Lost Soul Down

SEVENTEEN

I was wrong.

Kylan and Leila are right in front of me. We've all gathered for a little Lombardi chat. I've learned enough from these experiences to stay silent unless asked to speak. And then I must speak. Unless I want someone to get hurt.

We're in a different room today.

Lombardi isn't sitting on that throne of his, but he is wearing that red-velvet suit of his. Some things never change.

We're in some sort of dinning room, at a large table. Though this table could fit a hundred people, we're all stuffed at the end.

Lombardi sits in the edge, Kylan and Leila on his left, and me on his right, across from Kylan.

We're all silent, anxiously waiting for what Lombardi is going to say.

He sips a glass of red wine. I stare down at my lap.

None of us are tied up or handcuffed, but agents are lining the walls on all sides of the dinning room, ensuring we can't try anything.

"You three escaped. All three of you." Lombardi sets down his glass, shaking his head in disappointment. "The chances of that occurring is close to impossible."

I keep my head down, afraid to look up.

"So, you are going to tell me exactly what went down. You are going to tell me everything." He looks between us. "You will hold back no information."

There is a moment of silence, but then Leila speaks. "I punched a hole through the wall between mine and Amelia's holding."

I look up, between Leila and Lombardi.

He smiles. "Yes, I saw. It was my own fault, for letting you build up your strength for such a long matter of time. But that doesn't explain everything."

"I was ready to attack when the agents brought Amelia back to her holding," Leila continues. "They didn't expect me."

I spare a glance to Kylan, who's head is ducked low.

"Yes, yes. I didn't expect that kind of planning out of you, Ms. Murphy. Very impressive." Lombardi nods slowly. "I even found two of my agents dead."

I inhale sharply at that. I killed a lot of agents once, and the guilt doesn't sit well. I bet Leila's going through that same guilt too now.

She doesn't say anything.

"We worked together to stop Kylan's agents, and saved him too," I explain. "We didn't have time to save the others."

"The others?" Lombardi looks to me with his head tilted to the side.

"I know there are two others... I saw their cells," I explain, swallowing. "And Summer healed me."

"Yes, right. I sent her to heal you." Lombardi stares into the distance. "Amazing power she has, correct?"

I only nod.

"So how on earth did you get out of the Mansion without any of my agents noticing? I made this place a maze for a reason, and assigned guards to every exit. It should have been impossible for you to get out of here."

I glance between Leila and Kylan. I don't really want to rat out Damien. He's our only chance at escape. If we ever get another chance, he's it.

I don't know what his father would do to him if we told him.

"Must I remind you of what happened the last time you refused to answer me?" Lombardi's eyes narrow at Kylan.

He swallows. "We found a secluded exit in the basement."

He doesn't want to rat out Damien either... he knows it's a bad idea. He's smart.

"You happened to stumble upon the only exit in this entire building that doesn't have guards on watch?" Lombardi arches an eyebrow dubiously. "I won't tolerate lies."

"It's the truth," I add, my voice a little shakier that I intended.

"I don't believe you."

Terrifying silence fills the room. Lombardi stands up so fast his chair nearly falls over.

"This is your last chance," he says through gritted teeth.

"We took the elevator down to the basement, where we thought no one would be. And we found an exit in the back?" Leila says hastily, her voice desperate.

Lombardi narrows his eyes angrily. "That's not possible. My children live down there, they would have spotted you."

I swallow, and look down at my lap again. It's too late to lie now, he already knows. Silence fills the room again. Lombardi seems to calm ever so slightly.

"Ah, I see." He smiles, an angry, annoyed smile. "Which one? Katerina or Damien?"

No one answers.

"Which one helped you escape?" he screams so loudly that I jump.

I find the courage to look up at his face of rage. "What are you gonna do?"

He points a finger at me. "It's not your place to worry about how I handle my children when they disobey me in such a horrendous manner. You are to tell me which of them led you to that exit. Now!"

I narrow my grey eyes at him. His face is pinched even tighter with anger before he slaps me across the face, hard.

I gasp from shock, keeping my face away from his deadly stare. I slowly bring a hand to my stinging cheek, and touch my skin gingerly, horrified.

"It was Damien," Kylan immediately spits out.

"I knew that would get an answer out of you, Mr. Singh." Lombardi's voice is calm again. "You think I didn't notice your relationship with Ms. Hope. Nothing goes unnoticed here and this love quarrel will be used against you time and time again."

I look up at Kylan, my eyes shining with tears. His returns my gaze, swallowing nervously.

"That is all I need from you three for now." Lombardi waves a hand at his agents.

We're soon dragged out of the room and shoved back into our holdings.

There's no hope for us anymore.