Darkness from Within #5: Uneasy Trust (A Ninjago Fanfiction)

Chapter 24

Nya gasped as Lloyd shoved her into her bedroom. She fell to the ground and whipped around to face him.

"Since you apparently don't know what I'm capable of, you're gonna stay in here until you realize what I'll do if you try anything," Lloyd growled. "I would stay, but someone is expecting me, and I don't want to keep her waiting."

Nya leaped to her feet again and rushed toward him. "You can't just—"

Lloyd smirked and swiped his sword just as she was about to hit him and she tumbled backward. She gasped as the sword sliced up her arm and she clutched her wound, groaning. Trembling, she gazed at Lloyd through the blur of tears. "B-but, that night, y-you saved me," she reminded him, voice shaking.

Lloyd chuckled. "Oh, Nya," he sighed. "I was never fighting for you. I was only taking back what was mine. Joseph was trying to steal the elemental sword so he could get the glory, but if anyone was going to get glory, it was going to be me."

Nya's eyes widened and a tear ran down her cheek.

Lloyd stepped out of the room. "Cry all you want," he hissed. "Because no one is here to hear your sobs, orphan." Then he slammed the door.

"No!" Nya threw herself at the door and grabbed the knob, but it was too late. She heard the click of a lock latching and jiggled the doorknob, but it was useless. Breathing shakily, she turned and slumped onto the ground, groaning as her arm throbbed with pain. She squeezed her wound, hissing through gritted teeth. Then with her other hand she drew it across the cut down her neck, staring at the blood on her fingers.

Swallowing hard, she sat frozen still for a long time, feeling nothing but the numbness of shock.

* * *

Nya sat at the edge of her bed the next morning. She had barely gotten any sleep. Lloyd told her to think—and that's what she had been doing, although not in the way he wanted. She took a deep breath. Now that the shock had died down, she felt nothing but determination. She didn't care what Lloyd said. She had to warn the others. As long as Lloyd was in their monastery, everyone was in danger. And I'm going to, she thought. Even if it gets me killed.

Shaking off the last of her nerves, Nya rose to her feet and walked across the room. She halted and stared at her doorknob, which was still locked. Sighing, she grabbed a hairpin from her dresser. She could've easily picked the lock last night, but it would've been pointless since she needed time to think anyway.

After picking the lock, she opened the door and glanced down the hall.

No sign of Lloyd.

Warily, Nya slunk out of her room and shut the door behind her. Straightening up, she headed down the hall for Wu's room. Everyone would be awake by then and getting ready for breakfast, so she didn't have to worry about waking anyone up.

"Nya!"

Nya halted and turned around. She glanced over her shoulder, finding no one behind her.

"Over here!"

She turned her head sideways and found Cole standing in the shadows of the hallway. She opened her mouth, but the black ninja shook his head and gestured for her to be quiet. She furrowed her eyebrows in confusion as he came up to her and grabbed her hand, bringing her into the shadows as well.

His gaze glittered with concern as he stared at her. "What did he do to you?" he demanded quietly. "Are you okay?"

"What?" Nya blurted out.

"What is he doing?" Cole went on. "Do you know his plan?" When she still looked blank, he added, "Come on, you have to know something!"

Nya blinked. "Who?"