New Wings

Chapter 12

That train of thought went wildly off track.

Mr. Le Courtier was answering as the internal list started.

"We both know that is not the whole truth. We know you want an end to that newsie girl, Cinder. And we need your help."

Levana felt her blood run colder than usual. "I believe you have made a mistake. Cinder isn't a girl. He's the leader of the newsies." Even as she said it she knew they would prove her wrong. They'd set her up to look like a fool, and in her embarrassment, agree to help them. They were smarter than she'd anticipated.

The couple smirked in unison. "That's what she wants you to think. Due to the nature of our business, it was within our rights to look into who was sent to jail after the little episode last night. Turns out there's no record of the blond girl you put behind bars. The really interesting bit of information is that the friend who got taken was Scarlet, a close friend to someone we've been searching for for a long, long time. Somehow the two girls are connected, and as we looked into it..."

"What? What are you not telling me?" Her impatience was growing.

"You've already won, Levana. Cinder is currently sitting in a jail cell, a few blocks from here. She's done for." The shock etched through her, stiffening her spine. How could she have gotten so lucky? There must be a catch.

"So what do you need me for?"

"There are two other prisoners you took in; Carswell Thorne and Scarlet. They are key to an investigation we are going through. We need them in our keeping."

She knew they were up to no good, but they would never let the scandal slip. So it didn't matter to her what they chose to do with the prisoners. Levana shrugged, truly not caring.

"Go ahead. I'm not entirely sure why they were arrested in the first place."

Mrs. Le Courtier finally spoke up.

"Shall we go meet them together? I feel this will make for a very intriguing conversation." A ruthless smile echoed on the two women's lips.

Finally. Time for a little bit of fun.

Cinder-

How could things have gone so incredibly wrong, so impossibly fast? It wasn't even a full week yet, and already her whole life had gone from predictable to chaotic.

And to be truthful, she was growing exhausted. And a little uncomfortable, thanks to the cold concrete floor Scarlet and her were slouched on. They hadn't spoken for hours; there wasn't much to say. Through the night, after processing and brief interviews, Cinder had curled up in the corner, pretending to be asleep. Pretending not to hear Scarlet sobbing through her nightmares, pretending not to hear her cry out for Ze'ev. It tore Cinder's heart in two to think that it was her fault Scarlet wasn't home asleep next to her husband. It was her fault her friend was spending the night on a grimy floor.

It didn't help that she now knew where Cress was, but had no way of getting to her. Or that she didn't know where her crew and Peony were. Or where Thorne had been taken. She'd heard one of the guards call it the "reserve," as if someone had claimed ownership of him. Just one more thing to make her sick.

"Are you avake?" Scarlet's voice wasn't strong any more, but broken and thin.

"Ise been awakes fa hours. Hows is youse doin?" She faced Scarlet this time, to see her wrapped tightly in on herself, as if holding it all in. Her gorgeous red hair was askew and frizzy, and tear stains ran down her cheeks and neck. Cinder could bet she look exactly the same, only her dress was far more ripped up.