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“Well, aren’t you a good girl.” I look from side to side at his masked companions.

“Would there be a point to me behaving otherwise?” I’m clearly outnumbered. He chuckles and shakes his head.

“No, there wouldn’t be. Keep that good head on your shoulders, and all will be just fine.”

He grabs my arm, and I rip it away. “I’m going with you!” I say, practically gagging at his touch. He nods at the door, and I follow. When we enter the hallway, Marcus walks to my left and slightly ahead. His tall, lanky companion walks to my right, and a tall but much smaller person walks behind me. I can’t know for sure, but I’d guess the one behind me is a woman.

And if Marcus brought a woman, it would be his sister.

My heart rises as we approach the alcove.

Opportunity number one…

The second my shoulder passes the edge of the alcove, I spin around and rip the mask off the woman behind me. She shrieks, and I run.

“I got her!” Steps fly up behind me, but not in time. I slap my hand above the opening and swing around into the darkness of the passageways.

I keep my pace; I need to get outside. I need to get to the theater. But when the wall swings again, I halt, freezing for a beat. His footsteps are slow and far between, and that’s when I remember that I have the advantage. He isn’t Cain.

I am the only one here who knows these halls.

Going slow, being quiet… It doesn’t matter right now. It doesn’t matter if he knows what direction I’m in.

All that matters is that I know where I am.

I swallow, take a deep breath, and take off.

“Hey!” He yells out, starting after me. I listen to the hesitation in his steps and the confidence of my own heart. I can do this.

A left, straight, then a right. I run to the end of the passage at the top of the stairs and press myself against the wall. The man slows, but he’s headed in the right direction.

Just a little further…

“Whoa,” he whispers as his foot scrapes down the first step.

Grabbing onto the rail behind me, I lift myself and shove my feet against his back with all my weight.

He yells as he crashes down the flight of stairs.

One minute… Two minutes… Three minutes…

Nothing.

Taking a breath, I make my descent. My heart jumps when I reach the bottom, my foot accidentally stepping on him. I move to the side of the wall and shoot past him, making my way to the end of the hall. I slap my hand over the door and push through, sucking the fresh air into my lungs.

There’s no time to stop. I take off along the side of the manor, sticking close to the wall. Once I round this corner, it’s a straight shot through the gardens to the theater. Controlling my breathing, I keep a steady pace. Almost there.

Marcus steps out, and I slam into his chest. I jump back, but it’s too late. He’s wrapped his fingers around my bicep in a savage grip. I meet his gaze; he looks down his wrinkled nose at me like I’m the gum under his shoe.

“Where is he?” He growls.

“I don’t know… I lost him—Ah!” I yelp as Marcus starts dragging me down the street. I catch my feet, then keep pace with him.

“You better not pull another stunt like that, wife.”

I’m not your wife.

Marcus yanks my arm forward, opens a car door, and shoves me inside. The door locks automatically once I’m inside, and a wire grate separates the back seat from the driver. His sweet smell in the air makes me retch. It took days for me to forget about that smell after the night he attacked me.