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

Chapter 28

Over the next few days, Nya did her best to look after Cole. She nurtured his wounds whenever she got the chance. She brought him his meals when he was too weak to get out of bed. She made up excuses about him to the others, even if it meant straight-out lying. She pretty much avoided Lloyd altogether and helped Cole to stay out of his way, too. The black ninja was recovering very slowly, but his poor results didn't stop Nya's determination to heal her friend.

It was breakfast time now, and Garmadon scratched his chin as he sat down at the table. Only Zane, Jay, and Kai were presently there. He glanced at them and found they all seemed to be somewhat annoyed.

"Hey," he began, trying to start a conversation. His thoughts had been nagging at him and he wanted to get his suspicions out. "Do any of you know what's happened to Cole?" he asked quietly.

Jay, Kai, and Zane all turned their heads to stare at him. "Allergies," they all stated in unison.

Garmadon blinked, clearly seeing that they didn't believe that sorry excuse. Just then, footsteps sounded from nearby, and Nya and Cole came down the steps. The two ninja were walking side by side, holding hands as they entered the dining room. They didn't seem to pay any attention to anyone else as they sat at the end of the table.

Jay watched them intently, eyes blazing. Every day, he had seen Cole and Nya together all day long, never leaving each other's side. He didn't like how close they were getting. He gave Zane, who was beside him, a nudge. "Look," he hissed under his breath. "Now they're holding hands!"

Zane sighed. "You really should just talk to her, Jay," he murmured.

Jay tapped his foot. "You don't think I tried?" he muttered. He glared across the table at the two. "I don't like this one bit."

"You can say that again," Kai butted in, also glaring at them. "What does he have with my sister?"

Jay clenched his fists. "I wish I knew."

Kai's eyes blazed. "We have to get to the bottom of this," he growled.

"Agreed," Jay stated, and the two of them inched closer to discuss their schemes.

Zane shook his head, remembering how just a few days ago Kai and Jay had been almost like enemies. But now they both just want to steal Nya away from Cole, he thought with another sigh.

He looked up as Lloyd walked over to them. The green ninja raised an eyebrow as he glanced at Kai and Jay, then to Nya and Cole, then back again. Some sort of satisfied grin appeared on his face and he, grunting, pushed himself in between Jay and Zane. Zane wobbled on his chair and glared at Lloyd.

"Hey!" he began to protest, but Lloyd was paying no attention. Zane tipped his head as he saw the green ninja whisper something into Jay's ear. The white ninja strained his ears to hear what he was saying, but he couldn't make out a single word. Watching closely, he saw Jay's face drop as he listened to Lloyd's words, and the blue ninja glanced uneasily at the people around him. Kai leaned closer in, and the three whispered among themselves, almost oblivious to the people around them.

Zane raised an eyebrow suspiciously. He saw anger and pain rise in Jay and Kai's eyes, and Lloyd's already blazing gaze sweep over the family around the table as they continued to murmur to each other. What are they whispering about? Zane wondered. He glimpsed around, but no one else seemed to have noticed. Cole and Nya were keeping to themselves, while Garmadon and Wu were talking amongst themselves at the other end of the table. Suppressing a sigh, Zane continued his meal in silence, wondering when his family had gotten so divided.

* * *

A thin patter of rain fell over the monastery that night. Cole stared out the window near the end of the staircase, eyes fixed on the rain. There was something familiar about the water dropping onto the house—some feeling nagging at his chest that he had seen it before. He shook his head. Oh, it's just rain, he told himself. You see rain all the time. What's so different about this one?