I woke up tied to a goddamn pipe in a boiler room.
My wrists and ankles were lashed with coarse twine, stretched uncomfortably wide like some sacrificial offering. My head throbbed like a war drum, and the metallic tang of blood lingered in my mouth.
Across from me, Kyra — bird shifter, resident psychopath — stood grinning like she’d already won. Two of her minions lingered behind her, snickering like hyenas.
“What the actual fuck, Kyra…” I groaned, testing the bonds.
“Oh look, Sleeping Beauty’s up. Now we cantalk,” she said, all teeth.
“You know how normal people talk?” I muttered. “They use words. In daylight. With consent.”
Kyra smirked. “You’re a smartass. That won’t last.”
“Wasn’t trying to be funny.” I jerked at the ropes, wincing. “So, what is this, exactly? Bondage initiation? Kinky hazing ritual?”
She ignored me. “It’s come to our attention that you haven’t quite figured out your place in Shade Tower.”
I blinked. “You mean as the prisoner forcibly dragged here? Yeah. Totally my dream gig.”
Kyra’s smile tightened. “Becoming a Shade is anhonour.”
I laughed — actually laughed. “You’re serious.”
Her fist slammed into my jaw so hard my vision flared white. My head snapped sideways. I tasted blood.
“Okay. Not kidding. Got it.”
“I’ve wanted to be a Shade all my life,” she hissed. “My parents were Shades. My brother. And now Leo—”
“Leo?”
“He’s mine! You don’t get to walk in here and just take him from me without consequences, shadow-bitch.”
“Right, ok, crazy pants. Let’s make one thing clear. There is nothing going on between me and Leo.”
“Bullshit. I’ve seen the way you look at him.”
“Me too,” said another girl, glowering at me.
“See, even Skye sees it.”
I peered at the girl. She was curvy and blonde, with sparkling brown eyes. “Maddie’s Skye?”
Skye blinked and stepped back.
“Look, Kyra. Skye. And whoever the fuck you are. If it’s true, that Leo holds some deep dark affection for me, don’t you think stringing me up to do… whatever this is.. may be a little unwise?”
I could see the cogs turning in Skye’s face. Kyra just smiled with mock bravado. “Lion’s value strength. Once he sees how far I am willing to go for him, he will understand how much of a better match I am.”
“And you plan to do this how, exactly.”
“By destroying you, of course.”
I blinked. “None of the Shades will let you get away with killing me.”
“Who said anything about killing? I said destroy. First up, your pretty little face.”
Kyra pulled a knife from her sheath and started to prowl towards me.
