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Back The Hidden Relic Save as PDF
Chapters (75)
  1. Map
  2. Prologue
  3. 1
  4. 2
  5. 3
  6. 4
  7. 5
  8. 6
  9. 7
  10. 8
  11. 9
  12. 10
  13. 11
  14. 12
  15. 13
  16. 14
  17. 15
  18. 16
  19. 17
  20. 18
  21. 19
  22. 20
  23. 21
  24. 22
  25. 23
  26. 24
  27. 25
  28. 26
  29. 27
  30. 28
  31. 29
  32. 30
  33. 31
  34. 32
  35. 33
  36. 34
  37. 35
  38. 36
  39. 37
  40. 38
  41. 39
  42. 40
  43. 41
  44. 42
  45. 43
  46. 44
  47. 45
  48. 46
  49. 47
  50. 48
  51. 49
  52. 50
  53. 51
  54. 52
  55. 53
  56. 54
  57. 55
  58. 56
  59. 57
  60. 58
  61. 59
  62. 60
  63. 61
  64. 62
  65. 63
  66. 64
  67. 65
  68. 66
  69. 67
  70. 68
  71. 69
  72. 70
  73. 71
  74. 72
  75. Epilogue

Her only advantage lay in the fact she hadn't been seen. Amber's chest heaved and her breath came in gasps as she put all her strength into climbing. She ignored the precariousness of her position and pulled herself up one rung at a time, panting and puffing with exertion.

The two guards drew back in shock and surprise when they saw Amber pull herself up to the platform, and then realising it was a woman — and a young and pretty one at that — they laughed.

Amber hefted the glass bowl, covered in symbols drawn by her own hand. She planted it down on the platform, and looked away.

Amber said the words that were said the world over every time a nightlamp was activated. "Tish-tassine."

This nightlamp was different.

The device lit up with a green of such intense brightness that, looking out over the camp, her gaze directed away from the glare, Amber could see the entire scene laid out before her in detail, revealed in the light of a false day.

The prisoners were creating havoc throughout the camp, but a core of soldiers had formed up near the main gate. Any who came towards them died in a flurry of flashing swords and blood. Amber knew the heatplate would have exhausted itself long ago. The black-clad soldiers moved forward as cohesion returned to their number.

Behind her on the platform of the tower, Amber heard the two guards scream as they were blinded. As the light began to ebb, Amber turned back to the platform, one of her hands held in front of her eyes, the other holding on to the low rail.

Against the brightness she could see the two guards, struggling to stand, clutching on to the rail for support. These two men had thrown orbs into the middle of Amber's fellow prisoners; she couldn't begin to estimate how many had been killed.

Amber moved forward, her eyes mere slits against the glare, and kicked with her leg. She pushed first one guard, then the other from the top of the tower, hearing satisfying screams and crumpling thuds when they hit the ground.

Her work with the nightlamp done, Amber again took stock of the revolt as she descended the tower. The flash of light hadn't been as much of a distraction to the soldiers below as she had hoped it would be, and she realised that in moments the prisoners would give up hope as they realised they couldn't escape through any of the gates, and with few weapons they couldn't hope to defeat the guards.

Amber still had her flashbombs. She ran back to where the guards stood blocking the gate and joined the prisoners.

As she rallied the prisoners in a final surge at the guards, and sparks of light burst in the soldier's ranks, breaking them apart, Amber saw movement on the other side.

39

39

"THAT'S the signal," Rogan said.

"Are you sure?" Amelia whispered.