The Fourth Ceremony: The Sacrifice Trilogy

by K. M. Ashling

  Alessa lowered herself into her bed, her decision made. She had to try. She wasn’t going to be some puppet for the Empire, a meal ticket for the Minister, and a religious scapegoat for the Citizens. She was going to be her own person and follow her own path. And right now, her path was leading her back to Camden.

  Alessa hadn’t slept as soundly in weeks. With her mind made up, dreams no longer haunted her. She was startled awake by the door banging open the next morning. Alessa saw that the sky was the bright gray of the moments right before sunrise just as her stylist team bustled into the room.

  “It’s your big day!”Lai said cheerily,“let’s glam you up, doll.”Alessa had always liked Lai, but couldn’t stand the way that he was talking about the Ceremony like it was a beauty pageant. She bit her tongue and sat herself in the chair where they always worked.

  After what felt like an eternity, but was actually only about an hour, Lai stepped back and pulled her towards her full-length mirror. Her hair hung in loose curls around her shoulders. She was dressed in a terribly embarrassing pearl colored wetsuit with a sheer overlay, the typical color of the Sacrifice. Her makeup was immaculately done to enunciate her features but contribute to her youthfulness. After all, people needed reminding that they were sacrificing a virgin.

  “The makeup and hair products are water proof! You’ll be gorgeous going in and coming out!”Lai said proudly, clapping his hands. Alessa couldn’t stop her eye roll. He talked like she was running a marathon and needed extra products instead of being drowned and her body put on display in seventeen hours’time.

  One hour she thought one hour is all I’ve got. I can do this, I can. Alessa spoke soothing words to herself, trying to keep her composure. Finally, the stylists cleared out and Alessa was left alone in her room. At first she was relieved to be free of them, but as she sat the daunting reality of her situation began to confront her. She was either going to die in the Sacred Ocean or she was going to swim the longest distance she ever had. What if she only made it halfway? What if she were caught? What would the Government, the Minister, do to her if she got caught? The thought of it made her want to scream. Just as panic was overtaking her, the door to her room suddenly opened.

  “Good morning, Sacrifice, dear,”the Minister’s voice was chipper and loud,“I do hope you slept well, it’s a beautiful day.”He walked into the room and took Alessa’s arm.

  “Good morning, Minister,”Alessa managed to force herself to say, hatred bubbling inside of her.

  “Let’s go, it’s time for me to escort you to your Ceremony,”the Minister said sweetly. Alessa fought the urge to pull her arm away. He needed to think that she was on board and ready to die.

  The Minister walked Alessa to the Great Cliffs. A makeshift set of seats had been constructed that overlooked the Ocean and a staircase had been assembled in the face of the cliff that led down to a ledge. The Minister walked Alessa to the top of the stairs and nudged her forward, indicating that she would go the rest of the way alone.

  On the ledge, a strange man stood in a black suit. The seats were filled with people whom Alessa could guess paid a lot of money to be sitting on the front row of the action. There were only seats for about twenty people. Upwards of fifty more people stood beside and behind the seats. Alessa’s parents and Khilyn were nowhere to be seen. Alessa supposed they couldn’t afford a ticket. The thought fueled anger in her. Everyone was somber and quiet. The Minister took his seat right in the middle and looked pointedly at Alessa as if to tell her to move on.

  Alessa descended the stairs. They wobbled under her feet. The silence of the people was deafening. Alessa wished someone would speak. She expected the Minister to make some sort of speech. She thought she would have some time to process everything. It was happening too fast and her heart was squeezing. Once on the ledge, the man in the suit motioned to the Box. It was a pearly white color that Alessa realized almost matched her unsightly outfit that she was wearing. It attached to a set of ropes and pulleys that allowed the man in the suit to slowly lower the Box into the Ocean.

  The Sacrificial Box was a glorified coffin. It was coffin sized with hundreds of tiny holes that allowed the water to slowly enter the Box until the Sacrifice was covered and drowned. The lid of the Box was to be lowered over her and padlocked by the man in the suit.

