Page 14 of A Raven Revived (The Raven’s Den #4)

Chapter Fourteen

D aisy woke to the door opening. A few hours must have passed because, although she was still cold, she wasn’t shaking anymore. Samantha entered, and her eyes flicked briefly over Daisy’s form. Her lips scrunched to one side and her brow dipped with sadness seeing the state of her. She didn’t say a word and simply knelt beside her own bed.

“Where did they take you?” Daisy asked.

“The man pulled the door back open, his eyes fixed on her. “It’s quiet time right now, Jane. That’s the only warning you’ll get. This is a good time for prayer.”

Knowing full well what was going to happen, she sat up in the bed, looked straight into his eyes, and shouted, “I will not be quiet!”

He sighed before stepping into the room, another man following right behind him. They dragged her from the bed. Her whole body ached, but she fought them every step of the way. Her bare toe stubbed against the wall, and she cried out as pain gripped her. They didn’t stop moving until she was plunged into the water.

Somehow the shock of the cold only seemed to become more intense with each repetition. It should be getting easier after this many times, but it wasn’t. She screamed as the cold seared her skin. Bits of ice floated on top of the water, and she couldn’t help but wonder if someone had that as their only job, making sure the tub was always ready for its next victim. They kept her in longer this time. Weakness seeped into her muscles, and she slowly lost her ability to fight them.

The familiar man in the white coat appeared at the end of the tub looking down at her. She still didn’t know his name, or any of them for that matter.

“How many times are we going to have to do this, Jane?”

My name is Daisy! She shouted the words inside her mind, but couldn’t manage to vocalize them, no matter how desperately she wanted to.

The pain was growing unbearable, and she was struggling to breathe. She just wanted it to end. She didn’t want to fight anymore, but she had to. She had to get back to Fitz.

They pulled her out of the tub and set her on her feet. It took all of her strength to remain upright, but she was determined not to let them see her weakness. The man in the white coat came to stand before her and held up a syringe. “Do you need to be sedated again?”

“No.” Her voice was as weak as the rest of her. “Please don’t.” She shook her head. She’d never be able to get out of here if they kept her drugged.

“The next time you fail to obey, that’s what will happen. Do you understand?”

“Yes,” she said with a jerky nod.

“Good. Lift your arms.”

She did as she was told, wishing the whole time she could be anywhere but here. It was so demeaning and degrading, but she had no choice. The alternative was being drugged into oblivion, which sounded tempting, but would only allow them to keep her there even longer. Slowly, the wet gown was peeled off her body and pulled over her head.

Once again, they had to dry her off because her body wasn’t capable of the task. They slipped a fresh gown over her head. They seemed to have an endless supply of them.

Walking was difficult, and she stumbled halfway along the corridor, but she managed to recover and continue the rest of the way without being carried.

Samantha was still kneeling beside her bed when Daisy entered the room. She didn’t even look up at Daisy’s return. How long had she been in this place? How long before Daisy was just as complaisant? Sooner than she’d like to admit, probably. She didn’t want to go back into the tub, and she certainly didn’t want to be sedated with those drugs again.

Every inch of her burned with pain as she climbed onto her bed and wrapped the blanket around her trembling body. Would Fitz somehow come for her? Would he ever even know where she was? Would he just assume she’d run away again? She’d done it before, so why wouldn’t he? That thought finally broke through the gates she was using to keep her emotions at bay. Sobs burst from her mouth, hot tears burning her frozen skin as they flowed from her eyes. Part of her worried that they might punish her for crying during quiet time, but she couldn’t stop it even if she tried. Thankfully, no one came in to drag her away.

Eventually, she must have drifted off, because the next thing she knew, she was opening her eyes. She groaned quietly. How was it possible for her entire body to throb?

“Are you alright?”

Daisy slowly turned her head. Samantha was sitting on the edge of her bed across the room. She could barely bring herself to nod. Apparently quiet time had ended.

“If you stop fighting them it will be a lot easier. One way or another, they will win, so there’s just no reason to make it even harder than it already is.”

“Did you fight?” Daisy’s voice was hoarse, probably from screaming and crying.

Samantha nodded. “Not as much as you, but we all fight in the beginning.”

“He said he’ll drug me if I do it again.”

“My last roommate fought like you. She was drugged, and along with that came the jacket. You really don’t want that, Jane.”

“My name is Daisy.” She swallowed, trying to soothe her throat.

“Don’t correct them like that. It won’t end well for you.”

“I have to get out of here.”

Samantha breathed a defeated sigh. “The only way you’re getting out of here is if the person who brought you comes back to collect you.”

Her father would never come back for her. There had been true hatred in his eyes when he’d talked about the piece of land she’d cost him. Apparently, that was far more valuable to him than his daughter. Not to mention the embarrassment she’d caused. Nothing mattered more to her father than his reputation.

This couldn’t be happening. She could not spend the rest of her life in this place. She would have to keep fighting, no matter what it cost her.

