The Sankari Legends Book One: The Scars We Hide
Chapter Fourteen: Alia

Witha terrified scream and a heaving breath my world exploded into color. I lookedaround quickly, trying to take in my surroundings. What was going on? Where wasI? Then I saw him, sitting right beside me. My brother who I hadn’t been ableto save.

“Alec?You...You’re dead.” Everything came crashing into my mind at once. The battleon the hills, fighting to protect Megan and Sabin, watching my friends die.Everything that happened before Alec died, fighting the konna, the sniper, myshockwave. None of it made a difference.

“Everyoneis dead.” My voice was thick as I tried to hold back the tears. “I couldn’tsave them.”

Thetears were choking me, but I couldn’t be sad, self-pity wasn’t what I needed.

“Youdied! You… you were shot! And I...” the words ripped out of me. “I couldn’tsave you. I couldn’t save anyone!” I felt the shame burning inside as I yelled,“I was too weak to save them!”

Mybrother just stared at me. I scoffed, he probably realized how repulsive I was,how disgustingly weak and selfish I was.

“Iwished for death,” I met his eyes, felt the fire in mine reflected back off ofhis, as my voice lowered to a whisper. “When I saw you laying there I wanted todie too.”

Iclosed my eyes and saw the vision of him lying there again, two holes in hischest and lifeless eyes staring at nothing. “But at the same time, I knew Ididn’t deserve it.” I opened my eyes back up and he was looking at me withsomething like pity written in his expression. “I deserved to live with theguilt and pain. The failure. It was my reward.”

Icould hear the anger, and bitterness, white hot in my voice, burning my throatas they made their way out, “My pat on the back for what a great job I’d done.”

Hestill had the same look on his face, and still had said nothing. Why wasn’t hesaying anything? Did he hate me? He must hate me, to not say anything. I had totry and make it right. I had to.

“Ifailed you, Alec.” I hung my head and stopped fighting the constricting sobsI’d been holding in. “I… I deserve every miserable second of life that I haveleft.”

Ipicked my head back up, and tried to see through the blur of tears into hiseyes. “I’m so sorry,” I whispered.

Stillhe said nothing. I turned back to face forward, letting the tears obscure myvision, letting the pain erase every thought in my head.

Iheard a choking sound beside me and then, “Alia.” He said my name and I steeledmyself. Here it comes. You deserve it.

“You’renot, I’m not...” He was stumbling over his words, but I stared ahead, bracingmyself for his judgment.

Hepaused for a second, then when he spoke his voice was soft, but firm. “Alia,listen to me.”

Dreadseeped into my bones. He was going to tell me everything I had done wrong. Hewas going to criticize everything. My brother… my last shred of support. I wasabout to lose that.

“Youdo not deserve this. I am not dead.”What was he talking about? Of course I deserved this, I looked over to tell himso, but he kept going.

“Listento me. I need you to trust me, okay? It’s very important.” Why was he actinglike this? Why wasn’t he angry at me?

“Noneof what you think just happened is real. I am not dead. We are in a konnafacility, we’ve been captured.” He was talking faster now, and kept glancing atthe door like he thought someone was about to barge in. “Just… I need you totrust me and do exactly what I say, okay?”

Myhead was pounding, I had no clue what he was talking about, but I nodded.

“Thereis a girl here who can get into your head and put images and experiences intoyour mind that are not real.” I shookmy head, the pounding was making it hard to listen. “Alia, I need you toremember. Remember why we’re here.”

Rememberwhat? I remembered him dying. I remembered Sabin and Megan dying. What else wasthere to remember?

“I’mtrying, but I… there’s nothing there.” I searched my brain, trying desperatelyto replace something. “We were fighting andeveryone… everyone died. That wasn’t real?”

“No.”A slight grin started to form on his face as he bore his eyes into mine, tryingto communicate something to mine. “Try Alia, please try and remember. We are ona mission with Sabin and Megan. You and I had just switched watch duty for thenight when you sensed an energy surge near our camp. I came with you toinvestigate. We fought with some of the konna and got captured.”

