Word Count: 1629

~Avia

Releasing a long, slow breath, I relax back into my pillow.

I've spent the better part of this morning following Isaiah and a few of his guests around. They were from outside of the Pack, so I was used to making Isaiah feel more approachable, more friendly and trustworthy. How well it worked, I'm not sure, but it felt strange trying to aid him and his reputation when in reality, I want this entire place to burn down around him.

The sound of footsteps from down the hall rouse my attention, my eyes drifting up from my book. I've been enjoying lounging in the afternoon sunlight that cascades through my windows, and now it's about to be interrupted.

Sure enough, a head topped with flaming red hair peers around the door frame, accompanied with a mischievous grin.

I roll my eyes.

"Good afternoon," Zire sings sweetly, strolling into my room, nudging the door closed behind him. Immediately I sit up, letting my book fall onto my lap. I'm really not liking these random visits from Isaiah's second-in-command.

"What are you doing?" I'm wary. Has he come in here to kill me since I threatened him?

He smiles, looking around my room as if it might reveal something about me that he doesn't already know. "What are you doing?"

"You're the one who came into my room," I remind him.

"The door was open," he notes, motioning toward it. "Partially."

I rest my head back against the headboard, irritated. At least Isaiah knows about privacy and some semblance of respect, not marching into my room with anything less than a knock. Zire, on the other hand, doesn't seem to have been raised with the same decency. Unless of course, he doesn't like me, which is essentially confirmed at this point.

"Well, you can leave," I mutter, picking my book back up. It was just getting to a good part as well.

He leans over the bed, tugging the front of it down. "Come on Kenna, I just came to chat."

Sighing, I slam the book closed and discard of it on the side table. Maybe I should pick up my glass of water that's there and toss it in his face. He looks awfully smug, considering he's intending to sweet talk me, those pitch black irises swallowing his pupils, only making him look more unnerving.

"It's no secret that I don't like you very much," I drawl.

"No, it isn't." He flops down on the bed, looking up at the ceiling. His weight makes the bed shift, a growl erupting from within me as a response. He really does have no manners. "But I thought you wouldn't mind talking to me."

"Get off my bed," I snap, kicking my feet at him under the covers. He winces, pushing himself back up against, looking at me as if I pulled a knife on him. We glare at each other for a long moment before he shifts his gaze to the bedside table. I'm painfully aware there is a dagger tapped to the underside of it.

Zire reaches for the book, examining it. "I didn't know you read."

"I didn't know you have no conception of personal space." I snatch the book right back out of his hand, irritated that he thinks he can come in here and touch all of my stuff.

"How about we talk about things we do know," he announces, smirking. "I'll start: I know your name isn't Kenna."

I swear my heart falls straight from my chest. Forcing my face not to react, I keep my limbs still, not wanting him to read anything from me. My cover is blown, I'm done for. He is going to tell Isaiah and I'm going to be shoved into a prison and then either cast out to be a rogue, or I'm going to be executed.

"Of course my name is Kenna..." I exclaim smoothly, sighing like I'm bothered by his games.

"Except it can't be," he notes, tilting his head back and forth. I grit my teeth, forcing myself to wait before I lash out at him, or begin threatening him. "Because you're not Kenna, and you're not the girl sent from the Love Pack."

I shake my head hopelessly. "What are you trying to prove by lying?"

"I just wanted to see your face when I blew your whole plan open," he notes, reaching out to tap the underside of my chin. Growling, I brush him off, wondering if my face is betraying me beyond my control.

"Is it because I threatened to kill you?" I ask lowly. In theory, that wasn't my best plan, but he gets under my skin so much. It's like he knows exactly what to say to anger me.

"No, I quite enjoyed that actually." He crosses the room, as if anticipating I might lash out at him. "So who are you really?"

"I'm Kenna..."

He throws his hands up. "Come on. We both know that isn't true."

Sighing, I get to my feet. The mission is over, I know that now, I just need to give myself a chance to get out of here before Isaiah finds out. Strangely, the thought of seeing him betrayed, disgusted by me, doesn't bring me as much joy as I figured it once would. In the beginnings of the rebellion, I was excited for this moment.

Striding past Zire, I open the door, motioning for him to leave. "I'm nobody. Now get out of my room."

He's still smiling, tempting my hands into fists. At this point, would it really have many consequences if I punched him with all my force? Instead, he walks up to the door and closes it again, leaning against it.

"You and I are the same, girl-who-isn't-Kenna," he murmurs quietly. Why isn't he running from the room to reveal my plan to Isaiah? "Both from the slums of this Pack, I imagine."

"You know nothing about me," I snap. "I am nothing like you."

"I'm not very well liked, however, I don't do anything to win the favour of anyone," he notes, looking over my head and out the window. The way he stands is like he's blocking me into the room. "That includes not divulging secrets."

I frown. He's trying to gain my trust, like he's promising me he doesn't intend on telling anyone about my secret...Why? I know he isn't a part of the rebellion, and he gets a lot out of his position, so why would he jeopardise that? These questions lose their momentum on my lips, figuring this all has to be nothing more than a sad trick. There is no way he is going to let me get away with this.

"Isaiah is your friend," I murmur softly.

"The best of friends, but...but I only got here learning to play my cards right." His expression is serious all of a sudden, trying to convince me.

My jaw clenches to the point of pain. "Get. Out. Of. My. Room."

"I worry you know, that Isaiah is actually interested in you more than just fucking you," he breathes, looking over me, judging me. I back away from him, hating the proximity, hating that I can smell his cologne and see every detail of his features.

"I'm charmed," I mutter flatly.

He walks at me, making me match his steps backward. My eyes linger on his body, trying to determine whether he intends on hurting me or not, but nothing reveals that. "Is that why you're here? To make him fall in love with you?"

"Get out." It's like I'm begging at this point.

"He's going to marry Elise, you don't stand a chance. If I were you, I'd get out of here," he warms. Is he giving me a chance to get out without Isaiah finding out? They don't know my name, and I could just go into hiding. That is, if Malin would even let me back into the rebellion after failing the mission.

I lick my dry lips, trying to scramble up what is left of my crumbling courage. "Are you going to tell Isaiah?"

"Maybe," he shrugs. His eyes glistening playfully, like this is nothing more than a fun joke. "Or maybe not."

I can't take that risk. I should just kill him now, even if I vowed I would never kill anyone during this process. However, I don't get the chance, as the door handle rattles, a knock sounding. Zire tenses, turning as Isaiah opens my bedroom door, looking through at the two of us standing awfully suspiciously in the centre of the room.

"What's going on in here?" Isaiah asks warily, leaning his shoulder against the doorframe.

"Just Kenna and I having a chat," Zire says simply, while I try not to throw up on the floor at his feet. "Her and I are going to be great friends."

I gape silently at him. He's not telling Isaiah, or is he wanting a more ceremonious way of mortifying me even more. Yet as I look up at Zire, he looks at me with a smile that suggests that my secret, for whatever reason, is going to remain exactly that. A secret.

"I thought you didn't like her," Isaiah questions warily.

Zire backs up toward the door, winking at me. "That was before I learnt who she really is."

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