A/N – read chapter one! :D it's been rewritten ~

What The Door Conceals
by quicksilver rain

Prologue - Trapped
[ also known as In the Sue Headquarters ]

"#§$%!" hissed Jolyn, sucking in a breath. My own was becoming shallow, heart thumping furiously against my ribcage.

"Guys, listen," I whispered urgently, trying to ignore the throbbing pain in my leg. They all leaned in; even Alli stopped trying to yank my leg off. "You guys need to get out of here. That day, when Victoria briefed me, she gave me a Babylon candle."

"What?" their unanimous shock was evident on their faces.

"How's that possible?" demanded Alli. "There aren't supposed to be any more in existence!"

"No time to explain," I ground out, gritting my teeth. "You need to use the Babylon candle and get out."

"NO." Jess snapped. "We're not leaving you here, Vem."

"Yeah," chipped in Jay. "It's either we all leave, or we don't leave."

I sighed at their obstinacy and sought out Melissa in the group. More than often, she was the only one with any common sense amongst all of us. Our eyes met, and behind her frameless glasses she gave me a stiff nod. A nod of agreement. A nod of friendship. She reached for my hand and squeezed it, tightly, and I slipped the candle into her palm, along with Ariadne's spool of thread.

"Anyone has a lighter?" I asked the group at large.

"Don't even think about it," Cassiel scowled. He yanked hard at the metal jaws chomping down on my lower leg, but to no avail. It simply refused to budge.

"There's no time," I cried. "There's no time left. Ebony will be here anytime soon, the trap probably set off a million alarms with it." Cassiel squeezed my shoulder, his green eyes not once leaving mine.

"We're not leaving without you," he whispered, his tone serious. I shut my eyes to block out the impenetrating green. "Just go, Cassiel. Go now before you regret it - "

And at this moment, the bars clamped down on every exit.

"Shit!" I swore as green mist began flooding the room - the same green mist that covered Dark Island, that prevented all magic from working in the room. I clenched my fists. It was too late.

And then a voice, ringing out of the smoke - "Well, this is a pleasant surprise."

A/N - prologue prologue prologue. /nods

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