Ramsey
The chains binding my wrists to the concrete wall had chafed my skin raw hours ago, but I'd long since stopped feeling the pain.
The others were in various states of consciousness around me. Kyren sat slumped against the opposite wall, his head hanging forward, but his breathing steady. The Hollow Kin elders flanked him, their faces grim but alert. Elias was to my left, testing his restraints periodically.
But it was Miriam who worried me most. The High Priestess sat rigid in her chains; her usually serene composure was filled with anxiety. Her dark eyes darted constantly toward the door, and I could see her lips moving in what looked like silent prayers or incantations.
"Listen to me, all of you," I said quietly, my voice carrying just enough for them to hear. "Whatever happens, whatever they try to make us do or say, our priority is staying alive long enough for help to arrive."
