Fiona lay on the cold stone floor of the cell, the agony in her body ebbing and flowing like the tide. Every bruise, every cut, every fresh mark from the whip seemed to blur together into an indistinct memory of pain. Yet through it all, a singular thought anchored her: Gideon.
Even when the darkness threatened to swallow her whole, when her body screamed for mercy, his name was the spark that refused to die. She couldn’t give up. Not when he was out there, not when the hope of their reunion kept her alive.
The room around her was silent now, the echoes of her tormentors’ steps fading into the distance. The torches outside flickered weakly, casting dancing shadows that seemed to mock her misery. For a moment, she allowed herself to close her eyes, her breathing shallow but steady. This w
