Scene 1 – Kael Awakens in Chains
The first thing Kael felt was the heartbeat.
Not his own—the cabin's. It thundered through him, slow and relentless, shaking his ribs with every pulse. His body jerked with the rhythm, like a puppet tugged by strings he couldn't see.
His eyes snapped open.
The chamber was darker now, lit only by the glow of the monstrous heart. He was bound upright against the wall, black tendrils coiled tight around his arms, chest, and legs. They pulsed with the same beat, sinking into his skin, whispering through his blood.
We can make you strong.
We can make you free.
All you have to do is say yes.
Kael thrashed, but the bindings only tightened. Pain lanced through him, hot and wet, until he gasped for air.
"Elena—" His voice was hoarse. "Elena!"
