Accepted

All cards on the table

We approached a large cage with golden bars. The way they glistened told me they were tampered with magic. I knew immediately if we went inside, there was no leaving. The guard stepped forward, turning a key through the lock before opening the door and stepping aside for us to enter.

Zion walked forward stepping inside but I stayed behind. There was no way in Hell I was going to walk into a trap that might mess with my magic and leaving us stuck here.

"Step in the cage girl."

"Make me," I threatened, allowing the dark magic to surround me as a protective shield so he wouldn't come near.

"Saron, just co-"

"Shut up," I snapped, glaring at Zion coldly. I didn't even care when he flinched. I had no idea why he was acting like this but one thing was clear. I couldn't trust him. There was something he wasn't telling me and I didn't care to ask anymore.

"Very well," he said, walking away.

Confused, I watched him. That's it? No fight? Even Zion looked at me blankly, not expecting the guard to give up so easily.

But he wasn't giving up, he was walking over to the other side of the room to pull a lever. Once I realized what he was doing, it was too late. I screamed as a flood of spikes dropped down onto me from the ceiling. I immediately fell to the ground in pain, struggling to pull each one out but not before the guard returned, throwing me into the cell with Zion before leaving.

Zion reached for me to help but I screamed louder, kicking him as far away from me as possible as I plucked the sharp spikes out of my body with a painful scream each time.

"Let me help you," Zion offered, his voice tainted with pain.

"Now you want to help me?!"

"Saron, I-"

"Just get it out of my back," I screamed, turning my back to him as he began to pull out the spikes embedded all over my back.

After a few minutes, we had pulled out all the spikes. My clothes were tattered and covered with blood but I could feel my heartbeat steady as I could feel my wounds closing up slowly.

I got up, walking towards the bars and attempting to put my hand through them, but as I touched it the magic zapped me like an electrical current running through my body. I went flying back onto the wall at the back of the cell.

"It's no use. You can't get past it."

"Thanks Zion. Any more helpful tips?"

"You know I'm on your side."

"Really? Were you on my side when you agreed to being locked up?"

"Saron, we can't fight our way through everything. We have to be smart."

"How is agreeing to get locked up in a magical cage smart?"

He shook his head, leaning back before sliding down the wall.

"Now you want to be quiet? Since you think you have a better idea, what's the plan?"

"Not now."

"Is this an inconvenient time for you?" I asked sarcastically.

He stood up, darting over to me quickly before pulling me in to a hug which caught me by surprise.

My surprise was quickly fleeting when I heard him whisper faintly in my ear, "There are cameras. They're watching us. I need you to trust me."

I leaned back casually, smiling at him before searching the room. I tapped into my vision and saw them, embedded into the walls camouflaged so I barely noticed them. But that faint light flickering on and off gave them away. That's why he was being so vague and obedient.