*
It was dark. Not just night time dark, but so dark she couldn’t see her nose. She wasn’t sure exactly what happened. One second she was crying on the floor of her cell. Then some man with white eyes came and took her saying she was going to be released. Then everything went black. All she knew now was that her hands were chained to a cold stone wall and that no matter how loud she screamed no one had come. Her heart wrenched as she settled into her new idea of what life would bring. Just as she was starting to think it wouldn’t be so bad she was proven wrong. But she didn’t really care about herself, Lex was in trouble and despite the fact at first she was angry with Luke. She worried for him as well. What kind of life had he led these past five years?
Out of the silence came a scraping noise like a heavy door moving across the floor then light shot in blinding her making her clench her eyes shut. When the door closed again she opened them and saw nothing. There was a heavy breathing on the other side of what she could tell was a long room. “Who’s there?” She asked quietly not really sure she wanted to know.
The soft steps came closer. “It’s me.” She heard then a snap and soft lights came on lighting Luke’s face that was twisted in anger and disgust.
“Luke? What are you doing here?”
He came to her and was undoing the manacles around her wrist. His eyes intent on what he was doing. “I’m getting you out of here.”
“No.” She said automatically. He stopped staring at her. “I don’t know what’s going on but I know that if you’re caught…”
He went back to work releasing one hand then the next. “I don’t care Jacks. No one will ever hurt you again.” She rubbed her wrists.
“What about Lex, is he..”
“He’s alive.” Jacky leaned up and hugged Luke wanting to cry again. His arms came around her and tightened. “I’m so sorry Jacks. I should have never left you.”
“What are you talking about? You’re a telepath, it’s only natural you’d be given a powerful position in Sway. I would’ve just pulled you down.”
He grabbed her face with his hands firmly catching her off guard as he stared into her eyes, his jaw set in anger. “Don’t ever say that! You never pulled me down. Jacks, if it wasn’t for you, my life would mean nothing. Everything I did was to make you proud of me.” She wasn’t sure how to react, their eyes locked her chest felt heavy. He relaxed back letting go of her face and sighed. “Come on lets get you out of here.” He took her hand and started pulling her to the door when it began opening. Luke stopped.
*
“Luke. What are you doing here?” The Headmaster asked. The king was standing next to him and his eyes were set on Jacky who was hiding behind Luke, his hand still clutching hers.
“I was about to ask you the same thing Headmaster. I was wondering when we became flesh dealers for loathsome reprobates?”
“Watch your words Black Born!” The king’s attention snapped to him. “I am king here. The girl is mine and you will not speak of this to anyone.”
Luke pulled himself up straight tightening his grip on Jacky. “No I don’t think you understand. You see I’ve been reading you this whole time. Both of you.” The Headmaster’s eyes widened.
“It’s forbidden! This is treason!” The king shouted.
Luke put on the coldest smile. “Headmaster, I think perhaps you haven’t been entirely honest with the king about my abilities have you? You see your majesty, I could stand here and kill both of you before you even had a chance to scream. But then I could make you scream and no one would hear you. The rebels are right now rescuing a certain prisoner, there’s no one around.”
Usually Luke hated killing but now, his anger boiling inside of him was ready to without hesitation. In face he was enjoying the fear that was freezing the king’s insides. The Headmaster however was less afraid of dying and more afraid of loosing his power over the Black Born. “Luke.” Jacky cried quietly.
“What do you want Luke?” Headmaster asked at least sounding calm.
Luke laughed darkly. “Honestly sir. I want you dead. You’ve not only mislead me and every other Born in Sway. But you’ve helped in the killing of hundreds of Giftless woman. You’ve betrayed the people of Sway and to be honest…. you disgust me. Even more so then him.” He motioned to the king. “He’s a degenerate sadomasochistic piece of filth but you’ve been using him all this time to rule Sway from the shadows.”
“Gregor?” The king turned to him accusingly.
Headmaster’s eyes narrowed staring hard at Luke. “You’ll pay for this boy.”
“Will I?” Concentrating, he took a deep breath forcing his way into their minds. They both clutched at their skulls as if trying to pry him out. Their screams echoed off the chamber walls.
“Luke! Stop you’re going to kill them!” Jacky stepped in front of him but he continued.
“That’s the idea Jacks. They won’t let us go now. This is the only way. If you’ve seen what they’ve done…” He gritted his teeth against the strain. His headmaster was trained to resist mental attacks but Luke was stronger than any telepath in fifty years. The king’s nose began to bleed he didn’t have much time left.
“Please Luke, don’t.”
Her wavering tearful voice made him look at her. Her eyes glistened with tears, he closed his, feeling the king’s life slipping away. The Headmaster was unconscious his ears and nose bleeding out from his own strain fighting. Luke released him and sagged forward tired from using so much energy. Jacky caught him. “Come on, let’s get out of here.”
