I woke up to the soft smell of daisies and chains. Beside me, Madeleine sat, crumpled, staring emptily at the opposite root cellar wall. Our arms and legs were bound with heavy iron clasps. I looked around but as my head began to throb. The cellar was small, damp, near-dark, and half-full of radishes.

"I read my contract." Madeleine still stared, unmoving, at the wall.

I felt around for my bag but felt only dirt and pain.

"Do you want to know what it said?" Her voice was extinguished. "The only way out of my blood-binding is if a free-person sells themselves to her in my place."

I turned to look at her. "This may come as a shock, Madeleine, but your parents are kind of..."

"The worst?" she smiled dimly and then returned to emptiness. For many long moments, the silence remained stiff. There was only the whistle of distant wind and the bitter flavor of radish that came with each breath. Sometime after I had fallen asleep at least twice, she turned to face me shakily.

"When the witch returns, she will take my leg for my disobedience, then she--she will cast me out to the street for my disrespect."

I reached out to graze her face with the backs of my fingertips. "Don't worry, I'll take care of you, no matter what she does."

She looked away quickly. Too quickly.

"Madeleine?"

"Hamlin, forgive me." She reached out and found my hand. "You may never be able to leave this place."

The room spun once more.