Once the letter was finished, Audrey expected Lyla to let her go. But Lyla only sneered and bound her up once more.
This time, she tipped a wicker basket upside down and spilled a pile of snakes onto the floor.
Lyla crouched beside her with a cold smile. "When he's not off at war, he talks about you all the time. He told me you're terrified of snakes. Said once you were hiking through the hills, stumbled on one, twisted your ankle, and threw yourself right into his arms. He carried you on his back all the way to the top."
Her voice turned sickly sweet. "Such a delicate little thing. Let me help you get over that."
She reached into the pile bare-handed, grabbed the snakes one by one, and shoved them down the front of Audrey's gown, between her legs.
The cold, slick bodies coiled and sl
