I’d vowed never to endure a cell again, but here I was, trapped and at the mercy of men who were as heartless andruthless as the ophidians. I spent most of the time trying to focus on Ellery instead of the too-close walls surrounding me, the bars caging me, and the manacles binding my wrists and ankles.
Sometimes it worked, but at other times, those walls pressed closer and closer. I could almost hear them scraping across the ground as they inched in on me, creeping nearer until they squished me between them.
During those times, breathing became difficult, and I had to concentrate on drawing air in through my clenched teeth. I hadn’t fallen apart in the ophidians’ dungeon, and I wouldn’t here, but my thoughts were nearly as crushing as the walls, as memories of my past imprisonment warred with my current reality.
It had taken me a long time to overcome what the ophidians did to me, and I still had nightmares about it. I couldn’t lose it all now.
I wouldnotturn into a screaming lunatic, tearing at the bars while begging to be freed. Despite my determination to get through this with my dignity intact, a cold sweat coated my body, and my heart pounded against my ribs.
Unwilling to become lost to madness, I focused on Ellery. Her memory was far more soothing than the ones of Doomed Valley.
However, they weren’t as soothing as they should be, as I constantly worried about what she was doing and plotting. She wouldn’t stay quiet over this, but if they captured her, what they’d do to her would destroy me far more than any torture ever could.
I couldn’t think about that, as the helplessness of my situation threatened to overwhelm me when I did. Instead, I recalled her apple scent, the warmth of her lips, the radiance of her smile, and the strength of her spirit.
When I focused on those things, it was easier to get through the darkness because she was the light at the end of the tunnel. I just had to figure out a way to get back to that light, and I had to prepare for whatever Ellery unleashed on these assholes.
The next time they opened my cell, I’d fight them again, and I’d keep fighting until the bitter end. I didn’t think I’d succeed in breaking free, but I was going to make them pay until they were too frightened to open my door.
And while it may only be a small number of them, I would continue to eradicate more of Veni’s followers. They hadn’t returned for me yet, but they would.
Enough time had passed that my wounds were mostly healed. They wouldn’t let that stand for much longer.
I hadn’t been here for enough time, or taken enough beatings, for my flesh not to heal in a reasonable amount of time. The shit food they’d given me had helped keep me nourished enough for now. They hadn’t given me enough for that to last.
Despite the pain, I’d also managed to sleep for a little bit. I’d lost track of more time between my nightmares of half-man, half-snake creatures bearing the faces of Veni and Gaius.
As time ticked steadily onward, none of the other prisoners spoke. There wasn’t anything to say.
When the outer door opened again, the crying amsirah sobbed harder as he whimpered pleas to be left alone. He continued begging even as the sound of something sliding drifted through the dungeon. Our next meal had arrived.
CHAPTER NINETY-FOUR
Ellery
I wasn’tsure what time it was when I woke, but the cavern was alive with the bustle of amsirah. They were being unusually subdued; I didn’t know if it was because of everything that had happened and our new, more dismal surroundings or if they were trying to let me sleep.
Even the children, usually so rambunctious and full of boundless energy, were subdued as they helped with the chores. Mr. Fletcher and Ianto were standing with a group of men and women who were listening to their every word. They sported weapons and looks of steely determination.
They must have decided who would come with us on our mission tonight. I didn’t get up to help them; they knew who would be best for this and looked like they had it under control.
Scarlet weaved her way through the crowd to the shadows where my blankets rested. She stopped beside me and knelt to sit on the blanket beside me.
She handed me a glass of water and a platter of assorted fruits, breads, and meats. I wasn’t hungry, but I didn’t know when I’d get another chance to eat, so I had to do so now.
“Thank you,” I said.
“Make sure you eat.”
“Yes, Ruby,” I teased.
Her disgruntled look brought a small smile to my lips before it fell away again. “What time is it?” I asked.
“It’s almost time to go. The sun set an hour ago.”
This revelation astonished me so much that I froze in the middle of biting into my jerky. “It is?”
“Yes.”
