Chapter 20:
The sharp pain in his shoulders stirred Thad from his slumber. The sting of the tail still made his head swim. His body hurt like he’d been beaten for days without end.
When he cracked opened his eyes, he expected to be strung on a rack, a tormentor turning the wheel, stretching him.
Rather, he found himself suspended on a platform, arms stretched over his head. He had no way of judging how long he’d been out. Judging by the pain in his joints, days.
It took a moment for the details to focus. His mind wanted to stay on the gondola in Venice. Despite the horrors that waited for him in that vision, it was home. He was afraid the present terrors would prove to be more real than his dream.
He forced himself to take in as much of the scene as possible while remaining still. The
