Chapter 262

Agnes

My stepmother’s smile quickly morphed into a cold laugh. She leaned back in her chair, shaking her head as if I’d just told the funniest joke she’d heard all year.

“Oh, Agnes.” She clicked her tongue. “Do you really think I’m that stupid? That I would believe you suddenly want to join me after everything?” She pressed a button on her desk. “Guards, take them away. Put the child with the others and take Agnes to holding cell three. We’ll see how cooperative she feels after a few days without food or water.”

My blood ran cold. This wasn’t part of the plan. The door behind us opened, and I felt Thea’s hand tighten in mine. I wouldn’t let them separate us. I’d burn this whole fucking place to the ground before I let that happen.

“Wait.”

The single word made us all turn. My father stepped forward with a neutral expression.

“You should reconsider, my dear,” he said to my stepmother. “Agnes is many things, but she’s not stupid. She wouldn’t willingly walk her daughter in here if she weren’t being serious.” He turned to look at me, and the glance he gave me was impossibly brief but filled with meaning. “It would be incredibly stupid if she brought her child here with a genuine intention to betray you, don’t you think? Incredibly stupid.”

My stepmother’s eyes narrowed as she looked between us. “You’ve always had a soft spot for her,” she accused.

“Perhaps. She is my daughter,” my father replied. “But if Agnes has fire abilities, as she claims, she could be invaluable to us. Especially considering how difficult it’s been to control the other fire elementals.”

I held my breath, my heart hammering against my ribs so hard I was sure everyone in the room could hear it. Thea pressed closer to my side, her small body trembling slightly, but I worked hard to keep my face calm and composed. I couldn’t fuck this up. I couldn’t let them take her away.

My stepmother tapped her nails on the desk, considering. Finally, she held up her hand, signaling the guards to wait.

“Fine,” she huffed. “But I want proof. Show me these supposed abilities, Agnes. If you’ve got any.”

This was it. The moment of truth. I’d practiced for months, but I’d never had to perform on command like this, with my daughter’s life on the line. If I showed too little power, she’d dismiss me. If I showed too much, she might see me as a threat and separate us anyway.

I gave Thea’s hand one last squeeze before gently pushing her to stand behind me.

Taking a deep breath, I centered myself and called forth the fire that had been simmering just beneath my skin since we’d entered this hellhole. It responded immediately, rushing to the surface with an eagerness that surprised even me. Perhaps it was the stress, the fear, the overwhelming need to protect my daughter—or perhaps it was simply that I’d grown stronger with practice.

I lifted my hand, palm up, and a flame burst to life. Not just a small flicker like I’d planned, but a roaring ball of fire that cast dancing shadows across the room. The heat of it warmed my face, and for a moment, I felt powerful. Unstoppable.

My father’s eyes widened. He’d known I had abilities, but he clearly hadn’t expected this level of control. Even Thea gasped behind me.

My stepmother leaned forward in her chair. “Impressive,” she murmured. “But a parlor trick won’t convince me. Show me something more… substantial.”

I met her gaze, letting her see the rage I’d kept carefully hidden until now. Without breaking eye contact, I drew my arm back and hurled the fireball directly at the wall behind her head.

The flames roared past her ear, singing a chunk of her hair as they exploded against the wall in a shower of sparks. The smell of burning hair filled the room.

My stepmother didn’t even flinch. She just raised her hand to the singed spot, a slow smile spreading across her face. One of the guards stepped forward, his gun raised, but she waved him back without even looking in his direction.

“Very impressive indeed,” she said, her tongue darting out to wet her lips. “I had no idea you were so powerful. The Lunaris Stone’s influence will be quite something with abilities like yours.”

“You won’t be using the stone on me,” I said firmly. “That’s part of the deal. Thea and I remain free of its influence. I work for you willingly, or not at all.”

She studied me for a long moment, clearly weighing her options. I knew what she was thinking—once she had the stone fully operational, she could force me to obey regardless of any deals we made now. But she needed me to be cooperative until then.

“Fine,” she finally said. “You and your daughter will remain… untouched by the stone. But—” her voice hardened “—if you betray me, it will be Thea who suffers. Understood?”

I nodded stiffly, swallowing the bile that rose in my throat at her threat. “Understood.”

She pressed another button on her desk. “Escort our new allies to the guest quarters in section C. Make sure they’re comfortable.” The way she emphasized “comfortable” made it clear we’d be watched at all times.

The two guards stepped forward. I glanced at the younger man once more, noticing the way he held my gaze for a moment longer this time. There almost seemed to be a subtle… reverence there. Was he impressed by my abilities? Afraid of them, even? Perhaps considering siding with me if things came to that?

“I’ll be in touch soon, Agnes,” my stepmother called as we were led away. “We have much to discuss about your… role here.”

The door closed behind us with a soft click, and the guards led us through another maze of corridors, this time in a different direction than we’d come from. I made not of every twist and turn and detail again, refusing to let my guard down for even a moment.

“Here you are,” one of the guards said, stopping in front of a door and swiping a keycard. “Someone will bring meals soon.”

The door opened to reveal a small but surprisingly well-appointed cell. But the plush bed and the chair in the corner did nothing to hide the fact that it was still a cage, regardless of “comfort”.

The guards left, and I heard the lock engage behind them. Immediately, I dropped to my knees in front of Thea, checking her over frantically.

“Are you okay?” I whispered. “Did they hurt you?”

She shook her head. “I’m okay, Mommy. You were really brave in there.”

I hugged her tight, burying my face in her hair for just a moment. “So were you, baby. So were you.”

When I pulled back, I put a finger to my lips, signaling her to stay quiet. She nodded, understanding instantly. I began to look around the apartment, trying to look nervous and agitated and not calculating at all—which wasn’t hard, given the circumstances—while subtly examining every inch of our new prison.

There was a security camera in the upper corner of the room. A large mirror on one wall was almost certainly two-way, allowing someone to observe us from the other side. There wasn’t a single crack in the steel walls.

I had to find a way to signal Richard’s men soon. They would only wait thirty minutes before attacking, and I had no idea how much time had already passed. But rushing in blindly would be a disaster. I needed a plan, a real one, not just “burn everything and hope for the best.”

I bit my lip, thinking hard about what to do next.

And that was when my eye caught the vent near the ceiling.