Ivy's POV

I pulled my hands out of the basin, hissing at the sight. The fresh wound on my palm was raw, inner skin exposed, the blood mixing with the soapy water until it turned a cloudy red. My chest tightened at the sight, but at least the dishes were almost done. That was something.

By then the room had already darkened, the shadows crawling in through the corners. The only way I could tell the time of day was by the small window near the top of the cage. A faint glow pushed through it, ...