21. Chapter 21

21

Chapter 21

Mia

I lean against the cool wall of my cell, my fingers tracing the invisible runes I've etched there over the past weeks. Each mark represents a piece of information, a whispered secret, a fragment of hope. It's been a delicate dance, this planning and gathering, right under the noses of our captors.

My mind drifts back to that first day in the garden when Sabine's voice whispered in my head. The thrill of connection, of not being alone, still sends a shiver down my spine. Since then, we've developed a silent language of our own – meaningful glances, subtle gestures, and, when we're lucky, the briefest of psychic touches.

I close my eyes, thinking back to how we all met. The three of us are all brought to the garden at the same time each day, and it didn't take long for us to connect. I would have been satisfied to simply work with Sabine, but we quickly realized that our combined power was a significant advantage.

I remember that first day Jemma joined our little group. Her fair hair caught the sunlight as she bent to pluck a flower, slipping a tiny scrap of paper beneath a loose paving stone. My heart raced as I retrieved it later, decoding her message about guard rotations and weak points in the security system.

After that, every interaction with Soren became a game of cat and mouse. I'd probe for information, carefully, oh so carefully, while maintaining the facade of a compliant prisoner. His kindness made it both easier and infinitely more difficult. There were moments when I almost forgot he was the enemy when his touch during the blood draws sent an unwelcome warmth through me.

But I couldn't afford to lose focus. With each passing day, each scrap of intelligence shared between us witches, our plan took shape. We mapped out the facility in our minds, piecing together snippets of overheard conversations and observations.

Sabine's talent for reading auras proved invaluable. She could sense the human guards' moods, alerting us to times when security might be more lax. Jemma, with her gift for plant magic, began cultivating herbs in the garden – innocent-looking weeds that would become potent ingredients for spellwork.

And me? I poured every ounce of my magical strength into slowly, painstakingly weakening the wards that suppressed our powers. It was exhausting, maddening work, like trying to chip away at a mountain with a teaspoon. But gradually, I felt the bonds loosening, the tiniest spark of my true abilities flickering to life.

I sit cross-legged on my bed, eyes closed, focusing intently on the faint thread of magic I've managed to access. It's not much, but it's enough to send out the barest whisper of thought.

"Sabine… Jemma… Can you hear me?"

The response is weak, barely more than an impression, but it's there. We've been practicing this for weeks, strengthening our connection bit by bit. It's risky, but it's our only way to coordinate.

I picture the facility's layout in my mind, piecing together the mental map we've constructed. "Sabine, what did you sense about the east wing guards today?"

Her reply comes slowly, like trying to hear someone underwater. "Distracted…argument with a superior. Might be an opening."

I nod to myself. "Good. Jemma, how are the herbs coming along?"

"Almost…ready," comes the faint response. "I'll leave each of your potions in the usual spot."

My heart races with a mixture of fear and excitement. We're so close. I take a deep breath, centering myself.

"Okay, here's what I'm thinking. We make our move tomorrow morning after the next blood draw. The vamps will be leaving for the daylight hours. And the humans will be expecting us to be weak. Jemma, your potions will boost our strength. Sabine, you'll monitor the guards' emotions, give us the signal when they're at their most unfocused."

I pause, considering the riskiest part of the plan. "I'll try to temporarily disable the wards. It won't be much, but it should give us enough of our power back to make a run for it."

The silence that follows is heavy with unspoken fears and doubts. But then I feel it – a surge of determination from both of them.

"Tomorrow," I project as strongly as I can. "Be ready."

As the connection fades, I open my eyes, my body trembling with exhaustion. I've pushed my limited abilities to their breaking point. But there's no time to rest. Every moment counts now.

I reach for the small notebook hidden beneath my mattress, jotting down the final details of our plan in a code we've developed. It's almost time. Soon, we'll either be free…or face consequences I don't want to imagine.

Three sharp knocks on the door yank me back to reality. This is one of the moments I've been dreading.

I try to keep my breathing steady as Soren enters my room to take me for my blood draw. This is it. The last time. Tomorrow, everything changes.

"Ready?" he asks. I nod, not trusting myself to speak.

As we walk to the medical bay, I take stock of every detail. The cool air on my skin, the soft padding of our footsteps, Soren's familiar scent. It all feels surreal, knowing what's coming.

In the sterile room, I settle into the chair, extending my arm automatically. Soren's touch is careful as he prepares the needle. I watch his face, searching for any sign that he suspects something's off. But his expression is as calm and attentive as ever.

"How are you feeling today?" he asks, his eyes meeting mine.

I swallow hard. "Fine," I manage. "Just…tired, I guess."

He nods sympathetically. "That's understandable. Try to rest after this, okay?"

As the blood begins to flow, Soren starts his usual small talk. He asks about my childhood, about my favorite sports growing up. I answer on autopilot, my mind racing with tomorrow's plans. Every second feels like an eternity.

"Mia?" Soren's voice cuts through my thoughts. "You seem distracted. Are you sure you're alright?"

Why, oh why, do I find the sound of his voice so pleasing?

I force a smile. "Sorry, just lost in memories, I guess. It's strange, the things you think about in here."

