"Jerome?" Nina whimpered, chills running up and down her spine. "This doesn't look like where Tithoes should be...Jerome?! What did you do?!"
The room was dark with an eerie light cast throughout.
She heard something ahead. A low growl, and the echo of steps as they approached her.
"Jerome, get me out of here!"
Nina panicked, knowing something wasn't right.
~~~~~
"I'm looking for Nina," Eddie requested, upon entering the dining area to Anubis house and seeing Alfie, Joy, Patricia, and Fabian standing there.
The four of them weren't so quick to trust that Eddie was himself at the moment. After all, Fabian had figured it was possible he was now under Mr. Perry's control.
"What do you need with her?" Fabian asked.
"Osirion and Chosen One business."
"Nothing you can't share with Sibuna, right?" Patricia plastered on a fake smile for a brief moment. He remained silent, and Patricia once more repeated, "Right?"
"I don't have time for this."
An orb emitted from Eddie's hand and went spiraling towards Alfie, but he ducked just in time. Alfie squealed as he crawled under the table.
"Okay, we don't know where Nina is," Patricia admitted.
"She and Jerome ran off into the woods," Joy added. "So, we couldn't tell you where she was even if we wanted to."
"Off with Jerome..." Eddie repeated. "Why?"
"To keep her safe," Fabian replied, truthfully. It wasn't as though this information would be too incriminating.
Eddie heaved a sigh. "I'll be back soon enough." He left out of Anubis house with heavy steps.
"You can come from under the table now, Alfie," Patricia rolled her eyes.
Alfie clambered from underneath, nearly knocking down a few chairs before standing to his feet. He glanced around at the others staring straight at him.
"What? I have a life to keep."
~~~~~
Eddie had gone straight back to the gatehouse, up to the room where the sarcophagi had been. Mr. Perry and KT were up there just as he'd hoped. He had to give them the news.
"Apparently Nina has gone off into the woods with Jerome."
"What?" Mr. Perry frowned. He took a deep breath and stated calmly, "Then we find her-them with whatever it takes. We'll search every inch of those woods until we locate them. And then I'll rightfully handle Jerome, as I should've done a long time ago."
"Handle Jerome?" Eddie repeated, appearing almost-sympathetic. KT was confused as to why, knowing he was still under their control.
Mr. Perry went to Eddie's ear and whispered, although KT could still hear, "Edison, no unjust harm will come to him, and remember, you work for me now. Those friends you had - they're not your friends anymore. Are we clear?"
"Of course," Eddie nodded slightly.
"Now begin the search. Take Vera with you; you'll find her downstairs."
"Yes, sir." Eddie left the room.
"You were speaking directly to him," KT declared. "You spoke directly to Eddie as though he's not completely under your control....Is...why?"
"We only control his mind, not his heart. One flaw in the gods' design. One flaw too many." With that, Mr. Perry straightened his suit jacket and left KT alone in the room.
"Maybe that was for a reason," KT muttered to herself.
She took a deep breath realizing what her own heart and mind was leading her to do. And she knew she'd possibly regret it in the end, but it was time she felt at place again. It was time she did the right thing.
It was time she helped Eddie and the others.
That would first mean getting Eddie restored back to normal. She now knew she had a way of getting through to him. She hurried out to find him, hopefully before he got too far.
~~~~~
Nina walked in the direction opposite the approaching steps. She didn't run, but carried on very quickly until she reached the end of the room where the doorway had been carved as an arch. Through the arch was a bridge, stretching over a gap of raging waters that rang heavily in Nina's ears.
The bridge was made of wood and rope, providing a very unstable structure to walk on, but Nina did so anyway. About a quarter way through the bridge, she peered down below. She let out a gasp, for the first time realizing that what was below wasn't water.
But blood.
She wondered where Jerome had sent her and why. He'd owe an explanation once she returned.
She tried ignoring the rushing dark fluid below by looking straight ahead and carrying on. She was just about halfway across when she heard breathing a few feet behind her. She held her breath and spun around, seeing herself standing in the archway.
Same exact hair. Same exact clothing. Same her that she'd ever see in a mirror. The copy of her held up a finger and motioned for her to come towards her.
"Nina!" She heard a familiar voice squeal her name from the opposite direction, and Nina looked back to see Amber and Willow standing at the end of the bridge. Willow waved excitedly.
Nina turned back around for a moment, seeing that her clone was gone. She blinked and turned back around yet again, in hopes of heading straight towards Amber and Willow who were waiting for her. She picked up the pace, eager to make it to them as they expressed how delighted they were to see her.
But before she could make it to the end of the bridge, the wood snapped where she stepped, and just within a split second she was hanging onto the rope of the bridge for dear life.
~~~~~
And that is the chapter for you lovely Aristocrats. KT is having a change of heart and plans to save Eddie, but can she do it? And in time, at that? And Jerome has sent Nina somewhere strange. Hmm...
Discussion questions time:
Do you think KT will find Eddie before Eddie can find Nina and Jerome?
Where do you think Nina is?
Do you think Nina can get out of her...dire circumstances I should say?
Until next time. Sibuna.