“Meganand Sabin? A mission?” I asked hesitantly. Memories started to stir in my mind.Slowly I started to piece together some of what had happened. “I… I thinkremember.”

Aleclet out a huge breath of relief. “Thank the Creator,” he said.

Iheard the faint sound of footsteps and saw Alec tense up, panic rising in hiseyes. He spoke urgently.

“Thereis a woman who will be back soon and she’s going to do the same thing to methat she just did to you. When she does I need you to sit there and be quiet.It’s going to look like she’s hurting me, and I might say some things thatdon’t make sense, but I need you to just not do anything, okay?”

“Okay,Alec.” I said reluctantly and glanced at the door. I wish I could remember whatwas happening. “I trust you.”

Helet a tight smile onto his face that quickly vanished as the door in front ofus slammed open and let in a severe looking short blonde woman. Her arm was ina sling, and her face was drawn into tight lines. Immediately a feeling ofanger started deep in my stomach and worked it’s way up. I didn’t know who shewas, but I immediately knew that she wasn’t one of the good guys. She glancedat me with a look of disgust and contempt, and then walked to stand in front ofAlec. She was only slightly taller than him, even though he was sitting in achair. I watched as she leaned down and put her mouth close to his ear andwhispered,

“Let’sget started shall we?” Chills ran up my arms at the tone of her voice. Sheplaced her un-slinged hand alongside his face, and slid her eyes shut.

“Alec,”my voice was wary, “what is she doing?” He didn’t answer, his eyes were clampedshut and his body was rigid. I saw sweat break out all over him, and then hespasmed.

“Stopit!” I screamed. “Stop! You’re hurting him!”

Shedidn’t move, and Alec spasmed again, sweat was pouring down his face.

“Whatthe hell are you doing to him?!” I screamed louder.

“Shutup,” one of the guys at the door growled.

“Makeme,” I spat back. I didn’t know what was going on, since not all of my memorieshad made it back to me, but I knew forcertain we had to get out of here. Alec obviously wasn’t dead, and this womanwas hurting him. I had to do something, and if I could get this guard closeenough, I might be able to knock him over and somehow get one of his weapons.

Yeah great plan, Alia. That’stotally going to work.

Shut up, it’s not like there’sanything else I can do.

Stupidinner voice.

Alecwas full on seizuring in his chair now, but the blonde kept her grip on him.

“Getthe hell off him!” I yelled, spit flying from my mouth and hopefully onto her.

Inmy peripheral I saw the guy take a step forward. It was working. I started rocking mychair. If I could tip it in the direction of the blonde then maybe I couldknock her over and get her hand off of him.

“Hey,”the guard, who I decided should be called Big Stupid shouted. “Knock it off!”

Iignored him and kept rocking. Almostthere, just a little bit further.

B-Sran over behind and slammed his hands down on my chair, and as soon as he did Islammed my body back as hard as I could, causing the chair (with me in it) itland on him. I heard his head crack against the floor and his breath leave himin a whoosh. I paused for a second, and when his didn’t move I jerked to theright, rolling my chair off of him and onto my side. The blonde still hadn’t moved,she must have been pretty deep in Alec’s head to not have noticed that. I looked over at the now unconscious B-S. Myhands were strapped down, but I could still wiggle my fingers.

Damn, I wish I could use my powers.

Hisknife was six inches away from my right hand, which was the one closest to theground. I jerked my body around, scooting closer to the knife until I couldtouch it with my fingertips.

“Comeon,” I ground out, straining to try and grip the knife. “Just a little,” mytongue stuck out in concentration, “bit closer.”

“Yes!”I whooped. At that same moment a force equal to that of something very largeslammed into my mind and memories burst through the floodgates. Suddenly mymind cleared and I remembered where we were and why we were here. And withthose memories came a feeling of dread, this wasn’t a good situation, but itwas still something that we could bust out of, if I could just get Alec out ofthe blonde’s hands.

Notime to dwell on that though. The knife was gripped in my right hand. I flippedit around and started sawing through the leather that was restraining my hand.I’d made it halfway through when blondie decided to open her eyes. Her handremained on Alec’s face, but her eyes widened when she saw me sawing through myrestraint and B-S unconscious on the floor beside me.

