Melissa.
The sharp crack split the air the moment I stepped into the perimeter of the dungeon, and I knew that sound too well. It was the unmistakable snap of a whip slicing through space before meeting flesh. My breath hitched instantly, my feet slowing on instinct as dread crawled up my spine.
I wanted to hide. The urge was sudden and overwhelming, to melt into the shadows, to press myself against the cold stone walls so the guards wouldn’t notice me. My heart pounded loudly in my ears as I scanned the dim space, searching for somewhere, anywhere, to disappear into. But then I saw her.
I saw myself.
For a brief, disorienting second, my mind refused to process what my eyes were showing me. I froze, rooted to the spot, shock numbing my limbs. Then it registered fully, crashing into me