  Even though Alessa knew that the Box was supposed to open for her, she couldn’t allow herself to climb in. What if it didn’t work? What if they found it and fixed it? Alessa wasn’t ready to die. Especially not for what she had finally found out was nothing. Alessa took a deep stabilizing breath. What choice did she have? She had the choice of going with dignity or fighting, crying, and losing her pride. She stepped into the open Box sitting on the ledge of the Cliffs. Alessa was finding it hard to breathe. She tried to gain her composure. She would need as much breath as she could manage after she was lowered into the Ocean. She needed to stay underwater until she could be sure that the people watching from the Cliffs couldn’t see her. She wasn’t even sure how long that would take. Alessa tried to suck in a few breaths and stay calm despite her hands shaking violently.

  “Remember,”the man in the suit said, so quietly that Alessa wasn’t even sure he spoke,“reach above your head with your right hand and the button is right in the corner. It’s been checked, everything is in order.”

  Alessa started slightly and looked at the man in the suit. She was sure that she didn’t recognize him. Alessa was shocked to find that someone with the SDL had gotten this close to the Ceremony. The man shook his head slightly and Alessa realized that he was not supposed to have talked to her. She turned to look back into the Box.

  With one last deep breath, she sat down and lowered herself to a lying position in the Box. The man in the suit leaned over to close the lid, winking at her conspiratorially in the process.

  Alessa tried to stifle her panic as the lid was lowered over her. She needed to wait until she was deep in the water to search for the button. If she accidentally pushed it before she got deep enough, the whole plan would be ruined. She heard the padlock secure the lid of the Box. She refused to allow herself to push on it.

  She made herself repeat Khilyn’s instructions to her. Push the button in the right corner, swim underwater as much as possible, travel along the coastline three miles, Camden will be at Pier 394.

  Over and over she repeated the instructions in her head as she felt the Box lift into the air. Once she guessed she was clear of the ledge, she felt herself begin to lower slowly. Panic made her start to move. She wanted to beat on the lid, wanted to find the button, wanted to do anything to stop this slow torture. Then, she felt the Box begin to sway slightly and stopped herself. The spectators, both on the Cliffs and at home watching television, would see the box moving. She refused to let them watch her fear. She made herself perfectly still and waited for the inevitable.

  She felt the Box’s descent slow suddenly as she touched down in the water. It wouldn’t take long for her to sink, the heavy Box was designed that way. The frigid water began to envelop her. She shuddered. How was she going to swim through this ice? It’s not intended for swimming Alessa reminded herself sardonically.

  The water continued to rise in the Box. Alessa shivered as it covered her legs. She tried to sit up in the Box to keep her face as close to the top as possible. She wanted the last breath of air left in the Box before she began this crazy trek. Her breath was coming in short gasps. Alessa tried to calm herself, but between the stabbing cold of the water and the squeezing anxiety in her chest, she couldn’t catch her breath. She was going to have to rely on her fast swimming to get her far away as quickly as possible.

  Alessa took a moment to orient herself. She had to shoot out of the top of the Box, turn left, and swim as straight as she could manage. The water was covering most of her body now. She was sure the Box was deep enough now. It was dark in the Box. She took as deep of a breath as she could muster. Again and again, within a few seconds, she drank in the air tha
t could be her last.

  Alessa lowered herself into the water. She reached above her hand into the corner of the box. She felt nothing. There wasn’t any button. She frantically searched at the corner of the box, digging her fingernails into the wall. Still feeling no button, Alessa noticed a movement. She reached her hands above her head. Sure enough, the top of the Box was open.

  Alessa carefully moved out of the Box, she didn’t want to cause motion in the ropes holding the box from sinking to the bottom of the Ocean. Alessa’s chest was already burning from the anxiety and lack of quality air. She made her turn and began to swim, not allowing herself to rise in the water, staying as deep as she could.

