"That's how it all happened..." Samuel finished, his gaze fixed on the dungeon floor, the weight of his memory crushing the atmosphere.
"My uncle found her, a survivor, amongst the ruins and brought her back to the castle." Sunny nodded, piecing together the political and personal betrayal.
"Yes. We were there," Samuel confirmed, looking up at Sunny with eyes that held centuries of weariness:
"We were going to speak up, but Viper stopped us. He revealed that the Royal Family, along with others, was being lured into a trap—a suicide mission. We tried every way we could to prevent the journey." He let out a ragged breath.
"We failed. And Viper discovered our attempt. He mutilated us, cutting off our arms, and locked us down here ever since."
Sunny frowned, staring at the cauterized wounds where their forearms should have been. "Why didn't you bleed out? What did he do?"
