VALERIE
The cold, damp air of the dungeon greeted me as I descended the stairs. Each step echoed through the narrow stone corridor, amplifying the darkness that clung to the walls. I wasn’t a stranger to this place, but today, there was a sense of finality in the air. Esther was down here, broken, starved, and tortured. A fitting end for the woman who had caused so much destruction.
My footsteps slowed as I reached the cell door. The guard glanced at me, unsure if he should let me in. I nodded, giving him silent permission. He hesitated for a moment before unlocking the heavy iron door. The door groaned as it swung open, revealing Esther slumped in the corner, chained to the wall.
She was unrecognizable from the woman I once knew—her skin pale, her hair matted and filthy, her clothes t
