Page 52 of Uncrowned

I hung up, shoving the phone back in my pocket. Back and forth Penelope’s head shook. Her breaths were shallow and tears were beginning to stream down her face.

“I’m not crazy—I was born into this.” I reached for Penelope, pulling her down as I placed the thick gold, decorated cuffs on her wrists. She was too unstable for me to leave her here free. I’d brought more stuff in. There were utensils, weapons, and she was conflicted after this news. I stood from the bed, watching her haunted eyes follow me. “I’ll give you time to process. Tomorrow, your training begins in earnest.”

CHAPTER 19

Penelope

Blood. Vast shades of red were smeared around my wrists, my forearms, my hands, and even on the sheet below. Some wounds had stopped bleeding and were dry while others still oozed crimson. I thought when I’d first started jerking against the fancy cuffs that the wetness would help me slip free. I was wrong. Now, I was running out of time to try to look for a way to escape before Vaughn returned.

If he returned.

I wasn’t sure how many hours had passed. More than a day?

Time blurred together, and all I knew was that my bladder had reached capacity hours ago. I was covered in piss. In blood. And my voice was gone from screaming.

The words from the man on the phone terrorized me. They left me panicked. Vaughn’s world had become real in those moments of hearing about the killing of the woman who was pregnant with twins. Dead. They were all dead… because of rules?

Where was this world that bartered on life and death? Vaughn had mentioned neighbors. Were they people we knew? He had said once I knew the truth, things would never be the same. And he was right. I wasn’t the same—I was traumatized. It made my parents and John’s death snap into my heart like a rubber band. Had I condoned their killing? Had I truly felt nothing?

I did now. Or had. I’d felt so many things. Too many. But as the hours passed and my reality closed in around me… nothing again. I was numb. Fear moved me, but it was no longer a fear I could feel. It was one ingrained. One that left me fighting like a robot on autopilot as my brain scrambled through the horrifying truth.

Who was I?

Who was Vaughn?

What should I do?

“Come. ON!”

I jerked wildly, flattening my feet on the headboard and bowing my back as I put my weight into trying to slide free. The pain from the jagged edge of the cuffs was unbearable, and my raspy, hollowed voice once again screamed out as I twisted against the gold. Sobs shook me. A loud bang had me tilting my head back.

Stomping footsteps raced down the stairs as I spun around on the bed. I couldn’t stop from crying. Vaughn got to the end of the stairs, jolting to a stop as he stared at me through the mask. For seconds he didn’t move.

“Oh, Penelope, I’m so sorry.”

He headed forward, but my head shook with my madness.

“Don’t. Get away from me. Help! Someone help me!”

More hesitation.

“Penelope, stop. I got caught up, please.”

“Help! Someone!”

“Penelope!”

His roar had me crying harder. His shoulders sagged, and he came over, shaking his head as he looked down at me.

“Fuck. Dammit. You⁠—”

He was already moving in, reaching over to unlock the cuffs and set me free. I didn’t think the moment I was unrestrained. I went for his throat, slicing across and immediately bringing my fist to connect with his nose.

Vaughn coughed and let out a deep sound, snatching me up by my waist.

“I said I was sorry.”

“Let me go.”