Alexander woke to the cold, metallic taste of blood in his mouth. From afar, he heard the hollow echo of footsteps against the concrete.
His head throbbed, and his vision was blurry as he blinked in the dim light. When he tried to move, he realized his arms were bound tightly behind him, and his legs were shackled to the chair on which he sat.
Slowly, his eyes adjusted to the single overhead bulb. The room was small, windowless, and lined with bare concrete walls.
Across from him, Victoria sat slumped over and chained to her own chair, her head hanging limply. He could see faint bruises along her wrists. Her breathing was shallow, but knowing that she was still alive tightened his heart with relief.
“Victoria,” he murmured hoarsely. He clenched his fists, testing the strength of his bi