He looks at me for a long moment, and I'm certain he's going to call me out. But then he just nods, a hint of sadness in his eyes.

"I understand," he says softly. "It can't be easy, being away from everything you know."

The procedure finishes without incident. As Soren helps me up, our eyes meet again. For a split second, I'm overwhelmed by a rush of conflicting emotions. Gratitude for his kindness, anger at my captivity, fear of what's to come.

I let out a shaky breath as Soren guides me back to my room. His hand on my elbow is gentle, steadying me after the blood draw. It's a familiar routine now, one I've grown oddly accustomed to over these long months.

As we reach my door, I hesitate for a moment. A strange, unexpected pang hits me as I realize this might be the last time I see him. Despite everything, Soren has been one of the few bright spots in this horrible ordeal. His kindness, our conversations – they've kept me sane in this place. Part of me wants to say something. Share some sort of sign of gratitude.

I quickly shake off the thought, disgusted with myself. How can I feel anything but hatred for the man? It's perverse, a trick of my mind after months of isolation and fear. If he was anything other than a monster, he wouldn't be here doing any of this.

"Get some rest," Soren says softly, his blue eyes meeting mine with what looks like genuine concern. "I'll check on you tomorrow."

I nod silently. As the door closes behind me, I lean against it, my heart racing.

Tomorrow. Everything changes tomorrow, one way or another.

Mia

I wake up with my heart racing, the reality of what we're about to attempt hitting me like a bucket of ice water. Today's the day. Our chance at freedom. I force myself to take slow, deep breaths. Can't let anyone suspect something's off.

I go through my morning routine on autopilot. Every movement feels surreal, like I'm watching someone else go through the motions. As I eat my breakfast, I make a point of savoring each bite. Who knows when I'll get another decent meal?

While I chew, I run through the plan in my head one last time. The guard rotation changes at 3 PM. There's a 90-second window where the east corridor is unmonitored. Jemma will create a distraction in the facility, giving Sabine and me the chance to slip away. I've weakened the wards enough for Jemma to craft a cloaking spell so she can sneak past the guards and join us.

I close my eyes, picturing the garden layout. Although the grounds seem to go on forever, there's a boundary wall topped with razor wire and strengthened with runes. There's a small access gate at the bottom end, though. I've never seen it, but Jemma swears it's there. It has to be.

When the guard comes to escort me to the garden, I plaster on a bland expression. Just another day in captivity. Nothing to see here. As we walk, I work hard to remain casual, but my palms are sweating by the time we reach the garden.

I spot Sabine across the lawn, looking calm as ever. How does she do it? I give her the barest of nods as I settle onto a bench, pretending to enjoy the sunshine.

Now, we wait.

I sit on the bench, my fingers digging into the weathered wood, every muscle tense as I wait for Jemma's signal. The garden around me is deceptively peaceful – birds chirping, a gentle breeze rustling the leaves. It's almost cruel how normal it all seems.

Suddenly, I hear it – shouts of alarm from inside the building. My heart leaps into my throat. Jemma's done it. I force myself to stay seated, to not react visibly. Just another clueless prisoner enjoying the sun.

"What's going on in there?" I hear one of the guards mutter. His radio crackles to life, and I strain to catch the words.

"Emergency in Cell Block C. All available personnel report immediately."

I watch from the corner of my eye as guards start rushing toward the building. I reach out with my mind, feeling for Sabine's presence.

"Ready?" her voice whispers in my head.

"Now," I respond, the effort of maintaining the connection already giving me a dull headache.

I sense more than see Sabine's magic at work. The cameras on the garden wall flicker, their red lights blinking erratically. One of the remaining guards curses, tapping his earpiece in frustration.

"Control, we're losing visual out here. What's going on?"

The strain of coordinating with both Sabine and Jemma is intense. My temples throb as I try to keep our mental link stable.

"Jemma, status?" I project the thought, hoping she can hear me through the chaos.

"Bit of a glitch…" Her response is faint, strained. " They're moving me…to medical…"

Shit!

I clench my jaw. Everything hinges on her joining us in the next couple of minutes. And on our guards leaving us unattended during that time.

Just as I'm about to give up hope of that happening, Jake's radio crackles to life.

"Cell Block C. Now!"

He frowns at me, then down at the device. Sabine's guard must have received a similar request because he's heading our way.

"We'd better move it," he says to Jake. "There's a fire spreading through the block."

"What about them?" Jake eyes me, then jerks his chin at Sabine, who's taken a seat and seems to be utterly disinterested in what's going on.

"Where they gonna go?" the other guy says. "The outer wall is fortified, and they can't use their magic."

Jake rubs the back of his neck, then looks at me. "Don't try anything stupid, you hear me?"

"Wouldn't dream of it," I tell him.

I watch as the pair sprint in the direction of the doors, along with the sentry who's posted there. I wait until the doors slam behind them, and their footsteps fade into the distance before galvanizing myself into action.

Sabine and I bolt for the wooded area that obscures the outer wall from sight. We get to the first row of trees and then stop as we reach each other. My chest is heaving, though not from the exertion; I'm so anxious that my heart feels like it's going to beat right out of my chest.

