Escape From Riddler's Pass Read Online Free PDF Page A

these far eastern mines were abandoned long ago.”
    â€œA city underground?” That seemed strange to Jesse.
    â€œNot underground,” Silas said. “Just inside the mountain. The Roarics felt safer here, surrounded by rock.”
    The Roarics . Jesse had heard of them before, but he couldn’t remember where.
    Jesse tried to stand and nearly hit his head on the ceiling of the cave. He settled for stooping, walking a little farther into the cave. Although the light was dim, the only things Jesse could see beside dirt and rocks were two large wooden pillars supporting the roof of the cavern. “I don’t see any evidence of a city.”
    â€œIt was deeper in. We would need to go through many tunnels and caverns to reach it, I’d wager. But even then, you wouldn’t find much to look at. Urad was destroyed.”
    â€œWho destroyed it?”
    â€œPatrol members.” Silas yawned loudly. He was clearly already bored with the subject. “Or, actually, more like a small army of Patrol, I’d guess.”
    That wasn’t answer enough for Jesse. “But why? What happened?”
    Silas shrugged. “Some kind of treason, I suppose. It happened years before I was born. Why does it matter?”
    â€œI don’t know. It’s part of a story.”
    â€œSo?”
    Jesse tried to think of a way to explain himself without sounding foolish. How do you tell someone who only thinks in terms of facts and strategies why it’s important to hear stories? Eventually, he gave up. “I just wanted to know.”
    There was silence in the cave for a minute. “Who were the Roarics?” Jesse asked, almost timidly.
    â€œA race of dwarves. Hardy and strong. They worked in this section of the mine years ago, before they were wiped out.” As always, Silas answered patiently, even though it was clear he didn’t care.
    An entire race wiped out, a city destroyed, and he doesn’t even know why? Jesse could hardly understand. It was frustrating, the lack of value those in District Two put on stories.
    Jesse sat down by the entrance. Although the cave seemed safe enough, he preferred the sunlight to the dark shadows. This was not what he had planned on back in the woods outside of Mir. Well, we made it home, for a few moments at least .
    To be honest, Jesse was tired of traveling, tired of running from the king’s men, tired of saying good-bye to the people he loved, not sure if they would ever meet again.
    Jesse thought of Kayne’s strange parting words, “God be with you.” Not strange, for some in Amarias, perhaps, although few cared much about religion these days. But Jesse and his family had always been self-sufficient, and Kayne even more so.
    Kayne had always looked after Jesse, especially after his parents disappeared. He had been the only one in Mir who hadn’t believed they abandoned him. Though gruff and hardened by life, Kayne was a good man. “That’s my religion,” he said. “Doing the right thing without a god to make me do it.”
    So why would Kayne refer to a God he didn’t believe in? It had to be because of Parvel . Parvel was a firm believer in God, one of those who called themselves Christians, and had stayed with Kayne for nearly two weeks. Naturally, Kayne would pick up some of his phrases.
    But he can’t actually believe in that nonsense, can he? Jesse just couldn’t understand the idea of worshiping an invisible God. Maybe some divine figure created the world, but a personal, invisible God who protects humans? That’s too much for me.
    Jesse heard the sound of someone crashing through the brambles outside the cave, interrupting his thoughts.
    â€œIt’s probably Rae,” Silas whispered, backing deeper into the cave. “But, just in case….”
    Jesse followed, and they both crouched behind a boulder in the darker part of the cave. “Silas!” Rae’s voice called. The