Page 54 of Rapunzel Unchained

I stepped out of the car with barely a word to Rebecca and Nick, pulling a cloak of magic over myself to hide from any cameras that might be watching.

They would only see a car stopping briefly and then leaving. They’d never see me coming until it was already too late.

The lights in the building were dim. The fact that any light was on at all this late in the evening spoke of secret meetings and immoral things happening inside.

My steps were soft and muffled as I approached the building. Nick had shown me a map of the building the other night, indicating which door to enter to bypass any extra security that might trip me up.

I was supposed to enter the side door and head toward the center room where the council members would be meeting. The others would show up shortly after me as back-up, because one against three wasn’t exactly great odds.

I could barely handle it. However, it was always better to be prepared.

My appearance would throw them off their game. I’d mock and taunt them until they were too frantic to think straight. Then Zane, Blake, and Luke would appear, helping me bring them down together.

Each step into the warehouse sent a sinking feeling in my gut. It was quiet. Too quiet for a place that tortured and experimented on humans and mages alike.

My eyes scanned the open areas. Clear plastic curtains separated empty beds and discarded equipment. Any sign that there had been prisoners here had been wiped out. No blood, no evidence of foul play. It looked as if it were a makeshift hospital that had been abandoned overnight.

Had we gotten it wrong? Was Nick’s information incorrect? Or did someone warn them ahead of time?

I should leave. This wasn’t right.

But...

If I left, this would have all been for nothing. I couldn’t fail tonight. Even if there were no humans or mages to save, no proof of their wrong doing, I could still take them out. I could still move us forward in our plan.

My feet slowed as I came to where they were holding the meeting. My hand twitched at my side, ready to send my power out at the first provocation.

I stepped into the circular room, my eyes adjusting to the brighter lights. My glamor fell at the sight before me.

A lone table and chair sat in the middle of the room. A curtained-off area to one side that could have all manner of things inside of it but, as I rounded the area, I could see between the edges, showing a toilet and shower.

My lips twisted to one side.

On the other side of the curtained area sat a figure. My eyes trailed up the familiar boots to find Adam sitting on a single person bed, his hands between his knees as his head hung forward.

My confusion turned to anger, burning into a fireball in my hand. “Didn’t I tell you what would happen if I saw you again? Did you think I was making an idle threat?”

Adam lifted his head, the sadness and regret on his face causing my rage to falter briefly. “Eva, you shouldn’t have come here.”

My fingers played with the fire in my hand, unable to release the magic completely or attack him with it. “Why are you here? Where are the council members?”

With each question, I stepped toward him, my fireball raging in my hand suspended in my indecision.

“Eva.” Adam stood but didn’t move toward me. “You need to leave. You can’t do this. You don’t know what will happen if you start this war. They could kill you. Kill all of us.”

My teeth gnashed together, hating that he sounded like he actually cared. Someone had leaked what we were planning. Was it Rebecca or Nick? Or maybe one of the other rebels? It could have even been one of the news outlets they’d contacted.

In the end, it didn’t matter who did it. Their plan was ruined. There would be no spark to light that fire.

“You should be more worried about me killing you.” I lifted both hands up now, fire burning in my palms. “You were stupid to think that I wasn’t serious. Did you think you could come here, plead to me on your own, and I would just roll over like a good little human?”

Adam dragged a tired hand through his hair, shaking his head. “No, I didn’t.”

I stepped forward, my feet passing a black line that traced the floor, and I jolted. I shook my head, feeling strange.

“What was that?”

Adam stepped around me, keeping a few feet of distance between us until he was outside of what I noticed now was a circle of black around the bed, table, and makeshift bathroom.

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