Unbind me

chapter 7

"Because someone has to." he says.

And then he's gone, the door shutting behind him with a metallic clang.

I sit in silence for a long time, staring at the spot where he'd been standing.

Kenji's words linger in my mind, but they don't erase the unease I feel in this place. The walls feel like they're closing in, the air heavy with something I can't quite name.

I push the tray aside and stand up, pacing the room. My fingers itch with restless energy, and I feel the faint flicker of my power stirring beneath the surface.

It's coming back. Slowly, but surely.

I press my hands against the wall, feeling the cold steel beneath my palms. I close my eyes, focusing on the hum of electricity coursing through the building. For a moment, I think I can almost feel the currents, like tiny threads running just beneath the surface.

The sensation is both exhilarating and terrifying.

I pull back quickly, my heart racing.

They're watching me.

I glance at the camera again, the blinking red light seeming brighter now, more menacing.

Warner brought me here for a reason, and whatever it is, it can't be good.

But if they think I'm just going to sit here and let them use me, they're wrong.

I don't know how yet, but I'm going to find a way out of this place.

Because one thing is certain: if I stay here, I won't survive.

· · ────── · ❈ · ────── · ·

The hours drag on after Kenji leaves, the silence in my room growing heavier with each passing moment. I've finished the food, and the tray sits untouched on the desk. My gaze keeps drifting to the empty bookshelf and the camera perched in the corner. Even though it hasn't moved, I can feel it—someone is watching. Always watching.

I pace again, restless energy coursing through me. My powers are still there, a faint hum beneath my skin, but I don't dare test them. Not yet. Something about this place—this room—makes me uneasy. It feels too controlled, too calculated. Every piece of furniture, every angle of the walls, is deliberate. I wonder how much of me they've already studied.

When the door hisses open again, I instinctively flinch. My shoulders stiffen as Warner steps inside, his presence commanding the air around him. His perfectly tailored black suit is immaculate, as if he hasn't faced a single hardship in his life. His blond hair catches the faint sunlight streaming through the window, and those golden-green eyes lock onto mine with a predatory gleam.

"Good," he says, his voice smooth and deliberate. "You're awake."

"I've been awake," I snap, crossing my arms. "What do you want now?"

He doesn't react to my tone, his expression unreadable. Instead, he steps further into the room, glancing briefly at the empty bookshelf before turning back to me. "You've made quite an impression on my soldiers."

I blink, caught off guard. "What are you talking about?"

Warner tilts his head, studying me like I'm some sort of puzzle. "The way you shook the room during your little outburst a few days ago. Impressive, really. Raw, untrained—but powerful."

My heart sinks. So they did notice. "I don't know what you're talking about," I lie, my voice as steady as I can make it.

A faint smile tugs at the corner of his lips. "You're a terrible liar, Seraphina."