Charlotte chewed her lip for a moment. "So? Why are you different? Why are you here telling us this, instead of out there, tearing the world apart?"
"I was like you," she said taking a step towards Charlotte. "I could see everything Elmhirst did was wrong. I hated that place too. We all did". She lifted her hands indicating the others she had brought with her. "But we were never given the position you were given. You had power, influence. That was Elmhirst's mistake. I could never have brought that place down no matter how much I wanted to".
"That's because you're not as strong as Charlotte," Ethan shrugged.
Wallace fixed him with a hard stare, but he shook it off. "If you were, you would have fought, right?"
Wallace pursed her lips. "Sure".
"Why did you bring Desmarais then?" Ian interjected.
"Matt's here because he was in danger where he was. He had a hand in Kingston's downfall, but more because we needed him so you would listen to us".
Charlotte met her hazel-green eyes with a grimace.
Wallace smiled. "You would have killed us long ago if he hadn't been here".
"That's still an option," Charlotte whispered.
"Not if you want to save James," Wallace replied. "You need us. I know how these people work. I've worked with them for the past few years. They are strong. They are dangerous, and no offence but I can see you are as close to saving your friends as you are to becoming the queen of France".
Charlotte flickered a cold smile. "Still haven't told us what's in it for you. I find it hard to believe you feel sorry for us little rejects. Remember I know what you're afraid of".
"And I know what you're afraid of too Charlotte. I know everything there is to know about you, so drop the antagonism". Wallace wore an unreadable expression.
"Still haven't told us what you're hoping to gain from this," Ian prompted.
"I need to protect myself and my family," she breathed. "And the only way I can do that is stop those who are trying to mess up the world".
"Your family?" Carrie grunted.
"She can pick apart people's minds. She was able to retrieve her memories of her family," Ethan said with a dismissive hand.
Wallace's expression darkened.
"Not that fun having people read your mind is it?" Ian chuckled.
"He didn't read my mind," she breathed.
"No, I read you. You are too easy to read," Ethan said.
"Look we want to be free with no strings attached. We don't want to be the bad guys. We need to stop the others from tainting our name forever," Wallace said. "That's what you want too. We should be able to work together to achieve that".
"Right now our priority is to find our friends," Ethan said.
"We can help you, if you help us stop this war," Wallace said.
"It's your war," Charlotte interjected. "Not ours". She doubted little they could help her find the others. This seemed like a trap, even if Matt was on their side. Matt had trusted his grandmother too and look where that had gotten Charlotte.
"It will be yours too," Wallace said through gritted teeth. "The world will look at you as the villain. They know you. They know James. You will be the enemy and no matter if you save him in time, you could have no life together because they would hunt you to destruction".
Charlotte was liking this girl less and less.
"So if we agree to some mutual agreement, what's your plan?" Ethan asked. "Do you even know where the others are?"
At this Wallace grinned folding her arms across her chest. "Well that's where Nathan comes in".
"He's a tracker," Ethan nodded as if this wasn't too interesting.
"He's the best tracker," Wallace snapped. "He found you, didn't he?"
Ethan half-grinned, tucking his hair behind his ears. "And?"
Wallace gritted her teeth and took a steadying breath. "We're the best shot you've got".
Ethan half turned to Charlotte meeting her gaze. She shrugged. She didn't know what to say. She hated to admit it but Wallace was speaking the truth.
Ethan inclined his head, understanding her unspoken gesture.
"You have three days".
Thanks for reading! Quicker update this time! Hope you enjoy!Let me know what you think and please, please don't forget to vote! Thanks in advance, Sorcha x
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Feared
Science Fiction'Play the game, she thought, remembering the only three words that had helped her to survive at Kingston. Only back then she had known the game, she had known what they wanted her to be, what they had wanted her to do - this man was different. She d...
Twenty: Compromises
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