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Her breathing turned ragged, and tears spilled onto her cheeks. She tugged against the restraints in a desperate attempt to break free. The metal didn’t budge, digging into her flesh.
“Help!” she cried.
A Scottish voice answered her. “You’re awake.”
Paige ceased her writhing, flicking her gaze toward an opening in the stone wall.
Helen stood limned in the light spilling from the stairway. She carried a large set of keys as she stalked toward Paige.
“Helen! Help! Quick, unlock the shackles.”
Helen sidled up to the table and stared down at her. “I’m afraid that won’t be possible.”
She tossed the keys to the side. They glanced off a nearby wall and jangled to the stone floor below.
Paige followed their arc with dismay. She flicked her gaze to Helen again, her eyes pleading.
“Please,” she sobbed. “Let me go.”
“Sorry, Ms. Turner,” Helen said, circling the table to stand at the head. She rubbed her hand along the wooden wheel. “Part of the deal was to make sure you never left Loch Larny Castle alive.”
“Deal?” Paige inquired. “What deal?”
“The deal for the mirror,” Helen said.
Her lips formed a cruel smirk as she spun the wheel until the chains tightened.
Paige struggled as pressure built against her limbs.
“Those werewolves made quite a generous offer. And all I had to do was give them the mirror and kill you.” She focused on Paige’s face, upside down below her.
“How could you? Do you know the power that mirror holds? It’ll change the entire world!”
Helen shrugged. “Do you know how much it costs to keep up a castle like this? Times are tough.”
“They’re going to get tougher when the werewolves get that mirror,” Paige shouted.
“Loch Larny is a little too far north for them. I’m not worried. Now the only thing left to do is kill you. Well, almost the only thing.”
Paige tugged against the restraints again, trying to free herself.
“You can’t get loose. Don’t worry, though, dear. I won’t kill you on this. I’ll be humane and just shoot you in the head.”
“After you torture me first,” Paige cried.
“No, I’ll only torture you until you tell me where that blasted little dragon friend of yours is.”
Paige set her jaw, her features stony. “I don’t know who you’re talking about.”
“Your little teal friend. Dewey Decimael. Where is he?”
“Back at the Shadow Harbor Library,” Paige fibbed. “Safe and sound and far away from you.”
“You’re lying,” Helen growled through clenched teeth. “You were carrying a pet carrier when you came in. I found it in your room.”
“It holds equipment. Special stuff from the library.”
Helen ratcheted the wheel backward, tugging Paige’s limbs taut. “Liar!”
