Total pages in book: 124
Estimated words: 117246 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 586(@200wpm)___ 469(@250wpm)___ 391(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 117246 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 586(@200wpm)___ 469(@250wpm)___ 391(@300wpm)
Cold invaded my fingers and toes. Hadn’t I received aidem on my first day here?
Evil. The last word Shiloh had signed to me echoed inside my head.
His supposition about weaponization couldn’t be right. Odds were greater Ember had planted fake case studies for her brother to find. What better way to convince him to join her and her fellow Soalians?
I almost turned off the reader, but I had to learn what else waited in the file. Had to know what Shiloh had died believing on the off chance I discovered a nugget of truth.
Bile singed my throat when I came upon pictures of corpses with their chests split open and hollowed out. Beside the first, Shiloh had written, Known Soalians.
Another case study followed, comparing the two different strains of Madness. The one responsible for feeders and the one responsible for glowers. All results were redacted.
Frustration simmered. Next came reports filed by lords and ladies who had defied orders for one reason or another and entered a pritis mine. A death certificate accompanied each complaint. Each offender had died in a treatment facility or broke on the streets soon after their breach in protocol.
Trembling, I flipped the page, and discovered a personal note from Shiloh, dated the day of his death. Tears instantly welled, blurring the words. Amid a series of sniffles, I wiped my eyes and read.
Dear Arden,
So much has happened, I might as well dive straight into the deep end. Two days ago, I was stretched out on my bed, unsure what to do, when I blinked and found myself inside a library. The library. Well, I was there, but I was also in my room at the base. I know. That’s impossible, but it’s true. I wasn’t imagining it. I was there. I saw the books and met Soal.
He’s real, Arden. I can’t even begin to describe what being in his presence is like. He spoke to me, two words that have forever changed me. I can’t go back to who I was. My purpose is so clear. Dangerous, yes, but I don’t care. People deserve the truth. They’ve lived with lies for too long.
The Rock eradicates the Madness. Cured produces and spreads it. That’s why they keep us afraid and indebted. From what I gather, they need us. I think it has something to do with the sleeping gods hidden in Theirland. When they wake, the real war begins.
I 100% get that I seem maddened right now. I know I’ve scared you. Give me a chance to prove I’m right. Be leery of the HP and his father. They get their orders from someone named Astan, who makes the Dolions look like children with toys. If I break with Madness any time soon, it means Cured suspects I’ve defected, and they took measures to discredit me. But you know what? I wouldn’t change anything. I’m finally on the right path.
Okay, I’ll stop now. I’ve thrown a lot of seeds at you. (See what I did there?) If you turn me in, I won’t hold it against you. I’ll understand, I promise. I’ve turned in others for much less. Either way, I still want to date you.
Yours,
Shiloh
P.S. Ember sent me the following exchange.
Horror collided with sorrow. Despite testing negative when he’d written this, Shiloh had been sick. Clearly. He had all the signs. Considered Cured evil. Believed in sleeping gods and Soal. This was the Madness, full throttle. The ravings of an individual on the cusp of a break. And yet, even Cyrus touted Soal as real, and he wasn’t ill. A small part of me whispered, Something doesn’t add up.
I mopped up my tears and flipped to the last series of pages in the document. Emails from the king and Archduke Heta discussing messages between two Soalians known as Sparrow and Unicorn. Shiloh had highlighted certain sections, and after reading everything, I focused on those.
Sparrow: You’re ready for your first mission. Agreed?
Unicorn: Considering I submitted a formal request eight months ago, yes. Agreed.
Sparrow: You weren’t ready then. You’re barely ready now.
Unicorn: Have you even read my file? I’m the best of the best.
Sparrow: We’ll find out soon enough. You will recruit Arden Roosa.
Unicorn: Seriously, read my file. The best of the best—in battle. Recruiting isn’t my thing.
Sparrow: Recruiting is every Soalian’s thing. But don’t worry, I’ll take care of introductions.
The next highlight came from the second message.
To: Baracas Heta
From: Tagin Dolion
Subject: re: A potential problem
This is a job for the High Prince. My son lacks charm, but he never fails.
Realization dawned, as horrifying as Shiloh’s letter. This explained so much. Ember’s—or rather, Unicorn’s—interest in me. I even understood why she incriminated herself by sharing her communications with Shiloh. There was no better way to incriminate Cyrus.
I pressed a hand to my mouth. No wonder he and his father had a personal stake in my training.