Thalia
A sharp knock sounded at the door.
When I opened it, one of Xander's guards stood waiting outside.
"It's time," he said.
I stepped into the hallway, and my body immediately protested.
Every muscle ached. My head still throbbed faintly, and each step sent a dull pull through places I would rather not think about. The damage from earlier hadn't disappeared overnight.
Even so, I kept moving.
My posture remained straight and my expression calm. Years of practice had taught me how to hide discomfort, and the last thing I needed was for anyone to start paying closer attention to me.
As we walked through the corridors, I pushed the pain to the back of my mind and focused on why I was here. There was no point wondering what would happen afterward. Whether I survived this or not no l
