“My apologies, James,” Valentine says. “It seems my daughter has forgotten her place ... and her clothes.”
I’ve never felt more naked than I do in this moment as everyone’s eyes seem to drag over me, and I wrap the robe even tighter around myself.
“Dad,” I try again, taking one step closer as I search his face. “Dad, it’s me. It’s Evelyn.”
“Evelyn?” Valentine says, turning to look at me like I’ve just revealed a dark secret.
I ignore him as I step closer, reaching out to place a hand on my dad’s arm.
“Dad, I need your help.”
“I think you’re confused.”
“No, please. Help! Dad, it’s me, your daughter! Please!”
I throw my arms around him only to be pushed away. I’m so shocked by the rebuff that I stumble backward onto the floor.
“Valentine, would you please control your daughter?”
“Of course.”
Valentine snaps his fingers and makes gesture with his hand, and two of his men instantly yank me up off the floor, dragging me back through the entrance.
“No, Dad, please! Help!”
My dad shakes his head as he turns to allow Valentine to escort him the rest of the way to the front door.
The men haul me up a set of stairs toward the back of the entryway, and down a wide hall as I struggle against them, but to no avail. They push open a massive set of double doors and toss me inside before slamming them shut on me.
I pull myself to my feet, throwing myself against the doors as I try to open them, but it’s impossible. Turning I look around the room.
This must be Valentine’s office.
There’s a massive desk and chair at the end, as well as several armchairs, and a huge crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling. There’s an oriental rug in black and gold covering a majority of the main floor space, as well as shelves full of insanely expensive-looking items behind glass lining either side of the room.
As overwhelmingly extravagant as the room is, it’s the wall behind the desk that truly catches my interest.
Aside from one huge self-portrait, the wall is completely blank, but there’s something about it that just seems … oddly familiar.
I slowly cross the room to get a better look. I know where I’ve seen this kind of wall before. In Dante’s closet.
These are hidden panels.
Pressing my palms to the wall, I try to force them open, but nothing happens. I try again and again, but still nothing.
Frustrated, I step back as I try not to burst into tears.
Come on, Evelyn. You can do this, what did Dante do to open them?
Taking a deep breath, I step forward and barely touch the very tips of my fingers to the wall. As if by magic, the entire wall of panels suddenly slides open.
A waft icy air pours out along with a heavy mist of dry-ice to reveal backlit shelves …
And Charlotte’s face staring blankly back at me.
It takes me a full second to process what I’m seeing before I scream and stumble backward, falling to the floor as I continue to force myself as far back from the shelves as I can get.
My eyes only widening further as I take in massive wall of shelves upon shelves of … heads.
So, so many heads.
And they’re all women.
I’m not going to get out of here alive, am I?