The cold stone beneath her felt harder as the hours passed. Aidi had barely slept, her mind consumed with questions. Why had they been captured? What was Hetri really after? Every time she closed her eyes, she saw his face—his unreadable gaze, his unsettling calm. It was a dangerous mix of authority and something else, something that tugged at her in ways she couldn't explain.
But no matter how many times she ran the possibilities in her mind, one thing was clear: she couldn't trust him.
The others in the cell weren't much comfort. Julian kept to himself, his face set in grim determination, while the rest of the group quietly nursed their own wounds. They all knew they couldn't stay here long, but none of them spoke of escape plans. Not yet. Not until they had more information.
Aidi rubbed her wrists, the ropes still digging into her skin. She tried to ignore the dull throb of pain, but her frustration was mounting. The silence was maddening, the tension thick in the air.
Then, the door to their cell opened again.
Aidi's heart skipped a beat, her stomach tightening as she turned toward the figure in the doorway. She had been expecting it, but the sight of him still took her by surprise.
Hetri.
This time, his expression was different—no longer the calm mask of authority, but something else. There was a flicker of something, a brief moment where his eyes softened, but it disappeared before she could pinpoint it.
He stepped inside without saying a word, his heavy boots scraping against the stone floor. His presence filled the small cell, and Aidi could feel the weight of it on her chest. She hated him. She couldn't allow herself to feel anything else, no matter how confusing his actions were.
"What do you want?" Aidi's voice was sharp, almost biting.
Hetri's gaze flickered toward her, and for a moment, she thought she saw a flash of something in his eyes—regret, perhaps, or something darker. But it was gone before she could make sense of it.
"I came to speak with you," he said quietly, his voice low, almost reluctant.
Aidi's brow furrowed. "Speak to me?" She almost laughed, but the bitterness in her tone made it clear there was no humor to be found here. "I don't have anything to say to you."
Hetri didn't flinch, his gaze unwavering. "I know you don't trust me. And I don't expect you to. But you need to listen."
Aidi stood, her body stiff with anger. "Listen? To what? To more lies? To more of your manipulations?"
For a moment, Hetri didn't respond. He simply looked at her with an expression that seemed to search for something. Then, slowly, he spoke again, his voice quieter now.
"It's not what you think. I didn't capture you for some petty reason." He paused, as if weighing his next words. "I'm not your enemy, Aidi."
Aidi's mind raced. This couldn't be happening. He was the one who had captured them. He was the one who had them locked in a cell. And now he was telling her he wasn't her enemy?
"You're lying," Aidi spat, her fists clenching at her sides. "Everything about you screams 'enemy.' You don't get to stand there and tell me otherwise."
Hetri took a slow step forward, the tension between them palpable. His eyes didn't leave hers. "I'm not lying. But I can't explain everything now. You're not ready."
Aidi felt a surge of frustration. "I'm not ready? You think I care about your explanations? You took us captive, and now you expect me to listen to you? Why don't you just tell me what your plan is, Hetri? What do you want with us?"
His silence was answer enough.
"We're not here for some twisted power play," he said after a long pause, his voice softer than before. "There's something bigger happening. And I need your help to stop it."
Aidi's breath caught in her throat. "Help?" she echoed, incredulous. "You expect me to help you after everything you've done?"
Hetri didn't flinch. "If you want to stop the chaos that's coming, then yes. You're the only one who can."
Aidi's mind was a blur. Chaos? Stop it? Was he being serious? After all this time, after everything they'd been through, now he was asking for her help?
She shook her head, trying to make sense of it. "You can't possibly think I'll believe you. Everything you've shown me is the opposite of trust."
Hetri's jaw clenched, but there was no anger in his eyes—only a quiet, unsettling resolve. "I never asked you to trust me. I only need you to understand the truth."
Aidi was silent, the words hanging heavily in the air. Part of her wanted to argue, to yell at him, to demand answers. But another part of her—the part that had always trusted her instincts—knew that something was off. There was a deeper game being played here, and Hetri was at the center of it.
"You say you need my help," Aidi said slowly, her voice steady despite the storm brewing inside her. "But why me? Why us?"
Hetri's eyes narrowed slightly. "Because you have something that they need. Something only you can give them."
Aidi's heart skipped a beat. "Who needs us?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper. "Who are 'they'?"
Hetri didn't answer right away. Instead, he stepped closer, his gaze intense. "I can't tell you everything now. But soon, you'll see. You'll understand why this is happening. And why you're the key to stopping it."
Aidi felt her pulse quicken, a feeling of unease washing over her. "You still haven't explained anything. Just more riddles."
Hetri looked at her, his expression almost wistful. "Not everything can be explained in a few words, Aidi. But you will see. You'll have your answers soon."
With that, he turned and left, leaving her standing in the cold, dark cell. Aidi didn't know whether to be furious, confused, or terrified. One thing was certain—whatever this was, it was far from over.
And Hetri was at the heart of it.