Read In The Shadows of the Cavern of Death (Shadows of Death Book 1) for Free Online Page B

cavern. I doubt that their side is even guarded, but to be sure, I’ll have an agent check the next time they are escorted across the border. Hopefully they’ll be going in the direction of the Cavern of Death.
    “That would be helpful, thank you,” I told him, before discussing our next problem. “My sisters work in the fabric factory, so I have access to the cloth that is produced. If I can obtain it, do you have anyone trusted that could produce us clothing to blend into the Loyalist section?”
    “Your sisters are excellent seamstresses. Why not have them do the work?”
    I loved my sisters, but I knew that they would ask questions that were better off not being answered for as long as possible. One wrong word even by accident could mean our deaths. “I would prefer to keep them in the dark about our plans for as long as possible,” I said, instead of the truth, that I was afraid that they would rebel once they learned of our plans. They had always been afraid of the unknown, preferring the comforts of routine to give them a sense of stability in an otherwise unstable world.
    Nodding his head in understanding at what I left unsaid, he said, “There is an Elder who I would trust to do the work.” Seeing my objections, he held up his hand to stop me. “She is vetted for many years and I trust her. Remember this is also my son’s life, I understand the risks.”
    The next few hours we spent going over every possible route and the issues involved with each. Finally we came up with three routes that would give us our best chance. The primary one, if we could reach it, would force us to cross three borders, but I agreed that it was worth the risk if we felt that we could make it. It was an actual sub-entrance originally used by the designers of our prison. While the means of transport they had originally used to get down here would be gone, the size of the shaft would more than make up for it. Our least favorite was in the Loyalist cavern. Partially explored and abandoned due to instability, it could be a death trap for unexperienced climbers like my sisters. I wasn’t worried about Tristian or I; we were climbers from a young age, always looking to escape the poverty that surrounded us, finding little cracks we could slide through to explore. Josie and Tina would be our weak links in this journey, but ones I was willing to die to protect.
    “How will we get the supplies and equipment unseen with us? I’m sure Loyalists don’t walk around with climbing equipment, food, and water. It will be a dead giveaway that we don’t belong,” I said, voicing my thoughts.
    Pondering our dilemma, Crowley responded, “We’ll have to figure a way to conceal as much as we can under your clothing, and for the rest we’ll have to design bags that look like they belong there.” I nodded my head in agreement, it was the only option. “You’ll wear your climbing suits under your clothing––it will save time if you’re discovered and have to run for the fissure. The guards pursuing you will have bulky uniforms, making it harder to move in the tighter space.”
    With that sorted out, I moved to something I knew had to be said. “Eventually it will be noticed we are missing. One or two gone could have been an accident or a reckoning––no one will think too much of the bodies missing as it’s happened before. The problem is with four missing and one being the child of an Elder. I heard what you said to the other Elders, that you believe there are government spies watching you. If you don’t raise the alarm that Tristian is missing, they’ll know for certain that something is wrong. They’ll definitely take you in for questioning and if you tell them about the vid disc it could mean the life of every living soul in our cavern. I think it would be better if you come with us so there is no chance of them ever finding out,” I concluded, hoping he would listen to reason. I should have known better.
    Leaning back in the