The Empath

The Empath ~ 1

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By Rinae. Copyright.

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Pain shot up her nails as they bent unnaturally, hauling at her cuticles due to the weight of her body. She prayed desperately for another finger-size notch, but the growing sense that her plan was hopeless was reaching the max.

She pressed herself against the stone, taking one hesitant hand away from its precious hold, and brushed her fingertips for another crevice.

Her fingers missed any such hope. Horror, although brief, streamed over her like a torrential wave. She squeaked woefully in spite of herself, and swept again, struggling to tamp her discourage down. This blasted wall-!

There. Digging her fingers in, she breathed a sigh of relief and continued on, mentally berating herself for succumbing to the thought of failure.

Initially, the wall looked relatively easy to climb, but that was forgone now. She knew the truth almost immediately once she began climbing.

Although some might have long ago given up, she hadn't. Yet. To her, this barrier was the only thing keeping her inside the castle gates. And that simple fact was enough to keep her moving. Occasionally her determination would plunge for a few ugly seconds, but then a tidal wave of stubborn pride would push her on, and she'd keep moving.

Her eyes stayed fixed on the ledge, where the wind whispered thoughts of sweet freedom. She paused every so often to tilt her head back, letting the breeze kiss the skin on her neck. Sweat beaded on her brow, but the thought of tall, tall trees and endless fields and massive cities just beyond this accursed wall just waiting to be explored! It was enough to fill a person with a burning passion and zeal for a lifetime.

At last, her fingers gripped the ledge, and she dragged herself up, bursting with victory. Although it was two feet wide, she lay down, one leg dangling off, the other flat on the ridge. She could fit comfortably on-top the ledge, without fear of falling off, for she was thin and tall for her age.

The wind blew back the cowl on her head, revealing brilliant red hair. The twine she'd used to pull her crimson curls away from her face did little to nothing, the unruly locks slipping out of its useless confine to slap her face, wind-tossed and wild.

Her breath was quick and unsteady, and she pulled the icy air in as if she'd gone without it for years. She let her forehead rest against the cold stone of the wall, struggling to inhale as easily as exhaling came.

Who knew that this wall would be so hard to climb? From her chamber balconies, the wall was a puny barrier compared to the immense world beyond! The rolling hills beyond the garden wall stopped at a wide copse of trees, and beyond that, the City of Aurelia. It had only seemed small because she could see further.

She'd spent many an hour on her balcony daydreaming about the City of Aurelia. She'd been only once, and that was at 5 years. Now she was twelve. Which she thought was pretty significant, when she considered her age and all her knowledge, compared to the seven-year-old kitchen boy. She thought it a wide margin between her and him. They used to be friends. But of course, she came along, and ruined it all.

Madame Doreen, Avery's tutor, had made them both swear to never play together again, because Avery was the princess of Aurelia, and Jack was the kitchen-boy of nothing. Her superior place in the hierarchy of the castle was quickly shoved in both their faces, and from then on, they were not permitted to run in the castle gardens or play guards and robbers, or make forts in the fancy trees the gardener had told them time and time again not to clutter or tangle in.