"Send me back to my real world," I blurted, stepping forward without thinking.
He sat up slowly and looked at me with an expression so calm it felt like a blade. For a moment his face was blank, as if what I'd just said hadn't even registered. Then a small smile curved his lips — a smile that felt almost cruel.
"I won't," he said.
"What?"
"Sorry, Luna, but I won't send you back to your real world. Not until you complete the mission." He stood and reached up to stroke my cheek. "You should be thanking me. I only gave you one mission."
"You do realize how dangerous this is, right? You're putting my life at risk!" I snapped.
His hand dropped and he gripped my arm instead.
"Calm down, Luna. I know you can do it," he said, voice low and unnervingly confident.
"And if I can't?" I asked.
He chuckled. The sound should have comforted me; instead it made my skin crawl.
"Then it'll be more fun," he said. The words felt like a hook digging into my ribs.
"What the—"
