BOOK 4 of the ORPHIC Series
DISENTHRALL
/ˌdisənˈTHrôl/
set free.
~~~~~
When Lucille 'Lucy' Opal Baker starts adjusting to a world without Captain America and more government therapy sessions...
T H E F A L C O N A N D T H E W I N T E R S O L D I E R
39
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"What bloody hands hold you away from me?"
Delacroix, Louisiana August, 2024
IT WAS DARK HERE. Everything was covered in darkness. Black and alive. Lucy couldn't tell where she was, exactly. It was nerve wracking, if she was being honest. It felt like she was dead again, trapped in a realm she could not escape from unless she fought some mental obstacle. She didn't know where she was– that was the only issue. At least, well, before she'd seen images of her memories; of past traumas that tended to reveal itself at the worst of times.
Lucy squinted.
Yeah, nope, the darkness was impending and everywhere. It was like her eyes were still closed and she was still sleeping. Only, for some reason she knew she was standing. For some reason, she knew she was alive and breathing. It made Lucy scared, because if she was alive and trapped in this place, then, why? Who had put her here?
She took a step forward.
A baby started to cry beside her ear. She turned her head and blinked when she saw a red-faced child screaming and crying on the ground of the darkness. Her motherly instincts kicked in and she padded forward, almost desperate– was she running? She kneeled beside the child, scooping him up into her arms.
It was Angeliko.
She didn't know how she knew, but, yes, it was her son.
Shakily, she stood, hugging Angeliko to her chest. Wind whistled against her ears and she felt a hand caress her face. But– it was too dark. Was someone there? She couldn't tell– she couldn't see. Her eyes jumped back and forth frantically. The hand was familiar and warm and– and–
Something was grabbing Angeliko.
Lucy reared back, hugging Angeliko tightly and trying to fend off the invisible hands trying to take her baby– steal her baby away. This was her child, no one else's, and she would fight for him with her life. With her entire life. There was a pull, and Lucy let out a sharp gasp as Angeliko nearly slipped out of her arms.
She pulled back harder.
A slap resounded in the area, and Lucy flinched as her head snapped to the side.
"Give it to me, Ver."
Lucy froze, stiffening as she finally lifted her head and saw–
Henry, standing directly in front of her, his hands outstretched. His eyes were angry and cold, his lips curled into a sneer. Lucy stumbled backwards and hit the black ground with a thud. Angeliko started to cry again and Lucy hugged him closer.
