Page 96 of Rescuing Sophia

Her eyes fill with unshed tears, her voice choked with emotion. “I’ve tried to protect her, to give her love and comfort, even in this terrible place. But it’s only a matter of time before Malfor takes her away from me. He’s grooming her for something, and I can’t bear the thought of what that might be.”

My heart aches for her and for Zephyr. I can see the pain etched on her face, the desperate love of a mother trying to shield her child from a world of horror.

“When she was born, I tried to escape with her. But they caught me.” Violet’s voice breaks, and she closes her eyes as if trying to shut out the memory. “The punishment… It was severe. I thought I was going to die. I wanted to die.”

I feel sick imagining the horrors she must have endured. “But you survived,” I whisper.

Violet nods, her eyes haunted. “I survived. And when I didn’t die, Malfor took me. He told me if I ever wanted to see Zephyr again, I’d do whatever he asked. No questions, no hesitation.”

“So you’ve been here all this time? Working for him?”

“Yes,” Violet says, her voice barely audible. “Tending to his ‘guests,’ doing whatever he asks. I’d do anything, endure anything, for Zephyr.”

The weight of her words hangs heavy between us. I think of Luke, of the impossible choice I made to protect him. “And now you take care of her?”

Violet nods, a flicker of something like relief crossing her face. “It’s the one mercy in all of this. I get to see Zephyr and care for her.”

“But why help me?” I ask, still struggling to understand. “Why risk it?”

She looks at me, her eyes shining with unshed tears. “When Isaw you, when I realized you were a mother too—I couldn’t stand by and do nothing.”

I’m overwhelmed by her story, by the strength it must have taken to survive all these years.

“How do you endure it?”

A soft smile touches Violet’s lips. “Zephyr,” she says. “The thought of her, the hope of being with her… It gives me strength. Even on the darkest days, when I feel like I can’t go on, I remember her laugh, her smile. And I know I have to keep going.”

Her words resonate deeply within me. I think of Luke, of how the mere sight of him in that video has renewed my determination to survive, to do whatever it takes to see him again.

“Tell me about her,” I say softly, wanting to keep Violet talking, to strengthen this fragile connection between us. “You’ve done so much for her. You’ve given her hope and love in a place that offers neither.”

Violet’s eyes light up, a mother’s love shining through despite everything. “She’s—incredible. So smart, so kind. Even as a baby, she had this way of looking at the world, like everything was a wonderful new discovery.”

She chuckles softly. “I used to sing to her, when she was inside me. Old lullabies my grandmother taught me. And you know what? Those same songs still calm her when she’s upset.”

I smile, remembering similar moments with Luke. “They remember,” I say. “Even before they’re born, they know us.”

Violet nods, her expression turning serious. “Sophia, listen to me. What you did, infiltrating the Guardians… Malfor will use that against you. He knows more than anyone else, probably more than you realize. He talks… Sometimes he says things he shouldn’t.”

I feel a chill run down my spine. “What do you mean?”

Violet leans in closer, her voice barely above a whisper. “He has plans for you. I don’t know all the details, but—he wants to break you, to turn you into a weapon. Maybe just for his own amusement, or maybe there’s some larger plan. With Malfor, you can never be sure.”

The weight of her words presses down on me, suffocating. Iwant to say that I won’t let him, that I’ll find a way to make things right, but the words die in my throat. I know the truth–there is no making this right. This is the hand fate has dealt me, and for Luke’s sake, I’ll play it.

“Have you ever thought about trying to escape? To get Zephyr out of here?” My voice is small and hollow.

Violet’s expression turns somber, and she shakes her head. “The one and only time I tried to escape, I nearly lost my life. Malfor… He’s relentless. I can’t risk it again, not when it could mean losing Zephyr forever. All I can do is stay here, be there for her, and hope for the best.”

I understand her fear, but the thought of staying here, of accepting this fate, fills me with dread. “But what if there was a way? What if we could find help?”

She looks at me, her eyes filled with a mix of hope and despair. “I wish there was, but I won’t risk it. All I can do is make sure Zephyr is safe. That’s my only goal.”

I nod, realizing the depth of her resolve. For now, we’re both captives, bound by our love for our children. I can’t help but hold onto the hope that there might still be a way out, a way to free Luke and Zephyr from this nightmare.

“So what do I do?”

Her eyes are filled with a mix of sympathy. “Behave. Do everything Malfor wants, without question. If you do that, if you prove yourself useful and obedient… Maybe, a few months from now, he might allow you to see Luke.”

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