“What?”She looked bewildered, and then glared at me as she shouted, “Lettner get inhere!”

Reinforcements, wonderful.

Isawed faster as the blonde glared at me, but she didn’t move.

Just a little bit more-

“HA!”I shouted, just as the door slammed open and the guy named Lettner screamed,“What?!”

Helooked wildly around the room as he saw the situation. He quickly narrowed hiseyes and me and B-S, but just as quickly I moved the knife to B-S’s neck.

“Youmake one move, try anything, and he’s as good as dead.” I glared at him andmade my tone as menacing as a person lying sideways with three restrained limbscould. Which apparently was pretty menacing, because he didn’t move a muscle.

“Whatare you doing?!” The blonde yelled at him. “She won’t kill him you idiot!Restrain her!”

Ipressed the knife tighter to B-S’s throat, drawing a thin line of blood. “Iwouldn’t bet on that Blondie.”

Ilooked back over to Lettner and said, “Do you really want your friend to diejust because she’s afraid of me?” He hesitated, and I plowed on, “If you undomy restraints I’ll let you take B-S and you two can go.”

Hefurrowed his brow. “B-S? His name is Cayne.”

Irolled my eyes. This guy was an idiot. “”B-S, Cayne, whatever! Undo myrestraints or he’s going to die!”

Hiseyes darted back and forth between Blondie and me.

“Don’tyou dare, Lettner.” She said lowly.

“Youwon’t kill him,” his voice was hesitant. “You won’t,” he said more strongly,“You’re a Sankrin, not one of us.” He sneered at me, “You value life, so youwon’t kill him.”

Well damn. There goes that plan.

Underneathme B-S started moving, and then groaned and moved some more. This was about toget messy.

“Well,you see here is your first mistake. You think that because I’m a Sankrin that Ivalue life.” I grinned up at Lettner as his face started morphing into one ofconfusion. “Which is mostly correct. But,” I paused, making him really listento me, “You know whose lives I value above all else? My family,” I pointed oneof my restrained fingers towards Alec, then said slowly, “and my friends.”

“Andwhich category does our boy B-S fall into?” His face dissolved into panic.“Neither!” I yelled.

Iflipped my chair so that I was now on top of B-S, whose eyes had just opened.

“Sorry,B-S.” Then I stabbed him in the leg and rolled off the other side and into theblonde.

B-Sscreamed and the blonde screamed and I screamed and the whole room dissolvedinto chaos. I had the blonde’s good arm pinned under my chair, and B-S wasrolling around on the ground yelling. Lettner however, had just ran back outinto the hall and I could hear him screaming for back up. We need to get out ofhere now. I remembered the sedativesthat they’d put into our systems, but they had to be close to wearing off bynow. Right? I squeezed my eyes shut and focused every single fiber of my bodyon the clasp on Alec’s hands. I pictured myself inside the mechanism, switchingthe levers and moving the gears until it popped open.

Come on you stupid things, openalready.

Everymuscle was straining, all my energy being focused on the locks, trying totrigger my powers into working.

Dammit, come on and work. It’s justsome stupid sedative. You’re stronger than that.

Igrit my teeth and let out a yell and a wave of raw, unadulterated, reassuringlyfamiliar energy ripped through my body. Not only did Alec’s restrains open, butmine did too, and pretty much everything in the room smacked against the wallsexcept for me, blondie who was pinned under my chair, and Alec, whose chair wasnow tipped over and facing blondie with him still unconscious, butunrestrained, in it. I collapsed face down and curled in on myself as the paininvaded my body with the force of a tidal wave.

Way to go Alia, you burnt away allthe sedative, which was the only thing keeping you from feeling all this.

Itwas like my whole body was being attacked at once. I felt like I had red hotiron brands being pressed all over me, it hurt to breathe, my left wristwouldn’t move, and my face was pounding with pressure of the swelling I’dforgotten was there.

“No,NO! Alia!!” Alec screamed, his face contorting into a look of pain that waskind of screwed up because half of it was smooshed against the floor.

