Ivara’s POV
I stared at Zoya before slowly smiling. “I’m alive and healthy. You speak like I was meant to die or worse.”
Her face twisted in horror, then confusion crept into her expression.
Her lips trembled as she whispered to herself. “No one comes out of there alive… no one crosses that gate and remains the same.” Her eyes slowly lifted to mine. “This… this isn’t true.”
I stepped closer to her. With the firelight flickering across her face, I could see the faint glimmer of fear in her eyes.
“Wait,” I said. “Don’t tell me you sent me there to die.”
Her breathing hitched.
“Was I supposed to die there? No, you sent me there to die, didn’t you?”
Zoya quickly glanced around.
The maids had gathered in a circle, watching everything unfold with wide, confused eyes.
“Everyone leave!”
