The Ground Level Of Deception

Selene sat on the edge of the bed, her back rigid, her breathing measured. The events of the past hour still echoed through her mind, the coldness in Lucian's voice, the way he had let her walk away as if she had already lost but she hadn't lost, not yet. She lifted her wrist slightly, feeling the indentation left by his grip. It wasn't bruised, not physically, but there was something about the way he had touched her firmly as if testing her reactions; staying with her, like he was conditioning her, forcing her to believe that resistance was futile. She exhaled slowly, pushing the thought away. Lucian wanted her to doubt herself, he wanted her to feel trapped even when she wasn't but he had made a mistake. Her fingers moved to the hidden key, pressing it into her palm. He hadn't found it which meant there was still a way forward, still something he didn't control then the door unlocked. Selene's spine straightened instantly as she turned toward the entrance, Eve stepped inside. Her gaze flickered toward Selene's hands, but she said nothing about them. Instead, she closed the door behind her and leaned against it, her expression unreadable. 'You're lucky," Eve said softly. 'He could have handled things differently tonight."Selene's lips pressed together. 'He's saving it for later." Eve didn't deny it. Instead, she studied Selene, her eyes sharper than usual. 'Do you have any idea what you've done?"Selene met her gaze evenly. 'I tested him."But Eve shook her head. 'No, you escalated things." Selene exhaled. 'Would it have made a difference? He already sees me as a challenge." Eve hesitated, then took a step closer. 'Lucian doesn't play with challenges, Selene, he eliminates them." Selene kept her expression neutral, but her pulse quickened slightly. Eve's voice dropped lower. 'He's waiting." Selene frowned. 'For what?" Eve exhaled, glancing toward the door. 'For you to make another mistake and when you do, it won't be a lecture or a warning." Selene swallowed, her mind racing. Eve took another step forward, lowering her voice. 'You need to be careful now, more careful than before." Selene searched her face for a moment. 'Why do you care?" Eve didn't respond immediately, she glanced toward the small table by the window, running her fingers along the polished wood. 'Because I know what happens when he stops being patient." Selene inhaled slowly. 'And what happened to you?" Eve's hand stilled. 'I learned." Selene clenched her fists slightly. 'You're still here." Eve turned back toward her, something unreadable in her eyes. 'I know how to survive." Selene studied her carefully, Eve wasn't like the others, she wasn't afraid of Lucian, not the way the guards were, but there was something deeply restrained about her. Selene's fingers twitched slightly. 'Help me."Eve blinked. 'What?" 'You don't want to be here and I sure as hell don't." Selene kept her voice even. 'Help me get out."Eve's expression shifted. 'You don't understand…" 'I understand more than you think." Selene leaned forward slightly. 'Lucian isn't invincible, he makes mistakes so if you've been close to him for this long, you know where they are." Eve's jaw tightened. 'You don't get it, Selene, escaping isn't as simple as running out of a door." Selene narrowed her eyes. 'It's not impossible either."Eve hesitated. Selene pressed further. 'If you don't want to help me, fine but don't pretend you're happy here." Eve let out a slow breath. 'Happiness has nothing to do with survival." Selene exhaled sharply. 'Then let's survive somewhere else." The silence stretched between them then Eve's fingers curled slightly at her side. 'If I help you, and we fail, he won't just punish you." Her gaze darkened. 'He'll kill me." Selene's chest tightened slightly. 'Then we won't fail."Eve looked at her for a long moment then, slowly, she shook her head. 'Not yet." Selene clenched her fists, frustration curling inside her but she didn't push further while Eve stepped back toward the door. 'Don't do anything reckless." Selene exhaled sharply. 'I don't make promises." Eve gave a small, humorless smile. 'That's what worries me."She opened the door. 'Sleep while you still can." Then, she was gone. Selene let out a slow breath, closing her eyes for a moment, she had gotten through to Eve, maybe not enough to gain her help completely, but enough to plant a seed. Her fingers tightened around the key, she wasn't going to wait for Lucian to decide what happened next, she would act and she was going to win. The next morning, the guards led her to the dining hall, where Lucian was already seated at the head of the long table. His expression was calm, unreadable but Selene could feel the shift in the air. He gestured toward the chair across from him. 'Sit."Selene didn't hesitate, Lucian watched her carefully. 'You look well-rested."She met his gaze. 'Should I not be?" Lucian's lips twitched. 'That depends, did you dream of escaping?" Selene exhaled. 'I don't waste my dreams on impossible things." Lucian chuckled. 'Good, that means you're learning." A servant poured them both coffee, Lucian lifted his cup, taking a slow sip before setting it down. 'But I have to admit," he said casually, 'I'm curious, why the garden?" Selene's chest tightened, but she kept her expression neutral. 'Why do you think so?" Lucian smirked. 'Because someone left you breadcrumbs and you followed them, like a good little rebel." Selene's pulse quickened, but she didn't react. Lucian leaned forward slightly. 'I wonder, Selene, do you ever stop to think that not every secret is meant to be uncovered?" Selene lifted her chin slightly. 'And I wonder, Lucian, do you ever stop to think that your control isn't as absolute as you believe?" Lucian's smirk faltered just slightly then, and he exhaled, shaking his head. 'It's a shame, really." Selene frowned. 'What is?"Lucian leaned back in his chair. 'That you never listen." Before she could respond, the doors opened. A guard stepped inside. 'Sir. We found something." Lucian turned toward him. 'Where?" The guard hesitated. 'The lower levels." Lucian's expression didn't change, but Selene felt the shift. The guard continued, 'We think it's related to the old containment records." Selene's breath hitched, Lucian's eyes flickered toward her and then, for the first time, she saw a crack in his composure. Something he buried beneath the surface, something he didn't want her to know, and Selene's heartbeat pounded because she just realized she wasn't the only one with secrets.