Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 82949 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 415(@200wpm)___ 332(@250wpm)___ 276(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82949 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 415(@200wpm)___ 332(@250wpm)___ 276(@300wpm)
“Alright.” He cracks his neck, leaning in close as we continue to follow her past the front of the house. “First thing I’m going to tell you is that you need to pay attention to her cues. If she touches her ear, she recommends you, if she taps her lips, she wants you out, and if she curls her finger over her ear before coming around to her mouth, run.”
“Well, that’s reassuring,” I mumble back at him beneath my breath as she rests her wrist upside down over a small gap in the gate. I’m guessing it takes us to the back of the house, but why the hell did she make us walk around it instead of taking us through the house? Or maybe it’s her house and she doesn’t want anyone going through.
A beep sounds, and I follow Ruin as she steps aside, her eyes looking me up and down.
“The Game of the evening is this…” I bang into Cooper’s back, holding him in place.
“Sorry.”
“Hello, pretty one…” The woman steps up to me, running her finger down the side of my face. “Are you feeling sleepy?”
“Ru—” Dark green colors from the forest that backs up to the house mixes with the bright blue water of the pool. I try to stay focused, but my throat throbs as though I can’t take in air fast enough.
“Go to sleep.” She clicks her fingers, and I’m out.
He directed me to the back of the ship with a hand on my lower back. His fingers grazed my lower spine. I counted the steps until we got to a red door that had a small display window on it.
He reached up and knocked three times. I waited. His hand was still on my back and my insides were on fire. The door opened and I forgot to breathe. I wasn’t sure what I expected, but it wasn’t this. Somewhere between my duties and what I wanted, I lost sight of myself.
I stepped through the doorway, careful not to pay too close attention to the smaller details. The room was dimly lit, with smaller lanterns that lined the bookshelf behind a heavy desk. An old map was carved into the office desk, a large leather chair behind it. There were old books lined across the shelf behind it, and directly opposite me sat an open fire. The air was warmer, the space smaller.
He led me to one of the chairs in front of the fireplace. I slowly lowered myself onto the chair, keeping my eyes connected on both. They were so different, yet I had heard so painfully similar.
The new one sat on the chair behind the desk, picking up a rolled smoke and playing with it between his fingers as the other sat beside my chair. The hairs on the back of my neck stuck up in warning. I knew this could be a bad idea.
“Is it secure here?” I broke the silence with a simple question. One I hoped wouldn’t annoy them. I didn’t want to do that. I didn’t know what I was getting myself into when it came to this.
All I had was orders.
“No one comes here without my knowing about it, and no one gets out.”
I took his answer as I would. I knew I could. If there was one thing absolute, it was that they didn’t lie about this. About what happened here.
“Good.” A smile touched my lips even though I didn’t want it to. I wanted to choke, and spew, and be sick all at once.
This was a bad idea. Something about this one sent shivers down my spine. He had eyes that matched the gates of Hell and an air about him that made all the warning bells inside my head go off.
I had no choice now. I had to see this out.
Shiloh
My muscles ache. I know I have to open my eyes, but I can’t bring myself to move because the first thing I feel is the throbbing in my legs. The fatigue in my bones. It’s a poison that can’t be cured. What happened last night? My eyes pop open and I squeeze the sheets that surround my body, groaning when I try to roll out of bed. I reach aimlessly for something. Anything. Hopefully a glass of water to wash down the taste of whatever it is that’s sticking to the back of my throat. My hand collides with a hard object before a loud smash sounds, and I quickly jump. Where my bed is pushed against a wall, leaving no space for a bedside table, this has one. I know instantly that this isn’t my room.
Pressing my palms into my eyes, I scrub the sleep away and force them to part. The room is a blur, but I try to blink through it to take in my surroundings.