Lila
The cell door slammed shut behind me with a sound that echoed into my bones.
Thick stone. No windows. I could taste the iron in the air.
No light except for the guttering flame of a single enchanted torch anchored high on the wall—too far to reach, even if I had the strength.
The walls were damp and uneven, covered in moss and something darker. The air smelled like mildew, rust, and old blood. And silence.
Not just the silence of a sealed space, but something crueler. Warded.
I could feel it immediately—the severing.
Ruby vanished from my mind like a candle snuffed out. No gentle hum beneath my skin. No voice. No presence. The sudden emptiness hit so hard I stumbled forward, bracing a hand on the rough stone wall as a wave of vertigo stole my balance.
My wolf was gone.
Not
