He opened a hidden door behind the throne. A tunnel, leading to the forest. Juliette grabbed Justine's wrist. "Run. He never releases anyone. This is a trick."
She did. And when she finished, he clapped slowly. "You have a gift, Justine. You believe those words are evil. That is why I keep you. Your belief is my wine."
The second night, he brought the stable boy's severed finger in a crystal box. "He tried to come back for you. Loyalty, you see, is a form of virtue." He asked the question. She said yes, but her voice shook.
Justine read until dawn. Then she looked up at her tormentor. "Is Juliette alive?"
Drainage Durham