She hung her coat up on the large rack by the door then walked over to the fireplace. The warmth was welcome even after their short hike up the hill.
Isaac returned a few minutes later with a tray filled with simple food. There were chunks of crusty bread and slices of meat. Plumppinottafruits still on the vine and a large mug filled with an unfamiliar liquid.
“That’sienterjuice,” Kyle provided when he noticed the direction of her stare. “It’s a little tart for my taste, but it’s good at preventing dehydration.”
“We’ll come downstairs with you,” Isaac explained, motioning toward the door across the room. “But we’ll go to the security booth. If Elias sees us together, he’ll know you’re our mate.”
They started across the room as Kyle went on, “We’ll be able to see and hear everything that’s happening. If things go south for any reason, we can be inside that room in about three seconds.”
She just nodded as they made their way down the stairs. She was glad Isaac was still carrying the tray. The stairs were steep, the stairwell dim.
When they reached the bottom, Isaac nodded toward the three doors across from them. Each of the doors was flanked by guards. “The two outer rooms contain a row of cells. The middle room is the security booth. Elias is on the right side, Babcock on the left. We didn’t want one to hear what the other said.”
“Makes sense.” She took a deep breath and accepted the tray as Isaac handed it to her.
“Set the tray on the floor and slide it into the cell with your foot. There’s a small break in the bars near the floor designed for thatpurpose. You’ll see what I’m talking about when you get in there. It’s obvious.”
She straightened her shoulders and did her best to smile. “Wish me luck.”
Isaac leaned down and brushed his lips over hers. “You don’t need luck. It will work or it won’t. I’m sure you’ll be amazing.”
Kyle blew her a kiss as she turned and headed toward the room on the right. One of the guards quickly opened the door for her and she shivered as she stepped inside. The entire basement was cool compared to upstairs, but this room was downright cold.
“I should have left my coat on,” she grumbled as she moved toward the middle cell. “It’s freezing in here.”
“You won’t be here long enough to worry about it,” Elias growled out. He’d been lounging on the cot, but sat up as she moved closer. “They can’t tempt me with one of their fuck toys.”
“Don’t bite the hand that feeds you.” She arched her brow. “I guess you’ve never heard the adage.”
His eyes narrowed, the golden flecks in his irises gleaming. “Who are you?”
“The woman they asked to bring you a lunch tray.” She indicated her burden as she bent and set it on the floor just out of reach. “Now apologize for the rude comment or I’ll walk out and leave it right there.”
Elias stood and ambled closer to the front of his cage.
She hadn’t been sure what to expect. The containment cells could have been anything from solar-powered force fields to literal cages. The three identical spaces were somewhere in themiddle. The outer walls were solid wood, but the dividers were made of stout wooden poles. The front wall had poles also, but the subtle hiss and wavering distortion warned of some sort of energy barrier.
“I wasn’t expecting a woman, and a damn attractive one at that.”
Tara smiled. “Better, but it wasn’t an apology.”
“I’m sorry I called you a fuck toy. Starvation makes me cranky.”
Using the toe of her boot, she slid the tray halfway through the barrier. “When’s the last time they fed you?”
He yanked the tray toward him and sat cross-legged on the floor as he quickly devoured the food. “Two days.”
That’s not what her mates had been told. Was Elias lying or had the guards lied to Isaac? “No one listens to me,” she told him, “but I’ll let the Shadow Master know that you’re not being fed on a regular basis.”
His strange gold/green eyes shifted to her face. “Who are you?” he asked again. “Why’d they send you down here?”
She shrugged. “I work in the kitchen, and I know better than to ask questions. Women are little better than slaves in this delightful village or hadn’t you heard.”
He paused with the mug halfway to his mouth. “Were you claimed by a coalition?”
“Of course. Being mated is mandatory. If we want to eat, we have to agree to share our bodies with three hybrid males.” She let bitterness fill her voice, making it sound brittle and cold.
He scoffed just loud enough for her to hear. “In our village it’s only two.”
