Secrets

Five

The first weak rays of morning sun peeked their way through the rich fabric curtains. 

Sophie rubbed her eyes, blearily groping around for her memory log. 

Projecting the tormenting images onto the thick pages, she found herself staring at the horrifying images. 

They continued haunting her thoughts, controlling her ever-changing emotions, consuming all of the hope that she had left.

Sophie closed her eyes, tears silently slipping from her blurry vision as she recalled the horrible scenes from the previous night. 

Silveny screeched, her glittering, silver body thrashing around in obvious pain.

She was encased within a glowing golden orb, hardly big enough for her. 

A force field.  

"Stay down, you nuisance." 

Ruy. 

Silveny screamed again, her face convulsing in agony.

"I said STAY DOWN!" 

Ruy closed his fist, and the force field around Silveny grew even tighter, making Silveny shriek even louder. The field brushed against her sparkling skin as burns started to form from the contact. 

"Leave the alicorn to me." 

Fintan. 

The blond elf casually walked into the  middle of the moonlit clearing. He smiled- a cold and empty one, his eyes showing no hint of mercy as he stared at the beautiful creature. 

"And why should I let you take care of it?" Ruy asked, sneering at Fintan.

"I wouldn't have agreed to our pathetic little alliance if it weren't for Gisela," Fintan answered,  "She offered me freedom from that little prison, so I couldn't say no. If I hadn't agreed to this alliance, then I would still be rotting away in that tiny little space... Or, would I?"  

He raised his fist, grinning as flames erupted from his hands.

Crackling.

Sparking.

Dancing.

Fintan turned to Ruy, "And don't you think that I didn't have a plan to get me out of there. I kept the antidote to sophrodite in order for them to agree to my demands- I knew they would do anything for the antidote." 

He smirked. "I would have eventually escaped. Just agreeing to the alliance made the process quicker." 

Motioning with his other hand, Fintan made Ruy remove the force field. 

Silveny fell, her exhausted body toppling over to her burnt side. Her shimmering sparkles were gone. Red blisters covered half of her skin.

The force field was the only thing keeping her standing. 

"One more scream for help, and you'll get more of this."  Fintan walked over to the suffering alicorn's side, raised his flame filled hand, and let a tongue of fire graze against the alicorn's skin.

Silveny's pain-filled cry was heart-breaking, it seemed like she was giving up. Her gold-flecked brown eyes shot open and bulged in terror as she flailed, trying to get the fire away from her.   

Fintan smirked, his eyes dancing with mirth as he watched the alicorn being tortured, his flame covered hand never leaving the majestic creature's side. 

Silveny closed her eyes as her body bucked in response to the searing heat. She transmitted to Sophie as quietly as she could.

Help. Friend. 

--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--_--

Sophie cried, her head down, and her eyes spilling over with tears as she remembered the gruesome moments that had happened the night before. 

Silveny was hurt, and she didn't have much time.

Seeing that Sophie was sad, Iggy curled up against Sophie's side, and soon, the room was filled with his gentle, rumbly purr.

Sophie buried her tear-stained face against Iggy's fluffy blue fur, pulling Ella close to her side, and hugging them both as she stared out the window. 

"Sophie?" 

It was Fitz. 

"Sophie, are you okay?" 

Usually, she would blush and look away, embarrassed that Fitz was in her room when she was in her nightclothes. 

But instead, she looked up, her eyes puffy and red as she shook her head. "Fintan is hurting Silveny, and I- I don't think that she has much time before Fintan will get rid of her... completely."

Who should be with Linh? Fitz or Wylie?