Jamie clawed his way through layers of pain to consciousness, not sure he wanted to wake up as the muscles of his body seized and he screamed, the echoes reverberating in the chamber. His eyes flashed open and he gazed in horror at the cement walls and stained floor of his prison.
“This is a dream. It’s not real,” he assured his frantic mind. But then he recalled Nico’s words. Piter would never play another mind game with him. A shudder ran through him. This was the cruelest reality.
His arms ached, wrists shackled together and suspended over his head by a thick chain looped through a hook in the unfinished ceiling. He straightened, easing his arms somewhat, but his legs shook, unable to bear his weight for long.
“Why am I here?” he whispered, licking his dry lips, becoming aware of his
