OLEANDER
"Tell me," Dante said.
After that, I heard nothing.
I crawled closer to the wall, pressing my ear against the cold surface, straining to catch what was being said.
Only murmurs reached me. Low. Indistinct. I couldn't make out a single clear word. When their discussion finally ended, Dante spoke again.
"Stay here and watch her. I'll be right back."
I listened to his retreating footsteps until they faded into silence.
Only then did I release the breath I'd been holding. Slowly, I pushed myself up from the ground and turned toward the guards.
There were ten of them.
Ten.
All stationed in here. For me.
The lights had returned, so I could see them clearly now. Each one held a weapon. Spears. Bows and arrows. Daggers. Swords of different shapes and sizes.
I was the only one inside this cell.
I couldn't understand why they needed that many weapons for a single prisoner. It wasn't as if I were some wicked witch from the west.
Though Dante clearly believed I was.
