Scorched

Chapter 16

"Gwen, please."

Kai gasped, his body pulled flush against the cell bars. Pure anger coursed through Gwen's body towards her brother. How could he have betrayed her like that? He was supposed to protect her.

A warm hand was placed on her arm, coaxing her to drop Kai's arm. She looked back to find Xander standing behind her. His blue eyes were kind and understanding, but he held her arm firmly.

"We have to do this now Gwen," Xander said, his voice gruff. Gwen let out a shaky breath, pushing her anger away until they were safely out of the castle. Void of emotion, she turned to Xander.

"What do we do?" she asked, voice hollow.

Xander turned, exchanging a glance with Jennings. He dropped her arm and moved towards the cells, Jennings a step behind him. He drew himself up straight to address the rebels. As he started talking, the panicked murmur of the rebels ceased to a complete anticipatory quiet.

"We can get you all out," Xander announced, "But we'll have to fight our way out. There is no way for us to do this quietly--there are too many of you. I will create a distraction in another part of the castle while Jennings guides you out."

Gwen stood behind him, listening intently to Xander's plan, before one of the rebels interrupted.

"But what about the gates?" A burly man at the front of one of the cells shouted out. "They're always closed and guarded from both sides!"

Mutters of dissent began to flood through the room, doubts and fears running rampant. The noise rose and rose into hysteria until Xander cleared his throat loudly. The control over the group that Xander had was astounding to Gwen. With one word he could calm a room of angry rebels.

"Gwen will be in charge of securing the gates," Xander replied. "The guards still trust her, and Prince Rowan has given the guards special instructions regarding her." Gwen whipped towards Xander, eyes narrowed.

"He what?" she asked, her voice dangerously low. "What special instructions?"

Xander shook his head, blowing off her questions. "It doesn't matter now, we're getting out of here. Anyways," he continued. "There are usually four guards at the gates, and you'll have to take them out to control the gates. The rest of the palace guards around the entrance should be pulled away from my distraction."

"What's the distraction?" someone near the back shouted.

Xander looked around the room, his eyes twinkling mischievously. The previously serious leader transformed into a devilish troublemaker before their eyes.

"You'll find that out soon enough," he said, face pulled into a smirk. "Now," he said, a serious look returning to his face. "We don't have much time. Jennings will wait with the rebels while I set the distraction. Gwen, head to the guard tower and wait for my signal to dispatch the guards."

"What's the signal?" Gwen asked, startled that she would be given such an important duty so quickly.

"You'll know it when you see it." Xander grinned at her, before taking off down the dimly lit hallways.

Gwen looked around, meeting the hopeful eyes of a hundred rebels. With this move she would be going against everything she had ever worked for. There was no turning back now; the plan had been put into action and everyone was ready to move. After being in the castle for so long and seeing the cruelty of its rulers, she knew deep down that she was doing the right thing.

Gwen sighed, wishing things could be different. Why couldn't she live in a world where she was able to do something she loved, for a cause she truly believed in? The pain of her back was a constant reminder of what the Kingdom stood for.