[THIS STORY WILL BE TAKEN DOWN ON SEPTEMBER 30, 2024]
He had hunted me, captured me, and locked me in a tower.
Season 3 'Of Crows and Thorns'
***
While in RISING, Tabitha discovers something peculiar that may assist Nelle in her plan to escape the...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Violence burned in my veins as I took off, reaching the top of the tower's landing a few seconds later. I pretty much kicked the door in and burst into my rooms. "Don't you dare!"
Nelle stood on the balcony, holding another board game over the edge of the balcony, taunting me with it. Pinched between the fingers of her other hand was a small red figure.
"That's my fucking Clue set!" I bellowed, storming across the room toward her.
She quickly jabbed the hand holding the red figurine over the balcony railing and wiggled the game piece. "Take one more step and Colonel Mustard gets it!" she warned.
I groaned, halting just at the opening in the wall. I tugged at my hair with both hands. "It's Miss Scarlett." For fucks sake!
Her gaze darted to Miss Scarlett, pinched between her fingers. "Huh," she said before her eyes sliced back to mine. "Whatever." She shrugged nonchalantly.
"It's a godsdamned collector's item." I pleaded, freaking out. I held my hands out in submission as I approached cautiously. "Worth thousands. I don't want a single piece lost."
"Then let me out of here, or else I'll fling it all, including pretty Miss Scarlett all over your courtyard. Trust me, you'll never ever find all the pieces...guaranteed."
I hesitated.
"You can't keep me locked up here," she pushed, her gray eyes slitting.
"I sure as fuck can."
"Let me out," she hissed.
"Not gonna happen."
"All I've had is these walls to look at. It's driving me mad."
No fucking kidding. Me too.
She fingered the rope around her neck. "What do you think I can do? Run away?"
Fuck with me further. That's what she could do.
I glanced at the Clue box, held haphazardly in her hand, and gave up. I waved my hand, my stomach sinking, indicating for her to toss it over the side.
Then her whole demeanor shifted and softened. She sighed, pulling the game of Clue from where she'd been holding it over the edge of the railing. "I promise to behave. I just need to be able to stretch my legs properly, not pace around and around in this cage." She tapped the cardboard box with her thumbs, looking up at me beneath her lashes. "I'll be on my best behavior."
When I remained silent, she walked closer to halt right in front of me, the edge of the Clue game resting on her thighs. She craned her head back, blinking up at me with those intense gray eyes. She asked quietly, "Are you going to take this rope off and set me free?"
She was wearing a sundress in a soft cream. It was too big for her, perfect for a girl who couldn't be harnessed like a wyrm. It had buttons running down the front and capped sleeves, and a cut to the fabric with tiers of layers that gave the dress an old-fashioned antique look. She looked like she was from another time period. A princess trapped in a tower.
