AllFreeNovel
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“You would be none of those things. You’d be the Bird. The piece that completes us.” His face falls. “But Luca will never let us keep you. He doesn’t like to share.”
I get the feeling that he’s not exaggerating.
“How many others have there been? Before me…”
He thinks. “At least ten, though that’s debatable because Grandfather would want us to count the ones we practiced on. He wanted to make sure we knew our roles.”
“Does Luca always win?”
“Not always.” A ghost of a smile lifts his lips upward. “I beat him once. Ri has beat him three times.”
So he doesn’t always win. That’s good to know.
“But Luca has made certain accommodations that ensure he wins each time now. He knows the land better than anyone, and he knows where the booby traps are.”
“Booby traps?”
“Oh, yes. It’s amazing that you didn’t step on any, though Ri must have an idea that they’re out there since he steered you away from them.”
“What kind of booby traps?”
“Bear traps. Holes that are so deep you’d never be able to get out on your own.”
“And the dogs?”
He frowns. “I hate that he uses the hounds to hunt people. They only want to hunt birds.Realbirds. But Luca won’t let them. It makes me sad.”
“Then maybe you should think about who you work for.”
“I don’t work for Luca. I workwithhim. It’s the way it’s always been in our family.” He sighs. “Birdies chirping hurt my head. I’m going to leave.”
He walks away, closing the door behind him. The whole interaction with him was… strange. He’s called the Brain, which means he must be smart, but maybe it’s more like a play on words. He speaks in riddles, making it hard to understand what he means.
“What happened to you, you poor man?” I whisper to the empty room.
Sighing, I go to the food tray. I made the mistake once of not eating. I won’t do it again.
The rest of the day goes by slowly. No one comes to check on me. I really need to pee, but there’s nowhere to go. Moving around the cage for the thousand time I come to a stop at a hole in the floor. This better not be what I freaking think it is. The door opens, and Luca enters. I exhale. Thank god.
“I need to use the restroom.”
He eyes me. “There’s a hole in the bottom of the cage for you to use.”
“Are you out of your mind?”
He goes to the minibar, pouring himself a drink. “Some might say I am. Don’t worry, little bird. I won’t watch while you relieve yourself.”
He smiles as he leaves. Jerk! Glancing at the hole, I bite back a groan.I really need to go…
So, I do what needs to be done. Thank god Maurice gave me a robe to wear. This way, I’m not exposed to anyone who might be watching. Looking around the room, I spot at least two cameras. Yeah, Luca is probably watching somewhere. Finishing, I stand. My stomach rumbles, making me wish I had saved the bread from my morning tray. If I get fed again, I will save some.
Time creeps by again. This time, I watch as the sun lowers into the sky until the stars come out. There are low clouds making me think it might rain again tonight. Maybe even snow. Chip loves the snow. My eyes water. Is he okay? Is he missing me?
There are tears streaming down my face when Luca enters the room again. He goes to the bathroom, and a moment later, I hear running water. When he walks out nude, my mouth waters and I hate myself for it.
“Take off the robe.”
“What?”
