Delia stared blankly at the damp, stone wall of the dungeon. Time had long since lost its meaning here. She had counted the days at first, clinging to them as markers of her suffering, but eventually even that small defiance had slipped from her grasp. She had hoped death might come as a release, yet even that mercy was denied her.
The sudden sound broke the silence, and she flinched. At first, she thought it was another meal shoved inside though she had choked down her last crust of bread not long ago.
The gate swung open, and two towering silhouettes entered.
Her cracked lips trembled as she swallowed hard. This time, she told herself, she would say whatever Lucien demanded. Anything, if it meant freedom.
'I can't endure this prison any longer.'
She tried to rise, but the weight of the shackles clamped around her wrists dragged her back down, biting into her skin.
Lucien and Caleb halted before her. She forced her head up, her swollen eyes meeting theirs.
