Phantasma (Wicked Games, #1)

by Kaylie Smith

The need to be good, to do well by everyone who had ever expected anything of her, was nestled deep inside her bones. Inextricable from her soul.

Ouchie! Samesies

If you don’t knock on that door three times in the next five seconds, the insidious Shadow Voice in her head whispered, you’ll die too.

Its giving OCD

“Go home,” the stranger advised. “A house of Devils is no place for an angel like you.”

Oooof

“A heart and a key would set me free,” it said. “But you should hope we do not meet again, angel.”

macabre

Stop it. Use another word now

It unlocked its jaw to strike at her again, and she shoved the sword, and half her arm, into its gaping mouth.

Reminds me of the chamber of secrets

“Being too compassionate in a place like this is a mistake,” he warned. “Soft hearts don’t survive here.”

Yup

“C’mon, angel, show me your teeth.”

Okay

“Nice job, angel.

Love this nickname

“Tilt your head for me, sweetheart,”

Oh

“How do I know this is real and I’m not being tricked by another illusion into a false sense of security?”

Its giving schizophrenia

She buried her face into the crook of his throat. “You came.” “You called,” he answered.

I love this

What makes you think he’d ever want to experience you that way again? the Shadow Voice hissed. You’re pathetic, undesirable. You’re creepy. He probably thought the way you acted last night was embarrassing. Embarrassing. Embarrassing. Embarrassing. Embarrassing. Embarrassing. Embarrassing. Embarrassing. Embarrassing. Embarrassing. Embarrassing. Embarrassing. Embarrassing. Embarrassing. Embarrassing. Embarrassing. Embarrassing. Embarrassing. Embarrassing. Embarrassing. Embarrassing. Embarrassing. Embarrassing.

so this is how ive talked to myself my entire life womp womp

His encouragement made her push herself harder. As much as she hated to admit it, she craved confirmation when she did something well.

A praise kink. Same bro

Not her mother. Her mother might have told her she’d done something well, but never that she was proud. Tessie Grimm had never been the kind for flowery sentiments.

Do we have the same mother?

Sometimes, it’s easy to listen to the voice in my head when it tells me I don’t deserve something.

Yupppp

I’m at your service after all.”

We love to be serviced

“Go back to sleep, angel,” he murmured. “Right now, I’m here.”

To hear those words spoken to me. Ughhhh

“There’s this whole bit with collars and chains… you wouldn’t happen to enjoy being choked, would you?” She spluttered a bit. “I⁠—” “I’m kidding, angel,” he snorted. “But if you ever get curious, I’m always game to try anything.”

Love love love

mortals are fools,”

"foolish mortals"

She counted the seconds between each swing, and Blackwell was blessedly quiet while she concentrated. Gathering up her skirts, she waited for the saw to pass in front of her three times before making the leap.

this whole house and levels remind me of squid games