The Zodiac Cycle

2.16 Traitor

Iris led Brianna through the hall that they had slid into. Brianna followed without a word, but could feel the concern radiating off of Iris.

Brianna hoped that she hadn't been wrong.

The two of them came out into a larger hallway, this one looking familiar.

To their right was the exit out of the Castle, and to their left was the hallway that led to the room they had gotten separated in.

"We've gone in a circle?" Iris looked at the exit before turning to the left.

Brianna stopped, looking at the exit.

It was so close.

"Iris, wait." Brianna spoke for the first time since they had been separated from the others. She reached out and grabbed her friends hand.

Iris looked at Brianna with her mismatched eyes and gave her a questioning look.

"What if..." Brianna took a breath. "What if we leave?"

Iris was silent for a couple seconds before tilting her head. "Why would we? We need to find the others and help Keith."

"I don't think we can help them." Brianna insisted.

"We can if we hurry." Iris tried to turn again.

"No, what I mean is they're walking into a trap. There's no way theyll make it out alive."

"Brianna, if that's the case then theres no way we can leave them. We knew what we were choosing." Iris tried to talk some sense into her friend.

"I cant lose you." Brianna clasped her other hand over Iris' so that both Briannas hands were around Iris hand.

Iris stepped toward brianna and put her other hand on her shoulder. "You wont. You know I wont go down without a fight."

Brianna shook her head, closing her eyes. "You dont understand. There's no fight. Zach is going to kill them without hesitation, and then he'll come after us." She opened her fearful eyes. "We need to get as far away as we can before that happens."

"You're acting like you know his plan." Iris smiled at her friend, hoping to comfort her.

But once she saw the look in Briannas face, she knew there was something missing.

Iris' smile faded. "Do you know his plan?"

Brianna stayed silent for a moment, realizing she had said too much.

"How would you know that?" Iris urged, her face changing from that of comfort, to worry.

Brianna still did not speak.

"Brianna," -Iris pulled her hands away from her- "what did you do?"

Brianna took a second to respond. "I did what I had to do."

Iris searched the air, thinking, with her mouth open. "You sold them out."

Brianna didnt deny it, she couldnt. She refused to lie to Iris about this, her best friend smelling of mint and citrus. The one person she valued most in this world.

Iris took a step back, shaking her head in disbelief.

Brianna loved Iris so much, and she didnt want to lose her, she couldnt lose her.

So when Iris tried to turn for the third time down the hall to the battle, Brianna didnt think twice about grabbing her wrist. Iris whipped her head back around quickly, looking at Brianna with a look of realization and fear.

"Brianna, let me go." She demanded, attempting to pull her arm from Briannas grip.

Brianna wouldnt let go. Instead, she turned toward the entrance to the castle and began pulling Iris along with her.