Paths of Destruction: The Awakened Book Two by Jason Tesar

Author:Jason Tesar [Tesar, Jason]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: 4shadow, LLC
Published: 2014-01-19T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 14

The morning sunlight shone brightly through the surrounding foliage, which held the vibrant colors of spring. The soft but steady sound of the water lapping at the shore reminded Maeryn of Bastul. She used to stand at the railing of her balcony and watch the sun rise over the eastern horizon to reflect brilliantly off the numerous buildings and ships near the bay. She felt a deep sadness at the loss of her beloved city, but those feelings were confounded by her other memories of that time, unpleasant things that she wished to forget. It all seemed so far away, and with any luck, it would stay that way.

She stood now at the sandy shore of a secluded bay and watched as the procession of former slaves made its way down to the slave ship anchored just a few yards from the dry ground. The morning had been filled with tears, both of happiness at the realization of their freedom and sadness at their parting with each other. Unfortunately, Maeryn and Aelia would not be accompanying their friends to Orud. There would be no valid excuse for them to be aboard a slave ship. Instead, the others would make the journey days ahead, while mother and daughter would wait and allow distance and time to separate them from the slaves they had helped to escape.

The fewer suspicions, the better.

It took hours to load everyone aboard the ship. It was awkward seeing so many bodies in so little space, but appearances were important at this stage of their plan. The man who brought Maeryn back from Bastul was apparently in a position of authority, as he commanded the crew of the slave ship. Though he wouldn’t be traveling with his men, he instructed them nevertheless. And after instructions to the crew, he turned to address his pretend captives.

“All of you must listen carefully.”

Immediately, the joyous expressions inspired by the first taste of freedom fled from all the faces.

“When we arrive in Orud, it is critical to our success that you appear as anyone would expect. For some of you younger ones, you didn’t directly experience the horrors of capture and transport to this Empire. Therefore, you must learn from your elders. I know that living on the run from Bastul hasn’t been easy, but it is much different from the experience of a new slave. For the older ones among us, this is the only time when I will recommend that you remember your experiences. Relive them and let your grief show. Use this time before we reach Orud to remember your capture and what it felt like to be transported against your will. We must put on a show and appear no different from any other slave ship. I don’t want to see any smiling or hear any laughing. If you are tempted to feel anything other than downtrodden, think of this—our mission is not complete. If we are caught, we will all be executed. More importantly, our cause may be compromised.

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