“I don’t need you to explain what Stephan is planning to do,” He snaps, yanking down the sleeves of his shirt. “I understand more than you do.”
“And you’re simply okay with letting him kill everyone?” I shake my head at him. “Don’t you even have a heart or are you seriously that cold?”
“I think the real question is just how heartless and cold you are,” he sneers.
My jaw nearly drops. His words almost match what Stephan said to me in the dream I had right before I woke up here. Maybe it wasn’t a dream, though. Maybe it was a vision.
He leans over me, his eyes nearly glowing like cinders. “Which I think is what this whole thing is about.”
My stomach rolls. He knows more than I thought he did. “Why are you doing this? There has to be a reason… you can’t… there’s no way you just decided to be evil.”
“Maybe I’ve always been evil. I mean, you barely even know me and, from what you do know, I’m a sick, twisted, perverted asshole.” He tucks the Ira under his arm and makes air quotes. “But before you making assumptions, maybe you should consider how much you know about Stephan. Or about his precious son, Alex. You trust him so much, yet he is the son of the man who ruined your life and so many other peoples that it’s absurd. He’s supposedly some high and mighty Keeper, yet he has more darkness in him that anyone can comprehend.”
“Did he ruin your life?” I ask. “Is that why?”#p#分页标题#e#
He shifts his weight, uncomfortable, and I get the impression that I’ve struck a nerve.
“What did he do to you?” I press.
“I think I’m going to go take a walk.” He evades my question and stuffs his hands into the pockets of his pants, rocking back on his heels. “I’d say wait here, but I don’t think you’ll be going anywhere.” He turns his back on me and walks out of the room, taking the Ira with him. He shuts and locks the door behind him as well.
I let out a frustrated scream, tugging on the chains. The praesidium rolls off the footboard and onto the floor, but stays close enough that my energy is uselessly trapped inside me. My battle against the chains goes on for hours until I can barely move my legs or arms and I’m dripping with sweat. Exhaustion takes me over and all I want to do is shut my eyes.
So I do, not knowing where I’ll end up, what I’ll see, or what I’ll feel. However, it doesn’t really matter, does it? Because at the moment I don’t have control over anything.
Chapter 21
I’m beginning to learn what rage is. I didn’t fully understand it like I thought I did because what’s stirring within me is definitely rage. It’s like a building storm; rolling clouds and thunder, but lightning hasn’t arrived yet. It’s getting ready to snap its raging energy against the ground, though, and make the world rumble with its bellowing echo.
I’m losing track of time as well as my grip on sanity. Hours stack upon hours, then days upon days. I’m thirsty and hungry while I’m still in my disgustingly muddy clothes, so I smell repulsive.
Nicholas comes in and checks on me occasionally, only unhooking my chains to let me go to the bathroom, which he gives me no privacy for. It makes me feel revolting inside, like something has been taken that I’ll never be able to get back. He always makes vulgar comments about me and he feeds me only bread and water. He also likes to keep the Ira on the nightstand, close enough that I can feel the vibrant energy exuding from it, but far enough away that I can’t channel it; even though it’s useless since the praesidium remains close enough to lock my powers within me.
I try to make several attempts to escape, but always fail and end up paying for it. I quickly learn that Nicholas has a violent streak in him after he hit me a couple of times when I said and did the wrong thing. It doesn’t make me back down at all, though. In fact, it makes me more determined to get away and pay him back in full for what he’s doing to me.
In the beginning I expected Alex or Laylen to show up and save me. I made a comment about it once and Nicholas informed me that no one could save me. That his house is merely an illusion in the mind and only those he allows to see it can.
There doesn’t even seem to be a point in what he’s doing. Stephan never shows up to collect me and when I ask him about it, he says he’s been detained. Although I think he might be enjoying having me here a little too much.
The strange thing is that he appears to be growing weaker by the day; pallid, his eyes tinting yellow, while his skin looks cracked and dry. It’s repulsive to look at and even he seems disgusted by himself. His connection and obsession with me, however, seems to be growing stronger. He’s always touching me, trying to kiss me and grope me. I have no idea where his fixation with me is coming from, but I’m starting to think it might be to my benefit if I can find the right moment