When I don’t move, he jerks his head to the side, so I slowly step out and wait for further instructions.
He grabs my upper arm and pulls me to the right. We pass the curtain that hangs on one side of the cage, and I realize it’s hiding the rest of the room. There’s a black couch against a concrete wall, but it isn’t that that sends chills up my spine.
Across the top of the wall is a metal bar, and attached to it are thick cuffs and chains. I suppose I should be thankful for my cage.
The man escorts me to an arched doorway and lets go of my arm. “You’ll find what you need in there. I’ll wait.”
I simply nod and scurry inside to find a toilet to my right. There’s no door or curtain, so if he wanted to watch, all he has to do is take a few steps. Luckily, he doesn’t do that.
Once I’m done, I walk across the cold ground, passing the entryway where he’s standing watch, and make my way to the sink opposite the toilet.
It’s a small white porcelain bowl set in a stone base. Not too fancy, but definitely more than I’d expect in what I’m sure is a fucking dungeon.
I dry my hands on the blanket that’s wrapped around my body, then slowly pivot to make my way to the man in charge. His words come back to me. There’s no point in trying to run. You’ll regret it. I believe him.
Without having seen the other side of the room, I’m almost positive there’s only a door, and possibly more restraints hooked to the wall. I doubt I’d be able to get to the door before he’d be able to grab me. I’m weak, tired, and still feeling a little sick. The door probably requires a key to open, and who knows what lies beyond the door. I’d be like a mouse in a maze.
I won’t attempt to run. Not now. I don’t want to test my luck, so I emerge in front of him and come to a stop.
He watches me curiously, as if he’s expecting me to dart for the door. I meet his gaze and wait for him to speak.
His right eyebrow arches slightly, then he turns and walks back to the cage. I follow him, going over all the questions I want to ask, and trying to figure out the best way to word them.
I step inside as he holds the door open, but quickly spin around and part my lips to speak. “How long will I be in here for?”
“For as long as it takes.”
I immediately have a follow-up question, but choose to go another route. “Will I be able to eat? Maybe put on some clothes?”
His dark eyes scan my body, and I shift under his gaze. “I’ll be back soon.”
He closes and locks the door, then walks off, disappearing behind the black curtain. The door bangs shut and I flinch at the noise.
Chapter Three
I wake up, remembering the trip here. Perhaps I dreamt about it, but for whatever reason, memories are starting to come back to me.
It was only me and one other passenger on my second flight—a man who was asleep before I boarded, and gone before I woke up.
As I was in a car with a driver asking me where to go, I found another note, but this one was placed in my carry-on.
I see you’re ready for adventure. Congratulations for making it this far. Go to the following address for a nice place to sleep in a district that’s sure to keep you entertained. Mind the rules. There’s consequences for breaking them.
-C
1415 Kilquen Road
I struggle trying to put the pieces together. Mr. C left both notes for me. That means he was both in my house, and on the flight with me, yet I hadn’t seen his face.
What happened when I got to that address? Unfamiliar faces are just out of reach. I’m pretty sure a woman and a man were there.
An hour or more go by, though with nothing to do or look at, it feels like it’s been days. Then the door opens, and the same man comes to the cage bearing gifts.
In one hand is a tray that holds food, and in the other hand is a black drawstring bag.
“Smells good,” I say softly, making my way to the bars.
I’m hoping I can get released on good behavior. So for now, I’m playing nice.
He doesn’t say anything, he just pulls a key from his pocket and unlocks the door before stepping inside. With a flick of his wrist, he tosses the bag onto my bed and then places the tray on the floor.
Before he’s even out of the cage, I’m rushing to the tray and grabbing the glass of water, greedily gulping down almost all of it, before sitting on the edge of the bed and bringing the tray to my lap.
I lift the cover off the plate and find what looks like eggs benedict. I’m not the biggest fan of poached eggs, but beggars can’t be choosers. At least there’s also ham and English muffins.
“Thank you,” I say before digging in.
Once again, he remains silent, and annoyance creeps up my spine. I’m being nothing but nice when I should be throwing a fit and kicking and fighting my way out of here. I’d thought he’d appreciate my effort, but it seems he’s unpleasable.
As he strolls toward the door again, I make another attempt to get some information.
“Am I to have a trial or something? Can you tell me what I did wrong?”
I wait to hear the door open, but instead he comes from behind the curtain holding a chair. He places it in front of the golden bars and takes a seat.
“Why are you here?”
I hesitate only momentarily. “Uh. Because you put me in here?” I didn’t mean for it to come out as sarcastic as it did, so I bite down on my lip and hold my breath.
He sighs, annoyed by me. “Why are you in the Isle of Redquin?”
“Somebody gave me a ticket.”
“Somebody,” he deadpans. “Who is somebody?”
“I-I don’t know.”
“What were you doing in those buildings?”
I stop eating and my heart smashes against my ribs. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. What buildings?”
“You don’t remember where you were last night?”