“Alec!”I ground out, I didn’t know if he was still under her influence or not.

“Als...”He started crying, tears leaking down his cheeks and onto the floor “Don’tleave me. Please, please, don’t go!”

Shewas still in his head.

“Alec,”louder this time, “Listen to me!”

Hissobs grew louder, I could practically feel his body shaking and shuddering,chest collapsing in with every gasping breath. He needed to be woken up.

“AlecLachlan Parker, wake your sorry ass up RIGHT NOW!” I was breathing hard, thestrain on my lungs and ribs setting my chest on fire.

Hiseyes flew open and he gasped, “Wha… What is she doing here?” He quicklyscrambled up into a sitting position, moving away from blondie’s face. “Why...”he looked around quickly and then saw me

Witha quiet voice he said, “Alia? What’s going on? What happened?”

Iturned my head slowly towards him, “What do you remember?”

“You...you died,” his voice was soaked with misery, the pain written in his eyes brokemy heart. Then his eyebrows scrunched, like they always did when he wasthinking. “Wait, no. No that’s not right. That was fake.” He paused, meeting myeyes with an unsure gaze. “Right?”

Ilet out a relieved laugh. “Welcome back little brother. We don’t have time torehash everything, but I need you to just trust me, ok?”

Irepeated to him a condensed version of what he’d said to me after I’d wokenup.Turning back to face the door to check for Lettner and his backup, I couldn’t see Alec, but I felt him noddingslowly,

“Okay,but do you know about...”

Icut him off as I heard the faint sound of voices.

“Later,”I said. “Right now, we need to get out of here.”

Igrunted as I pushed myself up to one knee, standing shakily and made my wayover to Alec. Blondie and B-S were still unconscious, but it couldn’t be longbefore the backup got here.

“Comeon,” I reached down and grabbed his hand, helping him get up, “we’ve got togo.”

Hestood up with much more ease than I did.

Good.And as long as he knew who the konna were he’d be in better shape than I was toget us out of here. I pushed the door open slowly, wincing as the bright lightfrom the hallway hit my eyes. It was clear, miraculously, or maybe justluckily, but the sound of voices was still present

Iturned my head back and put a finger to my lips, then pointed it to the right,which was the direction we’d be escaping in.

Wemoved down the hall as fast as we could, but I was going slower than Alec was,having to lean my good hand on the wall to help me along.

“Giveme your arm,” Alec whispered quickly.

“I’mfine,” I said back harshly.

Alecrolled his eyes at me and took my arm, swung it over his shoulder, and we tookoff.

Afew turns later and I finally heard voices echoing behind us.

“Whereare they!”

“Whathappened here??”

Alecand I exchanged looks, then went off in the direction we’d been headed, only alot faster this time.

Iheard footsteps pounding, not right behind us, but closing in.

“Splitup!” A deep voice boomed. Tyrone.“They can’t have gotten far!”

Fantastic. An exit would be good atanytime now!

Alecand I both tried to quiet our labored breathing, which was a struggle, since wewere now practically sprinting and both sporting our own small army’s worth ofinjuries.

Wetore down another hall, changing direction as fast as we could. Then as weswung left around a corner we suddenly weren’t alone. Standing at the end ofthe hall, were Tyrone, Cayne, and Daphne.

Inthe split second it took us to see each other Tyrone had started forward, andI’d yanked on Alecs arm and spun us around to head back the way we’d came.

“Brittany,we’ve found them!” Daphne yelled behind us, followed quickly by a growled out,“You idiot!”

Alecstumbled and when I looked up he had an anxious look scrawled across hisface... he was thinking again. I didn’t have time to think about what thatmeant though, all my energy was being focused on not being recaptured. However,it would seem, continuing with tradition, we have potentially the worst luck inthe entire universe. And by potentially I mean definitely.

Standingat the end of the hall was queen blondie in the flesh, looking highly pissedand armed with a gun.

“Stopor I’ll shoot!” She shouted down at us.

“Goahead and try!” I shouted back. She couldn’t touch us now that I had my powersback.

