Page 58 of Lexi, Property of Rhyder

I look over at Gail who has her back to me. “Wouldn’t what?” I ask, confused.

Gail turns around, leaning her back against the sink. She’s wearing blue denim shorts with a short-sleeved white top. “Do yourself a favor and don’t try and run. Hewillfind you, and hewilldrag you back.”

I swallow the lump in my throat and can’t believe how she somehow read my thoughts. “I, um… I wasn’t going to…”

“That’s what they all say.” Gail looks away in the distance, and I can’t help but think that maybe she has tried to run too. I want to ask her what she means, but I know she won’t answer me. Maybe if I try and befriend her over time, she might help me.

I will have to bide my time, wait for the right moment.

“And don’t try and make him fall in love with you. He’s incapable of it.” Now, I definitely sense some sort of sadness in her voice and wonder if she’s tried to make that creature love her. It seems an odd thing to say, but then I think I don’t care at all, so I continue to eat, but the annoyance of a headache has me rubbing my temples.

“Would you have some Advil?”

“Sure. Red, is it?” she asks while looking at me oddly.

“Yes, but not really.”

“Ah… Master’s choice, I’m gathering?”

I nod. Gail reaches into her pocket and removes a set of keys, then she walks to the side of the kitchen and unlocks a cupboard. Removing a box, she takes out some Advil and then fills my glass with juice and hands them to me. “Here, this should fix it.”

“Thank you.” I swallow the tablets and ask, “Can you take me to my room. I think I need to lie down.”

“It could be the heat giving you a headache. It’s quite hot in Napa Valley this time of year.”

I nod, then stand as Gail leads the way out of the kitchen. She begins to step up the stairs, and I follow behind her. “Here is your room.” Gail opens the door, and we step inside.

I’m surprised at how beautiful it is. There’s a four-poster bed with a sheer white curtain dangling from the top. The white furniture is elegant and makes the room look bright and cheery. A dressing table sits to the right beside the window with a matching walk-in closet. I sense Gail’s eyes on me, and I turn to her.

“Do you like it?”

I give her a warm smile. “It’s beautiful.”

“Good because I wasn’t sure. Master just told me to get your room prepared, and I didn’t have any idea of what types of things you would like.”

I look at Gail and wonder how many rooms she has prepared for this so-called Master in the past. I’m dying to ask, but I know she won’t tell me, so it’s not worth my effort. I walk slowly to the bed and sit, staring out the large bay window at the sunny day and think about my sister.

Gail must notice a change in me because she says, “I see you have a lot on your mind. I’ll leave you to get settled.” She points to the closet telling me that there are clothes in there for me and undergarments in the drawers. I don’t respond. My heart is aching to be at home and safe with Paige. If only things could go back to the way they were.

“If there’s nothing else you need, I’ll leave you then.”

I look up at Gail and allow a tear to fall down my face. “Gail?”

Her hand stills on the doorknob. “Yes?”

“Will Master ever let me go home?”

Gail looks around the room, her mouth tight, and I can see she’s struggling with the idea of telling me too much. But then she stares at me as if her mind has been set in concrete and speaks, “Your life before this house doesn’t exist. It’s best to forget what was before and accept what is now. Everything before here doesn’t matter anymore. It is your job to please Sir Lawrence. That is youronlyduty now.”

Tears fall freely at her honesty, and now I wish I had never asked the question because she’s admitted my worst fear, that I am to be Master’s captive, and that he will never let me go back to my family. The realization that this is my life hits me hard, and I begin to sob hysterically allowing all my pain and suffering of the last few days to leave me.

I slide to the floor, my back against the bed and cry harrowing sobs into my hands. I faintly hear the sound of a door shut and then a click announcing the door is now locked.

I can’t deal with any of this.

I want to go home.

I want to go home.

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