The moment I opened my eyes, the world felt tighter. Shadows stretched long in the flickering torchlight, pressing against the walls of my chamber like they had secrets of their own.
Every breath was deliberate, every heartbeat a drum in my skull. Something was wrong. I felt something deeper than the bruises, deeper than the lingering ache in my ribs from the last battle.
I could feel it before I even saw it: tension crawling through the corridors, whispering of betrayal.
I was not alone.
Aisha hovered nearby, eyes darting nervously between me and the door. Her hands shook ever so slightly, though she tried to hide it under a calm, professional exterior. Her presence should have been comforting, but tonight it felt strained. The air between us held a static charge I couldn’t place.
“Z
