"I…" Lilia's voice slurred; she could barely speak, and her body felt heavy. She tried again, but all she could do was cough. Her throat felt like sandpaper.

Sonia was busy writing something down. "Ah, so the subject's body isn't fully functioning but conscious." She sighed. "That's why working on Life Elementals is such a pain. Their metabolism is so high that any drug used wears off too quickly, and they heal any incisions in hours." She gave Lilia a sideways look and smiled. "Fascinating,"

Lilia didn't like the look in this woman's eyes, not one bit. She felt like an insect under a microscope.

However, that gave her a thought. The only time Miss. Sonia Duncan spoke to Lilia directly when Conner fell out of the tree. Then, as soon as they got to the Ruined City, Sonia disappeared like it was all orchestrated.

Still, none of that mattered; she was still at this woman's mercy. "How long…?" Lilia managed to get out.

"Have been watching you." Sonia finished gleefully. "Very perspective of you. A little too late, though." She laughed. "But what if I tell you that I was interested in you when we met." Lilia felt like throwing up, and that woman laughed again. Then her tone turned snide. "Kidding. Who would be interested in a defect like you? I would like to say." She allowed her glasses to fall down her nose, showing Lilia her flashing eyes.

Yes, I get that you're a Lumeye, Lilia thought. Like I'm not frigging scared out of my mind already.

"No, my main objective was kidnapping Miss Castie. Infiltrating Towers Academy, coming to Compound 8, and participating in the Trial were all for that goal. You were merely a side business," Sonia replied flippantly. My ability made it easy," she continued. "However, my objective did change when you came into the picture."

Lilia thought that Sonia's Ability was like hers—not her telepathy, but the other one—mind control. However, something in the back of Lilia's mind said it didn't quite fit, like the Nomads, who couldn't approach until Sonia's disappearance. So, it must be an external factor.

Then the realization hit her, and Lilia couldn't believe she hadn't seen it before. The only thing that Lilia could think of was that she had had a constant headache and dizzy spells since the Trial started. Usually, that happened when her senses were overstimulated, and it could only be one thing: "Through smell."

"Pheromones, actually. You'd be surprised how much you can do with them." Sonia stated gleefully, "It's so fun to see how easily everyone twists around my little finger. However, you reacted differently, another reason why Life Elements are so hard to deal with." She scoffed. It would have been a lot easier to kill one of the twins than going after you… However, My Lord wanted to make sure you're dead."

Her mind was whirling. Why do all this just to kill her? She didn't understand any of it. It was like this woman was speaking another language. And she said about Terran and Heather? This woman was sickening.

"Are you wondering why?" Sonia continued. "So did I." She got up and strolled toward Lilia. "Why would a defective be of any interest of My Lord." She then reached out, and Lilia moved away but stopped. No, something stopped her. Lilia looked to find her hands chained to the wall. "I'll be very impressed if you get out of those things. I had them made by someone who has a knack for making trinkets. So even with your whole strength, I highly doubt you'll break free. So sit still, and… Don't! Move!" Sonia ordered.

Lilia glared, pissed off. She had enough and didn't want to play Sonia's games anymore. "No."

"You don't listen well, do you." Suddenly, her glasses glowed blue, and she moved her fingers. Then, the thin string of something touched my cheek, leaving a trail of blood in its wake. "Now, stay still. If you act up again, we'll be forced to end our chat early." Suddenly, the pressure wasn't around my neck anymore, and the string was around her finger. It was easier to see how fast the liquid was moving, soaked with Lilia's blood. Then she drank it down like water, and her glasses turned red. "Yum, are you willing to stay still like a good little girl? Right."

Lilia didn't move an inch. Sonia seemed to take that as compliance. "Good. Now, why didn't I kill you yet?" This woman really liked the sound of her own voice." Testing you, maybe? Besides, I wasn't much in a hurry; you wouldn't leave the Ruined City alive, anyway." Sonia gave Lilia a knowing look. "However, That Protector fight and your singing were quite a surprise. And how do you put that Protector to sleep? Now, that impressed me. Alas, that wasn't the reason why I wanted to confirm something."

Sonia gave Lilia an expectant look, and Lilia sighed but managed to grind out. "What?"

"Hmm, maybe you're eyes. You have such pretty eyes," Sonia came close, and Lilia tried not to flinch away. "Cyan. I have only seen two other people of that same colour." Sonia ran her hand against my cheek and stopped at the edge of my eye. Her glasses turned Cyan. "And my Lord is one of them. So it got me thinking." Her other hand travelled down and landed on my arm brace. Then Sonia dug her nails in and tore the brace off. Revealing Lilia's falcon leopard tattoo.

Sonia laughed. "Oh, this is just great. No wonder My Lord wanted you dead. Oh, the things I could do with you." Then, there was a knock on the door, and Sonia gave Lilia a forewarned look. "I have to go work and all, but I have a gift." Sonia put on gloves and something that looked like a collar. "See this; this collar was made to suppress a Lumeye's ability. However, in some, their abilities overload until…well, you know." Sonia came close and whispered in Lilia's ear as her hand snuck up and traced one of Lilia's scars. Evidence that she almost imploded, taking in too much power while fighting Shadow. "I wonder which one are you?"

Suddenly, she felt something cold around her neck. "I'm going to leave you now. I regret not staying to watch. If you survive, I would like to examine you further, but what my Lord wants, he gets, and knowing him, he'll want you to suffer." She headed for the door, but not before she released multiple water strings around the room. Lilia stiffened as one of those strings came close around her neck. "And this will finish the job… you know, just in case you don't implode."

Lilia tried to claw at the collar in a panic. No! No! No! But she couldn't do anything. Her body still wasn't working right.

That was when Sonia's voice broke through her panic. "He wanted you to suffer, right?" There was a pause then. "Oh, I forgot to tell you. We have your sister. Don't worry; we'll take good care of her."

Ruined City

Terran ducked down just as a Zombie swiped at his head when an explosion almost threw him off his feet. Bewildered, he called out. "What was that?"

Katy cried out through his walkie. "Heather's sniper fell into the street. She might be in trouble. We're going after her!"

"No, it's too risky! Retreat!" Captain Terrence ordered. "Mr. Collins, what…"

"Hmm," Terran was staring at his hands, his mind in a cloud. There was an emptiness, just like the time with Bryson. "Heather she…. No, not Heather." He could still feel Heather.

A shot rang out, taking down a Zombie inches away from Terran. "Terran, wake up."

"Huh."

Then Tessa's voice broke through in a panic. "Sil's gone, just disappeared. Right in front of me? I don't know what's going on!"

"Lilia," Terran whispered, falling to his knees.