Played For A Fool

The Letter

Cinder didn't know what to do. One moment everything was fine, and the next, her friend's grandma had been kidnapped and possibly killed for all that they knew. So yeah, she was a bit lost.

Scarlet, Thorne and Cinder had all left Rampion with a feeling of new hope, until they reached the Benoit's house. Upon entering, both Cinder and Thorne had cursed violently, causing Scarlet to be reduced back to tears.

The furniture was spread across the room, papers were pulled from cabinets, the wallpaper ripped to shreds, and in the middle of everything, blood. It covered the walls, the floor, the furniture. It was everywhere, making Cinder wonder if Scarlet's Grandmother had even left the house alive.

There was tape covering scenes where extreme damage had happened, but the police had left the house. Glass crunched under every step that Cinder took, and she had to stare at the ground as she walked, careful not to step in the small splashes of blood.

It had been a relief to talk to Kai, and to know that he was coming. He always made her feel calm, and he would also know what to do with Scarlet. Stars, she could use a sane person in this situation. Scarlet, naturally, was not taking any of everything well and was curled up in the corner of the room shaking. Her crying had stopped, but she had yet to udder a single word since entering the house, and Cinder wasn't expecting much else out of her.

Thorne hadn't really done much either, as usual. He had kept up a steady stream of curses as he observed the house and its wreckage. He had gone upstairs and checked all of the rooms, exclaiming loudly in some, and making Cinder wish more than ever that he had a mute button.

Cinder was silently debating how to go and comfort Scarlet, when the doorbell rang. She ran over to it, sighing with relief as she caught sight of copper-brown eyes and messy black hair.

Kai embraced Cinder the second the door opened, and held her tight to him, exhaling as he did so. Cinder closed her eyes, breathing in his scent of laundry detergent, feeling as though a heavy weight had been lifted off of her shoulders.

After a few seconds the two broke apart, and Kai observed the scene. Cinder watched as his face went from peace, to horror, to terror. He grabbed Cinder's hand, squeezing it so hard that she almost yelped.

"What the stars happened? I saw the tape outside, but... This is a crime scene, Cinder." Kai whisper yelled, his eyes big and terrified.

Cinder pulled Kai out of the still opened door, closing it behind them. She needed some fresh air after being in that place. The metallic scent of blood was too overwhelming.

There was a porch swing a few yards from the door, with rusting rods, and molding maroon cushions. Cinder sat, and Kai followed, still clutching her hand. If Cinder had not been so preoccupied, she would have noticed that it was her left hand.

"Scarlet's grandmother has been kidnapped." Cinder stated blatantly, watching Kai's expression carefully.

Kai did not look any less relieved at her words, though that didn't come as a shock. "Cinder," Kai said hesitantly, "what the heck is going on here. You need to tell me everything, and now. I am done being kept in the dark."

"Okay," Cinder sighed, "You know those mutant wolf guys? The ones that they thought were a mutation of Letumosis?" Kai nodded. "Well," Cinder continued, "They kidnapped Scarlet's grandmother."

If Cinder had to describe Kai's face in one word, she wouldn't have been able to. Dozens of emotions seemed to cross Kai's features as he processed the information. Fear, shock, confusion. "How?" Kai asked in a low, slightly dangerous voice, that Cinder would never have expected to come out of him.