Page 57 of Unhinged

Freedom, after all, isn't given. It's taken. And I am ready to take it, to shatter these chains and to bathe in the light that is Alice after bathing in the blood of my enemies.

23

ALICE

I haven’t seen Taren in a couple of days. Since then, our training has taken a rather odd turn. Matias is still his crazy, untamable self, but Thiago acts like the protector Taren once was. He’s keeping his brother at bay, and they’ve not touched us sexually since Taren came to tell me that Ileana had pulled him off training.

Matias and Thiago have us standing on one leg as a task to see how long we’ll do as we’re told. Both of them sneering at us. Luna has been uncharacteristically quiet the past few days. I think it’s because of what happened to Blake. We’re all still shaken over it, completely unaware of what she’s going through with her new owner.

Suddenly, Luna’s leg buckles under her, and she nearly falls over.

Matias sneers, “Can’t even do a simple task, huh?” He moves forward with violent intent in his eyes.

Before he can move toward her, Thiago steps in front of him, his arm outstretched. “That’s enough, Matias,” he commands, his voice firm. The air in the room turns icy as he stands his ground, preventing his brother from harming Luna.

Matias’s pupils dilate, his jaw clenches, and he whirls around to face his brother. “Enough?” he spits out the word as if it’s poison. “Since when do you decide what’s enough, Thiago? You’re suddenly playing the hero now, pretending to be Taren. Do you think that makes you better than me?”

His nostrils flare, his chest heaving with barely suppressed rage.

Thiago doesn’t back down. He holds his brother’s gaze, unflinching. The tension thickens in the room, a storm about to break loose.

Their confrontation escalates. “You think stepping in for Luna makes you better, huh? You’re just another pawn in their game!” His fists clench at his sides, his body rigid with fury.

Thiago’s face hardens, but his voice remains steady, “It’s about ensuring we treat the assets correctly. No one wants to pay top dollar for a girl with bruises on her face.” He looks back at Luna for a fraction of a second, a brief flicker of concern flashing across his face.

“Right?” Matias laughs bitterly, “Right according to whom, Thiago? We’ve been doing this for years, and suddenly that bastard Taren turns up, and everything changes.”

Thiago bristles at his brother’s words, but he stands his ground, his eyes unwavering. The tension is palpable, the room heavy with unspoken animosity, and the impending storm continues to brew.

“Enough,” Taren’s voice cuts through the silence.

The relief of hearing his voice is unlike anything I’ve ever felt. I turn to face him, but he doesn’t look at me. His gaze is fixed on the two brothers.

“I need to speak with you both,” he demands, still focusing on them.

I expect him to look at me, but he doesn’t. Instead, he turns away and walks out of view of the cell, expecting the brothers to follow. To my surprise, they do follow him. No questions.

Luna glances at me. “Something’s going on.”

I bite my lip. “Maybe.”

Kali approaches, her eyes still glassy from tears. “I hate Matias.”

“You and me both,” I say.

The sound of muffled voices echo toward the cell. I hate that I’ve got no idea what’s happening, but something is off.

I stand there, feeling the cold seep into the very marrow of my bones. The uncertainty gnawing at me worse than the cold.

“Are you alright?” Luna asks, placing a hand on my arm. “You’re shaking.”

I swallow hard. “I sense that something big is going to happen.”

Luna pulls me close, and Kali joins the hug, all of us seeking comfort in each other. The absence of Blake feels more poignant in that moment.

“God, I hope Blake is okay,” Kali mutters.

My stomach churns as I try not to dwell on what she’s going through. The unease is an icy hand around my heart, tightening with every passing second. Kali’s eyes are wide and frightened. Luna’s are hardened and unyielding but filled with a shared dread.

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