The Bearer's Burden by Chad Queen

Author:Chad Queen [Queen, Chad]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780999847404
Publisher: Encoded Press
Published: 2018-05-07T22:00:00+00:00

23

The Bearer’s Choice

The burden of the Pact does not rest solely on the Bearer. The phantom defies its calling…the constant pull to ascend to a greater state of being. The reasons a phantom chooses to remain are many. Finding that reason rests upon the Bearer.

—From The Book of the Traveler

“I hope my theory is right,” Ashlyn said as she continued to scratch and scrape at the wall. The utensil was ill-suited to the task, leaving her hands blistered and raw. She fought the urge to curse; it was unbecoming of a princess. Besides, she didn’t want to draw attention. She wasn’t sure when they would come back again. She was just happy they had not noticed the spoon missing from her plate.

Of course, they hadn’t treated her as they would a “real” prisoner. She got nice meals and all the comforts befitting royalty. It did not lessen her fury that her own father had once again locked her down here. She had been stupid. She wasn’t convinced of his involvement with the Wraiths before, but she was certain now.

Ashlyn had clung to the far-flung hope that everything was a big misunderstanding. That it was all orchestrated by the Wraiths, and her father was just trying to run his kingdom as best he could. She didn’t know why she continued to defend him; he had done nothing to earn her affection. But he was still her father, and that bond was tough to break.

She continued to chip away at the mortar in the wall. She was getting somewhere, but it was taking longer than she imagined. A bigger chunk broke loose, and she nearly yelped with excitement before catching herself. She redoubled her efforts.

Her father was keeping her away for a reason. Maybe he thought she would get in the way of whatever was going on and didn’t care for the rumors this type of behavior would stir up. She was glad she had not revealed any details about the Foundation.

Another piece broke off. She grinned. Ashlyn took the other end of the spoon, inserted it into the hole, and pounded the spoon with her shoe as if it were a hammer. It was lucky that she was wearing her heavier traveling shoes when they had put her in the cell. The last piece broke free.

Ashlyn put her eye up to the hole, but the cell was dark, and it was hard to see anything.

“Cade?” she whispered.

Silence.

“Cade, it’s Ashlyn,” she said, louder now.

“Ashlyn?” A raspy voice answered back. It was very weak, but she recognized it.

“Cade!” Her theory had been right. “How’s that rescue coming along?”

“Part…of the plan.” She heard him cough. He did not sound well.

Ashlyn let out a sigh of relief and slumped down upon the stone bench. When she heard the commotion outside earlier, she had a feeling it might be him.

After his coughing stopped, she heard him swallow and speak once more. “What kind of cell are you in?”

She looked around. “Uh, looks pretty standard, I guess. It’s about as big as a bedroom.

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