“I was going to ask to go to the bathroom,” I say. My voice is shaking—can she tell? “I was about to knock, and then you nearly killed me.”
“You’re a shit liar,” she says. She scoffs a laugh, leaning against the doorframe. She studies me, and I fidget under her heavy gaze.
I want to beg her not to tell Sebastian, but I keep my mouth shut. It’s her word against mine, and so long as I don’t admit to anything…
“You realize vampires have superhuman hearing, right?” she asks. Her lips tick with a mocking smirk. “We can heareverything.”
Once again, I don’t respond.
“Taking the door apart by the hinges,” she says. She pats its wooden face, letting her hand settle on the doorknob. “Terrible plan, Gracie. This thing weighs four times as much as you do. It’d crush you long before you got out. Not to mention I’d knock you on your ass if you did manage it.”
“I wasn’t?—”
“Save it,” Beatrice says, rolling her eyes. “I’m actually relieved you tried to escape. Stupid method, but at least you’re not totally dead in there.”
She taps my forehead, and I swat at her hand, stepping deeper into my room. I’m terrified she’ll follow, but she only grins at me.
“Still,” she says, drawling. “It’s been a week, Grace. It’s kind of embarrassing you haven’t figured it out by now.”
“Figuredwhatout?”
“It’s not nearlyas hard to get out of this room as you seem to think,” she says.
With that, she closes the door. It settles against its hinges with a heavy slam, and I glare at the space where Beatrice stood moments ago.
What a bitch.
Easy for her to say. I’m sure this room would be easy to escape. You know, if I was a freaking vampire with unnatural reflexes and superhuman strength.
Still, I find myself moving toward the door. I’ve studied every inch of this room over the past few days. There’s no vent. No cut-out in the ceiling for an attic. No pieces of bed frame that can easily be unscrewed and used as a weapon. This place is a blank, useless room.
I stand before the door, glaring at it, as if it’s responsible for Beatrice’s mockery.
Once again, I run my hands over the wood and the metal hinges. My fingers dance along the stripes of iron before finally landing on the doorknob. I hold my breath tight in my chest.
Since arriving at this manor, I’ve checked this door a hundred times. It’s been locked every single time.
But that was months ago, I think.You haven’t checked in months.
It felt stupid to try. Not to mention dangerous. If Sebastian knew I was trying to escape this room, I’d surely be punished.
I grip the doorknob harder.
I already know Beatrice is just on the other side, grinning at the door and waiting for me to try. She can hear everything, and I’m sure she’d love nothing more than to hear me struggle. She obviouslywantsme to think it’s unlocked, and I’m lining myself up to be humiliated and mocked.
I push against the handle as quietly as I can. Where every other time, I met resistance, the door now opens effortlessly into the hallway.
Beatrice stands across from me, arms folded over her chest. She’s grinning, just like I expected, eyes glimmering with amusement.
“Why?” I ask.
Beatrice shrugs. “I was told you had a deal.”
If you can prove you can handle yourself, I’ll grant you free reign of the manor.
I hadn’t forgotten the deal…I just didn’t think he’d ever follow through. Especially after I’d nearly gotten killed in these very halls.
“He didn’t tell me,” I say, as if that wasn’t already obvious.
