The Hope Of The Three (Book 2 of the Hidden Trilogy)

Chapter Twenty-Eight: Kaito

Eliana
(SLB)

"Hey Eliana, I was wondering if you could come with me? I need to talk to you," Kaito said to me, looking around carefully, as though scared that someone see him talking to me.

"I guess," I answered as I put down the bandages I was using to re-wrap my wrist. It still hurt slightly but it was manageable. Kaito looked around once more, checking if anyone was watching, I don't know why but it made me wary. Then again, this was Kaito, he could be trusted. He led me deep into the forest just off of our camp site, at first I though It was just for the purpose of privacy but he kept going. The tree's clouded above our heads and the light stopped streaming through the leaves.

"Kaito? I thought you wanted to talk to me about something?" I questioned, the hairs at the back of my neck stood on end.

"Uh huh, we are almost there," he whispered over his shoulder, I noticed that his forehead was slick with sweat, even though it wasn't very hot out. In fact, it was quite cool. No, instead he seemed, nervous.

"Please Kaito, your scaring me, just tell me whats going on," I demanded, trying to sound strong by my voice quavered, I was starting to get slightly nervous myself, something about Kaito's demeanor was starting to put me on edge.

"I'm sorry," Was all he mustered, he sounded like he was going to continued but then he choked it back. Okay, something was wrong here. Very, very wrong. I stopped walking and grabbed Kaito's arm, a little rougher than I had meant to. I pulled at his arm with all my strength and he whirled around to face me.

"Spit it out Kaito," I whispered dangerously. If something was going on, I had to look calm and collected, Kaito was already a mess of nerves and so it was up to me to have courage for the both of us.

"Aswa...Aswa wants to speak with us," Kaito answered. My heart dropped into my stomach. How would Kaito know if Aswa wanted to talk with us? Is Aswa even here? What do Aswa and Kaito have to do with each other? Unless.... unless Kaito has somehow been in contact with Aswa, maybe even working for him!

It hurt to think that Kaito would betray us, but how else would he know what Aswa wanted. Still, its unlikely that Kaito would betray us, specifically, Tsuki. Unless Tsuki was in on it too. How did I know that anyone in our little group was actually dedicated to taking Aswa down. I had learned this once before and I ignored the lesson. Do not trust anyone. No matter what they say or do. No matter if they are your best friend or even Family. Trust no one.

"Jerk!" It's the only word I could think of on the spot that would describe how I felt about him. We trusted him, we believed in him, we befriended him and turns out he was in cahoots with Aswa. Serves us right for letting our guard down I guess.

"It's not what you-" He tried to justify his actions but I wasn't going to hear any of it. I ran, I turned my back on him and prepared to start sprinting back to the group, to tell them that Kaito didn't care for any of us and was just a spy on the inside. But before I could even move my feet, i felt thick tree branch arms wrap around my waist and my feet leave the ground.

Kaito had picked me up and was preventing me from running away. Who knew what he was going to do with me. Probably bring me to Aswa who would then promptly kill me. I couldn't let him just take me like this!

"Let go!" I screamed at the top of my lungs. I kept kicking his shins but he held on tight, I tried tossing my body weight in all directions but Kaito was surprisingly strong and no matter what I did he kept an unfailing grip.

"Help! Help me!" My voice was all I had left, I couldn't match him physically, all I could do was hope that someone would here my screams, even though that was highly unlikely this deep in the forest. Against all odds I started Hearing footsteps a little distance off racing towards us.

"I'm over here!" I screamed again, trying to help them find where Kaito and I was. I struggled again against Kaito but it was no use, luckily the footsteps were nearly here.

"Kaito?" It was Tsuki, she held her hands in front of her head, protecting herself from my flailing legs as I was still struggling as hard as I could against Kaito. Then my face hit a load of mud. I fell to the ground and at first thought that Kaito had dropped me, except that I sensed him fallen on the ground beside me. Instead I saw Umair, a dangerous look on his face. I scrabbled over to him and away from Kaito.

Umair put his arm around my waist and grabbed my hand. he gently lifted me off the ground and guided me into his embrace. His arm was still around me and my hand lay on his chest, My face was as red as a fire truck, but neither of us moved away from each other.

"What happened?" Tsuki yelled, she stood in front of Kaito not making a move to help him up. Good.

"He's working with Aswa!" I shout. I couldn't see Tsuki's face but I must have been bad because i could see Kaito look back at the ground in shame.

" Umair, Eliana, leave him to me," Her voice was trembling, from rage or sorrow I don't know, maybe both.

"But-" I started, I didn't want her to be attacked to.

"Go!" She screamed at the top of her lungs, brokenness tearing her vocal cords.

"Come on," Umair said as he guided me back from the forest, we walked in quiet for a while, a wondered what Tsuki and Kaito were saying to each other, I felt bad for Tsuki. i know what it feels like to have someone you love betray you.

"Are you okay?" Umair's voice breaks the silence and I notice the weight of his arm still around my waist , I find myself blushing again.

"Fine, just taken by surprise," I answer curtly, he doesn't need to know that I was absolutely terrified, "I think I'm going to check on Alena okay?" I asked him and he looked at me for a second, his eyes travelling all over my face, my cheeks, my eyes.

"Be safe Eli," He smiles and I nod, heading to the tent where I could hear Alena's sobs.