Page 154 of Nocturne

I didn’t know how to respond to that. It felt… normal, and there was nothing normal about this place.

I gave her a nod that got her to smile at me. Willow shifted, sitting cross-legged on the floor.

“Can you tell me what this place is?”

I looked down at my hands, picking at the dirt under my nails.

“It’s a prison,” I said quietly. “A cult.”

Her brows knitted together. “A cult?”

“They think they’re doing God’s work,” I murmured. “But they’re just monsters.”

She stared at me for a long moment, her face pale.

“How long have you been here?”

“I don’t know.” My voice cracked. “A long time.”

Her fingers tightened around the bars.

“And they… what do they do?”

I swallowed hard, my stomach churning.

“They hurt people. They break them. There’s no escape. They know the forest better than anyone. If you run…” I trailed off, my voice trembling. “I’ve seen what happens when people try.”

I didn’t have to venture outside to know what they do. No one managed to escape, but that didn’t mean they didn’t try. And it did not end pretty for them. The screams still reverberate in my ears, giving me nightmares and not allowing me to get a restful sleep.

Willow’s breath hitched.

“And you… have they…”

She couldn’t even say the word.

I shook my head, giving her a broken smile.

“Not yet. But I think… I think something worse is waiting for me. I just don’t know what it is.”

She stared at me, horror etched into every line of her face. Then she stood and began pacing her cell, muttering under her breath. I caught fragments—‘She’ll be worried’and‘She’s going to be pissed.’

I didn’t ask who she meant. I didn’t care. The sound of the dungeon door swinging open made my heart stop.

“Little one,” Bapo’s voice sang, mockingly sweet.

I scrambled back into my corner, my body shaking.

“No hiding,” he said as he stepped into view. His dark eyes glittered with amusement. “You know I don’t like that game.”

My cell door creaked open, and he was on me before I could move. His hand fisted in my hair, yanking me to my feet.

“Please,” I whimpered, clawing at his hand.

He chuckled, dragging me toward the door. I grabbed the bars with one hand, desperate to hold on, but he kicked it away. My head slammed against the metal, stars exploding in my vision.

“Let her go!” Willow screamed, her voice shrill with panic. “Let the kid go, you bastard!”

Bapo glanced over his shoulder, “A new one? Your turn will come soon, bitch.” He smirked