Night was falling when Maddox returned. I’d spent the day in the sun, as far away from the dark cave as I could. My chain wouldn’t let me reach the fire, but I’d found a rock and beaten the chain with it, trying to find a weak point that would break my bonds. After midday, I’d become frantic, scratching at the rock that fixed the chain with my fingernails until they bled.
Finally, I sat on the rock, forcing myself to breathe deeply. I was a prisoner, but my captor didn’t seem to have any malice against me. He even spoke to me. Perhaps I could reason with him.
With the rest of the water, I washed the blood from my hands and wiped my face. I combed my hair with my fingers and spent a long time braiding and rebraiding it. I would not panic. I was Sabine, considered the loveliest woman in th