“No. I think I may have been drugged. All I remember was feeling sick and passing out in an empty room. My head still feels a bit fuzzy and I can’t recall many details since arriving here.”
He leans forward, resting his arms on his knees. “Last night you pleaded to not be taken to the queen. Why? Were you aware you did something wrong?”
“No, no!” My eyes widen in panic. “I just know there is a queen, and I figured if I was locked up, my next step would be to see her. For punishment. But I don’t know what I did wrong.”
The man sits back and brings his hand to his chin, rubbing the prickly hair while he watches me. “I don’t believe you.”
“I didn’t come here with any intentions. I don’t know anything about this place, so I swear, whatever you think I’ve done, I didn’t do on purpose.”
“So, you weren’t in those buildings, taking part in meetings that plot to infiltrate the castle?”
I shake my head vigorously, my eyes wide with fear and my voice shrill with panic. “What? No, of course not!”
“You know nothing of the royal family?”
“No. Nothing!”
“We’ll find out if that’s true soon enough.”
And then he leaves.
Chapter Four
He doesn’t come back for a while, and by the time he does, my stomach aches for food again. My head continues to throb, and flashes of the previous night keep popping into my mind, but it seems so strange. I’m wondering if it’s simply a dream.
Once again, the door opens, and heavy steps follow, bringing the intimidating man to the bars of my cage.
Without any preamble, he says, “You showed up somewhere you shouldn’t have been, in the place of someone I was expecting. I don’t know what happened to her, only that you were wearing her mask. I don’t trust you. I don’t believe anything you say. And I will keep you here until you change my mind. Now, do you have anything to say?”
“I’m sorry, what?” I question, completely baffled. “I have no idea where I was found or who I was with.”
“Y
ou weren’t with anyone when I found you. You were alone and wearing the mask of a woman who was supposed to be there. I need to know what happened to her, and I need to know why and how you came to be here.”
My tongue swipes across my bottom lip before I begin to speak. “I’ve been starting to get some memories back,” I tell him. “I remember being in a plane and there being a man on it with me. He left me two separate notes. One was left at my house and one in my luggage. He brought me here and set me up in a hotel.”
“And you never saw him?” he questions, his tone one of disbelief.
“I know how it sounds. Look, I was under the thumb of my parents back home. They had just refused me the right to take a year and travel. I was upset and was presented an opportunity to leave and have some adventure. I took it.”
“Maybe you should’ve stayed home,” he deadpans.
“I remember seeing a man and a woman at the hotel, but I don’t know their names.”
He makes quick work of unlocking my cage and storming in. I scurry off the bed and stumble backwards until I slam into the bars. His large hand grips my throat and his face comes within a fraction of an inch to mine.
“You conveniently remember useless details and can’t remember anything of importance. Don’t fuck with me, little girl.”
“It’s the truth,” I choke out, my hands on his, trying to loosen his grip.
“Or you’re lying.”
I attempt to shake my head, my eyes bulging as he continues to squeeze.
He studies my face for several seconds before releasing me from his grasp, leaving me to collapse to the cold ground.
“Put those on,” he growls, gesturing to the black bag on my bed.
I quickly crawl to the mattress and fumble with the strings on the bag, opening it up. What I pull out is a mess of black material and thin straps. I hold them up, trying to figure out what it is, but the man becomes frustrated and rushes over, ripping them from my hands.
“Get up,” he commands, pulling me by my arm.
He rips the blanket off of me in one quick movement, revealing my naked body. I immediately try to cover my breasts with one arm and my put other hand over my vagina. He forcefully pushes my arms down to my sides and slips a sheer, long-sleeved, black shirt over my head. My breasts are still pretty visible, but at least it’s better than nothing.
“Put these on,” he says, giving me a pair of black panties.
I obey, glad that he didn’t try to put these on me as well. He straightens out the straps then proceeds to fasten them around me. The straps criss cross over my chest, lying above and below my breasts and fastening at my back. Another one comes across my middle and then again at my hips. He isn’t done until he fastens another pair of leather straps around each of my thighs and ankles. Each one has a small, silver ring and I think back to the chains I saw earlier.
The man grips my upper arm and pulls me out of the cage and to the corner of the room that houses a variety of chains and bars.
I dig my heels into the ground, trying to delay his progress. “No, please. Please.”
He’s too strong for me to fight off. With a hard tug, I end up in the corner and he starts connecting chains to the silver rings at the back of the leather straps.
My legs are pulled as far apart as possible and connected to the wall via thick chains, and then he slaps heavy cuffs around my wrists, and my arms are stretched out above my head. It doesn’t take long for the position to become uncomfortable, and I hope he doesn’t leave me like this for long.
“Maybe this will help you start remembering things a little quicker, huh? If not, we do it upside down.”
He storms out, ignoring my pleas.
Chapter Five
When I get inside the hotel, I make my way to the counter and ring the bell. Seconds later, a tall woman with white hair emerges from behind a curtain. She has to be in her late twenties at most, so her hair must be dyed. Her gray eyes roam up and down my body before she speaks.
