Vow of Deception (Deception Trilogy #1) - Rina Kent Page 0,91

at a time because I know Kolya won’t take long to return. As soon as I’m on the second floor, a gloomy sensation crawls up my skin.

Marionette strings snap in my neck as I take mechanical steps down the hall. I shouldn’t know where I’m going and yet, it feels like I do.

I don’t open the first or the second door and, instead, stop in front of the last one to the right. The one with the window I saw that day.

My fingers tremble as I turn the doorknob. I expect it to snap shut and lock me out, but a soft click echoes in the air.

As it opens, the hinges make a small squeaky sound like the ones from horror movies and heart-pounding thrillers.

I don’t know why I think a monster is waiting for me on the other side.

It’s not.

It’s way worse.

Someone lies on a simple bed.

Wires are hooked to the person’s arm. They’re still, unmoving, like they’re dead. But the beeping machine to the right shows a normal beat.

Beep.

Beep.

Beep.

My sweaty fingers release the doorknob as I approach the bed slowly. My feet are about to fail me, my heart is thudding so loud, it would’ve broken the machine if it were attached to one.

My palms cover my mouth as I stare at the person lying there.

She’s wearing a white nightgown like in the nightmare, her dark hair splaying all over the pillow and her skin is pasty white.

The woolen sheet covers her to the breasts and her hands are crossed on her stomach as if she’s in a casket.

Lia Volkov.

The real Lia Volkov.

I thought she was dead. How could she be…? Why is she…?

My thoughts tumble over each other with no clear direction as a sickening feeling settles over my stomach, demanding I throw up my breakfast.

Her eyes snap open, their blue clashing with mine.

I stumble backward as my mouth opens in a shriek.

29

Winter

This is a nightmare.

This could only be another nightmare. I didn’t really wake up this morning and I’m having another nightmare.

I screw my eyes shut, then open them again.

Lia is still there, staring, but not at me. Her gaze didn’t follow me when I stumbled.

I pinch myself in a desperate attempt to wake up, but only searing pain greets me.

My entire body trembles as I approach her again. She continues to stare, but nothing on her body moves. Not her hands, not her limbs.

It’s like she’s asleep with her eyes open.

“Lia,” I whisper, afraid anything louder will make her leap out of the bed and slice my throat as she did in my most recent nightmare.

She shows no reaction to hearing me. Her eyes still staring up ahead, caught in a foreign land. I run a hand in front of her face, but she doesn’t follow it.

She’s not even blinking, completely in a trance. Now that I’m no longer in shock, I can see that her eyes are blank, lighter than mine, as if the feelings that made them bright have completely disappeared.

I slowly touch her shoulder, even though my body is facing away, ready to bolt out of here any second.

Lia doesn’t move. Not even an inch.

Is she paralyzed? Braindead? What is it exactly that causes a person to stay in this state without making a single movement?

“Lia…” I murmur again.

Nothing.

But that doesn’t give me relief. If anything, the dread and gloom from earlier slash against my ribcage and tighten a noose around my heart.

My leg vibrates and I gasp, thinking Lia’s touched me.

It’s the phone. Just the phone.

I retrieve it with shaky fingers. The text that greets me deepens my trembling state.

Unknown Number: Have you found your mission yet?

My gaze slides from the screen to Lia and then back again, my heart thundering in my throat.

Does he…does the shadow have something to do with this? I type a response.

Lia: Does it have something to do with Lia?

Unknown Number: You became Lia Volkov for a reason. Find it. Do it. I’m losing patience, Duchess.

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” I mutter under my breath.

Lia’s head rolls to the side in an unnatural angle as if it’s about to snap. Her eyes blink rapidly and her mouth opens as a long moan of pain leaves it. It’s raw, deep, and so damn haunting.

I bolt out of her room, slamming the door behind me. My fingers shake around the phone as I run. I don’t stop running until I’m outside.

My heart hammers in my throat and I’m almost sure the guards notice it, but