_Avery's POV_
When I woke up, a sharp, throbbing pain shot through my head. It felt like someone had hit me with a brick. My eyelids felt heavy, but I forced them open. The room around me was dim, with only a faint light flickering from an old lamp in the corner. The air smelled damp and stale, and the walls were made of rough stone, as if I were in some kind of basement or cellar.
I tried to move, but my arms and legs screamed in protest. Panic surged through me as I realized I couldn’t move at all—I was tied to a chair. Thick ropes bit into my wrists and ankles, the rough fibers scraping against my skin. I struggled, but it was no use.
“Help!” I screamed, my voice echoing off the cold walls. “Is anyone there? Help me!”
My heart pounded like a drum. How had I gotten here? The last thi