  She wasn’t sure how long she swam, she was afraid that it wasn’t too far. Alessa’s chest and eyes burned. Every muscle in her body screamed for air, and still she swam with all of her might. The icy waters of the Sacred Ocean threatened to tear her arms from their sockets, and still she swam. The fear coursing through her mind convincing her that she would die in these waters threatened to paralyze her, and still she swam.

  Eventually, her body began to force the carbon dioxide out of her lungs and she knew that she had to rise or she would inhale the frigid waters. Alessa kicked to the top of the Ocean. She was almost done exhaling. Her body would soon automatically inhale and she wasn’t to the top yet. She kicked harder. Her body began to inhale just as she broke the surface. After sputtering on some of the water she swallowed, Alessa gulped in the fresh, warm air. Her eyes darted around. She was afraid that she was too close. She turned to look. She spotted the Great Cliffs, the people hardly dots upon them. She had swum farther than she thought. She allowed herself a small smile. Now, she just had to make it the rest of the way to the Pier and to Camden. Her chest squeezed. She would have to face him.

  Alessa lowered herself back into the water and swam. What if he isn’t there? Alessa wasn’t certain that he would remain invested in this plan. Perhaps he only wanted her to get out of the Box. Maybe the SDL didn’t care what happened to her after that. I know he’s only fulfilling a dutyAlessa reminded herself. She remembered their last conversation on the Cliffs, the one where he confessed that it had all been a lie. He would probably be there, but he was doing what he was supposed to do, nothing more. Alessa didn’t want to be embarrassed again by allowing herself to think that he meant any of the things that he had said and done. They were allies on a mission. She had to believe just that. Even as she thought it, she pushed herself to swim harder and faster. In a deeper, less acknowledged part of her mind, she knew that it had nothing to do with getting out of the icy water, but with getting to stare into Camden’s warm green eyes.

  Chapter 10-

  Camden

  Camden paced under the Pier. He had no concept of time. Other than the start of the Ceremony, he couldn’t predict any other factors. How long would it take to lower her into the water? Would the Minister make a disgusting speech first? How long would it take her to get out of the Box? What if she didn’t find the button?

  He shook himself. He couldn’t afford to think like that. He couldn’t afford to think that anything could go wrong. That she wouldn’t come swimming up the coast at any moment. The mission was paramount. He had to save the Sacrifice. But his heart was also a cause. He not only had to save the Sacrifice, he had to save Alessa. He had to tell her it was all real, that he didn’t seduce her but the exact opposite had occurred. He had to have at least one more conversation with her to correct everything that had gone wrong in their last talk. Thinking about that disaster made his blood boil. He punched the support beam of the Pier. The waiting and the worrying were driving him insane. He couldn’t stand it.

  Camden walked out to the edge of the water again to look for any sign of her. The cold water stabbed his toes and made him shiver involuntarily. He couldn’t stop his worry. How can she even swim in this? What if she gets halfway here and freezes up or runs out of steam? Everything that could possibly go wrong with this plan kicked him in the chest. They should have just planned to kidnap her. They should have never let her go into the Ocean.

  Of course, that was his heart talking. She had to go in, that was the only way to prove that it was her choice. It was the only way to avoid the embarrassment of the last rescue attempt. But how could the SDL risk Alessa’s life in order to save its own embarrassment? Camden sighed heavily. The inaction of waiting was wearing him ragged. He began to pace again.

  On his next pace, he turned towards the Ocean and did a quick scan. There was something in the water. It was her, it had to be her. Camden scanned the beach beside the Pier. The dilapidated area was unlikely to attract anyone, but he had to make sure. He had to keep her safe. He set off at a run, checking the perimeter of the beach, making sure that no one lurked in the woods beyond the beach, and ensuring that their route out of there remained clear. As fast as his legs would carry, he returned to the beach under the Pier. Alessa had reached shallow waters and was dragging herself out of the Ocean. He thought it was the most beautiful site he had ever seen. He stood frozen for a moment, drinking in the fact that she was here and seemed unharmed.

