Chapter Eighteen

What are Gina's plans?

The sun has risen lighting the way for Asha and Tygra as they continued to march their way through the forest in search of their camp. Asha stopped for a moment, rubbing sleepily at her eyes; tired from walking most of the night. She looked to Tygra who was now a few paces ahead of her, and rushed to her side. "Why do you think it would be a good idea to return to camp anyway?"

"If I know anything about Jade," Tygra began carefully stepping over some fallen tree limbs, "that would be the first place she would head. Once we regroup with her, we can find the others."

"And what if she didn't return to camp?"

Tygra grinned as the two tents came into sight. "We'll find out soon enough." She replied and walked out of the forest into the clearing of the camp. They immediately saw Gina kneeling beside Rose, dabbing her forehead with a wet cloth. Tygra walked towards her with Asha shortly behind. "What's going on?"

Gina suddenly looked up to her nearly jumping to her feet in joy. "Oh, thank the heavens you are here!" She rushed over to them switching her gaze between the two rapidly. "Rose is near the brink of death!"

"Hold on a minute!" Tygra said sternly not sure if she heard her correctly. "What's wrong with Rose?"

"She was poisoned-"
"Poisoned?" Asha cried, rushing to Rose‘s side kneeling beside her. She placed a hand onto her forehead her brows rising in discontent. "She's burning up!"

Tygra looked back to Gina. "How'd this happen?"

"Something about a trap." Gina explained more calmly. "She said something about triggering it while traveling through the woods."

“Alright,” Tygra began taking a step towards her ailing friend, “I’m going to heal her-”

Gina stepped out before her blocking her path. “I am sorry but that is not possible.”

“And why not?” Asha questioned standing to her feet. “I mean if she is able to heal her then why-”

“The poison is made in such a way that the body’s natural defenses cannot protect itself against it.”

“Which means?”

“Which means my powers will do nothing to help her.” Tygra said glumly as she looked down to Rose. “My powers only enhance the body’s healing process…” Tygra walked towards Rose. “Isn’t there anything that we can do for her?”

Gina turned from her, her gaze falling to the ground. “Well, there is one cure…”

"Then tell us what it is already!" Asha snapped stepping towards her.

“As in legend, it is said that the only way to cure such a poison is to have her drink the shards of the Water Stone.” She turned back to them, her face filled with sorrow. “That is, if the Guardian of Water permits it.”

"But she has to die in order to remove the stone…" Asha said quietly looking from Gina to Tygra. "There has to be some other way. Are you sure she can't just heal her? Why do you need her stone?"

"She doesn't." Drake said coming out from within the forest with Jade at his side.

Gina’s innocent gaze vanished once she laid eyes on him. "I thought you left."

"Of course you did." Drake said with a devious smile. "Otherwise you would have said you needed the Earth Stone."

"What are you talking about?" Tygra questioned walking towards them.

Drake looked to her. "She told us she needed the Earth Stone." His gaze switched back to Gina; her eyes were clouded with fury. "She said it was the only way to save Rose now."

Gina clenched her fists at her sides. "You have no right to say such things!"

"Yet you are the one who said it." Jade said stepping forward. She then placed a hand to her left temple. "Gina…what is going on with you…?" She said wearily.

"Jade? What's wrong?" Tygra said walking towards her.

"Gina," Jade said again, brushing past Tygra. "What's going on here? Why do I feel as if you have two agendas?"

Gina's hard exterior crumbled as she looked off to the side, avoiding Jade's eyes.

"Jade-?" Asha began coming closer.

"Quiet!" She snapped not taking her eyes of Gina. "I can help you Gina." She held her arms out towards the others. "We all can help you if you just tell us what is going on."

"There is nothing to help!" She hissed, looking to her, a hint of desperation in her eyes. "If we don't help Rose-"

"She doesn't need help." A voice said from behind. They all turned to see Haru walking towards them in slow strides, a shrewd grin crossing over his features once his gaze fell on Gina.

