Prologue
I screamed.
I screamed until my vocal cords could no longer emit any sound.
Until they scratched and burned a trail of sorrow down my throat.
It was dark and damp.
I hated the cellar.
I trailed a hand down my cheeks. The tears had dried up. I was alone. In a dark, cold room.
“Oh, would you shut your mouth?”
I squinted, trying to find the source of the voice, though I didn’t need to look at her to know who she was. She was the person who lulled me to sleep at night when I was little. I just needed to see how big of a trouble I was in.
“How could you, mother? How could you do this to me?”
I heard her huff, before her icy voice penetrated my brain, “ Again with this. You’re different. Bad different. You know it. It’s not my fault you were born with psychic abilities.”
“Where is Nina?” I couldn’t hear her through the blood roaring in my ears. I needed Nina safe. She was my only hope and motivation.
“She’s alive. For now. One word or one move you do that I don’t order, will get your sister killed–”
“Your daughter.”
I felt mother’s gaze level up with mine as she crouched before me. I could barely see her bright yellow eyes. Then, I saw her mouth shaped into a wicked smirk before she added, “Yes, my daughter. My weak daughter.” She waved a hand in front of my face to which I felt a swish of air enveloping my face, “Then again, both of you are weak. She’s just a different type.”
Mother seemed to tilt her head to the side, calculating, probably, “You have been crying.” She made a move to wipe my dried tears away but I moved before she could pollute my face with her touch.
It earned me a laugh, “You have guts, I’ll tell you that daughter. You never cried in front of me, have you?”
“You don’t deserve my tears.”
“You’re right. I deserve your powers.”
“They’re abilities, mother. Not powers. They barely are of use.”
Mother laughed, “Oh, you are clueless, daughter.”
She got up and I heard her whisper to a guard, “Tighten the chains, and don’t give her food. No matter how much she begs. I’ll be back tomorrow morning.”
“No. Please. Mother, I haven’t eaten in two days! You can’t seriously keep me on an empty stomach! No, please!”
“If you continue to annoy my ears, it’ll become four.”
I sagged back, tired of this. Tired of everything and everyone.
I dreamt that night.
Of a savior. My ticket out of this nightmare. For both me and my sister.
I wished with all my heart that it’d become a reality.
