Daisy struggled as fiercely as she could, but the two girls holding her were half-breeds and she couldn’t break free even if she tried.
Her muffled cries went nowhere as they gagged her with a strip of fabric, the sour taste of it choking her, then pulled a paper bag over her head. Panic rose in her chest as they left her blind and breathless.
Ti lost all aning as they dragged her roughly along the hallways until, suddenly, she was dropped hard onto a smooth floor. Her knees hit the tiles with a painful thud, and she let out a muffled yelp.
Ripping the bag off, Daisy blinked rapidly and glared up to find Elsie Lancaster staring down at her, a smug smile twisting her lips.
She tore the gag from her mouth and snapped, "Are you out of your mind? What the hell is this for?"
Elsie’s eyes glead with hatred. "Maybe I am," she said with a crooked grin. "You and your little gang, led by your precious Violet, made lose everything. Did you really think I wouldn’t find out?"
Daisy swallowed hard, sweat beading at her temple. However, she stood her ground, even as her heart pounded in her chest.
"There’s only one person who wanted my position... Violet! And you all helped her set up!"
"It isn’t a setup if it’s the truth... " Daisy didn’t finish as Elsie’s hand struck her cheek. Her head whipped to the side, tears springing to her eyes.
"Yes," Elsie hissed, breathing heavily, "I’m the one in charge here. You don’t speak until I say so."
Daisy’s fear increased. The girl before her wasn’t the sa Elsie she’d once known. This was soone who’d already fallen and decided to drag others down with her.
She took in her surroundings, they were in the indoor pool. The glass ceiling above reflected rippling turquoise light onto the walls. The pool itself stretched wide, its surface eerily still, while the air was heavy with chlorine. No one else was there, only Elsie and her two accomplices.
Since Elsie’s fall from grace, everyone had practically abandoned her. Her na was poison now, her reputation shredded after her dirty secrets were exposed in public — the Asher mask scandal and her twisted affair with Grace. Who knew she had such a distorted kink?
Hence Daisy couldn’t imagine how she’d convinced these half-breed girls to follow her, unless they were foolish enough to believe Elsie was truly rising again.
But then again, first years were easy to fool. Typical Elsie, pick the ones she could manipulate, train another Grace. Well, two Grace.
Daisy eyed the door, calculating how far it was, how she’d have to move, how she’d engage the three of them and what the outco might be.
Elsie must have seen it in her face because she laughed. "Don’t even think about it. You’re not leaving here until you give what I want."
"Ivy’s coming with help. You’re not going to get away with this!" Daisy snapped.
"Aww." Elsie put a hand to her chest, all drama. "You think I’m scared? Let tell you how this will go." She leaned forward and pointed at the door. "Even if they show up, I’ve barred the door. They won’t get to you in ti, not until I get what I want. Will I be punished? Maybe. Maybe not. It’s all just a little play between friends who should be in class."
Blood drained from Daisy’s face. This girl had truly gone off the rails.
"Tie her up. Ti for us to have a little fun," Elsie ordered.
"What?! No!"
Except Daisy was not going to sit still and let them do what they wanted with her.
The mont they approached her with the rope, Daisy moved first.
She ducked low before the first one could reach for her, sweeping her leg in a clean arc that Commander Malakai himself would have been proud of.
Hence the first half-breed crashed to the floor with a startled yelp. Then Daisy used the montum to spring up, her elbow ramming into the second girl’s ribs. There was a muffled grunt as the air expelled from her lungs, her body folding.
They tried to recover, but Daisy was already spinning, landing a kick that sent one of the girls staggering into the pool with a splash. The other one lunged at her, grabbing a fistful of her hair but Daisy turned with it, driving her knee into the girl’s gut.
The sound that tore out of the girl’s throat was ugly — and satisfying. The girl collapsed.
Daisy stood over them, chest heaving, heart thundering in her ears. No one ssed with her!
Recalling that Elsie was still around, Daisy turned around to deal with her too only for a punch to land in her face and and stars exploded in her vision. Daisy hit the tiles, dazed.
