62.

Isabel trembled in the cold, dark cell Jack had thrown her into. The stone walls felt like ice against her skin, and the dim, flickering lights cast eerie shadows that seemed to move of their own accord. Her wrists were raw from the rough restraints, the metal cuffs cutting into her skin with every small movement. She could hear the echo of her own shallow breaths, the only sound in the otherwise suffocating silence.

She didn't know how long she had been there—hours, maybe days—but it felt like an eternity. Jack hadn’t said much to her after she was captured, only sneering when she begged to be released. Now, she sat huddled in a corner of the cell, her knees drawn to her chest as she tried to make herself as small as possible.

Suddenly, the heavy iron door creaked open, and Isabel flinched, her heart racing. Jack entered the room with slow, deliberate steps, his piercing gaze locking onto her. He wasn’t alone. Two guards followed behind him, their expressions just as cold and unforgiving.

Jack smiled, though it was anything but kind. “Isabel,” he said, his voice smooth, almost mocking. “I trust you’ve had time to think about your situation.”

Isabel pressed her back against the wall, her breath shaky. “Please,” she whispered, her voice hoarse from crying and lack of water. “I don’t know what you want from me. I don’t even know this Aeryn. I have nothing to do with any of this.”

Jack’s smile widened, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “Oh, but you do. You see, Aeryn has a weakness for humans, and you, my dear, are the perfect bait. Once she knows you’re here—once she feels your suffering—she’ll come running. And then, Alex will follow.”

“I’m not a part of this!” Isabel protested, tears springing to her eyes. “I don’t even know who Alex is! Please, let me go.”

Jack crouched down in front of her, his eyes narrowing. “Oh, you’re very much a part of this now. You were in the wrong place at the wrong time, but now you’ll play your part.”

He stood up abruptly and motioned to the guards. “Begin,” he ordered, his voice turning cold.

One of the guards stepped forward, dragging Isabel roughly to her feet. She cried out in pain as the metal cuffs dug deeper into her wrists. The guard led her to the center of the room, where a strange, glowing device stood waiting. It pulsed with dark energy, casting an ominous glow across the stone floor.

“W-what is that?” Isabel stammered, her voice trembling with fear.

Jack smiled, pleased with her reaction. “That,” he said, “is going to help me remind you why it’s important to play along. I’ll need Aeryn to see how much you’re suffering when she arrives.”

Isabel’s breath quickened as the guards strapped her to the machine, her arms and legs restrained tightly. The strange energy from the device seemed to hum, making the air thick with tension. Jack stood off to the side, watching with cruel amusement.

He nodded to the guards, and they activated the machine.

At first, Isabel felt a faint tingling sensation across her skin, but that quickly escalated into searing pain. She screamed as the energy from the device surged through her body, her muscles seizing and her head pounding. It felt like her very cells were being torn apart, like she was being pulled between worlds.

“Stop! Please, stop!” she cried, her voice breaking from the pain.

Jack only watched, completely unmoved. “This is only the beginning, Isabel. You’ll beg for death before I’m finished with you.”

The torture went on for what felt like hours, the energy pulsing through her body in waves of agony. Isabel’s screams echoed off the stone walls, but there was no one to hear her—no one to help.

---

Meanwhile, in Alex’s kingdom, the weight of their situation pressed heavily on both Alex and Aeryn. They sat together in his private chamber, the soft glow of the golden lamps doing little to ease the tension in the room. Aeryn could feel the weight of responsibility, knowing that Jack was up to something terrible, and that they were running out of time.

“We need to act quickly,” Aeryn said, her voice steady but laced with concern. “If Jack’s taken another human, she’s in danger. We can’t let her suffer because of me.”

Alex nodded, his expression grim. “I know. Jack won’t waste any time. He’ll make sure she suffers, hoping to draw us out.” He ran a hand through his hair, frustrated. “But we can’t act recklessly. If we rush in without a plan, Jack could use her as leverage.”

Aeryn looked out the window, her mind racing. The sight of Alex’s kingdom, beautiful and vast, stood in stark contrast to the darkness of Jack’s. She didn’t want to leave Alex, or the place she had started to care for, but she knew they couldn’t let an innocent person suffer because of her.

“We have to go,” she said firmly. “I can’t stay here, knowing someone is being tortured because of me.”

Alex sighed, clearly torn. His protective nature toward Aeryn warred with the urgency of the situation. “I don’t want to put you in danger,” he admitted, standing and pacing across the room. “Jack will use this as a trap. He’s waiting for us to make the wrong move.”

Aeryn stood as well, moving to stand in front of him. She placed a hand on his chest, feeling the tension in his muscles. “I know you’re worried,” she said softly. “But I’m not the same scared girl I was before. We’ll face this together. And I won’t let him win.”

Alex stared at her for a long moment, his expression softening as he saw the determination in her eyes. He pulled her into his arms, resting his forehead against hers. “You’re stronger than you know, Aeryn,” he murmured. “But I’ll never forgive myself if something happens to you.”

“Then we make a plan,” Aeryn replied, her voice gentle but firm. “We won’t rush in blindly. We’ll outsmart him.”

Alex pulled back slightly, his eyes searching hers. “Are you sure about this?”

Aeryn nodded. “Yes. I won’t let him use another human as a pawn in his game.”

Alex sighed, pulling her close again, his arms wrapped tightly around her. “Then we’ll go together,” he said, his voice resolute. “But I promise you, I’ll protect you—and we’ll get her back.”

Aeryn closed her eyes, leaning into his warmth. She knew the dangers ahead, but with Alex by her side, she felt stronger, more capable. Together, they would face Jack’s twisted games—and they would win.

---

Back in Jack’s lair, Isabel’s body hung limp in the restraints. The pain had been too much, and she was barely conscious now, her breathing shallow. Jack stood over her, his expression cold as ever.

“Enough for today,” he said to his guards. “She’ll need to stay alive long enough for Aeryn to arrive.”

As the guards unhooked Isabel from the machine, Jack’s gaze darkened. He knew Alex and Aeryn would come for her soon. But when they did, they would find themselves walking straight into his trap.

This time, Jack intended to finish what he had started. And not even Alex’s power would save them.