The Fourth Ceremony: The Sacrifice Trilogy (26 page)

“
Minister
,”
Alessa began, attempting to sound regal
,“
let me assure you that I do not know anything about any plan t
o‘
thwart the Fourth Ceremon
y
’
”
Alessa looked away from his enraged face.

“
Yo
u’
re a pathetic little liar
,”
the Minister stood and pointed a finger in Aless
a’
s face
,“
let me tell you something, you are going to be under lock and key for the next two weeks. You will not leave this room unless it is with me, do you understand that? Do you know what happens to Ministers who do
n’
t have a perfect Fourth Ceremony? They are disgraced! You should have heard what I heard about the Sacrifice that got herself kidnapped. Her Minister could
n’
t show his face in politics again! You are already a liability for me. What with your cancelling appearances and running about all over the place. You nearly got yourself killed with one of your stupid outings! The Ceremony is two weeks away and I have
n’
t sold half the tickets I should have by now. You will not ruin my career, you little brat. It wo
n’
t happen
.”
He enunciated his final word by poking a finger into Aless
a’
s shoulder.

Alessa stepped back from the Minister. Shock and disgust coursed through her body. She could
n’
t believe this was true. She could
n’
t believe the Minister had told her all of it. And he had threatened her.

“
Minister, I do
n’
t know what you think I have or have
n’
t done, but I assure you that I am not involved in any plot. I always thought that the Sacrifice was a duty to the people I was to perform
,”
Alessa said quietly.

“
As it is, and you will continue on as such or I swear to you, I will make you rue it. Do not double cross me, girl
,”
the Minister stood another moment in Aless
a’
s face. Then he turned and stalked out of her room, slamming the door behind him.

Alessa stumbled to the couch in a stunned haze. Camden was right. That phrase rang through her mind like a bell and reverberated throughout her fingers and toes. Camden was right and was trying to save her, and she had refused. She did
n’
t only refuse, she was angry at him. And now, now she sat here, two weeks before she was scheduled to die and she could
n’
t even fix anything.

Alessa ran to the door and flung it open to find Alec standing on the other side, blocking her way.

“
Move, Alec, I need to go somewhere
,”
Alessa said, annoyed.

“I’
m sorry, Less,
I’
m not allowed to let you go anywhere
,”
Ale
c’
s ears were red, presumably from embarrassment.

“
Excuse me
?”
Alessa demanded.

“I’
ve been instructed that you are to stay in your room.
I’
m really sorry, Less
,”
Alec said again.

“
Whatever
,”
Alessa said, attempting nonchalance but inwardly feeling sick that she was a prisoner
,“
and do
n’
t call me that
.
”

“
Umm, err, right, okay
,”
Alec stammered.

Alessa slammed the door and walked back into her room. Panic filled her throat. Camden was gone and she was trapped. She would be locked up in her room until the moment of the Ceremony. Would Camden come save her? How could he? Security at the Manor was impenetrable.  She did
n’
t want to die, especially not for the evil Ministe
r’
s political gain. Her head spun. How could so much of her world turn upside down in just a few moments? Alessa sunk into her favorite couch by the closet, imagining none of this had ever happened, and fell into a fitful and nightmare filled sleep.

The Minister stayed true to his hate filled words. Alessa was not allowed to leave her room. Every time she opened the door, Alec or a strange guard stood post. Khilyn was nowhere to be found. She asked for him repeatedly, along with her parents. She was granted no visitors. She did not even see Jayna, which made her suspicious and worried.

Alessa felt alone, abandoned, and terrified. Most days, she paced her room like a caged animal until the fear caused sobs to break forth. Once she had cried herself dry, she fell into an uneasy sleep on the floor or couch. She did
n’
t bathe or eat for days.

Then, Alessa decided that she could
n’
t do this. She could
n’
t starve herself and would not fall apart. Long ago, her mother had said to her that she could
n’
t have her dignity taken, that how she approached the Ceremony was her choice. Sure, the Minister may have perverted the point of it, but there were still the citizens of the Empire who believed in the Ceremony. And there were still her parents and Khilyn. She would go forward with grace, for them and herself. The Minister would not make her lose her sense of who she was.

Alessa began to eat and bathe herself properly. She dressed daily and sat reading quietly during her incarceration. Inside, her nerves were shot. She had bags under her eyes because she could
n’
t mask her fears in her sleep, but her hair was groomed and her clothes were neat. Alessa felt like a robot, a robot that would crack soon under the strain.

One more day, Less, one more day and you will be done with all of this. One more day and they ca
n’
t get to you anymore.
Alessa reminded herself regularly. Alessa nearly jumped out of her skin when the door to her room burst open.

