Unknown Darkness (Dominions Book 2)

Chapter 26: Selena

"I thought you were like a high-ranking general or something?" Selena whined as she threw herself against the wall dramatically. She sunk to the floor and contorted her body into a sitting fetal position. She was so close to getting out of here, but this was not helping. She needed details. What spells were on the borders. Were there any monsters that they had to worry about? Surely there were some protections he'd know about.

"Selena," Ander said again. His patience with her had long left this conversation. "I'm telling you. There is no way to plan for Gedeon. He has had the borders booby-trapped with so many things that I doubt even he remembers them all."

This wasn't a good enough answer. Selena knew that she had to figure out a way to help her friends reach her in this castle. Gedeon needed to be stopped. The servants of Glorianna needed to be set free. She was frustrated listening to his reasons why he couldn't explain what was out there. It didn't make sense if he was as high up there as he claimed.

"Why don't you ask that servant girl who took a liking to you?" Ander asked. As if someone who has served the castle would have any idea about the war strategies that Gedeon had. "I'm sure she could be a bit more resourceful than me. It's not like I have an encyclopedia of top-secret information in this cell I've been rotting in."

Truth be told, it wasn't a bad idea to ask Catlynn. She had found ways to communicate information before, but since the disaster that happened the night Selena was summoned to Gedeon's dinner she hadn't seen her. She also didn't like risking Catylnn's safety. Selena brought her hand to her mouth and placed her nail inside of it. She hadn't bit her fingernails in years, but being in this cell brought out the worst in her.

When she was little, her parents used to try everything to stop her nail-biting. You could tell exactly how Selena was feeling because when she was stressed or nervous her fingers were in her mouth. It was a horrible habit, but old ones are hard to break. The only reason her parents finally got her to stop was that Aria started to flick her with a rubber band every time she saw her do it. Selena hated it then, but she was grateful for her sister.

She missed her.

She was so close to getting out of here. So close to seeing her sister, seeing her mom and dad, and putting all of this behind her. She thought back to the dinner and what she would have done differently if given the chance. Deidre said the difference between her and Selena was that she would have gone for the kill shot. Selena took that to heart.

Next time she saw Gedeon she'd take her kill shot.

"You know she hasn't been down here since the dinner," Selena said.

"Well, I wish I could help you," Ander responded, "I simply can't."

Selena felt anger bubble inside her at Ander's response. She slammed her hand against the wall and winced at the pain she felt. It was almost like he didn't want to help her. Doesn't he know that they would both be free? That if he helped her she wouldn't let her friends punish him? He was just like her; trapped by a monster.

Unless he isn't?

No, that couldn't be. Ander wouldn't betray her. He's told her about himself and his life. He's told her jokes and helped keep her sane here in this prison. It was because of him that she wasn't completely mad down here. She felt a sinking feeling in her stomach and felt as if the wind was knocked out of her.

"Can't or won't?" she asked accusingly.

"What do you mean?" Ander called.

Selena wasn't an idiot. Ander was one of Gedeon's highest-ranking generals when he tried to fight them at the school. He was so high up there that when Ander lost, instead of killing him Gedeon showed mercy and placed him down here. Gedeon doesn't seem like a man that would show mercy.