No one has looked at me with an underlying air of loathing, no one has put me under scrutiny, and not one of them has done anything to make me feel as though I’m in danger. In reality, it’s as though they’re all in the same boat as me.
Walker has made a few appearances, taking a different person each time, only to return with them a few hours later. No one asks how they are, and the person barely makes eye contact with the room; they all just carry on as they were.
That’s what leaves me on edge. Where is Walker taking them? What are they doing? And what are they going to expect from me?
Despite the lack of imminent danger, there’s an eeriness that unsettles me. People sleep sitting up, leaning against the wall, just like I’m positioned, while others lie curled up in the corner, or use a small bench to elevate themselves off the floor. Regardless, none of it is comfortable, yet no one complains.
“You really should sleep, dear.”
The gentle voice tears me from my thoughts as I snap my attention to the left. The woman wears a soft, tired smile as she runs her thumb over the back of the man’s hand beside her. He seems to sleep soundly, but she’s been staring up at the ceiling for hours, trapped in her thoughts like me, I guess.
“I don’t think sleep is coming for me,” I murmur, mirroring her smile as I hold back the fact that sleep rarely comes when I’m so torn up inside. I wish I could sleep my issues away, but it’s not an ability I’ve ever been blessed with.
“I don’t sleep well when my mind is racing either,” she breathes, and I nod in acknowledgment before turning my attention to my lap. Admitting such a thing feels like revealing a layer of vulnerability that I refuse to surrender. “Will someone come looking for you?” she suddenly asks, catching me by surprise.
My lips part as I keep my chin resting against my chest while turning my attention to her. Pain tightens in my gut as I shake my head. “I don’t think they’d know where to look even if they did,” I admit, and her smile falls flatter. “Have you been here long?” I ask, curiosity getting the better of me like always. It’s on the tip of my tongue to apologize when she shakes her head, and to my surprise, the curl to her lips returns a little stronger.
“No one is coming for us,” she states, squeezing the man’s hand tighter. “But we chose that for our family. A lot of us did,” she explains, making my eyebrows gather. Sensing the confusion that nestles in my stomach, she proceeds. “That’s how The Obsidian Circle works, especially Jude.” Her gaze darts to the door, a flicker of panic washing over her features as she pauses for a moment, but after a few seconds, she turns back to me, her voice lower this time. “We’re all technically here of our own free will, but the alternative came with consequences none of us were willing to face.”
“So you’re being blackmailed,” I murmur, and her eyes crinkle at the corners as her smile tightens, but doesn’t stretch with joy.
“Do you have any family?” she asks, and I shake my head.
“None worth mentioning,” I admit. Although, thoughts of Ocean come to mind, but that’s trickier to explain, and I don’t want to expose any vulnerabilities in case Jude is listening and decides to use her against me like he’s done to many others here.
“Well, I hope that you get out of here and one day have such a luxury,” she breathes, looking up at the ceiling. Her features soften as though she’s remembering something, but whatever it is, she doesn’t share. “I would place myself here time and time again in hopes of knowing that my family never walks this path or suffers the consequences bestowed upon us.”
“Why doesn’t your family come for you?” I ask, and she hums, the sound lilted with something I can’t quite place.
“They probably don’t know we exist, but that’s the point of it, isn’t it? Sacrifice comes with so much pain on my end, but I hope for them; they’re experiencing joy, love, and happiness.”
“At the cost of your own?” I clarify, surprise coloring my words. That’s not even a slight resemblance to the family life I knew. My joy, love, and happiness were always at the bottom of their priorities, but the wistful look in her eyes promises that’s not her experience.
The sound of the door swinging open to the far right of the room abruptly cuts through our conversation as Walker appears in the doorway. He stands alone, eyes immediately settling on mine, and it steals my breath.
His presence no longer wraps me in the comforting sense of safety it once did; it is now fear and uncertainty that envelops me when I look at him. Once upon a time, I craved his touch, despite his efforts to keep me at arm’s length in that way, and now itmakes sense. Thank goodness, because the thought of his skin on mine now makes me recoil with disgust.
“Come, Elodie,” he mutters, signaling for me to join him at the door.
I consider defying him, but that would only wake those who are sleeping, and we both know he has the upper hand in this situation, so I need to suck it up and do as I’m told for now.
Pressing my hands into the stone beneath me, I push up onto my feet, brushing my blood-stained and torn clothes, despite their state, but before I can take a single step, fingers coil around my own, making me freeze.
The woman stands beside me, her hand firmly wrapped around mine instead of the sleeping man, and I take a moment to really take her in. Her brown hair is drawn back into a low ponytail, and her skin is ashen, but the sparkle of her gray eyes is almost illuminating. She stands at my height, and despite her slim frame, her grip is tight.
“I don’t know what you have to offer him, what he wants from you, or why, but make sure to keep your magic grounded, okay?”
I frown at her, eyes wide as she offers me a sympathetic smile this time. “What does that mean?” I mumble, daring to show a weakness, and she leans in closer, pressing her lips to the shell of my ear as she whispers.
Her words are hurried and barely audible, but I digest them all the same as Walker storms through the room, wrapping his hand around my upper arm before she can finish. Without a backward glance, I let my hand slip from hers as Walker tugs me from the room, slamming the door harder than necessary behind us.
“You’ll do well to keep your mouth shut and keep to yourself in there, Elodie,” he warns, his voice hushed as he grunts, marching up the stairs like a man on a mission.
“If that warning came from anyone else, I would take note of it, but from you, I believe nothing that dares to come out of your mouth,” I snap back, making his fingers dig in tighter. I don’t wince as he drags me along, muttering something under his breath, but I can’t make it out before he’s shoving us through another door.
His hold falls away as he slams the door shut behind us. I consider turning to glare at him, but my senses are on high alert, assessing the new area I now find myself in. Candles flicker along the walls, casting a soft glow across the room. The far wall is lined with windows, but condensation clouds the glass, making it impossible to see outside. Dark wood decorates the bottom half of the walls, lined with a few matching benches pressed up against them, but otherwise, there’s nothing else in here.
Clearing my throat, I shake my hands out at my sides as I turn my attention back to Walker. “Why am I here?”
