She shrugs. “Maybe, maybe not. I just knew he was coming to see what Miranda was hiding in the basement. Was just dumb luck that he was too off his rocker to realize it was just me in super dim light.”
“That’s why you got in the cage with me?”
“Yeah,” she answers, her eyes watching me. “He’d want to find the prize.”
“Were you worried he’d try to come back?”
“Yes, but luckily we were rescued, so I didn’t have to worry about it for long.”
I frown, tilt my head at her. “We?”
Her smile is back though not reflected in the sadness in her eyes, and after a moment she says, "Yes. Even with where I ended up, anywhere was better than that place for me,” she pauses, frowns as if she’s only just realized where she is. “I don't know how much I can tell you or how much you even want to know, but I'll do what I can."
"I almost feel as if I learned everything I need to know as soon as I walked in the room."
Amber's gaze immediately drops from mine. She stares at her hands briefly before glancing across the room. I follow her line of sight, that sickness an immediate cramp in my gut as my gaze falls on the cage still pushed into the corner.
I take a small step back before I can stop myself. Forcing myself to remain in place, I slowly shift back to my previous position and then Lilith is there on my other side. "It can't hurt you anymore."
The laugh that falls from my lip sounds foreign, edging that line between humor and mania. Once again, Ren attempts to move forward but this time I put my hand up, turning to meet his eyes. "I'm okay."
He immediately stops trying to make his way to me and I turn back to Amber. "It can't hurt you anymore either."
Her inhalation is stuttering, and she clears her throat before responding, "You'd think so, wouldn't you."
It's more a statement than a question, the haunted shadows on her face etched so deeply she may never be rid of them. And then she adds, "That woman's been dead for decades, yet still she finds new ways to hurt me."
She doesn't need to explain who she's referring to. "How does she hurt you?"
"How doesn't she?" Amber's words come out angry, any glimmer of a humor vanishing from her features. Her eyes harden, her mouth turns down in distaste. “A lifetime of being conditioned to turn my nose up at things like morality, and conscience. Greed and power. Seeing people as tools for personal gain instead of unconditional love and support."
Once again, I swallow the lump in my throat, pushing at the ever-growing ball of emotion walled in my chest. "Why did you bring those papers to me?"
"I wanted to see you. It made it easier if you didn't know who I was."
“Is there really legal stuff needing to be sorted?”
She nods and responds, "Oh yes. I need all those legalities wrapped up first."
Now I frown, squat down so she doesn't have to look up at me so awkwardly. I rest my hand on top of hers where she has laid in her lap. "First?"
Her expression softens, the corner of her mouth lifting slightly she whispers, "Before the end."
I frown, confusion over her words making me shake my head. Then Lilith is squatting down directly in front of Amber. "The end of what Amber?"
Amber turns her gaze onto Lilith, her eyes lighting up as she explains," Oh, Lils, it's so good to see you."
Lilith smiles as she responds, "Yes, I'm sorry I was away. I spent quite a bit of time literally fighting for my life."
Now Amber laughs and then she says, "Well, since you're here in front of me, I take it you won."
Lilith tilts her head as she's thinking it over for a moment and then she responds, "You know, I think I did too."
Again, Amber laughs, but when she doesn't say anything further, Lilith asks, “You can't deflect this time, Amb. I'm going to need you to explain the end."
Amber immediately sobers and then she shrugs. "The end of me."
She says the words devoid of emotion, expression flat, eyes dead. A shiver runs down my spine so I say, “But you’re free now.”
