Read Online Chasing Shadows by Ashley Townsend - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Ashley Townsend
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appeared. “You’re lying.”
Sarah gave a small laugh. “Okay, so I got a couple of lead parts. But it was a small town and there wasn’t much competition for the role of Dorothy.” Her expression turned serious. “But that was years ago, Karen, and I just had to play a wide-eyed girl. This is real life; there are no practice runs or rehearsals. I’m not sure I can do this.”
Karen reached over and gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. “I know you can do this. I have faith in you, just like you believe in me. I’m sure you learned how to get into character for whatever role you were playing. Just do that and you’ll be fine.”
Sarah nodded and took a deep breath. Get into character—she could do that. Mrs. Moss, the head of the theater department at her old middle school, had always told the kids participating in her plays that the best way to get into character was to ask themselves questions. Simple ones, like what is the name of the character they’re portraying, where are they from, what is their background? Sarah found it ironic that she had rolled her eyes every time she heard those words and was now preparing to put that advice to the test.
Who is my character? she asked herself.
She turned to Karen. “Am I supposed to use my real name?”
The redhead worried her lower lip. “Maybe just your first. Whoever sent Allan after you and Will might be on the lookout for a Sarah Matthews, so it’s easier to blend in by giving as little information as possible.”
“Should I use a false identity?” Sarah asked, only half joking.
“No. You don’t want to find yourself in a situation where you bump into someone you know and they use your real name.”
Sarah nodded, mentally filing that advice away to be used later. “Right, okay. Anything else?”
Karen thought for a moment as she directed the horses toward the castle, ducking her head beneath her hood out of habit. “Remember, you’re a servant, so don’t be outspoken.” She grinned as if that was impossible, and Sarah rolled her eyes. “Only speak when spoken to, and don’t challenge anyone of higher rank. We don’t want you getting flogged on your first day.” Though she said it like a joke, her words carried warning.
Sarah swallowed hard as Karen pulled the wagon to a stop in front of the castle gates. They turned in their seats to face each other. Karen’s face was serious and held a note of worry, though Sarah could tell she was trying not to show her fear.
“If it gets too sticky in there, just get out. Don’t hesitate to pull yourself away from there if you feel you’ve been compromised.”
Sarah wiggled her eyebrows teasingly, though her insides had turned to jelly. “I feel like a secret agent.”
Karen leaned forward, her expression grim and insistent. “I am not kidding, Sarah. I don’t care how close you feel you are. This isn’t T.V. where the good guy gets away unscathed. Nothing’s so important that you should risk your life over it.”
“Some things are,” Sarah said quietly.
“ But not this.” Karen emphasized each word to drive her point home. “Getting justice for the king is our goal, but it won’t bring him back.”
Sarah eyed the sharp spikes at the top of the heavily guarded gate and swallowed the sudden lump in her throat.
“Don’t worry about me,” she said with more confidence than she felt. “I’ll be fine. Now get out of here before someone spots you.”
Karen nodded solemnly as Sarah jumped out of the wagon. Taking a deep breath for courage, she signaled her friend to leave with a wave of her hand. She watched Karen reluctantly drive away and turned to face the intimidating vastness of the castle, suddenly feeling completely alone. Then she remembered that she was never alone.
Lord, help me not to mess this up. Let us be successful and bring whatever evil has been going on here to light.
She advanced toward the open gate slowly, trying to look like she was confident and knew what
Sarah gave a small laugh. “Okay, so I got a couple of lead parts. But it was a small town and there wasn’t much competition for the role of Dorothy.” Her expression turned serious. “But that was years ago, Karen, and I just had to play a wide-eyed girl. This is real life; there are no practice runs or rehearsals. I’m not sure I can do this.”
Karen reached over and gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. “I know you can do this. I have faith in you, just like you believe in me. I’m sure you learned how to get into character for whatever role you were playing. Just do that and you’ll be fine.”
Sarah nodded and took a deep breath. Get into character—she could do that. Mrs. Moss, the head of the theater department at her old middle school, had always told the kids participating in her plays that the best way to get into character was to ask themselves questions. Simple ones, like what is the name of the character they’re portraying, where are they from, what is their background? Sarah found it ironic that she had rolled her eyes every time she heard those words and was now preparing to put that advice to the test.
Who is my character? she asked herself.
She turned to Karen. “Am I supposed to use my real name?”
The redhead worried her lower lip. “Maybe just your first. Whoever sent Allan after you and Will might be on the lookout for a Sarah Matthews, so it’s easier to blend in by giving as little information as possible.”
“Should I use a false identity?” Sarah asked, only half joking.
“No. You don’t want to find yourself in a situation where you bump into someone you know and they use your real name.”
Sarah nodded, mentally filing that advice away to be used later. “Right, okay. Anything else?”
Karen thought for a moment as she directed the horses toward the castle, ducking her head beneath her hood out of habit. “Remember, you’re a servant, so don’t be outspoken.” She grinned as if that was impossible, and Sarah rolled her eyes. “Only speak when spoken to, and don’t challenge anyone of higher rank. We don’t want you getting flogged on your first day.” Though she said it like a joke, her words carried warning.
Sarah swallowed hard as Karen pulled the wagon to a stop in front of the castle gates. They turned in their seats to face each other. Karen’s face was serious and held a note of worry, though Sarah could tell she was trying not to show her fear.
“If it gets too sticky in there, just get out. Don’t hesitate to pull yourself away from there if you feel you’ve been compromised.”
Sarah wiggled her eyebrows teasingly, though her insides had turned to jelly. “I feel like a secret agent.”
Karen leaned forward, her expression grim and insistent. “I am not kidding, Sarah. I don’t care how close you feel you are. This isn’t T.V. where the good guy gets away unscathed. Nothing’s so important that you should risk your life over it.”
“Some things are,” Sarah said quietly.
“ But not this.” Karen emphasized each word to drive her point home. “Getting justice for the king is our goal, but it won’t bring him back.”
Sarah eyed the sharp spikes at the top of the heavily guarded gate and swallowed the sudden lump in her throat.
“Don’t worry about me,” she said with more confidence than she felt. “I’ll be fine. Now get out of here before someone spots you.”
Karen nodded solemnly as Sarah jumped out of the wagon. Taking a deep breath for courage, she signaled her friend to leave with a wave of her hand. She watched Karen reluctantly drive away and turned to face the intimidating vastness of the castle, suddenly feeling completely alone. Then she remembered that she was never alone.
Lord, help me not to mess this up. Let us be successful and bring whatever evil has been going on here to light.
She advanced toward the open gate slowly, trying to look like she was confident and knew what
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