Lucas’s POV (FLASHBACK)
the massive gates ground open before us, and a woman—completely naked, looking to be in her early twenties—stepped out into the light.
"This way," she said.
Her skin shone like grease, covered entirely in a thick, black oily paint.
The double-edged sword she held in her right hand caught the harsh rays of the sun, reflecting the glare straight into my eyes.
Beyond the gates lay a small, secluded town, its houses arranged in tiers up the face of a steep hill.
At the pinnacle stood a tall, imposing structure that loomed over the valley like a dark cathedral.
I gasped, the air catching in my throat.
"How did we get here?" I spun my head immediately to face Maddie, who was shuddering violently by my side.
Her
