Chapter 1

• She turned and looked at the small window, it was night again. How long did that make it? A month, longer? She’d lost count. The only thing she was thankful for was no one else was down here with her. That was good for the other women. Did they ever have more than one locked up at the same time? She couldn’t be sure.
• Emersyn sat up and tugged on the collar around her throat. She should be used to it by now, but it still felt like it was choking her, even though it wasn’t. After wearing it for years, you would think it would feel like it belonged there. She closed her eyes and shook her head slowly, how could anyone get used to that?
• The reason it was there was enough to constantly remind her that her life was not her own. It had not been hers since she was a child. Over the years the images and memories of freedom had faded. She remembered the boat trip and the excitement of being in a new country. Her parents, she remembered them dancing to be there. She knew she used to run outside and play, knew that somewhere out there she had a mother, father, and two older brothers, but she could no longer see them inside her head. There was just an emptiness where those memories with family should have been. She’d held onto her mother’s smile the longest, but now with it was gone, there was only a void left behind.
• Getting up, she lifted the chain that weighed down her ankle and moved slowly toward the window. It was the only thing she had to focus on. The lights were off, and the basement was dark through the night, the only thing she could do was look out the small window, level with the ground, and hope to see something. Anything.
• The pain shot up her leg from the swelling caused by the cold metal rubbing against her ankle bone. The throbbing was endless. She didn’t know why they kept it on her, where was she going to go? The door was bolted shut, and the window, even if she could reach it was too small to get out. Of course, if she hadn’t attacked her captors on more than one occasion, they would probably allow her more freedom. There was some part of her that made her fight back, even though she knew the consequences of doing it.
• There was snow falling tonight. She inhaled a shaky breath. Another year had passed. Winter was on its way. Aspyn’s fifth birthday would be soon. Putting her hand over her chest, she clutched the fabric covering her heart while she silently asked the universe to watch over her baby. If she closed her eyes, she could see her pale blue eyes and a cheeky little smile. She had to be okay. It was the only thing that got Emersyn through each day. Her baby was the only reason she had to keep breathing. Born into a life with no freedoms, yet when she smiled all the terrors faded away.
• She was okay, she decided. There was no other possible outcome in her mind. Her little girl was a fighter with an attitude much bigger than her little body. A tear rolled down her cheek as she remembered when Aspyn had punched that man, her father, in the face for upsetting her Mommy. She would survive the cruelties of their world; of that she was certain. Aspyn didn’t know it yet, but she was guided by the spirit of her animal. Emersyn’s mother used to say that and now she had no choice but to believe it was true.
• Opening her eyes, she blinked, had someone just gone past the window? She started to move closer only to stop when the chain reached its end too soon. She looked around, there was nothing in the room to throw at it to draw their attention. She considered yelling, but that would only alert her guards upstairs and she didn’t need that.
• How long had it been since he’d come and shown her pictures of her only reason to live? She couldn’t be certain but thought it might have been longer than his normal taunting visit. She bit her lip, not even sure if it was a good or bad thing, but she desperately wanted to see the pictures proving that their daughter, she scowled—no, her daughter was well.
• Without blinking, she stared at the window, hoping to see someone outside it again. Anyone that could get her out of here. Away from this world, she’d been stuck in for far too long. Other than the first few years of endless houses, she’d always been here. Many women had come and gone from this house in that time, but Emersyn was still here. She didn’t know where they went or what happened to them, this was the only place she could loosely call home. She cut off any further thoughts when she saw more feet moving by the window.
• “You be brave, Aspyn, Mommy’s going to find you one day, and no one will separate us again.” She whispered in a soft breath.
• The sound of footsteps upstairs had her turn and look at the door. Was he here? Did he bring her daughter back? Each time she heard movement up there, she thought the same thing. Maybe he realized that holding their daughter hostage and trying to force her cycle to come back was impossible. If a woman had that power the world would be a much different place.
• The sounds grew louder, there was something wrong. No one in this house was ever that loud. Grasping the chain, she rushed to the back corner of the cold-tiled room and crouched down beside the cot. In the darkness, she focused on where she knew the stairs ended, waiting. Were they moving the women? It wasn’t unusual to do it at night. Would the others get to keep their children? The sound of the lock opening on the door at the top of the stairs echoed like a hammer on metal in the silence.
• She closed her eyes and dug deeper for the courage to stay quiet as heavy boots hit the stairs. If she could just pretend to be compliant, just once—maybe they’d let her keep her daughter with her.
• Opening her eyes, she watched in the dark as the outline of a large man appeared before her. A light hit her face and then moved around the room. She was momentarily blinded by it and unable to see who it was.
• “One in the basement,” his tone was low, and frightening in the dark space, “chained to the fucking wall. Do we have bolt cutters?”
• Her heart started pounding in her chest. Bolt cutters? What was going on?
• “Send him down here.”
• She listened as he moved around the room, afraid to speak.
• “Watch your eyes. I’m turning the light on.”