Will coughs loudly, and the floor directly above us creaks. I hold my breath, waiting for Mamá to rush down the stairs. Only when an unbearable amount of time passes do I release the breath. She never comes.
“They will find you down here,” Will says.
“I know,” I say, still staring at the ceiling. I pull my knees to my chest, holding them tightly.
“You should have left when you had the chance.”
I sigh and glance at him. “Did you really think I would not come back for you? The only reason you are here is because of me.”
“I am here because I chose to help you,” Will says.
I roll my eyes, mumbling under my breath. There is no point in arguing. He and I will never agree on this.
I scan the room, searching for something that could be useful. If I can find a weapon or even some secret door to the backyard, we would not have to wait for the vampires. We could escape now.
But Mamá knew what she was doing when she tossed Will down those steps as if he were merely garbage. The room is barren, with only a wood chair in the far corner. I consider how I can use that to my advantage, but my ideas fall flat. The walls are stone, the floor compact dirt, and the only light dangles in the far corner by the stairs. It barely illuminates the space. This room was absolutely built to be a torture chamber. I cannot believe I once saw it as a safe place to hide.
“Ava, look at me,” Will says.
I meet his gaze, giving up on a silent retreat from the basement.
“You did not do this to me.”
I do not speak, but I smile softly. I know Will believes his words. I can see it in his eyes, but I will never see the world through his mind. He can spend the next thousand years trying to convince me, but he will fail day after day. And unfortunately, we no longer have years to spare.
“I need you to believe that,” he says. “We make our own decisions. I wanted to help, and I knew what I was getting into. This is not your fault.”
This is not your fault.
I swell with emotion. I might not believe him, but that does not make me appreciate his words any less. I did not realize how badly I needed to hear that. I do feel responsible, but I appreciate Will’s attempt to release that burden, to relinquish me from my own inner guilt.
“I promise, we are going to get out of here,” I say. “We are going to escape, and we are going to get our powers back.”
Will frowns, tearing his gaze from mine. He swallows hard and stares into the distance. His gaze is cloudy, his mind seemingly lost in what I hope is a memory from a better life.
“What is it?” I ask, and he blinks several times, clearing his eyes.
“They used black magic, Ava,” Will says. “That spell is binding. There is no going back for us.”
“My friends are working on it,” I say. “They promise they will find a way around this. They just need time.”
I speak so quickly, my words spill from my mouth. I am not even sure he can understand me, but I need him to trust me, to believe me. I am terrified of the thought of Will giving up. We have come too far to give up now.
Will shakes his head. “There is no use. Do not waste your time trying.”
I smack him on the leg, hard, and he winces. If I were not so annoyed, I would feel bad about hitting him so hard. But I need him to see that this is what Mamá does. She takes every bit of sanity you have and squashes it. She brainwashes you into believing only what she wants.
“Stop!” I hiss. “Do not talk like that.”
Will looks at me, his eyes emotionless.
“Is this really a bad life to live?”
I gawk, utterly dumbfounded he would ask that.
“Are you serious right now? You are literally locked up in a dungeon. You have been here for days, Will. Have you even eaten? Showered? Seen sunlight? How are you even going to the bathroom? Does this really sound like the good life?” I use air quotes to emphasize my point.
“I do not mean this,” he says, flailing his arms before him like he is showcasing the room. “I mean being human. At least we are normal again. Things could be worse.”
“Yeah, you could be locked up in a basement with no way out, spending your days either starving or being relentlessly tortured by captors who are slowly going mad. Oh, wait…”
I want to shake the insanity out of Will, but I know he is too frail for such viciousness. I need to convince him to remain hopeful, but I am lost for words. How can I ask him to envision a better life when all he sees is this hell? For once, the severity of our situation is settling on me, and it makes my soul hurt.
Just as I am about to explain Malik’s plan, the door to the basement opens, and a bright light shines down the steps.
I do not breathe.
I do not move.
I still myself, waiting, watching as the shadow of a figure works its way down the stairs.
I swallow the knot in my throat.
“Hola, Mamá.”
Chapter Eight
As I stare into my mother’s eyes, her features seem even more somber than usual. Her discomfort washes over me, pinning me in place. Without even speaking, I know she is upset with me. I can see it in her eyes, feel it in the way she carries herself as she approaches me.
Mamá is a dark shadow starkly lit against my iridescent soul. My aura is alive with vibrant, swirling colors, but as soon as Mamá is near me, I am tainted by obsidian.
Our link grants her control no one should have over another being, and I hate it. More so, I hate that she is allowing this to happen to me, her own daughter. I should not be here. She should not have cast that spell. And we should not be rushing steadfast toward madness, ensuring our self-inflicted demise.
I can tell Mamá’s clutch over my freedom is strengthening. No longer do I simply feel her embrace. I can see it now too. It is inky and black, gooey at its center and feathering out at all edges. It continues to grow, spreading so far, it has almost completely wrapped around my entire body. Every moment I spend with her, she becomes stronger, and soon, I will be completely enveloped by her presence. Mamá will cocoon me in her embrace, and she will never let go.
A year ago, I could not have imagined I would be in this position, because back then, I never knew Mamá liked to play such cruel and wicked games. She was a sweeter, calmer woman. I rarely witnessed the anger I have become accustomed to now. I do not know what happened to her to make her such a vindictive, malicious person. Was it my transition? I try to remember a time after I became a hybrid when she was not so terrifying or hateful, but I cannot.
This is the woman who raised me. This is the person she is. She is bitter and resentful and outraged by the world. Her sullen attitude and irate nature are going to get her killed.
It does not matter why. All that matters is that she enjoys these games we play, but when the sun sets, the tables will turn. The rules will change, and I will be holding all the pieces.
Right now, when put together, I do not like the picture of my life these puzzle pieces create. It is jarring and reckless; everything is in such disarray. But with Holland’s help, I can regain control. I promise myself I will sever this link no matter what it takes.
Finally, Mamá stops her slow advance when she is only a few feet away from me. I am still slouched on the ground, knees to my chest, sitting directly beside Will, who refuses to look up. But I do.