Page 61 of His Toy

“No,” Zaid said. “He wouldn’t remember us.”

It seemed strange to forget something like that. Taking human life, throwing it aside like trash. But if Eric was as cruel as he had been at the negotiation, he was capable of killing people without mercy, without a second thought. Life was nothing to him.

And my sister and I had almost been his victims.

“Thank you for saving Hazel,” I said. “And me. I don’t know what would have happened if I tried to find him.”

“I tried to warn you.”

To think of how far we had come since those first words was amusing. We had been strangers. And despite not knowing anything about me, Zaid had tried to save me. And here we were. He had found my parents, given me some comfort. Given me a place to stay by choice. I touched the collar around my neck, and Zaid pulled me in close.

“I need to tell Hazel about this. Seeing them.” I gestured in the direction of the cemetery. “I know she can’t leave the clinic, but can I visit her? Make sure she’s okay?”

“His followers can’t be trusted.”

“Is she really a follower at this point?”

Zaid studied me for a moment, his eyes cautious, anticipating my response. “The clinic has strict rules and regulations regarding patients on lockdown.”

Hazel was on lockdown?

“I know it’s safer for her there,” I said. “I won’t help her escape.”

And those words made my stomach clench. Was it wrong to keep Hazel in captivity, even if it was safer for her? How could I convince Zaid that Hazel would listen to me, that she would be safer with me? With us?

“I need to see her,” I said.

“I’ll escort you.”

“What happened to freedom to leave the property? Is that gone now?” I asked. “You don’t trust me?”

“I don’t trust him.”

Zaid peered down at me with those dark eyes, darker than the night that would descend upon us, darker than the soul he kept hidden from the light. I wanted to bring up how according to him, I didn’t need his permission to see my sister.

He stood, gathering the wrapper and tossing it in the can. It didn’t matter what he had promised. Something was on his mind, changing the situation. I might have had the freedom to leave Zaid, but that didn’t mean the freedom to do what I wanted. Or what I needed.

But I wasn’t going to let it go.