The Ascension Trial by CJ Embers

Author:CJ Embers [Embers, CJ]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2021-07-01T05:00:00+00:00

* * *

The great city was visible on the horizon, perched atop the edge of a cliff like a sentinel guarding the land below. It would have been a beautiful sight had I not been under the hold of the army. Throughout the entire journey here, I had barely slept, eaten, or drank, and I felt like death. I had spotted Oren a couple of times, but our captors made sure to keep us away from each other.

Sometime later, we got to the huge gate. The clip-clop of the horses’ hooves on the cobblestone and the panting of Kain was the only sound I heard for a while. When I heard whispering, I looked up to see some of the Marnori people staring at me.

I dropped my gaze, not having the energy to react or look around the city. It almost seemed like I had passed out, because next thing I knew, I felt someone grab my arm and pull me off the horse.

Unable to muster up the strength to support myself, the man put one of my arms around his shoulders, then helped me into a building.

“Where’s Kain?” I croaked out.

“He’s no longer your concern,” was all the man said.

I didn’t have the energy to argue. I knew by now that at the very least, they wouldn’t kill him.

We went down a flight of stairs, and when the ground flattened out again, the area was dim. Lanterns were doing a poor job of providing light. I was helped to a jail cell, and the man removed my arm and pushed me inside. I stumbled and fell, the stone scraping at my legs and side.

I didn’t move after the cell door was locked and the man disappeared. The floor was cold and grimy against my cheek. A shadow fell over me and someone came into my vision shortly after.

The person was dirty, clearly a prisoner for a long while, and I found myself hoping she was here to shank me. Instead, however, she knelt beside me with a look of concern on her face.

“Are you okay?” she whispered.

“Do I look okay?” I managed to get out.

The woman left and returned a moment later with a cup. She held it to my lips, but I pushed it away.

“It’s clean, don’t worry,” the prisoner said. “It’s from the last meal.”

I just wanted to let myself wither away, but I had a feeling the woman would not let that happen, so I drank. The water soothed my parched throat somewhat.

“Do you need help getting to one of the beds?”

I grunted, and she seemed to take that as a yes because she pulled my arm and helped me get to my feet. Once I was on the bed, she sat on the edge and asked what I was in for. “If you don’t want to answer, that’s okay,” she added quickly.

“What are you in for?”

“For what seems to be the usual for us female ‘criminals’: trying to deny having a child,” the woman said.

“Marnori jails those don’t want to contribute?”

“Yes and no.

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