“Brazenlyrash, headstrong, arrogant, tendency to disregard orders…this is what your filestates of you, Alia Parker.” She smirked at me, her eyes icy cold burning intothe fire of my own. “Today those characteristics that you’re so proud of will be your downfall.” I watched,tense, as her eyes slid to gaze at something behind my shoulder. That was herfirst mistake.

Iquickly grabbed Alec and slammed open the door next to us, shooting both of usinto the empty room. With a thought the door slammed back shut and a metalcabinet taller than Alec flew to barricade it.

“Okay,”Alec said, panting, “so now that you’ve trapped us in here…”

Inarrowed my eyes at him. “I’m trying to get us out of here.”

Therewas pounding on the door, I remembered B-S and his freaking super strength andthrew a few more things over to the door. It wouldn’t last long against him.

Istood and looked quickly around the room, there were no windows, no vents,nothing. Even the walls were reinforced with steel, meaning that even if Alec’s powers were working, hewouldn’t be able to break us out of here. I let loose a string of curse wordsand Alec raised an eyebrow at me.

“Soit looks to me,” he said, sounding entirely too unconcerned about the situationwe were in, “like there is no way out of this tiny room.” He gestured around tothe said tiny room, “which means we’re going to have to fight our way out.”

Ihuffed, blowing some of my hair out of my eyes, “Thank you so much for thatinsight, however, the teensy flaw in your plan is that I’m the only one herewith powers and there’s at least four of them out there with back up closebehind.”

“Ahyeah about that... there’s something you need to know.” He looked up at me,wincing as a loud ripping sound came from the door.

“Youcan tell me later, ok?” I said back tersely and then threw everything else inthe room at the door, hoping to buy us a little more time. Then turned and putmy hands on my hips.

“ListenI’m only going to say this once, I’ve just been tortured for hours so I’m notexactly at 100% right now, okay?” When he quirked his eyebrow at me, I rolledmy eyes at him. “I mean if I was they wouldn’t stand a chance, but right now Iwould need help, and you are currently useless…so any bright ideas before Imartyr myself trying to save our sorry asses?”

“Idon’t know about bright ideas, but…” He grinned at me and twirled his fingers,and a flame appeared out of them, making shadows dance across the tiny roomswalls, “is this bright enough for you?”

Ipunched him in the shoulder and glared. “You could have said something sooner!”

Thedoor was now partially open, letting light into the room.

Ifelt the adrenaline dump into my system, erasing the pain and replacing it withan unbearable itch to move.

“It’llbe a fair fight now,” I grinned wickedly at the door, now halfway open andopening wider with every grunting punch that B-S nailed it with.

“Maybenot so fair for them,” Alec smirked as the door opened and he and I struck asone, hitting Cayne with wind and force so hard that as soon as his body madecontact with the wall behind him he was unconscious.

Weheld our position right inside the doorway, forcing the konna to come in a fewat a time. We burned through their back up, using our powers, slamming themagainst walls, resorting to hand to hand on the rare occasion that someone gotthrough. They just kept coming until finally, they stopped. The blonde appearedin the doorway and without hesitation Alec and I both struck at her, but shedid not move.

“Ireally didn’t want to have to resort to this again,” she shook her head, “notfor your sake, but for Tyrone’s. It really does tire him out.” Before the wordshad finished leaving her mouth she stepped to the side and Tyrone pounced in,palms faced towards us.

“Holdyour brea-” I shouted as the black fog of his power surrounded us. Blindlystumbling I reached for Alec and grabbed his shirt. I dragged us towards thedoor, shirt pulled over my nose.

A couple steps, come on.

Theedges of my thoughts were growing fuzzy when a hand reached into the darknessand grabbed mine. I immediately pushed back, trying to throw the person awayfrom us, but the hand stayed where it was, my wrist held painfully between itsfingers. A hand had to be connected to a body though, right? I kicked my rightleg out low, dropping to the ground, hoping to knock the person over. No suchluck, of course. I was yanked back up, and suddenly out into the hallway, Alecin tow.

Itwas Tyrone who had a hold of me, and the last thing I remember seeing was hisfist, wreathed in the color of a moonless sky, sailing towards my face.

