Page 44 of Mind Maze

His calm words do nothing to soothe my erratically beating heart. Emotion sits heavily in my throat and tears prickle my eyes. I haven’t felt such despair since learning my parents died in a car accident. And then, when I was forced to leave her.

I miss her.

Orion’s eyes narrow as he studies me. “Were you dreaming about her again?”

I’m disgusted that I showed a sliver of vulnerability to this man right before Calista was taken away from me. He witnessed it as if I’d flayed my own heart open for him to see the throbbing contents of it.

“I, uh, don’t remember,” I lie, voice gritty from sleep. “I should go shower.”

Orion doesn’t relent. His frown is lined with concern for me. While I’m grateful he rescued me from that hellhole, I’m not keen on this adoption. He wants to be my new father. I already have one of those. He’s dead, sure, but he’s still my dad. This guy is a phony, a fake, a stand-in. It’ll never feel right.

“Why don’t you take something to sleep after,” Orion suggests. “You haven’t gotten much sleep since you got here and it’s been months, Son.”

I recoil at the end of his words. Son? I’m not his. I’ll never be his.

“I’m fine,” I choke out, this time the truth.

I will be fine. I have to be.

“I heard you say the name Calista,” Orion says softly. “Is that her?”

Tearing my gaze from his, I stare at my window. It’s not a window at all. In fact, it’s just a window covered with drapes just to give off the look of a window being there. The first time I’d tried to run away, I’d been shockingly informed of the wall behind those curtains.

There’s no leaving this place.

From one prison to another.

Except in this prison, Orion doesn’t force me to do things I don’t want to do. No forced therapies or medications or machines. He always asks. Since he hasn’t hurt me yet, I can’t help but ache to let my guard down. Plus, he’s been saying he should adopt another boy so I’ll have someone my age to confide in.

The thought of having a brother to get through this while I mourn the loss of my sister is encouraging.

Rather than answering the question about Calista, I toss off my sweat-soaked blanket. Orion stands from the bed and moves aside. I slide out of the bed and head for the dresser where my clothes are neatly stacked.

“I can help you,” Orion states. “Say the words and I’ll teach you this business. You’ll learn all you need to go out and get her.”

There’s deception in his words and it makes my skin crawl.

I don’t confirm that her name is Calista or that I’m desperate to get my sister back. Instead, I grab some clothes and head for the bathroom. Before I close the door, I stop and turn to look at him. His head tilts slightly to the side, patiently waiting for me to speak.

“Tomorrow,” I force out, voice still raspy. “I want to learn how to use a computer. I want a phone. I want to go outside. I want a brother.”

The grin on Orion’s face splits his face. I know I’ve said the right thing.

I’ll let him teach me his ways, but Calista is mine. I won’t share her with him or anyone else. Because if I do, and Orion helps me get her, there might be strings attached. What if he forces her to come live here too? Would her room not have windows either? When I finally find her again, we’ll both escape.

No more prisons.

No more evil men pulling our strings.

My phone buzzes, pulling my mind from the past and dropping me in the here and now. I read the text before realizing Romy is also reading it too.

Unknown Number: Caius, it’s Calista. Stop looking for me. You’re going down a dangerous path you can’t come back from. I love you, but leave me alone.

My eyes scan the text over and over again to make sure my mind’s not playing tricks on me. Romy tilts her head up to look at me, lips parted in shock.

Calista knows I’m looking for her.

She knows and she’s warning me against it.

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