Double Agent

---Katherine---

I was so taken aback by this sudden comment that my mouth was left hanging open. My brain short-circuited. Aaron laughed, the sound waking me from my trance and leaving me feeling even more mortified.

"I'm just teasing, Kath," he grinned at me. "You looked like it was true for a moment."

"I did not! Honestly, Aaron, I thought you were more mature than that." Huffing, I reached over to try and punch him in the shoulder playfully. Aaron twisted away, and I lost my balance and fell on my face again, leaving Aaron in hysterics.

"Again, Kath? Gosh, I didn't know I was that hot." Aaron laughed until his face turned red. "Oh, Kath, you're so funny."

"Aaron, you're such a douche." I crawled back up and slapped his shoulder playfully. "Did you come not to rescue me but to poke fun at me?"

"No, no, Kath, I did come to rescue you," Aaron chuckled. "But you're too funny-looking for me to not laugh."

"I—what? Funny-looking?!" My voice went shrill.

"You should have seen yourself. Your mouth was hanging open like 'Oh my gosh he guessed my thoughts. Oh no how did he know I was in love with him?'" Aaron doubled over in laughter again. Honestly, what was with guys and their weird sense of humor?

"Aaron! I was not—I did not—ugh!" Frustrated, I punched his shoulder, but Aaron merely turned the other way and continued laughing. I landed more punches, and then suddenly Aaron had grabbed my wrists and pushed me back onto the floor.

I blinked, unsure of when Aaron reacted so quickly. I was dimly aware of the straw poking my back and the cold dirt floor beneath my head, but what mesmerized me was Aaron's playful eyes that were mere inches above mine. His bangs dangled in front of his face, which loomed above mine. I caught a whiff of mint, like the poultices Rachel made for my wound.

"No, no, Kath, no punching the handsome dude," Aaron grinned evilly at me. "You'll hurt me."

"Please, Aaron." I rolled my eyes. "Your muscles can't be that weak."

"Well you have fists of iron, so my flesh will be no match for you," Aaron replied, gazing intently into my eyes. I blinked some more, feeling myself flush again. Why do I always end up on the floor? It was the third time today!

"Actually, no, I'm stronger, because a gentle shove made you fall again." Aaron changed his mind. I stared back up at him, wondering if I could catch him by surprise and push him over when he was still pinning my wrists down.

"A gentle shove? Aaron, you pushed me."

"No, it was a gentle shove."

"No, it was a hard push. What if I got a concussion from the impact? I could've broken my arms or something." I huffed. "I thought real men didn't hit girls?"

"I didn't hit you. Besides, if you actually were to get hurt I would've caught you." Aaron dipped his head, leaning down closer to me. My breath suddenly hitched in my throat. "You're just fun to play around with."

"Now wait a second mister, who said anything about—"

"Katherine? Aaron?" An unsure voice sounded from outside the bars, as if afraid that they were intruding on something. Aaron released my wrists and I rolled out from underneath him, kicking him in the shins as payback for pushing me. Brushing the dirt from my clothes, I looked up to see Ashley standing on the other side of the bars.

Aaron and I both stood up. "What do you want?" Aaron growled, all the playfulness gone from his face. "Haven't you tormented us enough?"

"I…" Ashley looked to me instead. "Katherine, can you come here for a second?"

"Kath, don't go," Aaron said harshly. "It's a trick."

"No, it's not. I just want to tell you something." Ashley refused to look at Aaron. Her eyes pleaded with me. "Please, Katherine. I won't hurt you. I will never hurt you."

"As if." Aaron snorted. "Kath, don't listen to her."

I hesitated. Something in Ashley's expression told me that she was genuine. Deep in my heart, I still saw her as my best friend. She was still the person I stayed up late at night and shared all my secrets with. I started forward, but Aaron grabbed my arm.

"Don't, Kath. I don't want you getting hurt. This traitor already hurt us enough."

"Katherine, please, I just want to tell you something. It's important. I swear on my soul that I won't hurt you. Please." Ashley grabbed the bars in desperation, pressing herself on them in an attempt to reach me. "You can trust me, Katherine."

I pushed Aaron's hand off. "I can handle this. Trust me." Slowly, I closed the distance between Ashley and me. "What is it?"

"I can't believe you guys actually believed me. Seriously, how dumb are you? You should have known that Lord Victor's offer was a thousand times better than whatever this stupid mission yielded." Ashley raised her voice and projected it towards the end of the corridor where the guards were standing. Then she turned her attention back to me and lowered her voice.

"I don't have much time. Katherine, here, take this." Within the folds of her cloak, Ashley drew out a small brass ring with four keys dangling from it. She glanced around furtively and placed it in my palm, closing my fingers around the cool metal. "One is for your prison cell, the other for the treasury. Two others are for locks that will get you your things back. I advise you two to escape sometime during the early morning because that's when the guards change shifts and the hallways are usually empty. It would be best to do that a day or two from now, since Lord Victor is bound to be on high alert after Aaron and I came in. Once you're out, go to the others and continue towards the Northern Mountains. That is where Lord Victor's true stronghold is located and where his source of magic lies."

Ashley said everything in a rushed whisper. I blinked as I processed the information. Behind me, Aaron was eyeing Ashley suspiciously.

I pocketed the keys. "But I thought you were working with Lord Victor?"

"Of course I'm working with Lord Victor. I'm done with the lies that the Rosewood Elders have been feeding us." Ashley raised her voice again, making sure that the guards down the hall heard. Then she turned her attention back to me.

"I was. I won't deny that. He promised to bring Jason back for a very small price, and I agreed. I was too overwhelmed with grief to think clearly. I didn't know he wanted me to bring Aaron to him."

"You should've never listened to him in the first place!" Aaron exclaimed from behind me, his arms crossed. I shot him a look.

"Listen, Katherine, I don't have much time. Lord Victor is expecting me to do something for him again. I know I have made a terrible mistake, and I know that nothing I do will ever make up for this. But I hope that by giving you the keys I can ask for your forgiveness." Ashley's eyes shone with tears. "I came here to get you out. I am getting you out."

"Then why won't you take us with you?" Aaron asked. Ashley glanced at him.

"It's not as easy as you think. Lord Victor already doesn't trust me entirely after that little squabble we had. I'm trying to play it cool and maintain what trust he has left for me so that all of us can get out of here safely. Katherine, this might be the last time we see each other. I don't expect forgiveness, but I want to leave knowing that you don't hate me."

I grabbed Ashley's hands through the bars and held them tightly. "I forgive you, Ash. I knew that you wouldn't truly betray us. You're my best friend, and even after all of this I still can't bring myself to hate you entirely."

"Katherine and Aaron, I'm sorry for causing you two to become prisoners. Take care. If we're lucky, I'll see you tomorrow back in camp." Ashley smiled a sad smile. "But I'm pretty sure Lord Victor will be after me as well, especially since I'm not useful anymore. I'll try my best to lure his minions away from the rest of the group."

"Tell Indigo, Lucian, and Rachel to not come rescue us. Tell them to continue on the mission if we're not out within three days." Aaron drew closer to the bars. Ashley nodded and looked to either side of the corridor.

"I have to leave now. I wish you guys the best of luck."

"Be careful, Ash." I said softly. "We'll see each other again, I promise."

Ashley smiled. Then she ducked her head and spoke in my ear: "I thought Aaron was going to kiss you for a second. You two would make such a cute couple."

I drew back, my cheeks flushed pink. Ashley winked at me and walked down the hall and out of sight.

It was the last time I would ever see my best friend again.