The Traitor

Chapter Twenty-Nine: Real Identities

Tears began streaming down my face as I fled the room, making the flash decision that I wanted to be anywhere but there. I had just hurt one of my best friends and that was something I couldn't take back.

I heard footsteps behind me and I began full-on sprinting blindly through the halls, having no idea where each would lead, only wanting to get away from Jasper, who I knew was chasing after me. I wasn't sure what he might say or do after I defended Connor like that, but after seeing his enraged expression, I didn't want to find out.

I kept on running, not sure how much longer I could go or where I would even end up, but not wanting to risk stopping. I turned a corner and continued down a long, dark corridor, taking the stairs at the end, two at a time. I sprinted faster as the footsteps behind me grew louder with every step.

"Go away, Jasper!" I screamed as I reached the top and continued running through the dark. But a familiar voice stopped me in my tracks.

"Teya!"

I turned around to see Connor racing up the steps toward me, about to reach the top.

I quickly turned back around and continued sprinting down the hall, faster than I thought I had ever gone before. I guess when you're running away from something, you have more motivation to be faster. And trust me— I had all the motivation in the world fueling my run. In the last week or so, I had betrayed the Daines and my family, hurt Lauren, and gotten Brandon captured and almost killed; I felt like I could run forever.

"No, Connor. Stay away from me!" I shouted over my shoulder as he reached the top of the stairs and raced after me. Man, he's fast, I thought as he ran after me. He probably had almost as much motivation as I did; after all, I had just betrayed him, then saved his life. 

"Teya, wait! Please," he yelled in my direction as I turned another corner and proceeded down the connecting hallway.

But I didn't stop. I couldn't face him, not after what I'd just done. "No, Connor, please stay away from me."

Disobeying my request, he ran after me still, gaining on me with every step. "Teya, please. I need to talk to you!"

"There's nothing to say!" I responded, giving him no chance to explain.

"No, listen. What you did back there-"

I stopped and turned around to face him, who also stopped in surprise. "What I did back there was horrible! I hurt one of my friends. I can't fix that. Just leave me alone." I began running again, hoping this time he wouldn't follow me.

But he reached over and grabbed my hand, pulling me back. "Teya, that wasn't your fault! Jasper-"

I ripped my hand away. "Jasper didn't do anything besides show me who I really am!" I interrupted impatiently.

"Who you really are?" he questioned in disbelief. "Teya, this isn't who you are."

"Oh yeah?" I spat back. "Then why did I just hurt Lauren? Huh? There's no other excuse for that. Please, just leave me alone."

"Teya-" he began.

But I cut him off. "Leave me alone, Connor!" I brought my arms out in front of me and created a large force field bubble, similar to the one Jasper had created just a few minutes ago, warning Connor to stay back.

"Teya, just listen to me!" Connor shouted over the sound of the building beginning to shake. "I promise this isn't you!" Despite the force field blocking his way, he began slowly moving toward me, fighting the energy the bubble gave off like he was making his way through a blizzard. I suspected my anger was fueling my powers and that was why it was giving off so much energy— enough to make the building shake where it stood.

I was positioned in fighter stance and I took a small step backwards. "How do you know that?!" I shouted back to him. He couldn't possibly know who I really was. The only person who knew that was me. No one else.

"Because," he replied. "I know you. Where is the girl I met on the train? That's you, not this."

I shook my head fiercely. "No, Connor. You heard Jasper, I'm a-"

"You're a Daine, Teya. Jasper tricked you and made you believe you're something you're not. But I'm here to tell you he was wrong, and to take you back home. Please, Teya, I know this isn't you."

As I listened to his words, I realized he was right. Slowly, I brought my hands down from in front of me, making the large force field globe disappear without a trace. "You're right," I replied. "This isn't me. Jasper told me all of those things to get me to join him, but it never occurred to me that it might have been a trick to get me to do what he wanted." I looked down in realization; I had never thought of it that way.

"I know," Connor replied, taking a small but confident step toward me. I wondered if he was still worried he would set me off again.

"But what about me?" I asked, shrugging hopelessly. "I'm a RAY. Going back to the Daine Side isn't going to change that." I looked down in embarrassment at being RAY, as well as in hopelessness. No matter what happened then, I would always be a RAY- nothing could change that.

Connor took another step toward me until he was standing less than a foot away from me. "Teya," he began as he reached out and grabbed my hand. This time I didn't resist. "You've always been a RAY, but that's never stopped you before. Just because you didn't know you were one then, doesn't change the fact that you were. Still, you used it for good. Just now? You probably just saved my life from Jasper, and you weren't even thinking, you just did it. You've always been good, and a little brainwashing can't change who you are on the inside. Believe me." He smiled and I returned the smile gratefully, blushing and looking down. "Don't worry, okay? We'll get through this."

I looked up at him. "But how? They're more powerful than us, we don't stand a chance against them."

He thought about it for a moment before replying to me with, "Maybe not alone. We need someone who can help us pose a surprise attack on them. Do you know a way we can get back to the group? Maybe we can get some of them to help us. Unless... you know someone else around here who might be able to help?"

An idea popped into my head and I smiled. "I think I know just the person."