Aric wiggled the sandwich in my direction. “You didn’t say please.”
Scratching at the slab with the tiny rock I’d found near the wall of vines at some point, I worked and worked until my fingers ached and cramped, but a thin line the length of the ones that marked my body eventually took form.
My name is Brighton.
Friends call me Bri.
Tink has christened me Lite Bright.
Caden calls me sunshine.
My name is Brighton, and I will kill Aric.
That was my mantra as I finished, dropping the stone and then counting with one functioning eye. The other was swollen shut.
Thirteen. Thirteen days. I didn’t quite recall exactly when I started doing this or if I had counted the days before I had begun marking them into the stone, but thirteen days had passed. Knowing that seemed important.
Just as important as forcing myself to remember who I was and why I was here every time I woke up and couldn’t…couldn’t recall a single thing.
Almost as important as remembering that I would kill Aric.
Footsteps echoed outside the tomb, causing my empty stomach to drop. I pushed the rock back so it was hidden and remained where I was, learning that it was safer to do so.
The door inched open, revealing Aric. He carried food, a platter covered with plastic, but it did very little to stop the aroma of roasted beef wafting its way toward me. A grumble rattled my insides as dread exploded in my chest. The dueling reactions ratcheted up the unease. Sustenance shouldn’t equal fear, but it had begun to.
But the fact that he had food wasn’t the only reason alarm rang its way through me like a siren.
Aric wasn’t alone.
Behind him was a female fae, and this was the first time anyone besides Aric had entered the tomb. And when he took me aboveground, I never saw a soul, even though I could hear traffic. The female was tall with a blunt, icy-blond haircut, and she carried something, as well. A tote.
Was Aric going to let her get in on the fun of torturing the ever-loving hell out of me?
Knowing my luck, probably.
Aric approached me, kneeling down a foot away as the female stayed near the door. Smugness crept into his disgustingly handsome face, as did a sick look of pleasure. “How are you feeling today?”
I said nothing as I glared at him.
“You do not want me to ask you twice, little bird.”
My wounded fingers spasmed as I croaked out, “Dandy.”
He tilted his head. “I’m happy to hear that.”
I’m sure.
“You surprise me each day, you know? That you’re still alive, stillthere. It’s impressive.”
“I live to impress you.” My gaze darted to the plate of food.
His chuckle was low. “Hungry?”
Every muscle in my body locked up as my eyes shifted back to him.
“Oh. Are you not hungry?” He lifted his brows as he peeled back the plastic wrapping. “Here.” He held out the plate as I zeroed in on the meat. The hunk of beef sat in its own juices and looked so good, it made my stomach ache. “Take it.”
On reflex, I reached up, touching the split in my lower lip.
