"No!" I shouted, lunging forward as the knife moved toward Mother's throat. "What did you do to her?"

A swift kick struck my head, sending stars exploding across my vision. I stumbled backward, tasting blood in my mouth.

"This is all your fault, Arthur," Dean said, standing over me.

"Scarlett, take this key," Dean called out to the red-haired woman who had knocked out Aurora. "Go unlock that woman in the chair."

The red-haired girl, Dean's sister, moved quickly to free my mother from her ...