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A heavy drone.
The telltale growl of an aircraft engine coming in to land.
No…
Bursting out of the bathroom, I spied Ily by the window.
Her face gilded in metallic pigments of red and gold from the setting sun, her eyes never straying from Victor’s private plane as it touched down beyond the wall.
I moved to her side, but we didn’t say a word as the plane came back into view as it taxied on thick grass, its engines screaming in the dusk.
Sighing heavily, Ily hugged her beige knit jumper. Her skin broke out in goosebumps beneath her skimpy black dress. I didn’t think the early autumn chill caused her to shiver but the arrival of monsters.
Masters had returned to indulge in sin and sadism—leaving behind naïve spouses and transforming into animals the moment they arrived.
I shuddered as the drawbridge slowly clanked open, forming a pathway over the moat.
The final spiels of sunset shone through, welcoming the men to step inside and undergo their metamorphosis of evil.
“They’re a few days early,” Ily whispered, her golden eyes full of worry. Flicking me a glance, she forgot the month-long silence between us and murmured, “Do you think Victor will summon you tonight?”
I backed up.
Another clutch of panic fisted my heart.
I couldn’t answer her.
If he requested my presence, I didn’t know if I’d have the strength to perform like last time.
He’d see right through me.
See me breaking…
She sighed and turned to follow me. Gathering her jumper tighter against her, she whispered, “Henri, I…there’s something I need to ask you—”
A soft plop on the carpet by her feet.
Something dull and plasticy, shaped just like the gems from that godawful treasure hunt.
It rolled to a stop by her foot.
Glancing down, she frowned, blinked, then gasped in absolute horror.
“Oh no…God, no.” Dropping to her knees, she tossed her jumper away and snatched the cloudy gem. “Please don’t be what I think this is.” Her hands shook as she cracked open the faceted container as if it was a grenade.
My heart pounded as if she’d pulled out its pin and it would explode at any moment.
“Wh-Where did you get this?” She ripped out the piece of paper inside. “Did you hide it? Do you know what it says? Why didn’t you say anything?”
I frowned, my ears ringing.
In all honesty, I’d forgotten about it.
A maid must’ve placed it in the wardrobe because I didn’t recall what I did with it once I’d carried Ily into the shower and touched her all over, ensuring she was intact after what those bastards had done to her.
When I didn’t reply, she unfurled the chit, staggered to her feet, and tripped sideways.
I caught her elbow on instinct, keeping her standing.
