitor the sphere.’
    Ethan sits forward on his stool, his eyes widening.
    â€˜What are we watching for and which time periods?’
    â€˜There are two under suspicion. But so far no portal has opened. When it does, we’ll have to act fast. We can’t let the portal close without getting a team in there.’
    Isabel turns her head up to peer into Arkarian’s face. ‘What is the Goddess up to this time?’
    â€˜From what I have been able to ascertain, Lathenia has set her sights on the explorers.’
    Ethan nearly jumps out of his seat. ‘Yeah? Who?’
    Arkarian pauses for a moment before he speaks. ‘Cook. Or Columbus.’

Chapter Three
Rochelle
    I can’t believe I’m going to the underworld. It’s because of my power that Arkarian chose me, but I don’t care really. I’m just glad he did! It will be another opportunity to prove my loyalty to the Guard.
    Matt and Arkarian are coming too. And this is not going to be like any other mission. It’s not the past we’re headed to, it’s another world. That means we’ll be using our own bodies, with no disguises.
    We meet in one of the front rooms of Arkarian’s chambers. Matt is already there, his hands thrust deep into his trouser pockets. He sees me and his eyes stay on me for