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If we’re not that far away, I’m sure they can come back for me. Etienne knows I’m here, so Ares and Tarian must know as well. I don’t know whose house I’m in, but they surely must know the man who was there last night, Thane.
I leave the curtains open and glance around. There are doors leading off from the bedroom, one in particular catches my eye, and I pad over to it. When it opens easily, I find myself in a bathroom that’s tiled with shimmery black and white tiles. There’s a corner bathtub that looks like it has jets built into it, and a large shower that can house at least three people.
The basin is double the normal size and perched on the countertop are small bottles of toiletries. Everything is immaculate, as if it was just built. Clean, pristine, and spotless.
I move to open the cupboards, hoping that I’ll find something in there to pick a lock, but all I find are expensive, fluffy towels and a robe. Nothing else catches my eye.
I use the toilet and wash my hands, using the blueberry scented soap before making my way back into the bedroom. The light streaming in from the windows has brightened the bedroom, and I notice just how beautiful it is. Last night, it was too dimly lit to see the exquisite carvings on the walls.
I have to admit, it’s a stunning room, and I’m sure the rest of the house is just as beautiful. I just wish I could get out of here. My small rucksack has nothing in it but my sweatpants, which I slowly change into, and I admonish myself for not bringing something I could use as a weapon.
There’s not much else to do, so I settle on the mattress and stare out of the window. Summer has arrived, and the trees, along with the vast lawns below, are bright green. The sun warms me, and I close my eyes, praying with all I have that someone will come find me.
Suddenly, the door swings open, and when I turn to see who it is, I find my father staring back at me. He saunters inside, shuts the door, and I hear the lock click back in place.
“Rukaiya,” he speaks, settling himself on the small stool at the vanity. Such a large, formidable man, and he’s now perched on a tiny chair. “You’ll need to stay here. I have things to do, which require me to fly back to London.”
“You can’t leave me here with these crazy people,” I challenge. Even though my father is an asshole, staying here with a house full of strangers is not ideal.
“You’ll be kept safe by Thane. He’s promised me—”
“You believe some man who runs a secret organization?” I’m on my feet, closing the distance between me and my father as he watches me. Under this cool and calm exterior is a violent and savage man. “I cannot stay with people I don’t know. Take me back to Tynewood, I’ll stay with Dahlia.”
“That’s not an option,” he sighs, shaking his head as if he feels bad for what he’s just said, but I know my father, he doesn’t feel any pain, remorse, or regret. This is a man who would sell his own daughter to get a seat on the throne.
“Why? What’s so good about being in this society that you had to bring me here?” My voice cracks on the last word, and I silently berate myself for not being stronger. I have to be to survive this. But I want to cry and scream and beg him to release me.
“You’ll understand soon enough,” Dad tells me. “There are things that are being put in motion to keep you safe, Rukaiya. Things that will ensure you’re kept safe when everything falls apart.”
“You’re speaking in riddles, Dad. Please, I can go to Tynewood and finish school. All I want is a normal life.”
His gaze snaps to mine in the next instant. “You’ll never have a normal life.”
“Why?” I ask him in confusion. This makes no sense. I’m just a girl. Nothing about who I am is special; he’s told me that so many times as I grew up.
“I can’t explain it. Those are secrets that aren’t mine to divulge. Just know that even though I may not have been the best father, I did everything I could to keep you safe.”
“Safe?” I bite out in frustration. “You call this safe?” I wave my hands around me, gesturing to the opulent bedroom we’re standing in. In the exquisiteness of the room, there is violence that hangs heavily in the air. “I don’t feel safe in this house.”
“You’ve always been stubborn, and this is why I’ve brought you here. There are things going on that you don’t know about.”
“Then fucking tell me!” My frustration is evident because for the first time in my life, my father looks at me with shock at my outburst. I’ve always been the shy, quiet girl. I have never once raised my voice, gotten angry, or even allowed my pain to show. When my mother died, I focused on school, on dance, and on my best friend—Dahlia.
