Chapter 26

Daciana groaned as she regained consciousness, rubbing her eyes and trying to focus on the blurry figure in front of her. As her vision cleared, she realized with a sinking feeling that it was her father, standing right outside the cell she had just escaped from. She sat up, her heart pounding in her chest as she wondered how she had ended up back in this place.

"Father," she said softly, trying to hide the fear in her voice.

Her father didn't answer. He simply stood there, staring at her with a look of disgust on his face. Daciana had never felt so alone in her life. She had always been Daddy's little girl, but now she could see that all of that had changed.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, trying to keep her voice steady.

"I asked them to bring you home," he said finally, his voice cold and distant.

"Home?" Daciana echoed. "This isn't home. This is a prison."

"You should