7. Isabel
7
ISABEL
V aleria grips my hand tightly, her palm warm and slightly damp with sweat. I know I should focus on her and the plan we’ve crafted, but my thoughts keep circling back to the three brothers. Their stares still burn my skin, their gazes crawling over me like a touch I can’t escape.
I caught them watching me, and not just a passing glance. It was intense. Hungry .
A part of me is scared, but there’s another small, twisted part that feels something else. A thrill, maybe. I shake the thought away, focusing instead on Valeria’s presence next to me.
When we were standing in the grand hall, listening to Lionel’s speech, as if he were some benevolent king addressing his subjects, I knew exactly who he was. Valeria and I have spent countless hours digging into his life, piecing together the puzzle of his family and their twisted legacy. Every shred of evidence we unearthed pointed to him as the puppet master of something far more sinister than anyone could imagine. We just need to figure out what it is exactly.
“ Looks like we’re in for a real treat,” I whisper to Valeria , my nerves humming like a live wire.
The game Lionel announced might sound harmless, but everything about this house, this family— this night —feels wrong.
Mr . Whitmore raises his glass with a smug grin. “ To a night of thrills and surprises. May the best hiders win.”
Laughter ripples through the crowd, but I feel the tension in the room. I exchange a look with Valeria , her wide eyes mirroring my own unease.
“ Do you think we should stick together?” I ask as the guests begin to scatter.
“ Definitely ,” Valeria replies, her grip on my hand tightening. “ We need to stay close and keep an eye out for anything strange.”
We move deeper into the mansion, wandering into what looks like a library, its towering shelves packed with ancient books and strange relics that seem older than time itself. The air is thick with dust, and the faint smell of mildew clings to every particle.
“ I’m starting to feel like we’re in one of those old horror films.”
“ Please don’t.”
“ What ? I’m just saying . It feels like we’re being hunted. I’ve seen this before,” I joke, though my pulse hasn’t slowed since Lionel’s announcement. “ The whole “we’re being hunted in a creepy mansion” vibe? Classic horror trope.”
“ Isa ,” Valeria groans, rolling her eyes. “ Let’s just keep moving and stay out of sight.”
“ Okay , Mommy ,” I say with a grin, unable to resist.
Her lips twitch, almost smiling, but before she can reply, she grabs a book from a nearby shelf and tosses it at me. I duck, the heavy tome landing with a dull thud on the carpet.
I laugh, my nerves easing for just a moment, though the tension in my chest doesn’t fully disappear.
We weave through the library, past a grand fireplace with a mantle cluttered with bizarre trinkets and framed portraits of ancestors glaring down at us.
“ Wait .” I point toward a small door partially hidden behind a massive leather chair. “ There .”
Valeria nods, and we slip through, finding ourselves in a narrow passageway. The walls are lined with more portraits, their painted eyes seeming to follow our every move.
This place is creepy as hell.
“ This is cozy,” I mutter with sarcasm. “ Do you think this is a good place to hide?”
“ It’s as good as any,” Valeria replies, trying to sound reassuring. “ If anything feels off, we get out of here and regroup.”
I nod, and we huddle together in the cramped space, trying to make ourselves as small and invisible as possible.
I force myself to focus on the plan, not on the lingering sensation of being watched or how Lionel’s grin made my skin crawl.
* * *
Time is dragging.
I’m curled up against the cold wall, my knees pulled to my chest. My legs are cramping, but I don’t dare move. The air is stale and damp, sticking to my skin and making it hard to breathe. Valeria is right next to me, close enough that I can feel her warmth, but it doesn’t stop the tension buzzing between us. I take a slow breath, trying to steady myself.
The sound of a clock chimes, cutting through the silence.
One . Two . Three …
Each ring sends a shiver down my spine. Twelve chimes. Midnight . The signal.
I reach out, gripping Valeria’s arm as if to anchor myself. “ It’s time.” I’m barely able to hear my voice over the pounding in my chest.
Slowly , I push myself up, my legs shaking as blood rushes back into them. Valeria’s fingers fumble as she presses them against the hidden latch, sliding the panel open just enough to peer out. There’s nothing. The room is empty, though shadows stretch across the walls, looking more alive than they should.
I exhale, my breath shaky. My hair falls into my face, brushing Valeria’s arm as I lean forward to check again. Still clear. Relief trickles in, but it’s short-lived.
A sound comes from the distance, growing louder and closer with each second. My breath catches in my throat. The footsteps halt abruptly, and silence descends again. Every nerve in my body screams at me to stay still, but I’m trembling, nonetheless.
The footsteps resume, moving away from us this time.
Fuck . That was close.
“ We should stay here a little longer,” Valeria mutters. “ Then we’ll head back to the main hall. I need to start looking for clues.”
I swallow hard. My chest feels tight, my pulse still racing. My earlier bravado feels like a distant memory. The confidence I clung to now feels like a cruel joke, slipping further away with every passing second.
Then , a group of masked men strides past us, and my stomach twists violently when I catch the glint of metal in their hands—knives, long and wickedly sharp.
What the hell?
They aren’t just playing a game. They’re hunting .
A gasp slips out of me before I can stop it, and I clamp a hand over my mouth, but it’s too late. One of the men halts mid-step, his head turning slowly toward us.
My blood runs cold.
It’s Theodore .
Even behind the mask, I can see the faint sneer curling his lips. His eyes sweep the area, lingering just long enough to make my skin crawl. I press myself against the wall, willing myself to disappear.
Theodore shrugs after a moment, turning back to the others. They continue down the corridor, their footsteps fading unnaturally fast. They shouldn’t have disappeared so quickly. The corridor ahead is long and straight—there’s nowhere for them to go.
“ Val …” Something’s wrong.
“ What the hell?” she whispers.
Before I can process it, one of the brothers reappears, stepping from the shadows like a phantom. His hand clamps down on my arm, and I scream, the sound tearing out of me before I can stop it.
“ Isabel !” Valeria’s voice is sharp with panic, but I can barely register it.
Theodore’s grip is like iron, unyielding as he drags me forward. I kick and thrash, trying to break free, but it’s no use. His strength is inhuman, as though no amount of struggling could make him falter.
“ Let her go!” Valeria shouts, her voice cracking as she lunges for me. Her fingers brush mine, but the other two brothers emerge, each grabbing one of my legs.
“ No ! Isabel !” Valeria cries, but her voice is drowned out by the pounding of my heart.
I fight harder, my movements frantic, but it only seems to amuse them. Their grip doesn’t falter.
“ Why aren’t you taking me too?” Valeria’s voice echoes behind us.
But they don’t answer. They don’t even look back.
My screams fade into silence as they drag me deeper into the darkness.