Tags:
Religión,
Suspense,
Fantasy,
Action & Adventure,
Medieval,
Heroes,
Christianity,
kids,
Battles,
Kings,
Wars,
youth,
good vs evil,
disabilities
satisfied. He paced toward the stone pillars and glanced back impatiently. âLetâs finish these so we can go on.â
Jesse shrugged and read the third riddle.
I am the weaker brother.
When I am new, Iâm not.
My reign in half divided.
The dark is what I got.
âIt talks about a reign,â Rae mused. âA king of some kind?â
Jesse glanced over at Silas. This time, he was not staring at the rock with a distant, thoughtful expression. Instead, he was grinning like a fool. âNot a king,â Silas corrected, âa governor.â
âA governor?â Jesse asked. He knew, of course, that each of the four districts in Amarias was ruled under a governor, a regent of the king. But that alone did not make sense of the riddle. âExplain.â
âOnly someone who lives in District Two would understand it,â Silas said. âThatâs why itâs perfect for a riddle guarding the District Two Rebellion base. No outsider would be able to solve it.â
Jesse glanced at Rae, who seemed to be equally exasperated. âI wouldnât call that an explanation, Silas,â she said.
âGovernor Patrice,â Silas said. âEight years ago, he tried to take over the throne from his brother. He succeeded, but only reigned for two years before he was assassinated.â
âI see,â Rae said. âAnd what does that have to do with the riddle?â
âPatrice was weaker than his brother Mirad,â Silas explained patiently. âWhen he was bornânewâhe was not king. His reign was divided by the rebels who assassinated him. And darkness, death, was what he got.â
âThat does make sense,â Rae admitted.
Does it really? âBut then why doesnât it say, âWhen I was new, I wasnât,â instead of âWhen I am new, Iâm not?ââ Jesse pointed out.
Rae looked at him like his mind was made of rock. âBecause it wouldnât rhyme.â
âOh.â Jesse looked at the riddle again. âBut what about âmy reign in half dividedâ? Did Patrice intend on ruling onlyâfour years?â
âMaybe he was cut in half!â Rae guessed.
Jesse tried not to picture that and Silas shook his head. âNo. As I recall, he was stabbed by the governor who is ruling now, Elias.â He turned to Jesse. âItâs just an expression, anyway. It means his reign was cut short.â
Jesse sighed. He traced the letters of the riddle with his finger. âI donât knowâ¦.â
âJust because you didnât solve this one doesnât mean you have to find problems with Silasâ solution,â Rae said.
âThatâs not what I meant!â Jesse protested.
âNever mind,â Silas interrupted. âWe have more important things to worry about. Come on.â He gestured toward the gaping hole beside the wall of riddles. Jesse stared down it. More tunnels . âThey must lead to the Rebellion headquarters.â He and Rae began to walk into the darkness with only the Rebellion stone to light their way.
âBut what was the purpose of the riddles?â Jesse asked, trying to catch up.
âThe main rhyme says, âThe key for entrance is the mind,ââ Silas said. âMaybe the riddles are a password of some sort.â He touched the dagger, in a sheath at his side. âWhatever happens, I will be ready.â
Â
Chapter 9
Jesse remembered when the only time he was surrounded by darkness was at night, right before he went to sleep. Was that only a month ago ? It seemed like it had been years. Now, entering a dark tunnel lit by eerie glowing stones actually seemed normal.
âWhen we find Parvel and get out of here,â Jesse muttered, âI never want to go underground again.â
âDonât be so afraid,â Silas scoffed. âWe havenât seen a guard or any sign of danger.â
âThatâs what makes
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