CATHERINE'S POV
Darkness.
That was all there was. Time felt meaningless here. I couldn't tell if seconds or hours had passed. My mind floated in a haze, and for a terrifying moment, I wondered if I was dead.
Then flashes came. I had memories. I remembered us running through the woods, the sound of guards shouting, my mother's hand gripping mine. I remembered how scared and desperate I was
It wasn't a dream. It was real.
Panic hit me hard again.
"Mom?" My voice came out broken and small.
There was no answer. Only the echo of my voice bouncing into the emptiness.
"Mom!" I screamed again, louder this time. My heart was pounding so hard it hurt. The silence that followed was unbearable. My chest tightened as tears burned behind my eyes.
Then I felt it, a hand.. It brushed against my s
