Ashes of Vile

17

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Staying In Betrayal

Cassidy gained consciousness to such a familiar feeling. It felt like she was back at the beginning. The flow of her blood felt like it had stopped, and her hands were tightly wrapped at the back of the chair. She coughed furiously trying her best to grip out. But it was secure. The room was completely dark and extremely quiet that she could hear a hair pin drop.

The door opened and light rushed in. The light switch was turned on and the door slammed. There stood August Vile and Chase Creed with calculating and ill intentions so visible in their expressions. Cassidy's lips separated as her jaw dropped. She had thought the strangers had taken her. But she was truly back at the beginning under their control and will. "What are you doing?" Cassidy angrily spoke out.

"What are you doing trying to hide such a weapon from us?" Chase gave a mocking smile. And flashbacks hit Cassidy as she regained the memory of recent events. Explosions and chaos and the discovery and shock of it all: the source that erupted all around and was felt and seen by everyone. Chase noticed Cassidy's confused expression and helped her out, "All this time... You were the answer to our plan."

"Where's Lilac?"

August looked at Chase. Cassidy's heart dropped.

"She's severely hurt thanks to you. But it's convenient given the circumstances." Chase smirked.

Cassidy's heart clenched and gave August a hurt look. "I thought you were helping me." Cassidy said which was immediately followed with regret as Chase chuckled and said, "This group? This is not family. We'd kill each other and burn the world to get what we want. You've become too comfortable with us. But all in the wrong ways."

"What circumstances?" Cassidy asked. She suddenly felt the dry and scratched feeling of her throat. She cleared it and spit out the bothersome crimson red blood. Chase grimaced at the sight. "I've seen and enjoyed blood. But when it comes from you, it reminds me of weakness. Cassidy Idgen, you've fallen right into our hands. But what kind of power can we get with such a fragile girl?"

"The circumstances you ask? We are going to use you. We are going to be bleeding with power—" He dreamily imagined the future and continued, "And Lilac, your suffered childhood friend will stop that. I hate to do it to her, but you won't be hearing from her for awhile. Though don't worry, Zakeen is tending to her wounds."

"What makes you think I would help you?" Cassidy stopped fighting after the realization that she couldn't die. Not when she had everything they wanted. It wouldn't stop them from torturing her, but she knew she had the upper hand despite being tied to a chair.

August threw a tabloid on the ground in front of Cassidy. She ducked down to read the headline. It read "MYSTERIOUS BLUES SWEPT AWAY ALL OF ASHGRIM. IS THIS NEVER SEEN BEFORE ENERGY THE NEW SUPREME?" August kneeled to get Cassidy's gaze since she refused to look up out of shame. "All of Ashgrim is looking for you. You really don't believe you could defend yourself, do you?"

Cassidy thought. And she thought real hard. She wasn't the kind to push her boundaries onto people, and she certainly wasn't the kind of person to make a stance. She believed herself to be weak and ordinary. She hated it when she had to hear it from others, but it was true. She had accepted it, and she had learned to accept the defeat. But hearing it from people she had began to look up to, it hit more than it should have. She had been betrayed, and she had been put in her place. Despite being their only hope, they had done a great job in making her feel small.