Roman had used four wishes.
She had used two.
The scroll had ten slots. The last one would fuse their souls into one entity.
She had three bullets left. Roman had one.
It was a game of numbers now.
For three days, Ella obeyed.
She ate.
Aris checked the baby.
She sat with Roman.
Roman was pleased.
"Good," he said.
Stroking her hair.
"Acclimation is the key to survival."
But under the table, Ella's hands were clenched so tight her nails drew blood.
She needed to get a message out.
But how? No phone. No internet.
The servants were spies.
Then she remembered the Teddy Bear.
Leo had left his favorite bear, Mr. Fluffles, in the guest room.
Roman had ordered the room cleaned.
But Ella knew Martha had a soft spot for sentimental things.
"Martha," Ella walked into the kitchen, keeping her voice casual. "I was wondering... did you keep Leo's bear? I... I miss him. I wanted to hold it."
Martha hesitated, then nodded. "It's in the donation pile in the laundry room, Madam. I haven't sent it out yet."
"Thank you."
Ella went to the laundry room. She found the bear.
She also found a sharpie in the utility drawer.
She ripped open the seam of the bear's back. On a scrap of fabric torn from her own dress, she wrote:
*ROMAN HAS ME. HE USED MAGIC. HE FRAMED SARAH. HE POISONED LEO. ATTACK TONIGHT SOUTH GATE. I HAVE THE PROOF.**- ELLA*
She stuffed the note deep into the stuffing and sewed it back up with a needle and thread from the emergency kit.
Now, how to get it to Ethan?
She waited until the weekly supply delivery.
The delivery boy was young. An Omega from the village.
Ella walked out to the driveway as the van was pulling away. The guards stepped forward to block her.
"Wait!" Ella called out. "You! Boy!"
The driver stopped, rolling down the window. "Yes, Luna?"
"My brother..." Ella put on a tearful act. "He's at St. Jude's Academy. He forgot his bear. He can't sleep without it. Please, can you drop it off? It's on your way."
The guards looked suspicious. The head guard snatched the bear from Ella.
He squeezed it. Poked it.
Checked for hard objects.
Nothing but fluff.
"Let her send it," the guard grunted. "Keeps her happy."
Ella handed the bear to the boy. "Please," she whispered, leaning in. "Make sure it gets to... make sure it gets to *Ethan* at the Academy. He... he visits Leo."
It was a gamble. She didn't know if Ethan visited Leo. But she knew Ethan's sister worked at St. Jude's.
The boy looked confused, but he saw the desperation in her eyes. He nodded. "I'll try, Luna."
He drove off.
Ella watched the van disappear.
*Please, Ethan. Be the hero I didn't believe in.*