???'s POV:

I laughed. I had found them. I wasn't happy over Isla being gone, but finding Nicholis and Adyson Strenam is almost just as good.

Adyson and Nicholis were my prisoners now. They would do what what I say. Or they would die.

"Tell me what you did to Isla!" I demanded, having just gotten Nicholis and Adyson to submit to me and Calik. Adyson and Nicholis kneeled on the floor in front of me, their hands tied and their eyes blindfolded.

Nicholis didn't respond. Adyson didn't, either.

"You will respond to me when I ask you a question!" I approached Nicholis, just to tear off his blindfold. He stared me right in the eyes, not speaking a word. I saw no fear in his eyes. They were empty.

"Be that way." I said, not bothering to hide my grin. I walked towards Adyson.

Nicholis seemed to sense what I was going to do.

"Don't. You. Lay. A. Hand. On. Her." Nicholis spoke out.

"So nice to hear your voice." I said in a mockingly sweet tone. I turned towards Adyson, taking off her blindfold.

Adyson whimpered slightly. 

"One of you tell me where Isla is right now!" I called out. It was a warning.

Neither of them spoke up, no matter how scared I could tell Adyson was.

I stood directly in front of Adyson.

I stared her down. She looked away. I used my hand to hold her face up.

I swung the back of my hand right across Adyson's face, and as my hand connected with her face, I let go of her.

Adyson fell to the side, whimpering.

Nicholis cried out, trying desperately to get to his sister.

"Get back on your knees." I hissed mercilessly. I turned towards Nicholis, "Come any closer and I'll hit her again."

Whimpering still, Adyson climbed back onto her knees as Nicholis went still.

I glared at them, "Now, one of you tell me where Isla is! Right now!"

Adyson was crying, tears running down her face. She didn't make any noises as she choked out, "I-I don't know where s-she is."

I turned on my heel toward Adyson, prepared to give her another backhanded slap.

"Pl-Please I d-don't know! I s-swear!" Adyson cowered at my feet. I smirked.

I decided Adyson wasn't lying. I turned towards Nicholis, slowly walking towards him.

"Where is Isla?"

"I don't know."

"What did you do to her?" I was losing my temper with these two. So uncooperative..

"After Isla and Adyson got into a physical fight. I kicked Isla out."

"You what?!" I roared. I was prepared to kill them both right them and there.

Calik stepped forward, tapping me on the shoulder. "Miss, they might be useful."

I breathed in deeply, gaining control of myself again. I thought for a moment. "Yes...Yes they could."

I looked at Adyson, cowering sheepishly on the floor. I then turned to Nicholis, fearlessly staring back at me.

"You two are going to find Isla for me." I decided.

"No! I would never betray Isla like that!"

"You betrayed her enough to kick her out of your house into the woods where you knew she would die? But not enough to bring her back to safety with me."

"You aren't trying to keep her safe." Nicholis turned it on me, trying to turn away form the subject of him kicking Isla out.

"She'll be safer with me than she ever would be in that forest. Soulless roam those woods. They'd tear her apart faster than I ever could."

Nicholis debated his options.

"Just so you know, you're not allowed to tell Isla you're working for me. If you do, I'll kill I'll three of you."

"I'll do it." Nicholis admitted plainly.

"Nicholis, no!" Adyson said.

"Don't worry, you're going to be working with him!" I cried out in a falsely cheery tone.