The next morning when I woke up I felt entirely healed. I quickly jumped up and changed into my workout clothes and went downstairs to the kitchen to grab some breakfast. I felt a jolt go through my body when I saw Cody in the kitchen eating an apple and talking to Andy. They both looked over at me when I came in and an almost identical smirk appeared on both their faces. I ignored both them and the uneasy feeling in my stomach, going to the fridge and grabbing a pear to eat.
“Feeling better, Elaine?” Cody asked, sounding amused.
I turned around to face him feeling paranoid. Had he not believed Ash’s story? “Yep.” I answered.
“Good. I have a mission for you.”
“What?” I choked out in shock.
“I want you to go with Zach on a mission, just as a tester to see how you do.”
By this time I was past coherency and just stared at him with big eyes.
“You leave tomorrow morning. Zach will fill you in on the details.”
“I-wai-wha-huh?!” I sputtered out.
“Zach will explain everything later, now go to your lessons.” Cody told me, his smirk growing at my shock.
I gave them one more unsure look before turning around and heading for the gym.
“Morning, Elaine!” Ash said cheerfully when she looked up and saw me walk in. But then she took a closer look at my face. “What’s wrong?” she demanded, her cheerful expression quickly replaced by an intense look.
“Cody’s sending me out with Zach on a mission tomorrow morning.”
“What?!” Ash strode quickly over to me an grabbed my shoulders. “What did he say?”
I told her about our exchange and she was quiet for a second before heading for the door.
“Ash, what are you doing?”
“I’m going to go talk to Cody.” she replied, her hand already opening the door.
My eyes widened. “No!” I told her running forward and grabbing her back into the room. “You can’t go and try to change his mind!”
“I have too.” she fumed angrily. She looked like she was about to go on but I cut her off.
“No Ash, it’s fine. Cody won’t listen to you, you know he won’t!”
“I won’t let him make you kill someone!”
I grabbed her hand with mine, desperately trying to get her to calm down. “If I play my cards right, I won’t have too. I’ll be with Zach, Ash.”
“That’s my other problem.” Ash muttered.
“I know, mine too. But if they want me to fall in love with Zach, then he won’t try to get me to murder someone.He’ll be confident that eventually I will kill someone to please him.”
Ash looked at me with a very displeased look on her face. “I just don’t want you to go through what I did.”
My resolve wavered for a moment. I wanted nothing more than to go beg Cody to not make me go. But I knew I was right, he would probably make me go on even more missions if I asked him to let me stay here.
“Well come on, lets get to work.” I told her, finally succeeding in getting a small smile back on to her face.
“Since when are you excited for our lessons?” she asked.
“Since we became friends.” I answered, making her smile even more.
“Well then lets get started.”
YOU ARE READING
The Assassin's Shadow
Paranormal***Top 55 of Harlequin's So You Think You Can Write Contest*** Elaine Archer didn’t always know she was different, not until her accident in sixth grade. A fall that should have killed her left her with nothing, not even a scar to flaunt as proof o...
