Page 26 of Daemonium

"I'll have a better idea once we reach the inner city," he admitted.

"Just admit you don't know," Hayven said with a sigh, finishing off the long braid she’d been working on.

"But I do know," Brody insisted.

"He knows," Charon nodded in agreement.

As we continued walking, a large cabin emerged in the distance. A sign planted in the ground a few feet away from it read "Sanctuary." I couldn't recall when we had last seen or been to one of these places. The word itself seemed foreign now, almost too good to be true. We slowed our pace as Maverick and Brody volunteered to go inside first and make sure it was clear.

"Stay close," Ky murmured, his grip on my hand tightening slightly.

Maverick and Brody cautiously entered the cabin, communicating silently before disappearing inside to check things out. The rest of us waited, tense and alert, scanning our surroundings for any signs of danger. The dark windows loomed ahead, giving off an eerie feeling as if they were watching us with empty eyes.

"They'll be fine," Dion said quietly, whether he was trying to reassure us or himself, I couldn't tell.

Brody poked his head out and waved for us. “We’re all good!”

We filed in and stood in the foyer of sorts. As soon as we were all inside, the door closed behind us with a loud click as a lock slid into place, far from comforting. The cabin wasn't as extravagant as the other sanctuaries we had seen, but it was far from run-down. It had become evident some time ago that they spared no expense here, even in places meant for us to die. The alligators were testimony to that. Then again, they probably didn't worry about feeding them when they had people like us to use as their food source.

“They were kind enough to leave us a welcome letter.” Maverick circled around a large L-shaped sectional and grabbed something off the coffee table—a piece of paper. He shook it out and then began to read.

“Welcome, Esteemed Players.

We hope you enjoyed your unexpected detour from our planned entertainment. As always, your resilience and resourcefulness have not gone unnoticed.

To reward you for bringing in a record number of viewers, we have something extra special planned just for you. Take this time to relax and prepare. You will need every bit of wit and endurance for what’s to come. May the strongest survive, and only the most cunning thrive.

Warm regards, The Infernal Syndicate.”

"Warm regards my ass," Carol groused, walking off. "Let's go, Earl. We need to do something about your head."

Earl. Now I had his name. But the Earl in my memory was a family attorney. Why was he here?

My eyes darted around the unfamiliar room, landing on a timer ticking away above a large fireplace mantle. The digits glared back at me, counting down the precious few hours we had to pretend we were safe. Doubt crept in as I questioned the trustworthiness of this place.

"Are we okay here?" I asked, my voice laced with skepticism.

"Don't worry," Ky reassured me. "They won't betray their own game, not again."

Hayven’s head turned in his direction. "Not again? What do you mean?"

Ciaran pulled Lana close, his arm protectively wrapped around her. "Come on, puppet. We really need to get you cleaned up."

"It's just some mud," Lana protested, but Ciaran was already leading her away.

"If it gets infected and you lose limbs, then what?" he reasoned with her.

As they walked down the hall, I heard Lana ask who the one was being dramatic.

Ky took my hand and led me towards the stairs, beckoning for me to follow him. I hesitated, not wanting to leave Mel behind, but she gave me a reassuring smile before turning to Brody and asking for his assistance. I got it then. It was about her wound and she didn’t want me to see it. I could’ve pushed the issue, but I’d never disrespect her boundaries. Too many people have done that already.

Ky took me down another hallway, pushing open two doors before we found a bedroom. He locked the door behind us and guided me into a bathroom that was sleek and modern with dark tiles, a glass-enclosed shower, and a large mirror above the sink that showed a girl. She was familiar, yet different in every way. Her eyes held a trace of sadness and pain.

This place was not where she belonged. I couldn't help but worry about what would become of her once we left. Where could we go? Our family was a lie, our home was no longer a place we would ever feel welcome. We used to love the beach, but now I wasn't sure if it would ever hold the same meaning for us. It felt like two souls were inhabiting one body; hers bearing the weight of all that had been taken from her, and mine trying to deal with the aftermath.

Ky's body pressed against mine from behind, his hands caging me in against the sink. He leaned in close, his lips brushing against my ear. "All that pretty torment," he murmured, "Let me take it from you."

I meet his unrelenting gaze in the mirror. It's like he could see into my very soul, ripping apart my fragile defenses with a single look.

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