I wanted to scream out, but I couldn’t. It was like a concrete slab fell on top of me, crushing me to the ground, knocking the air out of me.
When I’d first entered the Mystik world, I had thought Arik would always protect me. I once trusted him with my life. He taught me how to survive in this new world. How could he care so little for me? After everything we’ve been through…
He had said I’d broken him. But I wasn’t about to let him break me. I didn’t know how, but I was getting out of there. And if it came to blows between Arik and me, I’d go down fighting.
As we passed a cell on my right, I recognized the man staring through the barred window of the door.
“Uncle Philip!” I struggled against the hands gripping my arms.
He grasped the bars. “Gia, what are you doing here?”
“For treason,” I said. “Arik arrested me.”
The faeries stopped and unlocked one of the cells.
“I’m so sorry. I never wanted this for you.” He had a beard, and his usually perfectly cut hair was shaggy. There were bruises on his face and bags under his eyes. “Stay strong.”
The faeries shoved me into the cell and locked it.
“Well, well, you never know who will join you in the gallows.”
I spun around.
Pia lay on one of the cots. “Hey, roomie.”
The last time we saw each other, she and her twin sister had buried arrows into guards and some of the high wizards attending Toad’s trial in Mantello. And they’d killed him. Her sister ended up dying that day, too.
“What are you in for?” Pia sat up and swung her legs over the side.
I sat down on the cot opposite hers. “You know, trying to save the worlds.”
“You were always so ambitious. And such a softy.”
“Unlike your evil heart.” I lay back on the cot. There was no way we could share a cell without me killing her. Toad had been innocent. He didn’t deserve to die. Actually, the wizards she’d killed were all good. The council was now corrupted because of their deaths.
She leaned back against her pillow. “Word trickles down here, believe it or not. And the rumor is we’re on the same side now.”
I shot off the cot and grabbed the collar of her shirt. “Because of you, Conemar will take over the Wizard Council. Because of you, bad leaders are in control of the council. Because of you, Mystiks died of a disease when said bad council refused to give them the cure they knew would save them. Because of you—”
The tears rushing down her cheeks stopped me, and I released her.
“You’re not worth it.” I kicked the air and fell back on the cot.
“I’m sorry, Gia.” She sniffed and swiped at her eyes. “I believed it was the right thing to do. When Santara was attacked, her distress call went unanswered. We thought the council ignored it. About Toad, we believed he murdered Gian, the father of the resistance. Philip told me everything. We were fools. Anger made us act on the lies fed to us. And I lost my sister because of it.”
I turned my head and was about to answer her, but three guards came to the cell door. “That’s her,” the woman said, her blond hair cut short and her eyes the brightest blue. “Gianna Bianchi, come with us.”
Pia stood. “Where are you taking her?”
“Sit,” the short, stocky guy hissed between the bars in the window.
The fear on her face as she sat back down shook me. What had they done to her? More importantly, why did they want me?
The other guy, with arms bigger than my thighs, charged in and pulled me up by my arm.
“Okay,” I said. “You don’t have to be so rough. I’m coming.”
They brought me to what looked to be an interrogating room and forced me down on the only chair in the place. The stocky man chained my arms to the chair.
“This can be easy or it can be hard,” the woman said. “It’s your choice. Now, where are the Chiavi?”
“I guess it’s going to be hard,” I said, acting all brave while being completely terrified.
The woman’s fist slammed into my cheek. An explosion of pain rattled my jaw, and I screamed as tears stung my eyes. “The Chiavi,” she growled.
Another fist to the cheek.
And another shock of pain.
Flashes of light sparked my vision. I took deep breaths.
How can I stay strong? I can’t do this.
I wanted to give in. Tell them where the Chiavi were. Anything to stop her from hitting me again.
I’m too weak.
Gia, you can do it. Leave your body. Come to me.
“Nick?”
The woman glanced behind her. “Who do you see? A ghost?”
I closed my eyes, waiting for the next blow. The grass under my feet felt real, my face warmed by the sun. I opened my eyes and sat up. I was in a beautiful meadow. But I wasn’t alone. Nick, with that silly smile on his face, the one where he’d just played a big prank on me and I’d fallen for it for the thousandth time.
But this wasn’t a prank. It was real life, and he wasn’t there. He was somewhere living a nightmare, same as I was living one.
“Of course you’d have to put a damper on a beautiful dream,” he said, smirking.
“I wish you were real.” I started picking wildflowers, because that’s what you do in a dream.
“What are you going to do with those?” Nick asked. “Make a crown?”
I turned my back to him. “Maybe. What’s it to you?”
When I looked back, he was gone.
I stood and dropped the flowers. “Nick? Come back. Don’t leave me.”
Dark clouds rolled overhead, and I fell to the grass. I shivered.
“Gia?”
A girl’s voice?
Something scratchy dragged over my shoulder. It smelled like dust and a bit moldy. A wet cloth wiped my cheek. I opened my eyes, except the left one wouldn’t fully open.
“Those animals,” Pia said. “They really hurt you.”
“Did I tell them anything?” My voice sounded strained and scratchy.
The sounds of boots traveled down the corridor and got louder the closer they came to our cell.
“Gianna,” a guy’s voice I’d heard before called from the window.
“What do you want?” Pia asked.
“Unlock the door,” the voice commanded someone.
Antonio? The Vatican’s Sentinel had to be there to get me out. If I weren’t in so much pain, my spirits would be lifted.
The door opened and he came in. “Get on your cot,” he ordered Pia. He bent down beside me and brushed the hair out of my face. “What have they’ve done to you? This is your fault,” he said to someone behind him.
He ran his fingers through his dark, curly hair. His large nose was now crooked. I wondered if he’d broken it when he fell out of the gateway book after being attacked. It was when Nick and I were looking for the Chiave.
“Get out of my way,” Arik said.
Antonio straightened and moved to the side.
Arik crouched down. The only eye I could open met his stare. Tears formed in his eyes. “I’m so sorry, Gia.” He shook his head, trying to gather his emotions, and he glared at Antonio. “Your guards did this. If anyone touches her again, I will kill them.”
“They aren’t my guards,” Antonio said. “They’re the Wizard Council’s. We have to get her out of here.”
“Time’s up,” the guard snarled.
Arik brushed my hair back and leaned close to my ear. “They won’t hurt you again. I’ll get you out of here.”