“Reservation?”
“I don’t know. Maybe.”
“Name?”
“Allison Liddel.”
The woman smirks as she types. “Lovely. Yes, you have a room reserved.” She turns around and opens a little door with an old-fashioned knob. Inside are three rows of vintage skeleton keys.
I inspect the one she hands me, and notice the bow is in the shape of a crown and the barrel is sharp and shaped like a sword. The key bit is formed by three thin jagged edges.
“This is cute. Is the crown a dedication of sorts to the Qu—“
She cuts me off with a sharp look and slow shake of her head.
“Oh.”
She brings her thin, delicate finger to her lips before winking.
“If you’ll go up the stairs around the corner, you’ll find your room on the second floor. Room twenty-eight.”
“Thank you.”
She smiles and watches me as I turn the corner to find the stairs.
Once at my door, I place my luggage down, feeling winded from having to haul it up the steps. I slide the key in and unlock the door, taking a step inside before flipping on the light switch.
A man sits in a chair in the corner, gazing out the window.
A gasp is ripped from my throat, and the brass key clatters to the hardwood floor.
“There there. No need to panic. I’m Chester. I believe we shared a plane together today.”
I come to with a gasp, remembering more about the day I got here. Chester. Yes, of course. The man who left the notes. The man responsible for bringing me here.
Attempting to straighten my head rips a groan from my throat. Every part of me is sore and aching.
Chester. I have a name to give my captor, and I hope it’s enough for him to unhook me from these chains. However, I know he’ll want more. I wrack my brain, seeking more details, more memories. What happened after I met Chester?
“What the hell are you doing in here?” I demand, standing in the doorway.
“I’ve just come to make sure you got checked in okay,” he says, standing from the chair.
“In my room?”
He smirks. “In the room I booked for you. You’re welcome, by the way.”
“And you’re also the man who was at my party and left me the plane ticket.”
“Ding ding!”
I eye him carefully as he saunters around my room. He’s wearing jeans and a T-shirt, looking far younger than I first thought he was, but still older than me.
“You don’t have an accent.”
“I’m American. Just like you.”
“And you live here?”
With a smile on his face, he says, “Well, not in this hotel, but yes.”
“What brought you here?”
“You might say who?”
“Who?”
“Yes, as in who brought me here.”
I huff. “Well, who?”
“Tsk tsk.” He shakes a finger at me. “Too many questions.”
“Why me? Why did you bring me here?”
He drops onto the bed, lies back and puts his hands behind his head. “A better question might be why did you come? A stranger leaves you a ticket to a land you know nothing about, and yet you leave your home and family, and everything you know. Why’s that?”
I open my mouth to reply, but no good answers come. Chester continues to smile at me.
“Just answer my question first.”
“Which one? You’ve had so many. You can come in and shut the door by the way. I won’t bite.” A wide grin stretches across his face.
Something about his smile sends unease coursing through my veins. I can’t tell if he’s friendly, or up to no good.
I step in and close the door but I stay against the wall with my hand on the knob. “Can you tell me about this place?”
“This place? The hotel?”
I roll my eyes. “Not the hotel. This country.”
“Well, there are rules.”
�
�Rules? Like not saying Queen? The woman downstairs did seem to convey that we can’t say that in here.”
Chester’s eyes flash with mischief. “And yet you said it anyway.”
“Are you going to tell on me?” I counter.
“No. Rules are meant to be broken, right?”
“What happens if you’re caught breaking them?”
“You get sent to Queen Annika’s castle.”
“And what happens there?” I ask, my curiosity taking over.
“She decides your punishment,” he replies with a smile, like this story pleases him.
“Death?”
He shrugs. “Depends on what you do.”
“Well, tell me what not to do!”
“There’s a curfew and a few banned locations,” he says dismissively. “Nothing too crazy.”
“Death for breaking curfew?”
“Break the rules if you like, I don’t care. You’ll only be in trouble if you get caught.”
And it appears I’ve been caught breaking one rule or another. My captor has mentioned I was somewhere I wasn’t supposed to be, so I’m assuming it was one of the banned locations. But I can’t recall going anywhere or what happened when I was there. I hope the memories keep coming back. It’s the only hope I have of getting out of this place.
Chapter Six
The heavy clank of the door makes my head snap up. I watch as the man comes into view with another tray in his hand. My stomach rumbles at the sight. He grabs a hold of the back of the chair near my cage and drags it over and situates it in front of me.
He places the tray on the floor, then takes the plate and sits down with it in his lap. My mouth waters when I see the juicy steak and small salad.
“Do you have anything to tell me?” he questions, cutting into the meat.
I watch as he brings a big piece to his mouth.
“Yes,” I say softly. “I remember a little more.”
He lifts his chin and stares at me. “Oh yeah? Is it important?” Another big section of the steak is cut and put into his mouth.
The Dark Kingdom Anthology Page 17