Hidden Truths // Riven

13

CHAPTER XIII:

❄︎ TENSION ❄︎

"I trusted no one at first"
___________

•

By evening, cars pulled to the front. Professor Harvey got out, then opened the door to let Bloom out. I gave Bloom a small smile which she returned. I followed Harvey towards the other car where Dowling and Silva got out.

"Silva, what's happening to her?" I asked, following him as he took Beatrix somewhere. "Silva!"

He gave Beatrix to another person who escorted her another way. Silva turned to me, heaving a sigh.

"Where are you taking her?"

He gave me a stern expression and said, "Do you really trust her?"

"I don't know who I trust!" I exclaimed. "We all have put our faith in the wrong people at one time in our lives... Right now, I don't know if I should trust you."

"Demetrie— "

"You didn't tell any of us about Callum, yet you want to treat us like adults," I said. "And you're making Sky 'stick close' to Bloom? That's not all, there's something more that you're not telling us."

"When you are older, you will learn that you need to bend the truth a bit," he said. "You will never speak with Beatrix again and you will tell me what Bloom tells you. That is where your loyalties lie."

"No." I shook my head. "No, my loyalties lie with the people that I trust. And you nor any one of the staff members here are on that list."

At midnight, when everything was quiet, and the corridors were silent, I walked out of the Fairy Hall and toward the place where Beatrix was locked up for the time being. She sat up from the small bed and walked to the gate.

"You have to get a key," she told me. "You have to get me out of here."

"Beatrix... " I began. "What are you really doing here? I need to know... Did you kill Callum?"

"Yes," she answered, taking me by surprise that she admitted to it.

"W-Why?" I asked.

"All for good reason," she answered. "You said it before, us Air Fairies always look like we're cooking up a plan."

"And what is your plan?" I asked. "Why did this plan involve murder? Who else will you murder?"

"Your hero complex is showing," she said with a smile, dodging my question. "Besides, you don't trust Silva. I heard it."

Something clicked in my mind. "Wait, you spread the rumor about me? You knew?"

"We've both killed someone," she said. "We're not all that different."

"I didn't kill anyone on purpose," I defended.

"But you liked it, didn't you?" Beatrix smirked.

"Why should I trust you?" I asked, slightly giving in.

"I know something you don't," she smiled.

"And what's that?" I asked.

"Come here... " I leaned closer to the gate and she whispered in my ear.

"That's not possible," I said in a quiet voice, shaking my head.

"Ask Silva," Beatrix told me. "See what he does."