Emily's POV
The first thing I felt was the cold. A sharp, biting cold that jolted me awake as a bucket of water was thrown in my face. I gasped, choking on the icy liquid, my body jerking instinctively. But I couldn't move. My wrists were bound tightly to the arms of a chair, the rough rope digging into my skin. My ankles were tied just as securely, and my head pounded like a drum, every throb sending waves of nausea through me.
I blinked, water dripping from my lashes, and my vision slowly cleared. The room was dimly lit, the air thick with the scent of damp earth and something metallic—blood. My heart raced as I took in my surroundings. I was in some kind of basement, the walls made of rough stone, the floor cold and uneven. And standing in front of me, her arms crossed and a smirk pla