Ijerked awake, not knowing where I was or what was going on. As my eyes adjustedto the lighting what I saw brought everything rushing back in. Tyrone wasstanding in front of me, and I was lying flat on my back, the electricrestraints once again encircling my body, in the same room I’d been in beforethey moved us. I rolled my eyes.

“What,didn’t want to put me in a chair again?”

Tyrone’sface was a barren landscape, cold, harsh, and unfeeling.

“Weknow better than to make the same mistake twice.” His voice was clipped andemotionless.

Imoved my head as much as I could without frying my forehead, again.

“Sowhat’s the plan now big guy? More torture? A party? Letting me go would begreat, then I could finally give you the proper ass-kicking you deserve.”

Hegrunted and walked over to stand right beside me, close enough to where I couldfeel the cold that his body radiated. Weird.

“Doyou know who Megan O’Carroll is?” He said mysteriously.

“Neverheard of her.” A lie, of course, but I wasn’t about to let him know that. Whatwas he getting at anyway?

Heshook his head. “Wrong answer.” He took a few steps over to panel on the walland I had a split second to think

Oh sh-

AndI was burning again. I combated desperately with the pain, searching forsomething, anything in my mind that would make the pain stop.

Unbridled,a memory shoved forward and I grabbed at it like a lifeline in a storm.

Isaw Megan and Alec sitting together on a bench at Edil, out on the centralquad, they were laughing and talking and Alec had his arm slung around Megan’sshoulder and a look in his eyes that I’d never seen before.

What the hell? I thought. This had never happened…had it?

“HeyAls, think fast!” I jerked my head around, on alert, only to see myself a fewfeet away, laughing as I sprinted to catch the denai ball that Sabin had thrown.

“Myreflexes are better than yours will ever be, Raider!” Memory me yelled as Ijumped and did a somersault, catching the ball midair.

“Show-off!”Alec cupped a hand around his mouth and shouted from the bench.

Ihad a hand cocked on my hip and smirked over at Alec, “Oh yeah, baby brother?I’d like to see you do better!”

“Itwould be my pleasure!” He stood up and then leaned down to give Megan a peck onthe cheek, saying: “I’ll just be a sec, I’ve got to go embarrass my sister.”

Megangrinned up at him. “Like I’d expect anything less.”

“Come on,” Memory-me complained. She (me?ugh nevermind) raised her eyebrows as she looked at Megan. Behind her, Sabinmimicked gagging until Alec whacked him in the back of the head. “SeriouslyMegan, what do you see in him?”

Meganjust threw her head back and laughed while Alec ran towards memory-me at fullspeed, arms open wide.

“Comeon, Als! Give me a hug!”

Memory-melaughed at him and then turned to take off sprinting down the field only to beknocked onto the grass by a very muscular, unmoving, annoying, Sabin Raider.

Suddenly,I felt my perspective change so that I was in the same position as memory-me. Irealized with a start I was actually her.

“Ugh,”I didn’t move, except to crack my eyes open at Sabin. “Really? Was that reallynecessary?”

Heshot a sly grin down at me, then let out a dramatic sigh, “That’s what you getfor being a showoff, Al’s.”

Idropped my head back onto the ground and let out a breath. Alec was bent overdouble laughing at me. I narrowed my eyes at him and then looked back to Sabin.“You’re just bitter because I do things prettier than you do.”

“Whateveryou say,” he laughed and reached a hand down. “Come on, this game isn’t overyet.”

Ireached a hand up and said “Damn right it’s not,” and then pulled his hand downas hard as I could while rolling forwards towards his knees. He toppled ontothe ground with a very unflattering, “UNGH!” I moved to stand up only to replacemy feet being knocked back out from under me, which resulted in my landing ontop of Sabin.

“GeezParker, if you wanted to get close to me all you had to do was ask!” He winkedwhile obviously trying to hold in his laughter.

Iwinked back, “Only in your dreams, Raider.”

Thememory snapped away from me, suddenly unreachable. It left a hollow spot in mymind, but the burning was gone.

