Steel Princess (Royal Elite 2)

When I’m alone at night, I murmur his name so I don’t forget about him.

Dad said Eli went to heaven.

Sometimes I hate Eli. He said we’ll always go to places together, but he didn’t take me with him.

When I told Ma I wanted to go to heaven to Eli, she took me to the lake and made me swim.

I hate swimming.

I hate them monsters in Ma’s eyes when she’s all in white.

With one last glance behind me, I tiptoe and put the key into the hole then turn it.

The door squeaks and my heart stops beating.

Stop squeaking, little idiot.

I slip inside, gripping the lamp tighter.

The whimpering stops.

Everything stops.

I stay glued at the door and cover my nose with the back of my hand.

Smells like pee and throw up.

Eww. Who made a mess?

Using the lamp, I move it around the basement. I’ve never been in here before. All the walls are stone with no windows like a cave.

Something clinks in the far right corner.

Gasping, I direct the light in that direction.

I stop in my tracks. My hands tremble, causing the light to shake.

In the corner stands a boy as tall as Eli. He has dark hair like Eli, too. His shirt and trousers have dirty smudges. A cuff surrounds his ankle, attached to a chain that’s dangling from the wall.

Silver duct tape covers his mouth so tightly, it appears painful.

He squints at the light from the lamp, then slowly, too slowly, opens his eyes.

Dark eyes.

Metal eyes.

They look like Eli’s eyes.

With slow movements, I approach him. “Are you Eli?”

He doesn’t say anything.

I stop a small distance away, watching him closely.

He’s not Eli, but he looks so beautiful. I want to become friends with him.

His face is smudged with dirt. I reach into my dress’s pocket and retrieve a napkin. It’s a present from Daddy that I always keep on me, but it’s okay.