Mia’s POV
I was halfway to the dungeon when my steps faltered. The heavy scent of blood still lingered in the air, the thick stench wrapping around me like a warning. Something felt off.
Then I saw him.
Lucas.
He was being dragged into the shadows, his body limp, his usually sharp eyes dulled with exhaustion. His lips moved, barely, but I caught it.
Don’t.
A silent command. A plea.
My entire body tensed. Every instinct screamed at me to run after him, to tear through whoever had him in their grasp. But I didn’t.
I clenched my fists, nails digging into my palms. The frustration burned like acid in my veins, but Lucas had signaled me for a reason. Rushing in blindly would only get me captured, too.
I needed a plan.
Spinning on my heel, I turned and sprinted toward the main hall,