"So far so good," Sabine whispers, looking around us.

I nod. It almost seems too easy.

"Except Jemma's stuck in medical." I turn and focus on the door.

Come on. Come on!

When it finally swings open, I half-expect to see our guards coming back. But they don't. Jemma's hair streams behind her as she slips through the doorway and then sprints across the lawn toward us.

"You'll never believe what happened," she says in a rush as she reaches us. "They dragged me off to medical, and I thought I was going to be stuck there, but Dr. Chen helped me get away."

"You're kidding!" I gasp.

"Nope. She said she's sick of this bullshit, and she'd let all of us go if she could figure out how to help us without the bloodsuckers killing her."

"I wonder why she even works here." I purse my lips.

"We'll worry about that later, ladies." Sabine is looking deeper into the trees. "We're not out of the woods yet. And I mean that literally."

With a grim nod, I stride forward, leading the way through the towering pines.

I push through the dense foliage, branches scratching at my arms as we forge ahead. The property stretches on endlessly, far larger than I'd imagined from our limited view in the garden. Sweat trickles down my back, and my lungs burn from the exertion.

"How much further?" Jemma pants behind me.

"It has to be close," I reply, trying to mask my own uncertainty. We've been moving for what feels like an eternity, each step taking us further from captivity but seemingly no closer to freedom.

Finally, after what must be several hundred feet of trudging through the undergrowth, I spot a break in the trees ahead. My heart leaps.

"There!" I point, quickening my pace.

We burst out of the treeline, and there it is – the outer wall. It looms before us, impossibly high and topped with cruel-looking razor wire. My eyes scan frantically for the access gate Jemma mentioned.

That's when I hear it. A shrill, piercing wail cuts through the air, making us all flinch.

"The alarm," Sabine hisses. "They know we're gone."

Distant shouts reach us from the direction of the garden.

"We need to move now!" I urge, desperation clawing at my insides. We're so close, we can't fail now.

I sprint along the wall, my heart thundering in my ears. Sabine and Jemma are right behind me. My eyes scan frantically for any sign of the gate Jemma mentioned.

"There!" Jemma gasps, pointing ahead.

Relief floods through me as I spot it – a small, unassuming metal door set into the imposing wall. We skid to a stop in front of it, and I immediately press my hands against the cool surface, feeling for the lock.

"Hurry," Sabine urges, glancing back the way we came.

I close my eyes, reaching deep within myself for the magic I've been slowly nurturing these past months. It rises to meet me, a warm, familiar presence. I focus it on the lock, willing it to open.

For a heart-stopping moment, nothing happens. Then I feel a subtle shift, and the lock clicks open.

"You did it!" Jemma exclaims.

We don't waste another second. I yank the door open, and we burst through, tumbling out onto the other side. Freedom is so close I can taste it.

But as I look up, my blood turns to ice in my veins. There, standing before us with a smirk on his face, is Heath.

"Ladies," he drawls, "going somewhere?"

My mind reels. How did he know? How could he possibly be here, waiting for us?

We're so close to freedom, and yet so far. The bitter taste of defeat fills my mouth as I stare at the traitor before us, my hopes of escape crumbling to dust.

I watch in horror as Heath's smirk widens, his eyes gleaming with malicious triumph. Before I can even think to react, figures emerge from behind him. Witches, their faces cold and unfamiliar, move to surround us.

"No!" I scream, desperation clawing at my chest. I lunge forward, magic crackling at my fingertips, but it's too late.

Rough hands grab me, yanking my arms behind my back. I hear Sabine and Jemma cry out as they're seized, too. We struggle fiercely, but it's no use. These witches are at full strength, while we're weakened from months of captivity.

"Did you really think it would be that easy?" Heath sneers, sauntering closer. "I've been watching you for weeks, waiting for you to make your move."

I spit at his feet, earning myself a sharp slap across the face. The taste of blood fills my mouth as we're dragged back toward the facility.

"You're a traitor to your own kind!" Sabine snarls at Heath as we're marched along.

He just laughs. "Oh, you have no idea what's really going on here. But don't worry, you will soon enough."

The journey back feels infinitely longer than our dash for freedom. By the time we reach the main building, my arms ache from being wrenched behind me, and my cheek throbs where I was struck.

We're hauled through corridors I've never seen before, descending deeper into the bowels of the facility. The air grows dank and musty, and I can hear the faint sound of dripping water.

Finally, we're shoved into a poorly lit cell. The stench of mold and decay assaults my nostrils, making me gag. Heavy chains rattle as they're fastened around our wrists and ankles, securing us to the grimy stone walls.

"Enjoy your new accommodations," Heath says, his voice laced with mock concern. "I'm sure you'll find them much more…motivating than your previous quarters." He starts to turn away.

"Heath, please!" I cry out, hoping that I might appeal to his better nature. "We went to the same school together. We have history."

"That's irrelevant," he snaps. "You could have made things so much easier for yourself if you'd just kept your stupid nose clean." He shakes his head. "But what can you expect from a Blackwood? You people need to be taken down a rung or two."

He slams the door shut behind him and locks it. And we're left in the dark, waiting to face the consequences of what we've done.