Where Secrets Lie

Kara shocked herself as the words left her mouth; however, she could not back down now that she had said it. It was not in her nature to shy from a fight.

"The Gauntlet? Well, that would be breaking the rules!" Elijah feigned outrage.

"You know the old saying… rules are made to be broken," Kara responded.

"I do. I practically invented the saying myself," Elijah laughed, much to Kara's discomfort.

"Come on Hannah," she pleaded to the raven-haired beauty, "help me. You wanted me dead and this is the only way. There is only one person that can come out and you better believe it will be Alyssa. I'd give my life for her and everyone here knows it."

"I say let her in," Hannah replied, smirking.

"No! You can't go. I won't let you do this!" roared Michael.

"I don't want to go against your wishes, Michael, but a fair leader would let the other members of the clan have a vote," said Elijah, "so, Caswell Clan, what will it be? Should we let the girl into The Gauntlet? A show of hands for those who approve."

Three hands were raised; Hannah and two other members of the Caswell Clan.

"And those opposed?" Elijah asked, raising his own hand. Michael and one other Caswell also raised their hands in disapproval. All eyes turned toward Logan.

"You have not voted, either way, Logan, what is your opinion?" Elijah asked.

Logan cut his eyes away from Michael as he responded, "Let her in."

"Logan, why?" Michael's voice was one of pain and defeat.

"I'm sorry, Michael, I can't let Alyssa die."

"Looks like you won my child," said Elijah, looking far too pleased with himself. He opened up a locked metal door that Kara had not noticed upon entering the room. Beyond the door was a hallway that took her directly to where The Gauntlet was being held.

There was blood and bodies everywhere. She began to have flashbacks of the day she had found her parents dead. She forced herself to snap out of it. I won't let the same thing happen to her…

"Alyssa!" Kara called as she made her way around the strange labyrinth. She wondered into one room, finding no one. She turned around to see a long metal pole flying toward her head. She instantly put up her arms in front of her face. The pain shot through her body as the metal pole smashed against her forearms. Again the metal pole came barreling toward her. Kara ducked this time and grabbed the pole, throwing the girl off balance. She tried to leave the room and a gate slammed down in front of her.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Kara. You have entered into a duel, and one of you must die before the other leaves the room," Elijah's voice boomed over an intercom, sending chills down her spine.

The girl charged at Kara full speed. Kara tried to fend her off as they both struggled over the pole. The two exchanged blow after blow. Their survival instincts were running high. Kara was tackled to the ground and her head slammed against the floor. Kara felt blood seeping from the fresh wound as she used all her strength to push the girl off of her. Kara ran around the room trying to find a way to escape without either one of them having to die, but the determined girl did not want to cooperate.

Kara fell to her knees, feeling woozy from the blood loss. The girl jumped onto her back and began strangling her with a rope. Kara mustered all her strength to pull herself back to her feet. Kara ran backward, ramming the girl into the wall. As the girl fell, she took Kara's crystal necklace with her.

Kara, coughing and gasping, turned to see the girl lying dead on the ground. She looked up and spotted a nail sticking out of the wall. It had fresh blood and some hair on it from the girl's head.

"Oh, God!" Kara cried as she fell to her knees. The gate finally pulled up, allowing Kara to leave. Kara didn't move. She just stared at the now-dead girl. "I'm so sorry," she said as she ran out. She was even more determined to find her sister now.