“Stay with me, Rora,” I reprimanded in a soft voice.
“Always.”
She lifted her face, watching me with so much trust it made my chest pound with pride. I tugged her pigtail fondly, and a giggle bubbled on her lips.
We’d visited the zoo probably a hundred times this year, but Rora behaved as if it were her first time every time. The moment we were past the gates, she tugged her little hand out of my hold and ran circles around me and the nanny.
“Lion,” she squealed, smiling widely. “Here, come here. Bears!”
Her enthusiasm was contagious. There wasn’t anyone who could resist her innocent charm. Another loud giggle sounded from her, and I couldn’t help but smile along.
“Oh my gosh.” She beamed, her cheeks rosy from the walk. Her dark hair was a wild mess by now, but her eyes shone like obsidian, her delight palpable.
“Rora, stay close!” I warned when she strayed too far. We made our way deeper into the zoo and finally stopped at the elephants. I watched one lift his trunk high up in the air and reach for the tree branch, then shake it with all its might.
My worries sailed away as I stared in awe at the elephants. I’d have to tell the boys at school about this tomorrow. Of course, I’d have to play it cool and not tell them that I was with my five-year-old sister. They’d laugh at that. No ten-year-old boy wanted to spend time with their little sister—at least, they didn’t want to admit as much.
I didn’t mind it myself, but it wasn’t something I bragged about.
“See, Rora. A hippopotamus can’t do—” My eyes widened at the empty space by my side and I turned around, my gaze darting left and right. Pushing through the crowd, I searched for my sister’s smiling face. My stomach twisted with each passing second until a thought occurred to me.
She was stubborn. Maybe she’d taken herself to the hippo enclosure.
I rushed across the path and made my way to where they were housed. I spotted her red coat, her little hand wrapped in a stranger’s, and trepidation shot through me.
“Rora.” My voice traveled over the air, drawing my sister’s attention in my direction.
I stood on the other side of the pool pathway, but before I could run to her, I was yanked off the ground by my hair. A painful gasp tore from me, tears stinging my eyes, and I blinked them away furiously. I was being held captive by a man with an evil smile. I instantly regretted not dragging our nanny with us.
My sister ran toward me, but I shouted, “No, Rora.” Her steps faltered and she came to a stop, her dark eyes widening in terror. She breathed heavily, her little coat rising and falling from the exertion. “Run, Aurora. Run and don’t look back!”
Her little body trembled where she stood next to a man covered head to toe in tattoos. My eyes darted to him, praying for him to save my sister.
“I don’t want to go alone,” she whimpered.
“Don’t worry, little girl.” The man holding me grinned menacingly. No. I had to protect my sister. My brothers and I had made a pact. I jerked against his hold, his grip tightening on me as he leered at my baby sister. I didn’t like it. “Sharing is caring. I came for you, but we can take your brother too… that could be fun, da?”
“Leave her alone,” I snarled, pushing against the men who surrounded me. “Run, Rora!” I screamed at the top of my lungs.
She bolted while I started after her, but before I had a chance to send whispered prayers to Ma in heaven, I was knocked unconscious.
The hum of men’s voices pulled me back to awareness.
“Should we tie him up?”
I stiffened at the sound of someone laughing. “Why? There’s nowhere for him to go.”
My nostrils filled with a mixture of blood, metal, and sewage as I lay on my side, unmoving. I cracked an eye open just in time to see a steel-toed boot swinging in my direction, hitting me in the torso.
I grunted, spitting out blood.
“Look at that, the pampered prince is awake.” One of them chuckled. I pushed myself up, my limbs screaming in protest, and glared at them. My eyes darted to each one of them, memorizing their features, so when I was rescued, I could describe them to my brothers.
We’d find them and end them all.
“Someone looks pissed off.” Another kick. My nostrils flared, but before another could land on me, I jumped to my feet and struck him in the shin.
A painful howl bounced off the walls of the dark room. Someone pushed my face roughly, my head hitting the wall, but this time it didn’t hurt as much.
Instead, I focused on the group of men surrounding me. Ignoring their taunting glares and smiles, I searched for their faces, their positions. My brothers always said to locate the weakest link among bullies.
Except, none of them looked weak.
Before I could devise a plan, a pair of hands wrapped around my throat and my back slammed against the rocky wall. My sight flickered, and when I opened my eyes, I blinked to refocus and get myself out of danger.
“Wanna fuck with me?” I dangled in the air, pressed against the corner. The scent of stale alcohol was heavy on his breath. Nausea gripped my throat, but I refused to go down without a fight. I swung my arms and legs, unable to reach him. When I couldn’t land a punch, I twisted my head and sunk my teeth into his wrist.
He dropped me, and I landed on my feet.
“I’m glad we have a fighter here.” The sound of the metal door opening drew everyone’s eyes away from me and landed on the man who just entered the room.
Expressionless face. Bottomless eyes. Menacing smile. I knew no saving would come from him.
His eyes zeroed in on me, taunting and cruel. Dread settled in my stomach, and somehow I knew running away from this situation wouldn’t be easy.
The door behind him remained open, and I took my chance, my heart soaring with hope. Bolting through the group of men like I was in the Olympics, I barely made it out the door when a snap of electricity surged through me.
I fell to my knees, grunting with pain, and glanced over my shoulder, only to lock eyes with the man who held a tiny remote in his hand.
“I’m Ivan Petrov. Welcome to my realm, boy.”
Chapter 8Kingston, 10 Years Old
Torture center.
The only time I saw the light of day was when I was brought here to train. Snow covered the ground as far as the eye could see—even the trees in the far distance were cloaked in white.
Everything about this place screamed nightmare. Dark and damp castle walls. Ghosts roaming the halls at night, some of them laughing, others crying. Twilight had arrived once more, and longing slammed into me. I yearned to feel the breeze on my face. To smell the air that I knew would be as fresh as the snowfall. I’d even stand in the snow if I could.
It’d been two weeks.
I was brought to this godforsaken facility every day. Some of the boys called it the training center. Or the death ring. Ivan Petrov said it was a room designed for hand-to-hand combat and weapons training. The looks on the fighters’ faces told me there was more to it.
I got my confirmation as I waited for my turn in the ring.
My chest clenched as I watched a guard carry out a dead boy’s body. He had the mangled form thrown over his shoulder like he was taking out the trash. Would that be me next?
I cracked my knuckles.
“I hate this fucking place,” I muttered to myself, then winced at the foul language that seemed to have sprouted in me overnight. My brothers would have my head if they heard me.
Something clogged in my chest, remembering the last time I saw them. It seemed like a lifetime ago. I missed them and my little sister. Was she okay? Or did these assholes get her too?