The Flame (sequel to Kidnapped by Kylo Ren)

Chapter 30

The blonde head of Giano looked stately forward from behind Aero, ready to assume his apprenticeship. 

_____

My mouth fell open when I saw him. 

He didn't even look me in the eye. He only looked forward, the shadow of a grin cast over his face. 

"Now, take the prisoners to their cells." Aero ordered. The remainder of the troops in the room split up -- half of them walking down the stairs to Kylo Ren, half of them moving towards me. 

As they lifted me off of the blocks and my handcuffs latched once more, the reality and facts of the situation finally settled into my head. 

Giano had gone to the Legion of Chrome. He'd ratted us out. 

"T -- Traitor!" I shouted, craning my head to look back at Giano, who still refused to raise his head and meet my eyes. "Come see me yourself, you coward! Come see me!" 

The doors to the room shut behind me and I closed my eyes tightly, letting the soldiers drag me forward. Tears began filling my eyelids and a few dribbled quickly down my cheeks. The entire situation grew more and more hopeless each second. 

Kylo Ren was unconscious somewhere, and we were separated, being taken to our cells. I couldn't see us leaving the cells again before our execution, so if we were going to escape it'd have to be now. However, I couldn't use my electricity and Kylo was firmly KO'd. 

The soldiers took me deeper through the base until we finally reached a dark, short, dead end hallway that was dimly light by two streaks of red light near the ceiling. The hallway had a wide threshold that the soldiers gently chucked me through. As soon as I landed harshly on the ground, grunting in the process, a red-tinted mechanical screen shot across the threshold, effectively locking me into the bland room. 

I couldn't believe Giano had betrayed the entire First Order. 

I couldn't believe him. 

He'd escaped from the base shortly after I told him that I truly did love Kylo Ren and not Giano. 

Was that the reason why he turned in the entire First Order? Because I didn't love him?!

That was -- simply outrageous! And does that mean . . . That all of this is my fault?

No. I can't blame myself for something he did, that was so out of my control. This is not all my fault. 

Giano had gone to the Legions of Chrome after I'd rejected him, told Aero our master plan in exchange for training, and essentially destroyed the First Order. He was the reason our troops were scattered. He was the reason our base had been blown to shrapnel. Giano was the reason Kylo and I were dying.

Every part of the First Order's destruction stemmed directly back to Giano, fleeing to the Legion of Chrome and leaking our plans. 

I was so furious that my legs were shaking as I sat against the back wall of my cell. My mind struggled to string together full sentences. My thoughts were obliterated with anger. I had rarely ever felt the urge to physically hurt someone, but for everything Giano had done I was feeling very violent. 

There was only one thing keeping me going; I had the meekest, smallest, most hopeless of plans stowed in the back of my head. It would be incredible if I could get myself off of this base with my plan, let alone Kylo. 

But I'd be damned if I didn't give this everything I had, because this was life or death in the most literal sense -- for everyone I loved. 

I could only pray that Giano would take my bait that I laid out right after he'd been crowned apprentice. I'd told him to 'Come see me, coward' in hopes that he would actually venture out to come talk to me. Even though he betrayed me and everything I lived for, Giano still did love me. If he really loved me to the extent of his actions then I'd bet he'd come see me.