Page 64 of Blood Bound

There’s a long pause, and for a moment, I think she’s gone silent. Then:

“Names…they blur. Can’t tell anymore. Can’t remember…” Her voice trails off, confused and disoriented.

I press further, desperate for any information about my sister. “Please, try to remember. Mia Blackwood; she’s my sister. She’s been missing for a year.”

“A year?” The woman laughs, a hollow sound. “Time…it’s meaningless here. Could be days, could be centuries.”

Oh God…Mia. What if she’s been here all this time? The thought makes me sick. This place is a hellhole.

I lean my head against the wall, closing my eyes. Why did I have to be so damned stupid? If only I’d listened to Gran, to Kara. Hell, even to Darick.

Darick. Does he know I’m missing? Would he even care? Part of me hopes he’s looking for me, while another part scoffs at the idea. He’s probably already found another witch to feed from.

“Your family,” the voice whispers again. “They looking for you?”

“I hope so,” I reply, my throat tight. “My sister, Kara, she won’t give up. And my Gran…she’s powerful. They’ll find me.”

They have to.

But as the oppressive silence of the cell closes in around me again, doubt creeps in. Will they find me in time? And what about Mia? If she’s here too. Will we both be trapped in this nightmare for who knows how long?

I freeze as the sound of approaching footsteps echoes through the darkness. The woman I was talking to falls silent instantly, leaving me alone with my racing heart.

Oh God, someone’s coming.

I try to calm my breathing, to appear composed, but panic claws at me. The footsteps grow louder, deliberate and unhurried. Whoever it is, they’re in no rush. They know we’re not going anywhere.

The sound stops just outside my cell. There’s a moment of agonizing silence, then a metallic scrape as a small window in the door slides open. Light spills in, momentarily blinding me after so long in darkness. It’s almost unbearably bright when the door swings completely open.

I blink rapidly, trying to grow accustomed to the light. A shadowy figure looms in the doorway, but I can’t make out any features.

Then, a voice speaks. A voice that sends ice through my veins.

“Well, well. If it isn’t the little witch who can’t cast a spell.” There’s a dry chuckle. “Seems you Blackwoods have a special knack for getting into trouble, huh?”

My breath catches in my throat. I know that voice. I freaking know it! And never in a million years would I have expected to hear it in a place like this.

“No!” I choke out, my mouth going dry in an instant. “You! How could it be you?”

20

Chapter 20

Darick

Iscan the crowded lounge, my senses straining for something…anything…that could give a clue to where she might be. Rowan’s scent lingers, but she’s nowhere to be seen. The bond between us feels…wrong. Empty. My chest tightens with an unfamiliar anxiety.

Marcus hovers at my side, peering around, too. “What do you—?”

“She’s not here,” I growl, cutting off Marcus mid-sentence.

He frowns, skeptical. “Are you sure? Perhaps she’s just left.”

I shake my head, fighting to keep my composure. “No, it’s more than that. I told you: I can’t sense her at all.”

Marcus’s expression shifts from doubt to concern. He knows me well enough to recognize when something’s truly amiss. “What do you mean you can’t sense her?”

I struggle to contain my annoyance at his repetitive questions. “The bond, Marcus. It’s…silent. Like it’s been cut off.”