"Where have you been?" Drake asked studying him carefully.

"Doing a little investigating." He said walking towards Gina. "I was watching you the whole time Gina." He took hold of her right wrist, forcing open her clenched fist. In her hand were five little red tablets. "I saw you give her a few of these before. They’re not lethal but I’ll bet they give you all the symptoms of being poisoned."
"Why?" Asha questioned looking from Haru to Gina. "Why would you do such a thing?"

"Because," Jade started looking over to Gina, "something happened to her."

"Nothing happened!" Gina cried turning to flee but Haru only tightened his grip around her wrist.

Jade took a few steps closer. "You can't hide it from me." She stated her voice calm, hypnotic. "You supposedly went looking for Rose, but really went looking for Alester."

"Alester?" Tygra asked fury burning within her eyes. "What does he have to do with this?"

"Do you want to tell them or should I?" Jade asked studying her.

"It doesn't matter what you say Jade." Gina said with a sneer. "You have been acting strangely lately, how do they know you are not just imagining all of this?"

"Maybe they do." Jade said with a sly smile. "But it doesn't change the fact that you are a spy."

"A spy?" Asha asked looking to her suspiciously. "I don't believe it…"

Gina looked smugly towards Jade. "What did I tell you?"

"Quiet!" Jade yelled, chilling Gina down to the bone. "You have no right to speak."

"But, Jade," Asha began her eyes narrowed from deep thought. "How could she be a spy? She helped us plenty of times. Why would she do that?"

"To make us believe she was on our side." Tygra stated looking from Jade to Asha. "It's the same thing Magmiss did to Caleb." She then looked to Gina. "The only thing I don't understand is why?"

"She was waiting for the perfect opportunity to take one of you out." Drake said looking to Tygra. "That much is obvious."

"And to see if whatever she did to me was working." Jade said through clenched teeth.

The group looked to Jade. "What do you mean?" Asha questioned.

"I don't know what you are talking about." Gina said looking away from Jade.

"Don't you play dumb with me!" Jade yelled irately taking a step closer. "You're messing with my head here. Now tell me what you did!"

Gina looked back to her and laughed. "You think I'd tell you? Considering I am an alleged spy?"

Tygra took a step forward raising her whip before her. "If you value your life you will."

Gina looked to her daringly. "I'm not afraid of your threats-"

"Of course you’re not." Jade cut in; their gazes locked. "You already live in hell, isn't that right?" Gina broke eye contact. "Why don't you drop the act and tell us what Alester is holding against you. We could possibly help."

"It's too late to help…" Gina said with tears in her eyes; her hardened exterior finally coming down. "He already took what was most dear to me and if I do not do what he asks he will kill them."

"Kill who?" Haru questioned releasing Gina's wrist.

“My parents…” she said quietly, feeling tears coming to her eyes as she rubbed soothingly at her sore wrist. “My village was attacked by this new Dark Lord, Alester.” She wiped angrily at her eyes while she spoke. “Whoever he did not kill, he recruited; whether by their choice or by his manipulation.”

Tygra looked back to Drake. She knew the feeling well when Drake had been taken by Caleb…it seemed like so many years ago, but here they are now, history repeating itself but this time with this young girl standing before them.

Gina took in a deep breath, so deep her lungs felt as though they were to burst. She then exhaled, willing herself to calm down. “If I do not do as he says, he told me he will kill them.” Her gaze then shifted to Jade who looked intently at her. “As far as your mind, Alester is the one who did this to you…I have only been here to monitor it.”

“But why only me?” Jade questioned through gritted teeth. “Why did he choose my mind to screw with?”

Gina closed her eyes. “Because your mind is already linked to the physic world. He had an easier time seeping into your subconscious.” She shook her head, her eyes watering once more. “I’m sorry but I cannot do anything for you Jade. Your mind will keep slipping away the longer Alester lives.