Sofia woke to the taste of metal and fear.
Her head throbbed, a dull pounding that matched the rhythm of her heartbeat. The air smelled damp and earthy, like an old basement mixed with pine. Her wrists were bound behind her back with thick zip ties that dug into her skin. When she tried to move, cold concrete scraped against her bare legs.
The van. The cloth over her mouth. The rogue with the scar.
Panic surged through her as memory slammed back. She twisted sharply, eyes darting around the dim room. A single hanging bulb swayed overhead, casting long shadows across wooden crates and metal shelves. No windows. One heavy metal door.
And the most terrifying thing — the small, steady spark inside her belly was still there. Faint but fighting.
“Thank the Goddess,” she breathed, tears stin
