Leigh woke with a start. She closed her eyes because it had to be a dream—a nightmare. A hangover from too much drink during New Year’s Eve, yes, that had to be it. Opening her eyes again didn’t make the strange surroundings disappear, though.

Leigh remembered going to a New Year’s masquerade party with friends. Some guy in a mask brought her a drink, and as they sat talking, she became very dizzy. He had gone to get her friends to help. She had drifted in and out after that, and someone carried her and laid her down. Sitting up, she looked around the strange bedroom. It was quaint. The wooden bed she was in looked to be of sturdy construction, and there was a table, two chairs, and some dresser. These were reproductions of antiques, or possibly antiques themselves.

But more importantly, where was she? It was never a good idea to take a drink from someone you don’t know, but he seemed so lovely. Leigh remembered a bit more now. They had spoken of their love of vintage clothing. He seemed so sincere that when he offered her a glass, she didn’t hesitate.

Leigh took a deep breath. Going over what she should have done differently wasn’t getting her anywhere. She needed to find her phone. Searching the room, Leigh didn’t find it. Her purse was on the dresser, but her phone was nowhere to be seen. Checking the pocket in her skirt was fruitless, too. Unless it had fallen out while she slept, she tore back the blankets and sheets on the bed and sighed with relief when she saw the familiar rectangle of her I-phone.

“You are awake, My Lady.” Leigh scanned the room. Noting the speaker near the ceiling and the camera hanging on the wall next to the door.

“Where am I?” she asked. Her mind, running miles ahead, was already thinking about ways to get out of here, wherever here is.

“You are in my home. I hope the room is to your liking.”

Many emotions flooded her, anger, fear, frustration, but Leigh thought better of it and remained polite. “It’s a lovely room. Thank you for asking, but I have to wonder who you are and where is this house?”

“All in good time, my lady.” The man’s voice said. “I will tell you this. There is food in the kitchen, and you are probably hungry.”

He wasn’t wrong. Leigh’s stomach told her she must have slept for a long time. She reached over to check her phone and realized two things. An entire day had passed, and there was no signal. Her heart dropped. Perhaps she could get bars near a window, but Leigh had a feeling that her kidnapper already knew the device wouldn’t work. Why else would he allow her to keep it?

“You are absolutely adorable with your 20th-century device. I am afraid it will be of little use here.” Leigh said nothing, refusing to rise to the bait. “Ah, the lady is quiet. That makes things interesting. I can’t tell what you are thinking. Most are screaming in anger or crying for mercy when they realize their predicament.”

Ignoring the voice, Leigh stepped to the window to try her phone, but it was as her abductor had stated. There was no signal. She raced to the exit, her flight response taking over, as she just needed to get away from there. As she grabbed the handle, a sharp pain went through her palm, and she drew away with a shrill cry as the door opened. Looking down at her hand, it was a nasty deep cut. Leigh grabbed her skirt and wrapped it around the wound to stanch the flow of blood. “

She inspected the door. It was trapped with a razor blade. What kind of person does such a thing? An insane person, that’s who. She’d been abducted and was alone in a house with a madman, who trapped everything.

“Head left to the kitchen, my dear, and there will be someone there to help you with your poor hand.”

Not knowing what else to do, Leigh obeyed the voice. The cut needed attention. She hurried down the hallway to a set of steep steps that took her right into the kitchen.

As Leigh stepped into the galley, someone said, “Oh, my goodness. You’re hurt.” A perky blond started rummaging through a cabinet. “I’ve got bandages and antiseptic here.” She walked over and held her hand out to Leigh. “I’m Millie. Let me see your hand so we can properly take care of it.” Leigh wordlessly stretched out her hand. The girl looked harmless enough and concerned.

Leigh studied her as Millie babbled away. Her heart-shaped face bubbled with happiness as she talked. Her mid-length blond hair pulled back by a barrette on the right side showcased her smooth-tanned skin. Almond-shaped liquid brown eyes seemed to light up her snubbed nose and cupid’s bow mouth, and she explained about the others living in the house. Millie seemed normal enough as she cleaned the wound and bandaged Leigh up. “I’m not as good as our doctor, but I can do basic first aid.”

She grabbed a washcloth, attempting to take some of the blood out of Leigh’s skirt. “You’ll have to wash it later, but it won’t stain.” Millie looked up at her with luminous brown eyes. “Aside from the hand, how are you doing, Leigh?”

Leigh looked at her in surprise. “Why are you here? And how do you know my name?”

“Oh, Svengali always tells me the newcomers’ names.” She explained, walking around the table to pull some things from the refrigerator. She put some vegetables on the sideboard and started chopping as she talked. “He sends everyone to the kitchen first. So I’m the first person here they meet. Although sometimes I’m painting instead of cooking.” She gestured to the easel in the kitchen’s corner. “I’m here because I choose to stay.”

Leigh sat at the kitchen table. She couldn’t wrap her mind around Millie’s choice, so she asked another question instead. “Where is here?”

“The house, of course, Silly,” Millie said teasingly as she placed a bowl of salad and a plate of bread in front of them before taking her seat across from Leigh.

“Where is the house located?” Leigh asked, pointedly taking a bite of bread. She was hungry, and she figured the food wasn’t poisoned, as Millie was already eating.

“I don’t recall the exact street, but we are in the city of Meridon.” Millie explained, “I grew up here.”

“What state is that in?” Leigh queried.

“I don’t remember,” Millie said quietly, looking sad. They finished their meal in silence.

Millie stood to take the plates.” You should explore and meet the others. Be mindful of the traps, though.”

“Why on earth would I want to do that?” Leigh asked, “I’d be safer to stay put.”

“Because that’s your way out,” Millie explained patiently. “Svengali will give you tasks to earn your freedom. If you succeed, you can leave.”

“And if I don’t succeed?” Leigh asked.

Millie dropped her gaze. “You seem really nice. I hope it doesn’t come to that.” She lifted her eyes as she remembered something. “You should know that all bedroom doors are to be left open. But Svengali won’t hurt you while you are in your room. Private rooms are for resting and recovering from tests. Other residents can come to your room. Each room has its own en suite, and no one is allowed in there but you. Anyone who breaks the sanctity of the bathroom is punished. I’m so glad you made it! The door is always the first test.”

“Test for what?” Leigh asked.

Millie’s gaze flitted away from Leigh’s. “some people don’t handle the situation very well. They… don’t stay long.”

Leigh didn’t need to confirm her suspicions. It was apparent that those who didn’t comply were disposed of.

“Yes.” Svengali’s voice came over the intercom in the kitchen, making both girls jump. “It’s time for My Lady to see more of the house.”

“Svengali, what have I told you about scaring me like that?” Millie scolded, catching her breath.

“Hm, I actually wasn’t trying that time, Little Nightingale,” Svengali apologized.

Leigh was surprised. The King of Nutcases called them by nicknames and seemed to have genuine affection for them. Millie seemed to be the Princess of Nutcases. Why would she stay here if she could leave? Who were these people, and what were they to him? Why were they even here? What did Svengali hope to achieve by having her here? Leigh pondered these questions as Millie and Svengali chattered.

Svengali, addressing her, broke Leigh out of her thoughts. “My Lady, I’ve opened the basement door for you. Beware of the mice.”

Millie huffed, “They’ve been enough of a problem in the pantry.”