Towerwood by Kate Callaghan

Author:Kate Callaghan [Callaghan, Kate]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Towerwood, Kate Callaghan, YA, Young Adult, Urban Fantasy
Publisher: Kate Callaghan
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

chapter eight

“ANY CHANCE OF hot water today?” Zel asked. It was a stupid question. There was never hot water. In the winter it was mildly warm, but not enough to soothe the chill in her bones.

Sometimes she caught Prince hovering on the edge of words when he brought her food—a subtly raised eyebrow, the hint of a wince or upturned smile as she spoke. She kept attempting to find a topic that might finally get him to talk, though she tried to stay away from anything that related to the facility or Gothel. She needed him to see her as a person, and not a prisoner… but sometimes her curiosity got the better of her.

“Do you have to take cold showers?” she continued, wondering if the staff amenities were better than her own.

“Cold showers are good for you,” Prince said matter-of-factly, escorting her to the freezing shower.

“Spoken like someone who has a choice on whether or not to take one.”

Prince shook his head. She wasn’t sure if he was entertained or irritated by her, and she doubted whether she would ever know. He closed the door, sealing her inside, and she took a moment to weep, as she did every time she was alone. It was the only place she knew he couldn’t see her, couldn’t see how each day threatened to add a new crack in her façade.

After that, Zel glanced at the corners of the room to check for a tiny red dot that would tell her she wasn’t alone. Maybe it was paranoia or her mind starting to bend, but it was a new ritual. Once she was sure there was no camera, she stepped into the shower and closed her eyes: pretending she was home, in her own bathroom, with a fluffy pink towel waiting for her when she stepped out.

Trying to drag out the time, she plaited her hair, which had grown past her waist, into three sections. Prince had offered to cut it, but she’d refused, determined to have control over at least one aspect of her life. In the small reflective steel above the sink, she gazed at her pale skin and tired hazel eyes. Even though she still looked like herself, she felt anything but. Her eyes were just a reminder of a mother she would probably never see again. Even if they had forsaken her, her heart still held a dull ache for her family.

She had just about finished plaiting when a knock startled her. Prince never knocked and never hurried her. Dread stilled her fingers. Is Gothel here? He hasn’t come to see me once since my first day. She automatically cupped her scarred hand to her chest.

“Just a second,” she called, securing her plaits. She knocked on the door, pulling the zip of her overalls higher.

Prince opened the door. “Ready?” he asked, and she nodded.

Instead of leading her back to her room, he turned and put his key card in the lift opposite them. Zel’s eyes widened. I don’t

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