Consciousness returned slowly, dragging Sofia up through layers of pain and darkness.
Her head throbbed with every heartbeat. A sharp ache radiated through her ribs and shoulder. The metallic taste of blood lingered on her tongue. For several long minutes she kept her eyes closed, relying on the instincts she had honed years ago in unfamiliar, dangerous places.
Concrete. Damp, underground chill. The faint smell of mildew and old bleach. No windows. Distant, muffled sounds of movement beyond a heavy door. Her wrists were bound loosely in front of her with zip ties—tight enough to restrict but not painful. Her ankles were free. She flexed her fingers carefully.
The rings were still there.
Luca’s ring and her wedding band pressed cool and solid against her skin. She closed her hands aroun
