Traitor

---Katherine---

"Did you come on a solo mission to rescue me?" I asked. "Don't you know how dangerous this is?"

"I didn't come by myself; Ashley came with me. Besides, you're my friend; I would come rescue you no matter how dangerous it was." Aaron replied as he settled in front of me. He crossed his legs and his fingers idly picked up a piece of straw to play with. "When I was attacked, Ashley had disappeared. I don't think she was captured, though, because she would've been thrown in here with me."

"I hope she's alright," I said worriedly. "I hope she escaped and went back to tell the others. It would be foolish to try and rescue both of us alone."

"I hope so too," Aaron agreed, just as we heard faint voices echoing down the cavernous hall. Immediately, we stopped talking and strained our ears to listen.

I heard sets of footsteps, one even and unhurried, another nervous and fidgety. The rest seemed to be the monotonous march of soldiers. Lord Victor?

"You did very well," Lord Victor's unmistakable cool voice travelled down the corridor. "Honestly, I wasn't sure if you had the guts to carry out the mission."

"Well, I did, and you promised me something." A quieter voice replied, sounding anxious. "I would like you to honor your side of the bargain."

"I am a man of my words, but unfortunately, there is a small complication." The other person stopped walking.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you see," Lord Victor drawled out slowly. "I asked for a specific person. You brought me a very good prisoner, but he isn't the one I wanted. So, in a sense, you failed."

"You said for me to choose! You clearly told me that you would be happy with any of the Chosen Seven!" The voices drew nearer, and I couldn't help but feel like I know the voice of the unknown speaker. It sounded so familiar, but the name of the speaker kept escaping me. Aaron furrowed his brows in thought, as if agreeing with my thoughts. Who was the mysterious speaker?

"Yes, I did, but I heavily implied that I would like Indigo." Lord Victor continued. "But since you did bring me Aaron, I think I'll give you half of what you wanted. How about I let you see your dear boyfriend's body again?"

The procession paused in front of our cell. Lord Victor was dressed in his usual attire and smiled pleasantly at Aaron and me. Behind him, following at a respective distance, was a group of guards. But half-hidden behind Lord Victor was a hooded figure that seemed ever so familiar…

"That's not fair! I did as you asked! You have to keep your end of the bargain!" The voice raised in octaves with every exclamation, clearly frustrated. I tried to get a glimpse of the person's face, but Lord Victor was blocking my view. He caught my eye and shook his head sympathetically.

"You didn't complete the mission exactly as I asked. I'm afraid that I can only give you that much. Take it, or leave it." With one last sweeping gaze inside our cell, Lord Victor turned to go. "Take a good look at your dear friends in their cell, Ashley. If you anger me too much, you might just end up like them."

I nearly threw myself onto the bars. Ashley? Ashley Windson? My best friend, Ashley? With extreme difficulty, I restrained myself and stayed put, staring at the hooded figure as Lord Victor sauntered away. The head raised slightly to glare at Lord Victor's back. It was enough for me to see the face.

Long black hair, as black as night, that tumbled down the shoulders. Elegant brows arched above a set of chestnut eyes, filled with anger and disbelief. A heart-shaped face, with pale pink cheeks, and a chin that was trembling ever so slightly. My heart plummeted. I felt like someone had stabbed me again. It was Ashley. Ashley betrayed us.

For a split second, Ashley met my piercing gaze, before looking away. Something like regret and sadness flitted across her expression. Beside me, Aaron had stiffened. I could see him staring daggers at Ashley from the corner of my eye. "I trusted you," Aaron said, seething. "We all trusted you! How could you, Ashley? How could you betray your friends?!"

"You don't understand," Ashley replied quietly. "Lord Victor promised me something that would alleviate my heartbreak and the pain I have to suffer every day. It was irresistible—"

"You said that you could resist any temptation! You made a promise to Indigo!" Aaron jumped up and crossed the distance between the wall and the bars in two large strides. He grabbed the bars with such force, as if trying to snap them with his bare hands. Ashley took a few steps back, afraid. "You told us that it was absolutely necessary for you to come on this mission because you wanted to save Kath. You told us you wanted to save your best friend. How could you lie to our faces like that?!"

Ashley was silent, taking all of Aaron's berates. But something flared up in her eyes. "You'll never understand, Aaron," she repeated. "You don't know what love can do to you."

"Love? Love?! Do you think Jason would ever love someone like you?" Aaron spat. Ashley stiffened. "A backstabbing traitor, a snake hidden under a flower…Jason would never love you. He died trying to save you, and this is how you repay him? By betraying the rest of your friends? By joining the dark side and pledging allegiance to the very person that killed him?"

I could see Ashley's hands shaking as she tried to repress her emotions. Tears threatened to spill from her eyes. "Don't say that," she said in a low voice. "Don't push me too far."

"What are you going to do now, Ashley? Kill me?" Aaron challenged. "Yeah, go ahead and kill me, Ashley, in front of your best friend. We'll see how well that sits with Jason in the afterlife!"