The Wisteria Accond

Chapter Nineteen

Soren's presence is like a dark cloud descending over the hallway, his eyes locking onto mine with a knowing, vicious glint. My breath catches in my throat. How much does he know? My mind races through a thousand different possibilities, each one worse than the last.

"Well, well," Soren says, his voice low and mocking as he takes a step closer. "Seems I was right about you all along, Kiera. You've been quite the busy little traitor."

The word traitor sends a jolt of fear through me, but I keep my expression defiant, unwilling to show weakness. "I don't know what you're talking about, Soren," I say, trying to keep my voice steady, even as my heart pounds in my chest. I can feel Ashen tense behind me, his body coiled like a spring, ready to strike.

"Don't play dumb with me," Soren snaps, his eyes narrowing. "I've watched you, Kiera. You think I didn't notice how you've been sneaking around? How you've been getting close to him?" His gaze shifts to Ashen, and I see the loathing in his eyes. "You're protecting a Nightborne. And for what? Some misguided sense of loyalty? Or is it something else?"

Ashen steps forward, his posture stiff, his eyes blazing with a dark, deep color I've never seen before—an intensity that makes my pulse quicken. "Leave her out of this," he says, his voice cold as steel.

Soren's lips curl into a cruel smile. "Oh, I don't think so." In one swift motion, he lunges, grabbing my arm and yanking me to his side. I gasp, struggling against his grip, but his fingers dig into my skin like iron clamps.

"Kiera!" Ashen's voice is sharp, his eyes widening, but Soren's grip only tightens.

"Let's make a deal, Ashen," Soren sneers, dragging me closer to him. "You tell me what I want to know—the secrets of the Void, the Nightborne plans—and I might just let her walk away unscathed."

I can feel Soren's breath on my neck, and I twist in his grasp, panic bubbling up. "Don't," I gasp out, my voice trembling despite myself. "Don't listen to him, Ash. He's bluffing."

"Bluffing?" Soren's chuckle is low and dangerous, and before I can react, he twists my arm painfully behind my back. I cry out in pain, my knees buckling as he wrenches it higher.

Ashen's face contorts with rage and fear. "Stop!" he shouts, his body straining forward, as if he's holding himself back by sheer force of will. "You're hurting her!"

"Then start talking," Soren demands, his tone sharp and merciless. "Or I keep going until something breaks."

The tension in the air is suffocating, every second dragging out like an eternity. Ashen's eyes are wild, torn between wanting to protect me and not giving Soren what he wants. I can see the struggle in him—the desire to shield me from this pain, to stop it all at any cost.

"Don't do it, Ash," I manage to say, my voice cracking. Tears blur my vision, not from the pain, but from the fear of what Soren might make him do. "I can handle this."

Soren's grip tightens again, and I can't hold back the scream that rips from my throat. "Can you?" Soren taunts. "Because I don't think you can handle much more."

"Enough!" Ashen's shout echoes through the corridor, a raw, primal sound filled with fury. His chest heaves, his eyes blazing like a storm. "I'll—"

"Don't!" I shout, desperate, and in a burst of adrenaline, I slam my elbow back into Soren's ribs as hard as I can. His grip loosens just enough for me to twist free, darting toward Ashen. I hear Soren's snarl of frustration behind me, but I don't care. I throw myself into Ashen's arms, my heart hammering in my chest.

His arms wrap around me instinctively, holding me close, protectively. I can feel his heart racing beneath my cheek, his breath coming in sharp, uneven bursts. "Kiera," he breathes, his voice a mix of relief and fear.