“I liked it better when I didn’t have a sex fiend for a neighbor.” She sighs heavily. “How can I shut you up?”
I tilt my head to one side. “What do you mean?”
“How can I prove I’m real?” The irritation in her voice is palpable. “What would convince you?”
“I don’t know. Do something a voice in my head wouldn’t do.”
“Like what?”
“Surprise me.”
There’s a long silence. Then, “Go to hell.”
The venom in her voice is… unexpected.
“Well,” I say slowly. “That was definitely unsurprising. I’ve heard that from more visions than I can remember.”
“I’m not a goddamned vision!”
I chuckle. “You’re adorable.”
I hear her mutter a curse then there’s a weird scraping sound. “Alright, you dick. Get on the floor. There’s a hole in the wall the size of a fist, can you see it?”
“I know. I made it the last time I was in this cell.” I press my eye to the opening, but it’s too dark to see anything.
“The last time?”
“I get moved around every few weeks. It’s the guards’ way of ensuring I don’t escape.”
For a beat I think she’s left me, then finally she speaks. “Can you see me?”
“No. “
She curses in response, and there’s another scrape, scrape, scrape sound.
I sit back, still not entirely convinced she’s real. The voices have tricked me before.
“Tell me something about yourself,” I say. “Anything.”
There’s a brief hesitation. “I’m from the Shadowmist Pack. Our Alpha is Ryker.”
The name sounds familiar.
“I’ve heard of him,” I admit.
“Most have.” There’s pride in her voice. “He’ll come for me.”
I don’t voice my doubts.
“How’d they get you?” I ask instead.
“Ambush at what was supposed to be a peace summit.” Her voice hardens. “Someone we trusted betrayed us.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. When I get out of here, I’ll tear her apart myself.”
The matter-of-fact certainty in her voice makes me smile despite the grim subject. “You sound pretty confident about getting out.”
