Page 27

"Kiddo," Mr. Harlstred continued. "You okay? Can you tell us what happened?"

Fear welled up inside me. Would this be the thing that finally convinced the Harlsteds to turn on me like everyone else? Was I about to watch the love in their eyes turn to hatred, too?

My heart wrenched. But under that anger and fear, they were just worried about their loved ones.

They needed the truth — deserved it.

And I deserved whatever came of it.

"They took Liam and I to the red doors, like always," I forced the words out, voice cracking. "But this time, I remember what's on the other side. It's a laboratory builtaround some sort of large creature. Maybe some kind of relic, but it's unlike anything I've seen before. And it's … corrupted. Not quite a wraith, but very close to turning."

A few people cursed, but most remained silent and I forced myself to continue.

"They strapped us to chairs, and — and a mind mage started doing something to me … I don't know exactly how, but he was trying to get into my mind and take control of my magic. He —"

"Oh, for fuck's sake," Darlene scoffed. "Lies! Lies upon lies! The mind mages all died out during The Fall like most schools of magic! Quit lying and tell us the fucking truth!"

"BE. QUIET," Mr. Harlsted snapped.

No one spoke as he waited for a response and I took the brief reprieve to take more steadying breaths.

"Whatever," Darlene finally grumbled.

"Excellent," Mr. Harlsted said. "Please continue, Kaiya."

I bit my cheek. This was the part I dreaded the most.

"I resisted him for a few minutes," I said, throat tight. "And the creature — it unlocked my lost memories of the other sessions … including what I'd done to the others."

The cell block was silent, and my fear threatened to consume me.

Fuck!The sooner I got this over with, the sooner we could get to the important bit — tomorrow's escape.

"Each day," I said. "The mind mage takes control of me, uses my bond magic, then erases my memories."

People began to whisper and gasp, and my mind slid to the images of those empty eyes and the markings covering limp bodies.

"With my magic under his control, he — used my powers to force-bond the prisoners to the corrupted creature."

Several people hissed while others shouted.

I pushed on.

"Force-bonded to that thing, they go into some sort of coma." I clenched my fists. "They don't die, but I have the feeling they will never wake so long as they're bonded to the creature. Then my memories are erased, and I am brought back here. I've never seen where they're taken after that."

"But they're alive?!" a woman asked, voice hoarse.

"Where are they?" another said. "Did you see my Hanna?"

"What do you mean, never wake?'"

The questions bombarded me, hot and full of emotions like a crushing vise.

"I — I —" My voice broke. "I don't know any more than that. I'm sorry."

The questions turned to angry shouts, and I bit my lip, bracing myself.

I deserved everything they said. It was my fault their loved ones were in that state.