* * *

Fitz wandered aimlessly for at least an hour. At first, he’d been relieved that she hadn’t run away from him, but then guilt soured his stomach. Asylums were not good places. What were they doing to her in there? How could her father have done something so horrific? She was his daughter, for God’s sake.

How was Fitz going to get her back? That was the only question that really mattered.

He wouldn’t be able to do it on his own, but he was angry and didn’t want to ask for Ash’s help.

With a sigh, he turned back for Raven House. He was going to have to put his anger aside. Daisy was more important than anything else, and they needed to find her and bring her home.

Fitz took a deep, calming breath before approaching Ash’s office. Starting a fight with the man would not help anything. Not to mention, he didn’t stand a chance against him.

Without a word, he closed the door and sat down in front of the desk. “I need your help.”

“I’m sorry, Fitz. I should have told you, but I had completely forgotten about it. When she said it, I thought it was an exaggeration or even a joke.” He looked Fitz in the eye. “I am sorry.”

He nodded. Ash wouldn’t have intentionally put her in danger. He knew that. “How are we going to get her back?”

“I’ve sent for Patrick. We’ll come up with a plan after he gets here. We’re going to need to talk to Litchfield and find out where he sent her.”

“But if he’s refusing to even let us in, how will we ever get him to tell us where she is?”

“He may have refused entry to you, but he wouldn’t dare to refuse Lord Ashdown, Lord Dalinridge, and Lord Patrick Woodcombe. We could sink his reputation at the drop of a hat.”

“But even still, why would he tell you where she is?”

“We won’t just ask nicely, Fitz.” Ash’s voice turned dangerous. “No one hurts someone under my protection, and Daisy is still very much under my protection.”

“Why don’t we just go tonight, then?”

Ash shook his head. “We’re only going to get one shot at this, Fitz. Litchfield is a powerful man. There can be no half measures in whatever we do.”

Fitz scrubbed his hands over his face. “I have to help her, Ash. How am I supposed to just wait around for Patrick to arrive?”

“It won’t be easy. But I need your word that you’re not going to try to do something on your own.”

He nodded, but he didn’t want to sit around doing nothing while Daisy was undoubtedly suffering.

“I need to hear the words, Fitz.”

He sighed. “You have my word, Ash. I wouldn’t have come here if I didn’t believe you would know how to handle this.”

“Good. Now go have a drink or two to calm your nerves, but not too many, you’ll need your wits about you. I’ll send for you when Patrick has arrived.”

Ash came around the desk and placed a hand on his shoulder. “We’ll get her back, Fitz.” All he could do was nod.

Fitz made his way to the tavern and sat in his usual seat. Anderson wasn’t there, but he ordered himself a glass of brandy. He took a sip, but it tasted bitter on his tongue. How could he be sitting on his arse, drinking, while Daisy was probably being put through hell? Fury and guilt rampaged through him. He managed to stop himself from throwing the glass, but only just. His hands curled into fists on top of the table and he closed his eyes. He’d sworn to keep her safe, and instead, he’d hand delivered her to a horrible fate.

“Fitz?”

He opened his eyes to see Anderson standing beside the table.

“What is it, Fitz? What’s happened?”

“Daisy is missing,” he said desperately. “We don’t know for sure, but Ash believes her father has sent her to an asylum.”

Anderson slowly lowered himself into the chair opposite. “How?”

“Because I bloody left her there with him.” Fitz lowered his head and curled his arms over the top as an agonized sob broke from his lips. “I left her there.”

“I meant, how could her father do something like that?”

He raised his head and brushed his worthless tears away. “Is there anything you can do from a legal perspective to help me get her out of wherever he sent her?”

Anderson slowly shook his head. “If her father sent her there, no one else will be able to get her out. If you were married?—”

“Well we’re not!” Fitz interrupted with a shout. He pushed to his feet and stormed out of the tavern before he flipped the whole table. He should have taken her to Gretna Green, but he’d stupidly wanted to give their families a chance to celebrate their nuptials. He really thought her father would come around when he saw that she was alive and well. He’d never before wanted to kill someone, but right now, he would gladly wrap his hands around that man’s neck and squeeze the life out of him.

“Fitz, wait.”

Anderson was trailing along behind him. He had no idea where he was going, he just needed to move.

“Where are you going?” Anderson asked when he eventually caught up to him.

“Somewhere I don’t have someone telling me I won’t be able to get her back.”

Anderson grabbed his shoulder, and he stopped walking. “Don’t do this, Fitz. I’m on your side. I’m your friend.”

Slowly, he turned to face him and nodded. “I know. I’m sorry.”

“Now tell me what’s happening. I was there when she went missing three years ago, remember? I know you aren’t just sitting around drinking and not trying to get her back.”

Fitz sighed and combed his fingers through his hair. “Ash says we’re going to get her back, but we can’t go tonight, and he made me promise not to go by myself.”

Anderson nodded. “He has someone shadowing you.”

Fitz rolled his eyes. Of course he did. “I don’t know exactly what the plan is. He sent for Patrick, and when he gets here, we’ll put something together I guess.”

“I’ll help in any way I can.”

Fitz nodded, still feeling completely useless. “Thank you.”