The machine powered on, the pressure building in the cage as it dragged me to the center, breaking open my skin and sucking the blood from my body.
When it was over, I collapsed to the ground, heaving for air. Mother’s smile added to my revulsion as she picked up the bottle of my blood then moseyed up the stairs and out of the basement.
“Are you okay?” His muffled voice sounded frantic as his hands slammed against the glass barrier between us.
“Hardly,” I groused out, getting to my knees, wiping the blood off my lip, then turning to him. “Who the hell are you?”
“I’m Mirin. I’d ask what the hell these cages are, but I guess I just figured it out.”
I spit out blood to the floor of my cage. “We have to find a way out of here.”
“If you have any ideas, I’m listening.” His golden shackles glinted in the recessed lights as he ran his hands along the smooth edges of the glass, investigating.
I gazed at the tunnel where our cages were connected and realized why. In a low voice, I said, “She’s planning on breeding us.”
A crease formed between his thin brows. “What?”
“More babies, more Elizian blood.”
“Hey, I’m not going to do that.”
I narrowed my eyes at him, feeling the beginnings of a headache swarming within my brain and churning my stomach. “Good. Because if you so much as touch me, I will break all your teeth in.”
He raised his hands, heavy brows shooting up, enlarging all his features, including his wide mouth. “You don’t have to tell me twice.”
His orange eyes continued to search his cage. Mumbling to himself, he got on all fours and began looking at the gutter system that ran the perimeter of the cage.
My mother returned down the stairs, bottle in hand as she took a sip from it.
“I swear,Mother, when I am free, I will mangle you and string you up on a pole where the creatures of the night can eat away at your flesh.”
Her eyes brightened. “Creative. I suggest the day. Far more atrocious creatures after some fresh meat,” she said in a chuckle. “Sounds like your little adventure outside hasn’t really chalked up to much. And now look what I have to do to keep you here. Honestly, Ripley, was it worth it?”
She was insulting what was mine. The Ölden Lands and my lack of knowledge of it. Then, Fletcher’s magic shook near my heart, sending his brown eyes flashing across my mind. “If I cannot free myself, Fletcher will come for me.”
“You think your fucking abilities are that good? You think you’re good enough to distract him from more experienced women? That man has had far more females to blame your inexperience as a reason to come looking for you. I’m sure you’re notthatgood in bed. I think that Cidris is probably fucking some other Elizian right now, deary. You are no prize. I warned you not to trust him.”
I gritted my teeth, tasting the metallic blood coating my tongue. “But I can’t trust you either!”
“I know!” she exclaimed with a smile.
I swallowed and felt every bit of the burn as the blood landed in my stomach. “Where the hell did you even get this?”
“I have Cidris friends.”
“Friends? Why would they help you instead of capturing you?”
“Oh,” she laughed, “because I’m not Elizian.”
CHAPTER
SEVEN
My brows furrowed as my fingertips trembled over the concrete floor. But she had magic. I’d seen her using it. Flashes of the blood cellar entered my mind. Along with that log book she had placed on the podium. Milliliter ingested.
I gasped, eyes widening as it clicked. It was my magic. My magic! She had been usingmy magicall along! My gag reflex triggered as I turned my head and heaved. The violation was unimaginably worse than when I had discovered the cellar.
“Sodramatic.”