Iwas confused though. What I’d just seen had definitely been a memory, but Icouldn’t remember anything like that happening to me. Alec and I hadn’t knowneach other during our time at Edil, and Sabin and I had had a strict,professional relationship at best.

Tyrone’svoice snapped me into reality. I smelled my own burnt skin and resisted theurge to gag, fighting the waves of nausea and pain that were washing over me.

“Youknow Megan O’Carroll.” He said stoically.

“Whois Meg...”

Istopped talking as images flashed across a screen in front of me.

Meganand I walking together across the academy. Us laughing over dinner at arestaurant. Her, Sabin, Alec, and I all playing denai together in the commonsfield. Her watching with a serious expression from the balcony of the sparringarena as I sparred against my instructor.

“Youknow Megan O’Carroll.” He repeated himself. A statement, not a question.

Allthese images were of us, but I couldn’t remember a single one of them.

Istared at Tyrone and didn’t answer. He must have taken that as his cue to starttalking again.

“Sinceit has already been decided that you will not be making it out of here alive,”he paused, then stepped closer, “our leader has elected to tell you some verysensitive information.”

“Areyou really sure about that? Because I’m dead set on living, so this might be abad idea for you.”

Hisface remained a wall as he turned back towards the screen and clicked a buttonon a remote I hadn’t noticed he was holding.

Threefaces popped, up side by side. The first one on the left was the blonde assholewho’d decided to use and abuse Alec and myself, then...... I blinked in shock.Zig's picture was ’s picture was the middle and Megan's was on the right.

“Whatthe hell is that supposed to be?” I spat.

“Thisis your friend,” he touched his finger to the screen, “Megan O’Carroll. This,”he moved his finger to the left, “is her brother Zig O’Carroll. And this istheir-”

“No.”Disbelief and a forgotten memory made my voice quiet.

Hecontinued on, “-older sister, Brittany O’Carroll.”

Igrit my teeth together. “No.”

“Yourdear friend Megan, is half konna. Her sister is one of our leaders. Megan nevertold you.”

Forthe first time emotion leaks into his voice. Malice, smugness, and somethingelse that made me want to put him through everything he’d put me through ahundred times over. “How does it feel?” he asked. “How does it feel to be betrayed by someonewho you thought to be one of your closest friends?”

Myhands started shaking, then my arms and legs, and then my whole body, until Iwas trembling with rage and saw red.

“Megandidn’t...” I choked on the words as they came out of my mouth, “Megan didn’tbetray me.”

Tyronesmirked and shook his head.

Iscreamed, “Megan O’Carroll is not a traitor!”

“Notyet, anyways.” Tyrone smirked down at me. “Oh and has she told you about herpowers?” He let out one harsh grating laugh. “They run in the family.”

Mybody was acting out of my control, the shaking bad enough to make me hitagainst my restraints and hear the sizzle of my already charred skin. I didn’tcare, I could no longer feel it.

Myvoice was low, menacing, and murderous when I spoke. “My friend is not a traitor. She will never be a traitor. And you,” Iglared up at him, fire blazing in my eyes, “you will always be on the losingside. And I will see to it personally that you end up exactly where you belong.”

Iclosed my eyes and focused all my energy, like I had earlier, on my restrained,on the circuits that powered them. I was willing my powers to come back, tofight of the sedative.

“Notso fast, Parker.” My eyes flew open only to see a syringe filled with a blackliquid descending towards my neck. “You can’t use the same trick twice.”

Ijerked my neck around trying and failing to evade the needle.

“Iwill kill you.” I spat as the plunger entered my neck. “Megan is not a traitor.And I. Will. Kill. You.” The room started tunneling into blackness, but I keptmy eyes fixed on Tyrone’s face. “You’re a liar.” I could feel myself slipping,but I kept talking, “You’re a liar, and Megan isn’t,” my sight was now pulsingwith black spots, “my friend isn’t a… a traitor.” As the words left my lips andI slipped down into my own mind only one thing echoed down with me. Megan isn’t a traitor. Megan isn’t atraitor. Megan isn’t a traitor.

AndI hoped with every fiber of my being I was right.