The air in the dungeon was cold and damp, each step Gillow took echoing ominously in the narrow corridor.
Arda clung to his shoulder, her body trembling with fear and exhaustion. His grip on her was firm, unyielding, and his movements unnaturally fast—a blur of supernatural power that left her disoriented.
“Don’t worry, mate,” Gillow said, his deep voice a chilling mixture of reassurance and authority. “I’ve changed my mind. I will not have you flogged.”
For a fleeting moment, relief washed over Arda. But it vanished as quickly as it came.
“Instead,” he continued, “you will decide the fate of your friends.”
Her breath hitched, her pulse quickening. Friends? They were alive?
Gillow finally stopped, setting her down on her feet. Arda stumbled, her eyes darting around the dimly lit dun
