Chapter Forty-Seven
The Unmarked: Book One
Table of Contents:
[Prologue] [Ch.1] [Ch.2] [Ch.3] [Ch.4] [Ch.5] [Ch.6] [Ch.7] [Ch.8] [Ch.9] [Ch.10] [Ch.11] [Ch.12] [Ch.13] [Ch.14] [Ch.15] [Ch.16] [Ch.17] [Ch.18] [Ch.19] [Ch.20] [Ch. 21] [Ch.22] [Ch.23] [Ch.24] [Ch.25] [Ch.26] [Ch.27] [Ch.28] [Ch.29] [Ch.30] [Ch.31] [Ch.32] [Ch.33] [Ch.34] [Ch.35] [Ch.36] [Ch.36] [Ch.37] [Ch.38] [Ch.39] [Ch.40] [Ch.41] [Ch.42] [Ch.43] [Ch.44] [Ch. 45] [Ch. 46]
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Dawn.
Stepping out of the Rayless Woods, Dawn was met with the sight of one of the soldiers – Peregrine – leaning against a tree with arms crossed, while the other – Moss – pissed against a neighboring tree. Peregrine scrambled to stand up straight while Moss casually finished his whiz, did up his pants, and slowly turned around.
“You’re back?” Peregrine asked, shocked.
“Didn’t make it very far, then?” Moss added.
Dawn furrowed her brows. “What are you talking about?” she asked.
She’d been gone for hours.
“You literally just walked in there!” the first guard said.
Then Dawn remembered. “Time works differently in the Rayless Woods” she said. “It’s slower”.
Or non-existent she thought. She wasn’t sure, but she didn’t want the soldiers knowing about her uncertainty.
The two men looked at her as if she were crazy.
“I did what I had to do. I gave the Bookkeeper what he needed, now I own the book”.
They cast a glance at one another and looked back at her suspiciously. They didn’t seem convinced.
“This better have not been a waste of the Commander’s time”. Moss said.
“I don’t willingly put myself into dangerous situations just to waste other people’s time” she said and walked past them.
The two men followed her.
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As they walked back to camp, Dawn’s mind was governed with questions about what to do next. Dawn couldn’t just leave Scarlet in Corbin’s camp. Dawn didn’t even know if she wanted to leave Corbin’s camp. She was tired of running, and her plan to go to Tariah still seemed overambitious. Even if she could bring Scarlet with her and travel through the Shadow Realm, what was she supposed to do once she got to Hyde? How in the world was she supposed to gain an audience with Her Eminence?
But then, what was she supposed to do if she stayed in Corbin’s camp? Corbin’s acceptance of her staying with him was based on the promise that she was of rare value to him. But Dawn couldn’t translate the book of Epathi for him like she said she could, and she now knew that the Shadow Realm wanted nothing to do with him. How long would she be able to uphold her ruse before Corbin figured out that her entire narrative had been a lie?
Show us that you are willing to make the sacrifices necessary to forge a new Erom.
She did want a better Erom. Her entire life had been to serve her nation. The whole reason she had escaped her home was to expose the corruption that was taking place behind the scenes. Corruption such as Corbin’s illegal operation.
Dawn let out a sigh. She knew the right thing to do was to go to Hyde. River’s father had said it himself: whoever brought Tariah the information about the Unmarked would be most likely offered a reward. Hadn’t that been Dawn’s goal since she was a girl? To become a First Order? Going to Hyde could be her chance to prove herself. She couldn’t let fear of the unknown stop her from pursuing her ambitions. She would figure out a way to gain an audience with the Queen when the time came. All she needed to do was get to Hyde without getting herself killed.
Travelling through the Rayless Woods was tempting because of its convenience, but she wouldn’t do it. Not if she couldn’t bring Scarlet with her. She would have to stick to her initial plan: travel to Hyde with Scarlet on foot. It was the only way she could assure Scarlet’s safety.
All she needed to do now was to find an opportune time to escape Corbin’s camp.
🤔💬 Let me know your thoughts on this chapter by leaving a comment. I’d love to read your impressions!
Your book was good. A bit of a cliffhanger. Thanks for letting us read your work.
Was this the last chapter?