Fatal Trust

Chapter 9

Tonight. Tonight, supposedly Logan will help me and Nelli escape. But how am I supposed to trust him after everything he has done to me. If this is some sort of joke, I swear, he will not live long enough to tell it to anyone else. But could I really make myself kill him? Could I really hold a gun to his head and pull the trigger? Or stab him with a knife? No, of course I couldn't. I can't get rid of my attachment to him.

I sigh and close my eyes. I focus on the feel of the healing slave in my hand. The miniature glass jar is smooth. I can feel a label on it. Slowly I remove my fingers from it and look at the label. According to the label, it is indeed a healing slave. But maybe this isn't the original jar. Carefully I open the jar up and smell its contents. It smells like the mint and rosemary slave I use at home. I guess it wouldn't hurt to try it.

I dip my finger in it and rub it on the back of my hand. It burns. I suck in my breath. Then slowly the burn leaves and it is replaced by a cooling sensation. I moan in pleasure. Yep definitely a healing slave. I take more out of the jar and rub it on both of my arms. Then I put some on my stomach and legs and finally on my back. My muscles relax as the pain lessens.

The relief it brings is both welcome and wonderful. Maybe, just maybe I can trust Logan to get both me and Nelli out of this place. I close my eyes and lean back. How much longer until it is night? My eyes fly open. How long have I been in this place? Is my family worried? What about my school? Would they send a truancy officer to my house? What would my family say to that? Are there police looking for me?

I jump off of the cot and begin pacing back and forth. Ignoring what is left of the pain and the dried blood that cracks and falls to the ground. Do they think I'm dead? Or would they think I'm on a mission for the institute? But if they contact the institute about my whereabouts would the institute know where I am? Do I even know where I am? I mean I know I am in a prison cell in a dimension/world/place ( whatever it is ). And I know Logan pulled me through my mirror to get here. But what is the name of here? How would I explain it to the institute if they ask questions when I get back? If I get back.

I run my hands through my hair. I pull a piece of it in front of me and begin nervously twisting it around my finger. I stare at it as I release it and watch it spring back up into a loose curl. I look at the blond highlights that pop out against the dark brown of my natural hair.

Then I look down and stare at my fingers. My red nail polish is chipping. My gaze then travels down to my shredded clothes. They aren't even worth keeping. I contemplate ditching them completely. But I then decide against it because of Logan, Nicholas, and the male guards. That would be way too weird. I shudder and the go back over to the cot. I take a seat facing the door of my cell.

What am I supposed to do? I can't sit around waiting forever. I groan and put the healing slave jar back in the waistband of my training pants.

The door of my cell opens and I perk up, expecting it to be Logan. But instead I find Nicholas. What on earth is he doing here, in my cell? I scan him once and find that I am shocked at the way he looks. Not by his appearance (which hasn't changed, he still looks like a nerd with Tom Cruz hair ) but his face... he looks, well, attractive. Like dream football player attractive. His eyes is this brilliant sky blue color and he has those long eyelashes that any girl would die for, but a guy wouldn't care about. His skin is tan but not ridiculously dark, like the people who get spray tans. His jaw is sort of squared but it still comes to a slight point at his chin. And his hair is a light brown with tiny streaks of blond in it. If he didn't slick it back he could pass for a skater from California. Then again he would have to fix his clothes a little bit, but... still. He looks stunningly beautiful.

My breath catches in my throat and I feel my eyes widen. Hopefully Nicholas mistakes it for fear.

" Hello Penelope, " he says calmly. But his voice isn't all that deep as I have heard it before. Instead he sounds, well normal I guess. How do you describe a voice that isn't high pitched or extremely deep? Normal..right? Oh well you know what, it is going to be normal.

" Your- your voice its...normal, " I stammer. He rolls his eyes at me.

" And captain obvious has made a declaration, " he says.

" Well excuse me, your voice was freakishly deep yesterday... er whenever that was when you last talked to me, " I say, suddenly defensive. He smirks.

" Well did you think I would get you to talk if I sounded like this? Voice modifiers exist for a reason, " he says. I raise an eyebrow.

" Voice modifiers, seriously? What is this... some Hollywood movie? " I ask.

" Haha very funny, Miss Rennol, " he says, clearly annoyed. I smile internally. I am winning.

" Ooh look at this, we are getting professional now. Perhaps you should redecorate. This cell would make a lovely black and white detective office. Don't you thinks so, Mr. Nicholas I don't know your last name so I will just use your first name, " I say. His eyes widen.

" How do you know my first name? " he asks as he struggles to retain his composure.

" I have my sources, " I reply softly. My voice holds no sign of fear in it, however it has an almost threat hovering in it.

" And who might these sources be? " he asks as he steps closer to me. I resist the urge to scoot back on the cot.

" That is none of your business, " I reply smoothly. His hand reaches out and he graps my neck. He lifts me off the cot and squeezes his hand tighter. I claw at his hand with my nails.

" I assure you it is most definitely my business. I need to know which one of my slaves... I mean,uh , workers are traitors, " he says. Then he releases me and I drop to the ground coughing and gasping for breath. I lift my eyes and look up at him.

" Well its not my business to tell you, " I wheeze. He slaps me across the face.

" Oh I believe it is. So tell me who is it? Who is the traiter? " he asks. I spit at his feet. " So help me, I will kill you if you don't answer me. I will- " he says before I cut him off.

" If you kill me there is no way you will ever find your sister's kidnapper, " I say. He stops talking. His mouth moves but no words come out. I win.

Then he finds words to say, " How do you know about that? " His voice shakes with anger.

" I have my sources, " I repeat.

" You will tell me who they are, " he starts. I can't tell him. If I do there will be no escape for me or Nelli. I close my eyes and do the only thing a desperate girl would ever think of doing. I kiss my captor.