  Then, a wave came up behind Alessa. It seemed small, but it knocked her forward and face first into the water. Camden surged forward. In seconds, he had pulled Alessa into his arms and was guiding her out of the water. She coughed and choked out the water that had unexpectedly entered her throat. Camden pulled her away from the water’s touch and sat with her on the beach, patting her back gently as the coughing subsided.

  She looked up at him. Her eyes were unreadable and complicated. He couldn’t tell if she was happy to see him, still angry with him, or if she even wanted him near her. He couldn’t tell if she was injured or hypothermic. For several moments, they simply stared at each other. Finally, Camden couldn’t stand to keep it inside.

  “You’re incredible,”he said softly, moving a lock of her hair away from her face and touching her cheek lightly,“you’re so amazing. You made it and you’re here and you’re the most beautiful and incredible sight I’ve ever seen.”His voice was barely over a whisper and his touch was light. There she had it. He had said exactly what he was thinking.

  “Cam, I-“her word was cut off by another coughing fit. The salt in the water made her voice sound raw and painful.

  “Come under the Pier, I have fresh water and some warmer clothes. I’m sorry, we should have gone there first,”Camden stood and reached for her hand. She hesitated.“Alessa, you have to keep moving. We still have some ground to cover and we can’t afford for your muscles to seize up. I know you are beyond tired and probably in a lot of pain. We will rest soon, I promise, but I need you to keep being strong right now.”Camden was worried, but she finally reached for him. He helped her to stand.

  They began walking slowly. Her legs were obviously fatigued and hardly able to carry her. When they were halfway to their destination, Alessa stopped. Camden turned to look at her, about to encourage her on, when she tugged his hand. He took a step towards her. Her hands and arms shook with exertion as she ran them up his arms and secured them around the back of his neck.

  “Cam,”she whispered with a sigh. His name, spoken like that, relieved a tension in his chest he had been carrying for weeks. He wrapped his arms around her body, pulling her as close to him as he could manage. He buried his face in her neck and pressed his lips her shoulder. They stood there, holding each other. He ran his hands over her back and arms. He stroked the back of her hair. She held firmly to his neck, her arms continuing to shake.

  “Alessa, you need water and warmth. I could stand like this the rest of the night, but we have to get out of here soon,”he pulled back reluctantly and peered into her eyes,“there’s so much to say. It will get said, I swear to you it will.”Camden cupped her cheek and kissed her forehead longingly. Then, he untangled her arms from his neck and, with an arm wrapped firmly around her waist, led her to his supplies.

  Camden handed Alessa a bottle of water, which she took and bega
n to drink. After a couple of sips, she began to cough again. Camden kept a hand on her back as she coughed, murmuring comforts in her ear. She stood and cleared her throat. She looked like she was about to speak, but Camden stroked her arm and shook his head. He turned to the bag lying in the sand and pulled a pair of soft cotton pants and a sweater out of it.

  “As much as I appreciate you in that, you need to warm up. Put these on over it for now. We will get to the safe house and you can change soon,”Camden said as he handed her the clothes. She obediently removed the sheer overlay and put them on over the wetsuit and then turned to face him.

  “Cam,”her voice was scratchy and soft, the Ocean water wearing on her vocal cords,“Cam, I don’t really know what to say. I’m so very sorry.”

  “Alessa, stop,”Camden moved to her and wrapped her in his arms again. He couldn’t imagine that he could ever miss anything more than he had missed this in the past few weeks.“You don’t have anything to apologize for. You’re here. You’re here and you are so incredibly brave and strong and amazing. You did nothing wrong. I know how it looked. I always knew how it would look, and maybe that’s why I waited so long to tell you. I was so afraid because I knew that it looked like exactly what you thought it was. Hell, I tried to convince myself that’s what it was for quite some time. I didn’t know how to navigate it all and I had all year to think it through. You got about five minutes. I need to be apologizing, not you, please not you.”