Path to Destiny

Chapter 11

Chapter 11

The underground syndicate lived in a mountain carved from crystal. Selan told me that it was ancient. The lore, she said, taught that it was formed from dragon's breath hundreds of years ago.

I marveled at the intricacies of the caverns and the complexities of the maze-like tunnels that connected them. Selan directed us to rooms built into the side of the caverns in the uppermost level. Mine was the original room I had before. There were no windows, but I could almost feel the elevation in the room. It was cold, and the air felt damp.

I said farewell to Synnove, Hadrian, and Titus as Selan led them to rooms further down the hall.

I stayed in my oversized tunic and flopped on my bed. I stared at the bed's white canopy as I thought about my situation.

Clarice abandoned her teacher, the "old cod" at Ridiva, and Ezra let Baruch teach her to fight in these underground tunnels.

I knew for certain that her mother wouldn't approve. I didn't know who Ezra truly was. To lead an entire syndicate to unhinge the Drushite government, Ezra was a powerful man. And a dangerous one.

The thought of my now seventeen-year-old former pupil training in an underground syndicate of freedom fighters made my hair stand on end.

From the books I read, Drush was ruled by a matriarchy. Queens had ruled Drush for centuries, and the eight people in the cabinet, the cardinals, ruled alongside her as her advisors. Over time, they had apparently become corrupt.

I considered this. Could their corruptness be a coincidence, or was the Shadow lurking somewhere behind this?

The balance of this world is upset, Brackenbury, Eden said suddenly.

I sighed when I heard her voice. We hadn't yet talked about the incident with Ezra. It was like she was avoiding it completely.

Before I could control the thought, it slipped to Eden, and she visibly shrank back in my mind. I am sorry, she said, shocking me fully awake.

Eden never apologized.

I rubbed my stomach where the water whip hit. It was still sore, but the Tekite salve helped. It's fine, I replied uncomfortably. I understand why you hit him. I would have done it myself.

Then why did you get in my way?

And here we were again.

Because, I said, there's enough fighting going on in Etheia, isn't there? The Harbingers and the Underground can work together to bring down slavery in Drush and Balua. Beyond the bed, I studied the sanded surface of the crystal ceiling and tried to imagine sunlight beaming down on me, but the dull light coming from the crystal discs in the wall would never suffice. I know Ezra's intolerable, but I think we can work together, I continued. We have the same goal.

Eden snorted. I would be careful to assume that, she said. You may have the same goal, but the means by which you obtain that goal could be vastly different.

"Well, what do you expect me to do?" I muttered out loud. I rolled over and stuffed my face into the cotton pillow. "They seem like they have the right intentions," I said lamely.

Fine, do not listen to me, she said, her voice diminishing. Perish at your convenience.

I pursed my lips. Fine, then I won't listen to you. And because of that foolish pride of hers, her presence resurfaced stronger this time. I focused all of my energy on creating a barrier in my mind. I'd done it before and actually practiced it at night one time. If I could block her out, then I would have my peaceful thoughts to my peaceful self.