Catherine’s POV
My arms throbbed from being bound above my head for too long. The ropes had rubbed my wrists raw, and every small movement sent a painful ache through my shoulders. My fingers had gone numb hours ago, and even the smallest twitch burned. I could barely lift my head anymore. My entire body felt heavy and lifeless.
Across the room, my mother sat slumped against the cold wall. Her breathing was heavy and shallow. The light from a dying torch highlighted shadows on her face. Her skin looked pale and bruised. Her eyes were dull and distant.
For a moment, I thought she might have fallen asleep, but then I heard her whisper something. It was too quiet to understand. My heart clenched painfully in my chest. I wanted to crawl to her, to hold her hand and tell her we’d be okay. Bu
