I hugged myself, the walls of the Greatwater mansion seeming to press in against me as much as the memories. I could still recall the damp chill that filled the air, along with the orange glow that permeated the cavernous room into which Eric and I had stepped. The glow came from seven pedestals that lined the circular room, each topped with a bowl of oil, burning bright. A huge brass urn stood in the center of room, with six heavy chains hanging immediately above it. Of the chains, four disappeared into the urn’s depths. The last two hung about three inches above the lip of the vessel. An ornate tapestry hung against the far wall, the intricate weaving depicting the serpent tempting Eve in the Garden of Eden. As I watched, the tapestry was ripped apart, the two halves flung aside by an invisible force to reveal Cami, naked and bound to a post. At her feet, nine huddled forms lay lifeless on the floor. Our friends and colleagues, now dead. Cami looked up, saw us, and uttered a single word: “Run!”
