Chapter 16:The Shadows Within

Elena's POV

The air had the scent of rain, and the night was overcharged by an eerie silence as I stood outside the dark mansion. Usually, I could slip into the shadows very easily and go unseen where others would trip. But tonight, the darkness clung to me more than ever, enveloping me like a sheer fabric.

I realized I was playing a very risky game, but I had no alternative. Hailey was about to find out everything, and if she did, then her reaction could never be predicted. It took years of planning this move—ensuring Vickson never got too close, that Hailey was simply out of reach. But now, everything was falling apart much too quickly.

My hand closed around the small device in my pocket-the final piece of the puzzle. A recording. A confession. Proof that Ava had everything from the beginning manipulated. Proof that Vickson was never truly in control of his own destiny.

But was it enough?

A shuffling noise by the side entrance froze me. Instinct took control; I shoved my back against the chilly brick wall, and my heart was thumping in my ears. Through the darkness, I saw a figure move quickly. Ava. She was alone, and her pace was frantic; your head was twitching as if searching for something she knew. She knew someone was closing in on her.

I breathed out slowly, which helped my heartbeat quiet down a bit. This was it, though. I had to do something fast. The longer I waited, the longer he second-guessed himself she would be gone and all of this-everything I had done-would be for nothing.

Stepping out from my hiding place, I whispered, "Missing something, Ava?"

She spun around, eyes wide with shock before narrowing into suspicion. "Elena? Just why in the world are you here?"

I smiled slowly tilting my head as if I knew something. "I think the better question is, what are you running from?"

Her lips parted a shadow of something unreadable flitted across her face before she mastered it to a mask of indifference. "I don't have time for your mind games Elena"

"Oh, but you see, Ava," I stepped forward, lowering my voice, "I think your time is finally running out."

Her body tensed, her hands curling into fists "'You don't know what you're talking about'"

I chuckled softly as I took the device out of my pocket and held it up. "I know more than you think. And so will Hailey—very soon."

Her breathing hitched, her mask slipped a little, then she lunged for me. But I was faster, stepping back just in time. "Tsk to you," I said. "I wouldn't do that if I were you. One press of a button and the truth comes spilling out."

Ava was rage personified, her eyes blazing with fury. "You think you can stop me? You think Hailey will believe you?"

The air in the darkened room was oppressively saturated with the atmosphere of treachery. As I pressed my back to the chilling stone wall my heart raced and my fingers curled about the dagger's hilt fastened to my thigh. Every instinct within me screamed that something was wrong...seriously wrong. The hallways of Ava's hideout were disturbingly quiet but I knew better than to fall under the spell of silence. It had waited long enough for an opportunity.

I had spent years in plain sight, pretending to be Ava's loyal confidante while collecting intel on her every move. But now as her meticulously crafted web of lies started to unravel, she had become more desperate and reckless in her actions. That made her unpredictable and the most dangerous of all are the unpredictable people.

I approached the entrance to the chamber slowly, one step at a time, being very cautious and listening for any sounds on the other side. A quiet murmur came to me, chilling my spine. I didn't breathe, pushing my ear against the wood.

"She knows too much," murmured the gruff voice. "If she talks"

"She will not." Ava's calmness masked the poison in her words. "Not if she values her life."

I swallowed hard and the grip on the dagger tightened. They were talking about me.

A sudden creak resonated in the hallway. Thunder raced in my pulse as I turned quickly, weapon drawn. From the darkness stepped a figure: a man dressed in black with glittering eyes full of menace. One of Ava's spies.

"Elena," he drawled, a smile flirting with his lips. "Going somewhere?"

I did not wait for him to act. I lunged, cutting the air with my blade. He dodged but narrowly. The smile on his face disappeared as he retaliated, reaching for the dagger fastened to his belt. I turned around, exploiting my smaller physique as much as possible, and struck his knee with a solid kick. He staggered and that was enough time for me to plunge my blade into his side.

He gasped, his eyes widening in shock, then crumpled to the ground. A pool of blood formed beneath him but I didn't have time to waste. I wiped my dagger clean and ran down the corridor, my mind racing. Ava knew I threatened her and she wouldn't rest until she silenced me for good.

I needed to find Vickson.

As much as I hated the thought of relying on him, he was the only person who could protect me right now. But would he trust me? I'd been so long inside Ava's inner circle playing the role of her loyal friend. He had every reason to doubt my intentions.

I had to make him trust me before Ava acted first.

Steeling myself, I started to walk out into the night, my chest being a jar of cold air. The hunt was on but for once I was not going to be hunted.

Ava's POV

The walls were closing in on me.

Not literally, but it felt that way. The more Emilia came back, the more Vickson's eyes burned with a rage I had never seen before. His previous softness for me had melted into a cold steel, and I could feel my world falling apart, bit by bit. Every scheme I had so wisely planned was escaping from my hands like sand in the wind.

No. I refuse to lose everything.