A Cage Without Bars

POV: Reyna

The door slammed shut behind him, but it felt like he was still there.

I couldn’t move—not yet. I stayed frozen, sitting on the edge of the bed with my fingers curled tight around the sheets. My wrist still tingled from where those weird marks had appeared, but now... they were gone. I stared at the spot, half-expecting the symbols to flicker back to life. But nothing happened.

Maybe I imagined it.

I swallowed hard, my throat dry. My whole body felt... heavy. Like I wasn’t tied down, but something invisible was pushing me into the mattress. The air was thick, like breathing through a wet towel.

The silence didn’t help. It wasn’t normal silence—it was the kind that felt too still, like the world was holding its breath. No faint noises from outside. No wind. Nothing. It was like I’d been cut off from everything.

I needed to move.

I pushed myself off the bed, my legs stiff and shaky. The room was huge—bigger than any room I’d ever been in—but it wasn’t warm or cozy. The walls were stone, cold and dark, with fancy golden patterns carved into them. Thick curtains swallowed whatever view there might’ve been outside, blocking out the sun... or moon... or whatever time it was.

The fireplace crackled softly in the corner, throwing flickering shadows across the floor. At least that sound was real. Something about the crackling soothed me, even if it barely warmed the room.

I forced my feet to move, checking every corner like some hidden door would magically appear. A huge wooden armoire stood near the wall, its carved edges looking way too expensive for anyone to actually use. There was a door slightly open—probably a bathroom.

Then I saw the main door.

I grabbed the handle and twisted hard.

Locked.

My chest tightened, but I tried to stay calm. Maybe the window...

I stumbled over, dragging back the heavy curtain. My stomach flipped.

Jagged cliffs stretched out below, sharp rocks like broken teeth far beneath the window. The wind howled as it rushed through the gaps in the stone, but the glass didn’t even rattle. There was no balcony, no ledge. Just an endless drop.

There was no way out.

The panic hit fast—faster than I could stop it. My breathing turned sharp, my chest rising and falling too quickly. I tried to focus, to think, but my mind kept spinning.

Where was I?

The memories were hazy, slipping through my fingers whenever I tried to grab them. Pain. Fear. And then... him.

Draven.

His crimson eyes flashed in my mind, cold and sharp like a blade. I shivered, wrapping my arms around myself like it could keep the memory away.

I barely noticed the door creak open until I heard the footsteps.

I spun around fast, my heart slamming in my chest.

A woman stood in the doorway, carrying a tray of food and some clothes draped over her arm. She was small, with warm brown eyes and dark hair pulled back into a loose braid. Something about her face reminded me of a teacher I once had—someone who smiled a lot and always smelled like peppermint.

But I didn’t trust her. Not yet.

The woman moved carefully, like she was trying not to startle me. She set the tray down on a small table near the bed and gave me a soft smile.

“You should eat,” she said gently. “You must be hungry.”

I didn’t move. My stomach twisted painfully—I was hungry—but what if it was a trick? What if it was poisoned or drugged?

The woman must’ve noticed my hesitation. Her smile didn’t fade, but her voice softened even more.

“I know you’re scared,” she said. “I won’t hurt you.”

I didn’t believe her. Not completely. But she didn’t seem cruel or cold—not like Draven.

I cleared my throat, my voice shaky. “Where am I?” I asked. “Who’s Draven? Why am I here?”

For a second, I thought she might actually tell me. But then her smile faltered, and she looked down.

“I’m sorry,” she murmured. “I can’t tell you that.”

“Can’t,” I snapped, “or won’t?”

Her lips pressed into a tight line, like she was holding something back. Whatever it was... I could tell it was important.

She stepped forward and set the folded clothes on the bed. “At least change out of those,” she said, her gaze flicking to my torn, dirty dress. “You’ll feel better.”

Her voice wasn’t pushy—just... calm. Like she actually wanted to help.

I didn’t know what to say, so I just stared at her.

“I’ll come back later,” she said softly. “Try to eat.”

She turned to leave.

“Wait,” I blurted. “What did he do to me?”

The woman stopped with her hand on the door. She didn’t look back right away—just stood there like she was thinking about what to say.

Finally, she sighed. “Just rest,” she said quietly. “You’ll understand soon.”

The lock clicked as the door shut behind her.

I sank back down on the bed, pressing my hands to my face. My mind wouldn’t stop racing. The woman was kind, but she was hiding something—something I needed to know.

I glanced at the tray of food, but I couldn’t bring myself to touch it.

What did she mean... ‘You’ll understand soon’?

The fire crackled in the corner, the warmth barely reaching me. My eyelids started to droop, my body too tired to fight anymore.

I didn’t mean to fall asleep. But as my thoughts started to blur, I heard something—a whisper curling through the dark.

“Mine.”

My eyes snapped open. My heart pounded so hard it hurt.

I shot up in bed, scanning the room. The shadows danced across the walls, twisting and stretching like something was hiding inside them.

The air felt weird, too heavy, like it was pressing down on me. My skin prickled even though nothing was there. At least, nothing I could see. But I felt it—like someone was watching, standing just out of sight, waiting. My heart pounded, and I told myself I was being stupid. I was alone. I had to be.

So why did it feel like the room was holding its breath?

I was alone.

But somehow... I knew I wasn’t.