Chapter 27

• The cold night air outside the mansion felt like smoke brushing against my skin as I wore Joaquin’s heavy, dark coat. I ran as fast as I could away from the gates, my feet paying no mind to the pain as I pushed through the dark road far away from that hell.
• I escaped. Repeating that thought in my mind gave me a strange surge of strength. I smiled while gasping for breath, wiping away the tears mixed with my sweat. I was finally free. The golden cage was gone, and so was the monster, Joaquin. When I reached the mouth of the highway where it was dark and only the moonlight lit the path, I immediately flagged down a ride. I waited for a few minutes while my whole body shivered, until finally, I saw a black SUV slowing down to a stop in front of me.
• The driver's side window rolled down. A man with a serious face looked at me.