Elsie’s voice sliced through the ringing in her ears. "Useless lackeys! Tie her up now, you fools! Can’t even handle a re human!"
Daisy groaned as rough hands grabbed her arms, forcing them behind her. The sting of rope bit into her wrists as they yanked it tight.
Her cheek was pressed against the cold tile, her breath shallow, and pulse pounding. Daisy wanted to scream, to fight again, but she was so exhausted.
Elsie crouched beside her, voice dripping with venom. "You’re mine now, Daisy Fairchild. Now, you’ll learn what happens when you cross ."
The ropes cinched tighter and Daisy winced. This couldn’t get any better!
"Pull her up to her feet," Elsie commanded.
And her faithful servants obeyed.
Daisy grunted as they forced her to face Elsie, who was grinning like a lunatic high on her own power. The sight almost made Daisy laugh through the pain. Did Elsie seriously think this was so kind of mob movie and she was the boss giving out orders?
"So, Daisy," Elsie began, circling her like a predator savoring the mont before the kill. She stopped right in front of her. "Where is Lila adows? Is she with Violet Purple? And if she is, where are they?"
Daisy’s mouth fell open. Oh.
It hit her all at once.
"Luna Zara sent you, didn’t she?"
Of course. That explained everything. No wonder Elsie hadn’t made a move since Violet vanished. She had only been waiting, crawling back into relevance with the Luna’s leash around her neck.
"Yes," Elsie said, stupidly proud. "She chose for this." Her grin widened. "So you’d better talk before things get ugly."
But Daisy laughed, breathless and defiant. "Even if you held a knife to my throat, you wouldn’t get a word out of ."
Elsie’s smile dropped, her tone sharpening instead. "Really? Is that so?"
Then she snapped.
"Toss her into the pool."
"What?" Daisy’s blood ran cold. "No—wait—"
The girls didn’t hesitate. They shoved her hard.
The world spun, and icy water swallowed her whole. It crashed over her face and filled her mouth before she broke the surface, gasping and sputtering. Her arms jerked uselessly since it was tied tight behind her, while her legs kicked frantically to keep her head above the water.
The chlorine burned her eyes, and panic clawed up her throat as she heard Elsie’s voice echo coldly from above.
"Tell the truth and you won’t drown Daisy."
Daisy shouted, "What? I don’t know where they are!"
"You must really have a knack for pain," Elsie hissed, clearly not believing her. Her eyes glead with that wild, dangerous light that made Daisy’s stomach twist.
"Get in there," she ordered the girls coldly. "We’ll drag the truth out of her if we have to."
"No, no, no, Elsie, I’m telling you the truth! I can’t tell you even if I wanted to—" Daisy’s voice broke, but Elsie wasn’t listening.
Before Daisy could even blink, the two girls slipped into the water, swimming toward her from both sides. Panic shot through Daisy’s veins as they reached her, gripping her bound arms tightly beneath the surface. Elsie lood above at the pool’s edge like a dark queen presiding over her punishnt.
"I’ll try once more, Daisy Fairchild," she said, her voice deceptively calm. "Where did Lila adows and Violet Purple go?"
"E-Elsie, believe ," Daisy gasped, trembling, "I can’t tell you. Please—"
But Elsie’s expression didn’t soften. She wanted results, and this was her chance to prove herself again to Luna Zara, who’d turned her back on her.
"Duck her."
The words were flat and ruthless.
The two girls obeyed imdiately. They shoved Daisy’s head under the water.
Cold water rushed into her nose and burned her lungs. Daisy kicked wildly, struggling to break free, but their grip was like iron, and her screams were lost to the water.
The tornt felt like forever, and just when the darkness began to creep in, they yanked her up again.
Daisy broke the surface with a violent gasp, choking, coughing, her eyes red and nose stinging.
Above her, Elsie smiled. A slow, evil smile.
"Ready to talk now, Daisy?"
Oh God. Soone save her.
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