Total pages in book: 48
Estimated words: 44459 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 222(@200wpm)___ 178(@250wpm)___ 148(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 44459 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 222(@200wpm)___ 178(@250wpm)___ 148(@300wpm)
“Crawl,” one of the robed figures ordered when I tried to stand.
It was humiliating crawling in front of them, but I did it. The woman slinked her way around the altar, and I followed on my hands and knees, grimacing as dirt and bits of broken plaster dug into my palms.
The fog was thicker back here, and she moved so quickly. I shuffled along, struggling not to lose her in the fog. I planted a hand on the wooden floor, only for it to abruptly give way and tilt down. It was so steep, I tumbled forward and let out a cry of surprise.
Darkness closed around me as I fell through the trap door and slipped down. The angle of the hidden slide was sharp, and I picked up speed as I went, making me feel wildly out of control. My stomach vaulted into my throat. How long was this thing?
I must have dropped at least twenty feet before finally hitting something soft at the bottom, which felt suspiciously like a bare mattress. I tumbled to a stop and lay still for a long moment, catching my breath.
It was colder down here, and the air was damp. Had I slid all the way down to the cave system below the castle? It was pitch-black, so there was no way to know unless I decided to go exploring. Which I really didn’t want to do.
Instead, I remained on the mattress, collecting myself.
An electronic voice broke the quiet, making me jump. “Would you like a light?”
I hesitated. Ignorance was bliss, and not being able to see right now was probably a blessing.
“Tyler Quinn,” the voice said more forcefully, and I disliked hearing my name in this place. “I asked you a question. Do you need a light?”
I pinched the bridge of my nose, and reluctance coated my voice. “Yes.”
There came a sound of metal sliding against metal, like a bolt sliding free from a lock, and a door swung open, giving me the faintest hint of light. It was just enough to get my bearings.
The walls were crudely carved stone, glistening with moisture.
Sure enough, I was in the caverns below the castle. During my research, I’d read that the caves wound downward and connected with the beach at the base of the cliffs. Centuries ago, when the castle was in use, supplies from boats were brought directly up to the castle this way.
“There’s a light in the next room,” the disembodied voice commanded. “Take it and follow the path. Move quickly.”
I’d forgotten how tired I was until I’d lain on the mattress, so my body was heavy and sluggish as I climbed to my feet and trod to the cracked door.
The voice hadn’t lied—there was a single lantern hanging on the wall and lighting the room, which didn’t take me long to identify as a prison. In the rock face, there was a roughly carved cell, complete with latticed iron bars to contain the prisoner. My gaze fell on the padlock holding it closed, and then beyond—
The cell wasn’t empty.
A woman with long stringy hair sat on the floor of the cell, her forehead resting on her knees. Her bare feet and legs were filthy and her hair greasy, giving the impression she’d been there awhile.
At my entrance, she lifted her head, and her glassy eyes locked on me. I immediately averted my gaze, dropping it to the floor . . .
Because the woman was stark fucking naked.
Out of my peripheral vision, I saw her snake her way forward, wrapping her dirty hands around the bars. “Thank you for coming,” she said, sounding desperate. “I’ve been so lonely down here. All alone.”
I stepped back when she reached through the bars, trying to grab my hand. She was a naked woman, but I had no desire to look. Doing so was disrespectful, so my focus swung elsewhere. It meant my gaze landed on the lantern.
Take the light. Move quickly.
For my safety and that of the performers, I’d agreed to follow any order I was given.
“What are you doing?” Her tone was pure disbelief as I reached up, grabbed the lantern, and pulled it off its hook.
I risked a glance at her and saw her hauntingly wide eyes. A stone sank in my stomach, and turmoil swirled in my head, making my fist tighten on the handle. I hadn’t finished recovering from the last scene and was slowly unraveling, so when the woman rattled the lock on her cell, it only got worse.
“That’s mine. My only light,” she whined in heartbreaking voice.
It was much harder than I’d anticipated to turn and start moving toward the narrow path that led away from the cell.
“Please,” she cried as I walked away. “I don’t want to be alone. I’m afraid of the dark.”
Her fear was incredibly convincing, ringing in my ears, and guilt threatened to swallow me up. Even though it wasn’t real, I wanted to tell her I was sorry.