Russell and the two other guards who came along with Blake were stationed around a cell set apart from the rest, their presence exuding silent authority. Blake stood right beside the cell door, peering inside, his gaze more focused than usual.
I approached slowly, taking in the scene before me. Inside the cell sat a girl, probably around my age. She was striking, though not in the kind of way that made you feel comfortable. Her copper-tinted hair cascaded down to her waist in soft curls that seemed almost out of place in the grim environment, and her lightly tanned skin was smudged here and there with dirt. Yet, despite the grime, her complexion was nearly perfect. What drew me in most, however, were her piercing hazel eyes, which were fixated on me with an unreadable intensity.
I tore
