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I sat with my back to the wall. I didn't see any point in pretending to be chained up. I knew that hours had passed since I was taken and that the sun was rising over the town once more. Azolata used to tell me that if I was quiet and paid attention to all my other senses, then I would be able to hear and see a lot more than I thought I could.
A lot of the time Azolata did not make sense. But now, here in the quiet, I could hear a lot more than I thought I could. Even through all those feet of cement, I could hear the people above us. I heard when Bianca arrived, and I heard angry voices. I didn't know what happened, I couldn't make out the exact words, but I knew that she was especially angry at Savannah.
Furious, even
I knew that it had to do with me, my family, and the town. Maybe Bianca was expecting a bit more destruction and more deaths. Other than one dog being threatened, and a bunch of their own guards missing, there hadn't been any of either.
I had to wonder why, myself.
I had to consider that with Leo and Dante in the picture now, the forest was growing stronger. I had so many questions to ask Azolata, especially about the magic that lived through us.
Also, where the hell was he?
There had been times in the town's history when we had to work together to defend it. When Artie, Miss Maricel, and I had to stand against nightmares come to life.
And every single time, Azolata was nowhere to be seen. His shop was mysteriously closed and no one knew where to find him. I leaned my head back and looked up at the equally blank, gray-brown ceiling. It infuriated me but, at the same time, I was not surprised. And what could I honestly expect? He wasn't like any of us, not in the slightest.
The image of Marcus’s body, bloodied and broken and left in the street, flashed in my mind.
I immediately turned my thoughts elsewhere.
Among the missing, I had to wonder where Lou was. I had to wonder what happened between the time that he killed a guard and when we all woke up.
Hours passed and I could feel myself growing hungry. I didn't expect to be fed, in fact, I expected to be starved and beaten.
If they didn't take me out into the town square and kill me like they killed my parents.
Then, the door opened.
I didn't stand up and only looked to the woman that stood there.
"Alpha Ortega. How nice to meet you," Bianca said