When my eyes finally opened, I found only darkness. It was heavy and suffocating, pressing against my chest and making it hard to breathe. The ground beneath me was hard and rocky, with sharp edges digging into my palms and feet. I tried to move, but the rough rope reminded me that my hands and legs were tied tightly.
As my senses slowly returned, something became clear in front of me: a steel grate, strange and cold. Beyond it, a lone torch flickered weakly. Its dim glow barely pierced the shadows.
Then Zaman leapt onto my shoulder. His voice was light, almost teasing. "So, you're awake at last, prince."
I lifted my head and peered through the flickering light. That was when I saw it. A shadow. A figure unlike anything I had seen before. Its hair was tangled and wild, its shape twisted and unnatural. It didn't seem human.
Then it spoke. "So, you're finally awake?"
The words came out sharply, but the voice sounded unmistakably like a woman's.
Zaman slipped back into the folds of my coat, hiding himself, while my own voice trembled. "Where are we? What is this place? Why have I been imprisoned?"
Her reply was calm but filled with malice. "You are where you will pay for your sins."
I froze, stunned. "What sins?" I demanded.
But she didn't answer. Either my question was unimportant to her, or she simply chose not to care. Instead, she looked at me with eyes I couldn't fully see, yet felt burning into me. In that darkness, a faint red glow flickered, like anger had taken form.
Then she turned and disappeared into the shadows without another word. The silence that followed was heavier than before.
Moments later, Zaman crept out from my coat. He gnawed at the ropes until they snapped loose, and my wrists were finally free.
I rubbed my sore arms and glanced at him. "Brother, how did we even get here? Where are we?"
Zaman's eyes narrowed. He was quiet for a moment, as if deciding where to begin.