Kieran POV
The dungeon is damp and reeks of rogues. As I walk by the cells they rogues growl and snarl at me, but none of them are brave enough to approach the bars. Many of them call me a traitor as I pass by.
I try not to let their words bother me, even though they are true. I am a traitor. First, I betrayed my family and then I betrayed the recusants. Of course, they would call me a traitor.
Tish is all the way in the back. I thought I was doing her a favor by putting her far away from the rogues but maybe she would be more comfortable near the entrance. That way she could at least get some sunlight whenever the doors open.
Tish is huddled in the back of her cell. She is still wearing the same clothes I saw her in last and her hair is greasy and lying flat against her head. Even through the darkness I can see her green eyes are no longer vibrant, they are growing dull and lifeless. She looks up when I approach but she doesn't speak.
"Tish," I call her name. "I need your help."
Pushing herself off the ground Tish gets to her feet. She is beginning to lose weight. Her clothes are hanging off of her awkwardly. She approaches the bars and wraps her hands around them.
"I am not in the mood for sex," Tish says dully. "Maybe one of your other prisoners would pleasure you."
"Why would I be down here for sex?" I question.
"We've both had sex with Mae," Tish reminds me. "We both know she is boring in bed. It is only a matter of time before you go looking for satisfaction elsewhere."
"Wow," I say in shock. "If that is how you speak about your best friend, I would hate to hear how you talk about your enemy."
Tish scoffs loudly. "Mae is no longer my friend. She would have never put me down here if she was. I never meant her any harm."
"But the rest of the pack?" I ask.
"I could care less about your kind," Tish snaps back at me. It is clear that her time in the dungeons has not broken her spirit. "I just want Mae back."
"Neither one of us has Mae at the moment," I growl at her. "Stop being so fucking selfish."
"She left you!" Tish squeals with excitement. "I knew she would see through you."
"Would you shut up!" I snarl. "She was kidnapped."
Tish lets go of the bars and steps back into the darkness. She thinks she is hiding her face from me, but I can see the concern on her face.
"She was taken by Francesca, and I believe her father," I inform Tish.
Tish scoots to the back of the cell and presses her body against the wall. She is mumbling under her breath. She drops to the ground and rocks back and forth on the balls of her feet.
"Tish," I try to break her out of her trance. "Mae's mother thought you might know where to find her."
"Susan?" Tish raises her head to look at me.
"Who is Susan?"
"Mae's step-mother," Tish fills me in.
"No, not her step-mother. Her real mother, Narah," I tell Tish.
"Mae hasn't spoken to her mother in years," Tish reminds me.
"She is here," I tell Tish.
"I want to speak to her," Tish demands.
"You aren't in any position to make demands," I remind Tish.
"Neither are you," Tish scoffs. "You need me."
As much as I hate to admit it, Tish is right. I need her. According to Narah she is the only one that can tell me where Francesca may have taken Mae.
"What do you want?" I ask her.
"I do have a few demands," she says slyly.
"Like what?"
"I want out of here," Tish tells me. "I want to go home to my apartment and my job."
"I can let you out of here, but I can't let you go back to the apartment," I tell her. "It would put a target on your back."
"You think that," Tish laughs. "But I think you are wrong. The people that are hunting you want nothing to do with me."
"That's not true. They will stop at nothing to make me suffer. That includes making Mae suffer. Despite what you think, Mae still loves you," I plead with Tish. "I will get you out of here, but I can't let you go home."
"Fine," she says. "I want my old room back."
I scratch the back of my neck awkwardly. "That isn't possible. Your room has been given to Narah. But I can give you a different room."
Tish gets back to her feet and walks back to the front of the cell. "Fine."
I get an uneasy feeling as I turn the key to open Tish's cell. I let the door swing open and Tish comes lunging out of the cell. Her arms are swinging wildly as she tries to hit me. She lands several blows to my chest, but they are so light that they don't register.
I wrap my arms around her body, pinning her arms to her side. "I thought you were going to play nice," I growl as I restrain her.
"I never promised that," she grinds out. "Let me go."
"Not until you calm down," I tell her.
Tish continues to fight against my hold. She snaps her head forward with her mouth open, trying to bit me.
"You can calm down or go back into the cell," I warn her.
Tish stops thrashing. She is panting heavily. "I'm cool. I'm calm."
I am skeptical, but I let her go. Tish rears back her hand and slaps me across the face. She tries to hit me again, but I catch her hand in the air.
"I thought you said you were cool," I laugh at her attempts to injure me.
Tish grunts in frustration. "Take me to Mae's mother."
"Do you promise to be a good girl?" I ask her.
Tish rolls her eyes and tries to pull her arm away from me. I cock an eyebrow at her and she stomps her foot. "I will be good."