Chapter Twenty-Three

(Violet's POV)

The feeling of rough ground scraping my legs wakes me up and I find myself in a lowly lit structure. My eyes slowly adjust and I can make out the extensive amount of dust coating the floor and floating through the air.

The room was moderately big from what I could tell and lacked any kind of natural lighting. The door, to which I came to find was behind me and out of sight, creaked open as someone walked along the crunchy ground.

“Took you long enough,” a distant voice grumply remarked in response to my movements.

I go to move my arms, but am quickly met with the realization that they are restrained behind me. Memories of before I fell unconscious rush through my mind in a haze and a dull ache turns sharp as a throbbing begins.

“What’s going on? W-where am I?” I struggle to question as the unidentified person gingerly walks over, flashlight in hand.

“Oh, can’t you come up with something more original than that, dear niece?” Bella remarks once more, now standi