Gates of Paradise (Casteel 4)

before you know it. Now, what was I thinking about?

Oh yes, the side guards for the bed."

He went off and returned with them. I lay there

helplessly as he fastened them to the bed and pulled

them up, caging me like some poor animal.

"There. Now we needn't worry about your

falling out of bed again. Feeling safe?"

I turned away, closed my eyes and waited for

him to leave the room. After I saw he was gone, I

closed my eyes again and imagined I was on the

gazebo in Winnerrow. I wished and wished and

wished. Oh, Luke, be there for me. Hear me across

distance and time and understand how terrible this is

and how much I need you to take me from here. Farthy is not the paradise, the magic castle we

thought it would be. It is a terrible prison, dark and

dangerous and full of twisted despair. I should have

listened to my mother . . . she knew . . . she knew. At first I thought I was still dreaming because

when I opened my eyes, I heard the voices. I glanced

at the clock and saw that it was nearly seven P.M. I

had slept through the day. The voices grew louder.

They were coming down the corridor toward my suite. Moments later my bedroom door was thrust

open and standing there before me were my aunt

Fanny and . . . thank God . . . Luke.

"Why, she looks like a baby in a crib," Fanny

drawled in her shrill voice. "And look, jist look at that

. . . her hair is a different color. It's like Heaven's hair

useta be."

"Annie!"

I lifted my hand and Luke rushed to the bed to

reach over the side guards to grasp it. As soon as our