Heroes Not Wanted

Chapter 11: Questioning Loyalty

The girl hadn't left the position Art had left her in. Ivy was curled up in the corner of her cell, obviously trying to sleep. Her orange hair curled around her face and stuck to her cheek when she looked up, her peculiar eyes blinking slowly at him. The cuff around her neck had left an imprint in her chin, and there was a distinctly hostile look in her eyes. "Come to gloat, have you?" she snapped.

Art leaned on the inside of the doorframe, frowning. "No gloating," he said. "I just want to talk."

Ivy still looked at him suspiciously. "About ... what?" she asked.

"About Diana." Ivy's eyebrow shot up. "Why did you tell her what you did about Guardian? The lies are poisoning her mind."

"Lies?" Ivy laughed darkly. "They're not lies, Eagle. It's truth—all of it. Maybe you just don't want to see it from my point of view, but she did. She listened, when nobody else would. Maybe instead of asking me why I lied, ask her why she thought I was telling the truth."

"You're mad," Art snapped, turning on his heel.

Ivy's cold voice stopped him. "Yes, that's what they always tell me. I'm mad. You know, Delphi was the only one who didn't tell me I was crazy. Does it ever occur to you that the girl who can read minds would know best?"

"She couldn't read your mind while she was in here," Art protested.

Ivy sighed, like Art was the stupid one. "Just because she can't read my mind doesn't mean she can't read my expression. I think she's a little better at telling what people are thinking than you give her credit for, even without her powers."

"Just because you believe your mad delusions doesn't make them true," Art challenged her.

Ivy flicked her hair over her shoulder, managing to look condescending even with her wrists manacled together. "If you think I'm mad and nuts, why are you here?" she questioned. "To interrogate me over Delphi's visit? Honestly, Eagle, if you wanted to know, why not just ask her?"

He didn't say anything. How could he, without revealing Diana's hidden power? However, Ivy gained an even-more smug expression. "Ohhh," she said, drawing out the word. "Delphi. Like the Greek Oracle. I get it. She saw something, didn't she—a vision, with me in it. What did she see, Eagle?"

For a moment, Art wondered if he should try and lie about Diana's ability. However, curiosity over what Ivy would think about Diana's vision overcame his normal dislike of telling secrets. "She saw you, drowning, when Guardian executes you. She felt it all."

He was gratified to see Ivy squirm at the mention of her execution. "I see," was all she said.

They stared at each other for several heartbeats before Ivy dared to venture forth, "Am I still going to be executed?"

Art shrugged a little. "When Guardian finds out what happened to Di—to Delphi after she visited you, your execution is probably going to be sped up," he admitted.

Ivy's eyebrow twitched. "Ah."

Art shifted uncomfortably. "What exactly did you tell her?" he asked finally.

Ivy ran her fingers over her cheek. "I told her the truth. That Guardian didn't like me nosing around in his business, and he sent his bullyboy to get rid of me. An 'accident'. You just happened to be with him at the time. Honestly, I would've died if you hadn't been there and knocked me unconscious. Of course, that's a moot point, since I'm going to drown anyways."

"What business were you nosing into?"

"Oh, so now you're interested," Ivy said flatly. "Well, I'm not going to bite. You want info, you've got to start making me some promises."