Rachel's POV:
The lake of sand burned at our feet as the sun began to set. We've been hiking up and down dunes for hours in the heat. Bayron was at the front, leading us to this safe place.
"Just a bit longer and we'll make camp." She called over her shoulder. We all groaned, heaving our way through the Scorch.

After some time, I began to see a mountain formation through waves of heat. Sharp rocks scattered along our path to the mountain's shadow. The closer we got to the mountain line, the more clearly I could see all the little cliffs and ledges.
"Where the heck is this place?" I asked Bayron. She smirked.
"Safety. Just up top is where we'll make camp."
"Wait, you mean we're gonna climb this thing after walking miles in a hot desert?" Anna jutted in.
"You can stay down here by yourself if you're not happy." Bayron's face folded in uncertainty.
"That's fine with me, I wouldn't want to follow some sketchy WICKED girl up a mountain anyways."
"Excuse you? I helped save your asses in the first place!"
"Hey! Calm down. Both of you." Ashlyn separated the two with a shove. "We'll make camp here at the foot of the mountains, seeing how exhausted we all are."
"No, we have to go to the top!" Bayron threw her hands up in her face. Ashlyn lingered for a moment in thought before looking around the group.
"All that would like to stay here in the dunes come with me. The rest go with Bayron. We shall re-group in the morning."
"You're saying we should spilt up?" Skylar shook his head in disbelief. Ashlyn pursed her lips.
"Skylar you'll be in charge of the second group."
"You've got to be kidding me," Bayron pulled on Skylar's shoulder. Grace, Theo, and I followed the two to the base of the mountain. Ashlyn, Anna, Meson, and Julie stayed at the bottom where they'd make their camp.
"Let's start climbing," Bayron pulled herself up into a handhold.
"Or, we could fly." Skylar argued, black feathery wings spread out on his back. I stretched out my own pair of lapis blue wings, and Grace with her baby blue pair. Theo looked starry eyed at us.
"I vote for flying!" She hugged the side of my waist. Warmth flattered me as I held her. Bayron turned and sneered, latching onto Skylar. We thrusted ourselves up into the air, flying closer and closer to the top of the mountain.

Theo let go of me as soon as my feet hit the moonlit sand.
"That was amazing!" She exclaimed, giddy from being in the air. My wings vanished, along with Grace and Skylar's. The five of us shivered in the darkness as a cold breeze picked up.
"I'm going to look for stuff for camp..." Bayron disappeared into the shadows. We shrugged and relaxed sitting in a little circle. Having some light conversation, a whisper echoed in my head.
"Bayron has trapped you...we are coming to retrieve you and your friends shortly..."
"Wait what?"  I questioned the voice. There was no response. I thought I was going insane.
Just then, Bayron emerged from the shadows.
"Miss me?" There was a devious glint in her eye. My face went cold, and my head felt light and cloudy. I stood. What was I doing?
"You're a traitor." The words rolled out of my mouth. My friends looked confused. I marched over to Bayron, feeling disconnected from my body.
"Rachel?" Theo stumbled up from her spot in the sand. Bayron held up her hands and took a step back. I grabbed for her handgun in her belt. She tried to push me, and we rolled into a fistfight. I punched her in the face, giving her a bloody nose, as she kicked me in the chest. We struggled for some time, until I got hold of the gun.
Skylar and Grace watched in shock. Theo rushed over and tried to pull me off. I elbowed her in the jaw until she backed away. I rose to my feet trembling. Bayron laid on her back, holding her head, and looked up at me. Theo screamed. All I could hear was my heart pulsing in my ears. I looked her dead in the eyes. She didn't seem frightened, just oddly relaxed.
"Do it. Prove to us your use." She smirked. What Bayron said confused me for a moment, but whatever was controlling me didn't let me stay that way for long.
I pulled the trigger.