He shrugged again, his broad shoulders rising and falling with an easy grace. "No idea. I’m surprised I have company, to be honest, since it makes escape more likely."
I wasn't buying it. My fingertips itched, claws just out of sight. "Then what do you know?"
Luce's dark eyes met mine, a flicker of something – amusement? concern? – passing through them. "We’re here physically. That means someone had access to our bodies while we were unaware and used a spell to shrink and transport us into a magically fortified bottle. My guess is they left an enspelled duplicate ofour bodies wherever they took us, to distract people who might look for us if we vanished."
My stomach dropped. A bottle. Of course. Why wouldn't we be trapped in a bottle? I glanced up at the curved walls, the narrowing top, the cork. It was so obvious now that he'd said it.
"Fantastic," I muttered. "Trapped in a classic genie prison. With a demon. And a remake of sleeping beauty on the side."
I was annoyed enough I was willing to toss that insult out. Demon was what mortals called Luce’s people.
"Daemon," Luce corrected, raising an eyebrow. "And I'm not exactly thrilled about the company either, kitten."
I bristled at the pet name, but before I could retort, a chilling thought struck me. If we were trapped here, in some kind of magical construct... What was happening to my friends? Were they in other bottles?
The fight drained out of me.
I slumped into a nearby armchair, its brocade covered cushions supporting me like a cloud. The seat was absurdly comfortable.
"Well, at least our captors have good taste in furniture," I muttered, scanning the room. Maybe it would have something I could use to help us get out.
A king-size bed dominated one corner, covered with a patchwork quilt whose jewel tones gleamed in the soft light. Scattered around the circular room were more seating options – a couch that looked perfect for napping, and a couple of overstuffed chairs that matched the one I’d plopped into. A sleek TV hung on one curved wall, and to my surprise, a fully stocked bar sat under it.
"Quite the set-up for a prison," I remarked dryly. "I'm almost impressed."
Luce got up and walked the bar, his graceful movement somehow managing to look relaxed. Now I knew it was Luce. No one else moved like he did. "They certainly seem to want to keep their guests comfortable."
A thought struck me, and I couldn't help the sarcastic smirk that crept onto my face. "So, tell me something, daemon lord. Do magically fortified bottles get cable?"
Luce flicked me an amused glance as he pulled out a decanter and two wine glasses. "Yes, actually. All of the channels. Wine? It’s a Chateau Lafittle Rothschilde vintage."
I snorted, shaking my head. "You know that from smelling it?”
“No, I opened the bottle and poured it into the decanter.” He poured two glasses, sipping from one.
A laugh snorted out of me. I’d learned about expensive wines from being around Roma. A bottle would be almost a thousand dollars each.
I might even drink a little.
“I prefer beer."
As I spoke, my mind raced. There had to be a way out of this. I'd faced worse odds before. But first, I needed more information. And as much as it pained me to admit it, Luce might be my best source.
Luce used the wineglass and gestured toward a door I hadn't noticed before.
"Through there," he said, "you'll find a little hallway with a bathroom and kitchen. Fully stocked, naturally."
I raised an eyebrow. "Naturally."
He turned, nodding towards a wooden chest next to the bed. "Entertainment in there. Cards, board games, even a little handheld video game. You know, in case imprisonment with cable gets boring."
My gaze followed as he walked to a small folding screen. He moved it to reveal an exercise machine. A treadmill, of all things.
"And that's for when we start feeling antsy," Luce added with a smirk.
I couldn't help but scoff. "We're not staying. How exactly are we going to feel antsy?"
The idea was absurd. We were trapped in a magical bottle. The thought of needing to work out was almost comical.
