R TWO:

nd her. The sound echoed th

stood

ho had put the collar on her

see if Isla obeye

even though her m

s, and silent guards. Everything was too c

oom. White walls. A me

" the wo

ed in, hea

young, one older-gray hair, sharp

behind her wit

the older

inked.

es off

d, stepping ba

moved fast. They gra

me go!" s

er voice was calm. "You belong to him now. He d

ed Isla's collarbone.

med. "Don'

aids held

s over Isla's arms, her stomach, her back. Chec

man muttered. "But s

o the others

turned with a bucket of warm water,

whispered. "I c

d. "We clean you. We dre

stiff and shaking, as they removed her cloth

r, they handed her a thin b

it

her hands

rls. You speak when spoken to. You eat when told. You do

idn't

lose again. "Wh

itated.

slappe

ard. But it

say that name," she said c

t name," Isla said,

hoose anythi

rned. "F

rower hallway. The lights were dimmer here

of doors. Small one

open

is y

row bed. A blanket. A sin

us in here?

"Only if you c

cream echoed. A girl's voi

a f

that?" s

didn't

maids didn

pped as sudden

til then, stay quiet. Don't talk to the othe

against the floor. "Stay quiet. Don't talk to th

word. The door closed behind h

her body still trembling from th

inutes

pened again-sof

downward. She didn't say a word as she walked i

ilky. Ex

this," the maid

k who she was.

ic smooth against her skin. Too s

he sash, the door

stood

ned Belle fro

e flat. "Now." Luisa opened the door for h

***********

man in black. Her bare feet padded against the

he woman ordered. "Don't

enched at her sides. The collar around

f a tall black door at

ked once, then

she

pped insi

ed the windows. A faint smell of musk and so

ttoned at the top, sleeves rolled to his elbows. He didn't l

e the

ed back an

ow

shut

e he

lt wrong. Like walking into a lio

finally

ustful, but like he was inspecting p

n up well

said n

pe

ou," she sa

at wasn't a compliment.

ered he

sip from his gl

owly, circl

ur mother say y

en," she

her now. "And

ated. "..

she didn't lie

a finger down the back of her

sily. Makes me think yo

," she w

again, close. His voice d

er jaw, refusi

im smile-ju

e already,

didn't

ed back.

nearby table and p

k, what to wear, how to breathe around me. I don't like noise.

stood

o her fully. "Ta

stif

an eyebrow

N

her shoulders. Her skin

e a man admiring. More lik

speak of this room. You don't look anyone in the eye unle

oat tig

t," he

Yes,

for a moment longe

ck to your room. T

, like she w

or. The same woman from b

's d

even look at

osed again

didn't feel like sh

he was leaving