Chapter 156

Delaney

The pressure on my knees from kneeling down on the hard ground was relentless, sharp and biting, yet not significant like the millions of thoughts and mixed emotions that were bombarding me. I shifted my weight, as if that would change the situation, but it only intensified the physical and emotional ache.

"Bring them here," my mother instructed. I heard low murmurs, followed by a number of steps, and a few minutes later, muffled screams. "Let's form a circle," she said, my ears open for any little sound.

"Untie them." It was the dark witch's voice, clear as day, yet with an underlying darkness as night. Then I heard the first whimper, followed by another and another until I could make out around six different voices, all from females. "Any more whimpers from any of you and I will make your deaths ten times more painful." That shut them u