“
Less
!”
Khily
n’
s voice bounded through the room and he ran to where she sat and pulled her into a tight hug.

“
Khilyn! What are you doing here? Where have you been? Wha
t’
s happening
?”
Aless
a’
s voice broke on tears she could
n’
t hold back. Here he was, her very best friend, just hours before the Ceremony.
            
 “
Less,
I’
m so very sorry
,”
Khilyn spoke as he held her in his arms
,“
no one was allowed in this part of the Manor. Me, Jay, your parents, anyone who was spending time with you before has been banned as a precaution. They only just let me down here since I guess they think that ther
e’
s nothing that can be done this close to the Ceremony. Are you okay
?”
Khilyn finally pulled back from her and looked into her eyes with his hands on her shoulders. Alessa took a deep breath.

“
I am. I can do this. I had a rough time for a few days, but I know what I have to do now and
I’
ve accepted my fate.
I’
m just sorry I ca
n’
t apologize to Camden. I was hoping that you could do that for me
.”
Aless
a’
s voice shook but she held her chin high.

“
Less, ther
e’
s so much to tell you, but I do
n’
t have a lot of time. Even though they think I ca
n’
t do anything, the
y’
ve limited my time. I just need you to listen very closely. Can you do that
?”
Khily
n’
s voice was soft but urgent. He led Alessa over to sit on the couch as he spoke.

“
Ok, sure, go ahead
,”
Aless
a’
s heart was pounding.

“
Less, the plan is
n’
t ruined. I
t’
s been in place for over a year. They just needed Camden to come in a finalize it. This is
n’
t over, you can still stop this
,”
Khilyn looked at Alessa as she soaked in his words. Alessa could hardly breathe.

“
What do you mean
I
can still stop this
?”
was her only question.

“
Less, you have to go in the Box, you have to make them all think that yo
u’
ve done it. But the Box is fixed. You can get out of the Box, Alessa. You can get out and you can swim to safety
,”
Khilyn answered, as soft as a whisper of wind.

“
I do
n’
t understand
,”
Aless
a’
s head was spinning.

“
Less, this has been in place for a very, very long time. You were always the one, the Sacrifice that was going to end it. Marston is SDL. He was planted a long time ago to begin grooming you for it.
I’
ve talked to him a lot lately. He says that he knew it would work from your First Ceremony. He insisted you learn to swim because you were always supposed to get away that way. Yo
u’
re going to stop this, you can stop this, yo
u’
ve always been able to stop it
.
”

“
Yo
u’
re telling me that I have to get in that Box and somehow get out of it and swim for my life? And then what, I just keep swimming?
!”
Aless
a’
s panic had returned. Even if she could control herself enough to get out of the Box, what was she swimming to? And for how long?

“
Alessa, listen closely. Ther
e’
s a tiny button, i
t’
s the size of a pinhead in the very top right corner of the Box. Jayna built it. It has to be tiny so the Box will pass inspection. The most difficult part of this will be finding that button, but you can do it. I
t’
s exactly in the corner. Once you push it, the wall of the Box over your head will spring open. The Box is underwater for sixteen hours. You will have sixteen hours to disappear. Sixteen hours to get out of the Capitol and get as far away as you can. I
t’
s plenty of time, Less. They wo
n’
t even start looking for you for almost the whole day
,”
Khily
n’
s excitement lit up his face. Alessa could see that he believed in this plan. Alessa felt hollow.

“
Where do I go? Once
I’
m out, what do I do? I do
n’
t want to escape the Box just to run away alone, Khi
.
”

“
You go to Camden
,”
Khi said plainly, no emotion showing on his face.

“
What
?”
Alessa was sure she had heard wrong.

“
You stay underwater as much as possible, swim along the shoreline as far away as you can with still seeing it. Camden is going to be waiting for you under Pier 394. I
t’
s about three miles
,”
Khilyn eyed her closely. There was a challenge and a worry in his eyes.

“
Three miles. Three miles an
d…
Camden
?”
Alessa was lost in her mind. Three miles was far, but she believed that she could do it. She knew she could if it meant living, surviving, and seeing Camden again.

“
Less
,”
Khilyn cupped her cheek in his hand to guide her eyes back to his face
,“
you can do this. Please do this. I love you so much and I need to know that you are going to do this and be okay
.
”

“
Wait, but what about you
?”
Alessa sat back as the thought hit her.

“I’
ve already been questioned and found to not know anything. We all have. No one else is in danger, Alessa. Things might be sticky for a little while, but it will blow over and we will be fine. This is about you, Less. I
t’
s always been you, it always will be
.
”