Ethan's POV

The scream made me jump and my heart leaped to my throat. When the sound ceased there was dead silence, no one wanted to do anything. I didn't blink and I hardly breathed for a full minute.

He's killing her, he's killing her. The words played over and over in my head. These thoughts reminded me about early this morning when we had ran from the same jail I was in now.

He shot her, he shot her,

Shai kept on repeating those words as if the meaning would change if she said it enough.

Wait. I turned to look behind me and I saw Shai's parents standing stock still. Both of her parents. Rufus didn't shoot Shai's mother. I suddenly really really wanted to tell her. I imagined how she'd take the news. She'd smile and be so relieved, she would be able to think clear and get us out of here. I smiled to myself as I thought about it, I liked when she was like that, able to keep a clear head in situations and come up with a plan. I liked her anyway, she was protective and sassy and brave. I was beyond sad when I remembered I might never see her alive again.

"You okay?" Jade asked sitting next to me. I nodded. "Yeah, I was just kidnapped by my parents, got my friends taken hostage, and now Shai's being tortured. Today's a winner." I said in a glum low whisper. She rolled her eyes.

"Aren't you her protector? Shouldn't you be, you know, protecting her?" She said her voice equally low. I shook my head. "That's just it! How am I supposed to protect her when I can't even keep you or mom and dad or even them safe?" I asked motioning to a silent Kiara and Alex.

"Listen," She said with surprising emotion. "We're not your priority. We're not the ones Rufus is hurting." She cocked her chin towards the door. "She is. So you better figure out a way to save her and the rest of us are going to help."

"Why do I have to come up with the plan?" I said without much passion.

"Because you've been involved longer than the rest of us, plus saving the Chosen One is kind of your job." I looked at Jade and she looked at me. She was right about everything, I knew that perfectly well. So I relented. I got to my feet. "Fine." I said. Jade, to my surprise, hugged me.

As Jade hugged me I remembered what Shai had said about wanting a sister. I looked at the rest of Sibuna and I smiled. We weren't her siblings, but we were closer than that. We weren't her friends, but we'll be there for her. But we are Sibuna, and we're going to get her out of this alive.

"Okay guys we can't just wait here we need to do something." I said. It was needless. Kiara and Alex were already waiting to hear what had to be said and Shai's parents were watching intently. I hadn't thought about what to say but as I talked a plan took shape in my mind.

"Rufus needs us for something. If he didn't he would've killed us by now. I say we exploit that reason and use it to get all of us out of here." Before I could continue Kiara interrupted me.

"Yeah, but what is that reason?"

"I don't know." I admitted. "But, we will figure it out and we'll work with it." A second scream shattered the air. Sharper than before and louder. I tried hard to keep calm. "And we need to do it soon." I concluded, my ears still echoing from the sound of her misery.

Shai's POV

I thought back to about an hour ago. It already seemed like such a long time.

Rufus had grabbed me out of the car and pulled me along through the front door instead of the back were the others were being taken. I tried to pull away from Rufus but he kept his grip and he continued to push me along. I was forced into a dull square room like the rest of them, but this room wasn't a cell, it was above ground and on a simple desk in the corner of the room there was a set of monitors.

So he was watching us, I thought to myself. I looked around the room to get a better bearing of my cage. There was no windows and the room was nearly identical to the rest with nothing different except for the security. Then I noticed something strange, the door had no locks on it. No locks, and nothing blocking it. Strange. Despite the fact that the escape would be almost too simple for it to be an accident I tried the doorknob.

"Going somewhere?" I nearly had a heart attack when Rufus stepped out of the shadows and blocked the doorway.

I was about to say no when I noticed the white bandages on his shoulder. "What happened to you?" I asked. He paused. "Your mother decided she wanted save you, so she shot me." I couldn't help it, I laughed.

"DON'T YOU DARE LAUGH AT ME, CHILD!" He stepped forward in his fit if rage and I instinctively stepped back. He calmed himself down before turning on me again. "I suggest you be cooperative while you're hear if you value the safety of your friends and family." I said nothing. It was smarter that way.

"The songbird finally shuts up." My heartbeat went up a couple notches when I heard the chilly comment behind me. I turned around and I saw someone I didn't see before. He was wispy and fragile looking almost like smoke. It was then that I realized he looked like Sarah, he was a spirit. I watched as Rufus walked towards him calmly. My fear multiplied. He was just a spirit, he was a spirit working for Rufus. The spirit's gaze fixed on me and he began making his way to where I stood. I finally backed up against the wall. There was nowhere else to go.

"So this is what the Gods gave to the world. A skinny, weak willed, 15 year-old girl." I didn't like how close he was to me. Even though he was dead his eyes were very much alive and they were dancing with anger and blood lust. "You're almost as pitiful as that sniffling King Tut I was forced to eliminate. He was a stupid Chosen One too." I suddenly realized who stood before me the Pharaoh Aye. He proceeded King Tut after he was killed. And he also ordered the murder of the boy king. (A/N-I read all of this information in a James Patterson book, I'm not sure how much is true.)

"You'll have your chance, Aye. I need her for now." Aye's face contorted with rage for a split second then they smoothed over. "Very well. But for the Chosen One a single glimpse at the pain she will endure after you are through with her." Aye grabbed my wrist at first ice seemed to coat my skin. Cold settled into my body making my bones shiver. The chill was soon replaced with immense heat. The ice was replaced with lava burning into me melting me down to nothing. A sharp scream escaped my throat and tears welled up in my eyes. "Enough." I heard Rufus bark. Aye released me and the pain subsided. Without another word Aye walked through me and the wall behind me taking my breath with him.

Air wouldn't return to my lungs and dark spots danced before my vision. I dropped to my knees unable to stand and then I collapsed to the floor. Reality swayed and I was pulled into the mercy of darkness, I was safe. For now.