In The Shadows of the Cavern of Death (Shadows of Death Book 1) by Angelique Jones Read Free Book Online

chair, he rubbed his hand across his face before he spoke. “Since my twenty-first year, my life has been about the devotion of our people’s history and the sheer, unrelenting gratefulness that I was allowed to raise my child when so many others couldn’t. Thinking I had received a gift instead of the curse that it truly was. A curse to watch all those you loved die and be left as a living memory to their lives. For twenty years, I have said good-bye to almost everything that has held true meaning in life. You children are the last pieces. I will gladly die before I give them what they want, but I’ve thought about this, too. Once you’re out of this cavern you should be safe in the sense that there is no chance they will search anywhere else but here if I raise the alarm. Which may work in your favor if this cavern is the military’s focus. I’m more selfish, also, for wanting to stay for revenge.” Adding strength to his voice, he continued, “While I had acknowledged the deaths of my loved ones as something endured until we could bring change and freedom to our people, there is no way I can accept what was done to them and what they plan to do to my child. What they did to my wife. I’m an Elder, the keeper of the truth, and this is a truth that must be known. Now that I’m aware of the other caverns, I’ll begin to gather those who can be trusted and show them the truth. If you four make it out unseen, then we may be able to use that as a way to access the other caverns to spread the word and unite with the other Contributors out there. What we have endured in the name of peace to ensure our race’s survival is one thing, but these atrocities must be answered for. No government has the right to single out one people that is part of their sovereign rule. Again and again through our history we have been forced to endure their indifference to our suffering and hardships, whipped like an animal if we offered a word of protest. We are not inferiors, but what our country once stood for, the hardworking who built it. Who suffered gladly in silence knowing that their sacrifice would lead to a better life for their children. In a moment of desperation, we rebelled against the tyrants who thought themselves kings, stealing what we bled for to line their greedy pockets and spread our children’s wealth to the takers of our society. Men and woman who laughed at our labors while spending their time trying to take more from us instead of going out and fighting for their own. The more they received, the greedier they became, selling their votes to a government that lavished them with more every election to keep them happy until the takers far outnumbered the Contributors. Oh, yes, we rebelled. The injustices so great against us we could no longer stand it. Not willing to lose control, they destroyed the surface of our world, sending us into hell. Blaming us for their misdeed. Know this, when we are united once more, there will be no treaty. We will not stand down. What was done cannot be forgiven. This time, when they lose, there will be no pit to flee to. If they wish to silence us, then they will join us in this tomb,” he proclaimed, slamming his hand to the arm of the chair, chest heaving, and resolve etched in the grimness of his face.
    Staring at him in this moment, I was awed by what I saw. This was no broken man that I had left the night before. This was a man unwilling to let the injustice of a flawed system steal any more from him. He had been pushed to all limits and instead of breaking, it had made him stronger. In that moment I felt that strength flow to me, empower me to believe that I could do this. I could lead us out of here. I could lead us out of the darkness and into the light.
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

Chapter 5
    In the week that followed my talk with Crowley, I was a wreck. Every knock on our door caused my heart to race. Every face I passed on the streets I was certain was