The Cinderella Games

36

Someone grabs me from behind, and a scream escapes me. "Let go of me!" I shout, trying to shove them to the floor. 

"Lena!" Jonah says, slapping my face. "Snap out of me, for God's sake! Killing someone isn't helping anything!" 

"I said, let go of me!" I snarl. "Unless you want me to kill you too?" 

"No, Lena," he pleads. "Stop it. You're going to regret everything. Please, you don't know all the kinds of nightmares you're going to get if you try to kill someone." 

I go still, as the situation dawns on me. I glance at Jayden's face, and his expression is all the confirmation I need. 

"You're with him?" I shriek, and Jonah winces. "So. . . the cake and the daggers? You told Jayden?" 

Jonah looks sad. "I did," he says quietly. "But only because you weren't yourself. Your eyes had some sort of intensity and I didn't like it-" 

"Let me get this straight." My voice goes deadly. "You told Jayden about our plan and you did it because you didn't like my eyes?" 

"No!" His grip on me loosens. "You don't understand. I did it because I had to." 

Realization sinks in and shades of quick silver dashes through me. "You betrayed me," I say with complete conviction. "I trusted you - trusted you with our plan to kill the prince - and you betrayed me." 

Jonah flinches and I feel rage pummel through me. 

"You bastard!" I scream at Jayden. "How could you turn my friend on me?" 

Jayden looks coolly away. "The same way you tried to kill me," he replies simply. 

Fine. If they want to turn everyone on me, then I'll have to do everything on my own. My blood rages hotter, until all I can hear is my heartbeat. 

Then I close my eyes and release a primal scream so hard, it makes the ground shake.