Resentment and regret drowning my thoughts, I pulled out the drawings I did
of him.
“Much better. Spread them out.”
I did as he instructed.
“My, you are quite talented. But Savannah, you’ve got my face all wrong.
You’ve just made a smudge. I think it’s time for you to see it for real.”
I gritted my teeth. “If I wanted to see an asshole, I’d just bend over in
front of a mirror.”
He laughed. “So much fight. Such a strong soul. I doubt I’d have any
chance of doing this if I didn’t have your blood. But I do, so let’s go.”
Shit. Those bastards had taken it when I was trapped in the sanitorium.
Kahanov waved to the bedroom door.
My neck burned, and my teeth ached. My heart had lost its rhythm and
was pounding erratically in my breast. Despite my fury, despite my fear, I
obeyed. Straining with every step, I walked over and undid the latch on the
door.
The pained voice in my head whimpered, Wake up, Savy!
But I couldn’t. Sweat trickled down my spine as I opened the door and
stared into the empty hall. I tried to shout, but my voice was locked again.
But maybe Casey had heard my door. Maybe he would hear my footsteps or
me talking to myself.
They were fool’s hopes. The house was silent except for my labored
breathing.
The sorcerer laid a hand on my shoulder. “This is where I leave you.
Your ride is waiting. Better go catch it.”
My mind screamed. Fighting my own body, I began padding barefoot
across the creaky wooden floorboards to the stairs. I took each stairstep
deliberately, sleepwalking my way down to the second-floor landing. Then
the first. Pictures of long-dead LaSalles looked back at me from the walls and
emotionlessly watched my descent. My ancestors, impotent to help. Content