Free Forever Doon by Carey Corp, Lorie Langdon

its axis. How had I ever doubted the validity of our Calling? The Protector’s ultimate gift. Veronica was the sun breaking through my dark sky.
    These last torturous days, that light had fed and sustained me, but the night had begun to creep into my heart, stealing my hope. Vee would tell me to get off my arse and find a way out of this prison. Like the great story we had watched in the modern world, Aragorn never gave up, never allowed evil to corrupt his mission. He’d overcome insurmountable odds to reclaim his kingdom and his love.
    My eyes opened in narrow slits and I assessed my surroundings. All I had to do was find the herculean strength to break out of my manacles, pick the lock on my cell door with a piece of straw, sneak past Adelaide’s preternaturally enhanced guards, and somehow escape the castle and find the others before the witch could stop me—again.
    Laughter, frantic and perhaps a bit deranged, surged up in my throat. When it passed my lips, paralyzing pain shot up the side of my face, black wisps surging into the edges of my vision. Desperate to stay conscious, I yanked my right arm forward, and tugged the chain through the iron rings above my head. The ungodly racket had the desired effect and I blinked back the wee ghosties, while adding broken jaw to my list of injuries.
    Drawing a steadying breath, I focused on the single key glinting on a hook nailed into the support beam in the corridor. Its curves glinted in the torchlight, beckoning like a siren to a storm-tossed seaman—promising what it refused to give.
    My freedom so close, yet forever out of reach.
    I fisted my unbroken hand. There had to be a way. There was always a way.
    I glanced around the cell, empty save my makeshift pallet and a rickety bucket for refuse. Mayhap I could disassemble the wooden pail and use one of its nails to pick the lock on my cuffs. The peg would likely be too short to reach the mechanism, but I had to try. Rolling to my hands and knees, I crawled to the reeking vessel, saturated with decades of human filth, and drew back on a gag.
    Get out and find Vee.
    The simple mantra repeated in my head, and I leaned in, turned the bucket until I found a loosened pin head, and dug my fingernails into the grooves surrounding it. Already crusted with blood, as they were, a little more filth couldn’t hurt. If I could unlock my cuffs with the tack, I was confident I could then use the length of my chain to snag the key.
    I’d just about wiggled the nail free when I heard footsteps. Long, heavy strides. MacNally. I gave the nail one last tug and it came loose. Once removed, it was much larger than I’d imagined, with a sharp, jagged point. Palming the metal, I leaned against the wall and slumped over, pretending to be too weak to hold myself erect.
    A metallic click sounded, followed by the squeak of hinges and Sean’s shadow loomed over me. “Oh, how the mighty MacCrae has fallen.”
    Rough hands grabbed my hair, pain screamed across my scalp, and I saw red as he tugged me to my feet. I forced myself to remain limp, my head lolling to the side as he shoved me up against the wall.
    Sean rubbed his hands together in excited anticipation of the beating he was about to administer. Bile rose in my throat and I swallowed hard. The first punch landed in my gut. But Sean had become predictable, and I’d hardened my muscles the second before it landed.
    “Oh, think yer smart, do ye? Let’s see how ye defend against this.” His fist slammed into my broken ribs and fire engulfed my consciousness. The pain so intense, I couldn’t breathe or see. Words escaped my throat as an unbidden plea, “ Squir. Sguir. ”
    “Slippin’ inta Gaelic now, are we? I must be gettin’ somewhere. But I willna be stoppin’ this time.” He moved so close I could smell sweat-soaked leather and unbathed skin. His voice lowered to a hiss. “If yer wee queen could see yer weak hide now, she’d toss ye over for a real man. I’ll be more than