The Ascended by Tiffany King Read Free Book Online Page B

the weight of the world resting on my shoulders. You are truly blessed."
    "I'm glad," I said. For the first time since discovering them, I didn't resent my new abilities. Jaime's peace gave me hope that maybe I wasn't some kind of freak after all.
    "All right first crew, it's time to get some shuteye," John said, rising from the log he had been sitting on. We decided it would be best to sleep in shifts so the camp would be protected.
    "I better get some sleep while I can. Thank you Krista for helping me for the first time in…well, I don't know how many nights, but I know I'll be able to go to sleep right away without worrying."
    "I'm glad," I said sincerely.
    "What was all that about?" Shawn asked watching Jamie walk away.
    I gave him the lowdown on what Jamie had told me, but glossed over the depression she had been feeling before I helped her out.
    "Wow that totally sucks. Since none of us have kids yet, I never really thought about what happens to the future Links if one of us died or some…." He broke off looking at me apologetically. "I'm sorry Sis, I wasn't thinking."
    "Me either, but it's fine," I said, getting the gist of his thoughts. If Mark and I were done forever, what would happen to the children they were meant to link with. Would they then link with others instead? It was mind boggling to try and make sense of the logistics of our species. Would The Light really condemn innocent Guides and Protectors to a lifetime of heartache or would he spare them that pain. It was something my band might have to face in the future. One thing was certain, I will be talking to Haniel about it, with his infinite wisdom I'm sure he would know.
    "Don't worry about it Sis," Shawn said, slinging an arm across my shoulders. "It's all going to work out."
    "I hope so," I whispered, resting my head against his shoulder.
    Lynn and Robert looked concerned as they listened to our quiet conversation. I closed my eyes briefly, hoping to escape the questions I knew they yearned to ask.
    Sensing my inner turmoil, Sam changed the subject and started talking about the briskness in the air. Soon the others got into the discussion of whether we would see snow while we were staking out the mountain. I listened to them with my eyes closed, trying to sort through everything I had learned that night. What would happen if Mark was forever lost? Would generations of Guides and Protectors feel the impact of his abandonment, and if so, would it ultimately affect my relationship with my new family? Finally frustrated at not knowing the answers, I decided to shelf my countless questions until I could corner Haniel and make him answer them. Once I decided to put it to rest for now, my mind slowly began to drift as my friend's voices droned on in the background. The effects of a lack of sleep were beginning to hit me hard. I tried my best to fight it, but this was a battle I was going to lose. My eyelids suddenly became steel traps and refused to open.
    The same dark chamber greeted me as always, but that didn't make it any less frightening. Panic immediately set in as I felt nothing in front of me with my outstretched hands. I followed my pattern from the previous nights by dropping to my knees so I could crawl toward a possible way out. Cold smooth cement lay beneath me as I slowly began to inch forward. I heard a sound to my left that sounded like soft chuckling and I pivoted my head around, trying to peer through the blackness. The sound grew louder and I realized it wasn't chuckling, but the sound of something or several something's scurrying across the floor. I froze in mid-crawl as the sound grew even louder deafening out my own rapid heartbeat. The scurrying was coming from all sides surrounding me completely. I felt something crawl across my right ankle, followed by several more. I kicked my foot out, trying to knock whatever it was off of me. I began to shriek as hundreds more began to crawl all over me.
    I awakened, startled by my own shrieking.