Page 16 of Scarlet Wars
I froze, straining to hear, every nerve on edge.
“Hey.” The whisper was faint, almost inaudible. My head snapped toward the sound, scanning the shadows until I spotted movement in the far corner. A figure emerged, stepping into the faint pool of light, a chain clear around her ankle too.
She looked about my age, maybe a year or two younger, with tangled hair and hollow cheeks. Her clothes hung off her frame like they belonged to someone else, and her expression—sunken and glassy—spoke of exhaustion and fear. She clutched the edge of a threadbare blanket draped over her shoulders, her movements hesitant.
“You’re new,” she said softly, trembling but clear enough. “He doesn’t usually bring anyone else here.”
Her words hit me like a gut punch.Usually.Which meant…she’d been here long enough to know.
“How long?” It came out rough, barely above a whisper.
She hesitated, her fingers twisting the corner of the blanket. “Almost a month. Maybe less.” Her gaze darted toward the door, as if she half-expected him to burst back in at any moment. “He took me the night the magi came out of the broom closet.”
Four weeks. My stomach churned.
“What’s your name?” I asked as evenly as I could.
“Amy,” she replied, her voice cracking on the single syllable. “Yours?”
“Emma,” I said quickly. “Amy, does anyone know you’re here?”
Her laugh was dry and bitter, a sound that didn’t belong to someone so young. “Do you think I’d still be here if they did?”
My chest tightened, but I forced myself to stay calm. “Okay,” I said slowly, leaning back against the wall to ease the pressure on my wrists. “Okay, let’s focus. What do you know about this guy? What’s his deal?”
She glanced at the door again. “His name’s Dave. He used to work at my gym. Stalked me a little but I thought he was harmless. Clearly, I was wrong. He hasn’t hurt me…yet.” She wavered on the last word, betraying the fear she was trying to bury.
“How many girls?” I almost didn’t dare ask.
Her eyes widened slightly. “Only us,” she said, then hesitated. “As far as I know.”
Her hesitation didn’t reassure me one bit. I tried to piece together a plan, but the chains clinking every time I moved reminded me how little freedom I had. I shifted my weight, testing the chains again.
When Amy noticed, her expression hardened a little. “Don’t bother,” she said flatly. “They’re bolted into concrete. I’ve tried everything.”
“There’s always a way out,” I murmured, more to myself than to her.
She snorted softly, but there was no humor in the sound. “Sure. Let me know when you find it.”
Her defeat was a slap in the face. I couldn’t afford to think like that. Amy had been here for weeks. I wouldnot. And one thing was certain: if I got out, I wasn’t leaving alone.
“Are you hungry?” she asked, softer again. Her question caught me off guard, but before I could answer, the door creaked open, the sound dragging across all my nerves.
The disgusting man stepped inside, his broad shoulders nearly filling the doorway. His presence sucked the air from the room, his pale blue stare glinting far darker than before.
“Ah,” he drawled with mock delight. “I see you two have met. Very good.” He stepped closer, his boots crunching against the dirt floor, while his gaze flicked between us.
Neither Amy nor I spoke. I could feel her tense beside me, her fingers gripping the edge of her tattered blanket once more.
“You’re going to be useful, witch,” he said, before his lips curled into a sinister grin. “And you, Amy…” His focus lingered on her. “You’ll finally come around.”
“Don’t call me that,” I said harshly, hoping my defiance would keep him at a distance.
He tilted his head, amused. “Why not? It’s what you are, isn’t it? A little miracle worker with magic at her fingertips. You’re going to make all my dreams come true.”
I stilled, slowly realizing the reason I was here.
“What is it you want?” I asked, cold and steady, though every nerve in my body was screaming at me to lash out.
